Protecting your personal information online starts with understanding the language of the internet. We’ll break down five essential tech terms that directly affect your online privacy, from the secretive Dark Web to the nuances of email etiquette. 

Learning these concepts will equip you to navigate the internet more securely.

Stay tuned for more in this series as we dive deeper into privacy-related tech terms and other essential concepts, answering the top questions we get from readers like you!

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People working on their laptops  (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

The Dark Web

A hidden internet below the surface

Beneath the familiar internet you browse every day lies the Dark Web, a concealed layer of the internet that isn’t indexed by search engines like Google and requires specialized software, such as the Tor browser, to access. 

Originally developed by the U.S. Navy in the 1990s for secure and anonymous communication, the Dark Web has since evolved into a double-edged sword, a haven for privacy advocates, journalists and whistleblowers, as well as a hot spot for cybercriminals engaging in illicit activities.

While some use the Dark Web for legitimate purposes, like bypassing censorship or protecting free speech, it’s also a marketplace for stolen personal data, financial fraud and illegal goods, making it a high-risk zone for identity theft.

If you want to safeguard your personal information from being bought, sold or leaked on the Dark Web, consider using identity monitoring services that scan underground forums and databases for exposed data.

If you want to make sure your data stays out of nefarious hands and away from the Dark Web, consider identity monitoring services that can scour the internet for your data and remove it for you.

Illustration of a hacker on the Dark Web (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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Encryption

Securing your digital world, one byte at a time

Ever wonder how your online banking info stays safe? That’s thanks to encryption, a process that scrambles your data into a secret code so only authorized people (or devices) can read it.

How encryption works:

• ​Turns data into unreadable text – If intercepted, it looks like gibberish.
• Only the right system can unlock it – Your bank, email provider or messaging app automatically decrypts it so you see normal text.

Where you use encryption every day:

• ​Secure websites – Look for HTTPS (the “S” means encrypted).
• Messaging apps – WhatsApp and iMessage use end-to-end encryption.
• Online banking and shopping – Protects your financial transactions.

​Encryption keeps prying eyes out and your private info safe because not everything you do online should be an open book. Check out other tips to protect your documents and keep them private.

Saving a  document  with encryption   (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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CAPTCHA

Proving you’re human online

Have you ever had to click on pictures of traffic lights or type in wavy letters before logging onto a website? That’s a CAPTCHA, a simple test designed to tell humans and bots apart.

Websites use CAPTCHAs to block automated programs (like spambots) from accessing accounts, submitting fake forms or posting junk. The name stands for “Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart.”

So what’s a Turing test? Named after computer scientist and WW2 codebreaker Alan Turing, it’s a challenge to see if a machine can act so much like a human that people can’t tell the difference. CAPTCHAs flip the idea around, making sure you’re human, not a bot!

While some CAPTCHAs ask you to solve puzzles, newer versions just check if your mouse movements look human. So next time you prove you’re “not a robot,” you’re actually helping protect the internet.

But not all CAPTCHAS are created equal. Follow my guide to learn how to spot the signs of a fake CAPTCHA designed to download malware.

Website using Captcha   (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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Spam

From Monty Python to malware: The evolution of spam

The term “spam” for unwanted email comes from a Monty Python sketch where the word “Spam” (referring to the canned meat) is repeatedly mentioned, overwhelming the conversation. This led to the term being used to describe the overwhelming nature of unwanted email: spam.

Originally, spam was just a nuisance flooding inboxes with promotional emails, chain letters and irrelevant ads. But, over time, spam has evolved into a major cybersecurity threat. Phishing emails, malware-laden attachments and fraudulent schemes now lurk within spam messages, tricking unsuspecting users into clicking malicious links, revealing sensitive information or even infecting their devices with ransomware and spyware.

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A woman encountering spam on her laptop  (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

CC/BCC

Who sees what? Mastering email copies

Believe it or not, you may already know what the nicknames for these tech terms come from. If you’ve ever sent an email, you’ve probably seen CC and BCC. But what are they for?

CC stands for “carbon copy,” a throwback to the days of typewriters when carbon paper made duplicate copies. In email, it means sending a copy of your message to someone so they can stay informed. Everyone can see who’s been CC’d, making it great for keeping people in the loop without needing them to respond.

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BCC stands for “blind carbon copy.” It’s like CC but private. Recipients in the BCC field get the email, but their names and addresses aren’t visible to others. This is handy for group emails where you want to protect privacy or avoid a reply-all storm.

These tools help you manage communication and keep everyone on the same page. Looking to switch up your email provider to a more secure and private platform? Check out my picks – I’ll take you through the pros and cons.

CC/BCC outlined in red   (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Kurt’s key takeaways

Understanding these five privacy-related tech terms is essential. The Dark Web highlights the need to protect your personal data. Encryption is your digital shield, securing your information during online activities. CAPTCHAs help protect websites from automated attacks, which indirectly preserves your security. Recognizing spam protects you from phishing and malware. And using CC and BCC correctly in emails respects privacy. By knowing these concepts, you’re better equipped to enhance your online privacy and security.

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There is a futuristic city designed and built from the ground up in Japan to test the latest technologies.

It’s called Woven City, and it’s a bold experiment by Toyota to transition from being just an automaker to a broader mobility company focused on the future of movement. 

Far from a traditional testing ground, this is a fully functional urban environment designed for real people to live, work and play while contributing to groundbreaking research.

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What exactly is Woven City?

Think of Woven City as a real-world laboratory. This is a place where inventors, residents and visitors come together to test and refine innovations in a city that’s, well, actually lived in. According to Toyota Chairman Akio Toyoda, it’s “a place where people can invent and develop all kinds of new products and ideas … a living laboratory.”

It’s Toyota’s ambitious project to create a test bed for autonomous vehicles, smart homes, robotics and artificial intelligence, all within a carefully designed urban environment. The aim is really to become a “mobility company” that focuses on the movement of people, goods, information and energy.

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Where is this futuristic city?

You’ll find Woven City in Susono City, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, on the site of a former car plant. It’s a deliberate move, repurposing a space previously dedicated to traditional car manufacturing into a hub for future mobility solutions.

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Who will live there?

Woven City isn’t just for robots and tech; it’s designed for people. The initial residents, expected to move in this fall, will be around 100 strong, primarily Toyota and “WbyT” (Woven by Toyota) employees and their families. The community will then expand to around 360 residents during its first phase. Eventually, the city plans to house around 2,000 people, including inventors, weavers and visitors.

“Inventors” include Toyota employees, startups and entrepreneurs focused on mobility solutions. “Weavers” are residents and visitors who will collaborate with inventors by testing new products and services. There are already several partner companies involved, including a soft drink company, a coffee company, an instant noodle company, an air-conditioning company and an educational company.

ARE THESE AUTONOMOUS TRANSPORT PODS THE FUTURE OF SKY-HIGH COMMUTING?

The three streets: Prioritizing different modes of transportation

Woven City’s design incorporates a unique street system, separating traffic based on speed and usage to promote safety and efficiency. There are three types of streets:

Dedicated to faster vehicles: This lane is designated for autonomous vehicles and is optimized for the efficient and safe movement of goods and people.

Mixed-use street: This lane allows for a mix of lower-speed mobility, such as bicycles, scooters and other personal mobility devices, alongside pedestrians.

Pedestrian-only park: Designed exclusively for pedestrians.

This layered approach ensures a balanced environment where different modes of transportation can coexist safely and sustainably, reflecting Woven City’s human-centered design philosophy.

What’s the goal of this futuristic city?

The heart of Woven City is “co-creation.” It’s about bringing together diverse groups of people to develop human-centered solutions for societal challenges. Instead of testing in isolated labs, inventors can see how their products integrate into daily life. 

To support this, Woven City offers the “Woven Inventor Garage,” providing access to cutting-edge technologies. One cool example is the “Digital Twin,” a virtual simulation of the city where inventors can model scenarios and test products on a digital platform before deploying them in the real world.

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Mobility of goods, people and information

So, what kind of innovations are being tested? Here are some of Toyota’s pioneering efforts:

Mobility of goods & people: Testing Toyota’s e-Palette for automated transport, like bus services and mobile retail.

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Smart logistics: Using delivery robots linked to smartphone apps to automate the transportation of goods.

Next-gen remote communications: Developing technologies to foster emotional connections between people who are physically apart, enhancing screen time for individual growth and social connections.

From looms to living cities: Toyota’s core philosophy

It’s interesting to note that Toyota’s roots aren’t just in cars. The company’s founder, Sakichi Toyoda, revolutionized the textile industry with inventions that eased his mother’s work on a manual loom. This “for others” philosophy continues to drive Toyota’s initiatives, from automobiles to Woven City.

Kurt’s key takeaways

Woven City signifies Toyota’s commitment to shaping the future of mobility and creating a better world through innovation. As the first residents move in and the city continues to evolve, it will be interesting to watch how this “living laboratory” redefines what’s possible.

Would you want to live in a high-tech, experimental city like Toyota’s Woven City? Why or why not? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact

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Cold calls are often a waste of your time and an unwanted interruption to your day. You might think that, at worst, you end up buying or signing up for something that you don’t really need or at an inflated price. But there’s a lot worse that could happen. 

The line between spam and scam calls is often thin and blurred. The person on the other end of the call might sound like they’re trying to sell you something or conduct a survey, but this could just be a cover for them to try to extract personal information from you. 

Personal information that they can then use to target you with an extremely convincing scam down the line or to gain direct access to your accounts.

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A woman receiving a scam call. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

HOW TO STOP ANNOYING ROBOCALLS

Security questions: A weak link exploited by hackers

Take security questions, for example. They’re pretty repetitive: your mother’s maiden name, your first pet’s name, your favorite elementary school teacher. A hacker does not need to know how to script a single line of code to break into your accounts; it’s often enough that they know these things about you and can convince your mobile carrier to activate a SIM card in your name. 

This is all, let’s not mince words, scary, especially if you’ve just sold a vehicle or property and have the proceeds lying around or a nest egg account set aside for your retirement, because scammers and hackers can easily find out about title or deed transfers through data brokers like people finder sites.

Refuse to engage

Scary as it is, it’s also simple to protect against. Simple, but not always easy. If you just refuse to engage with these people, never giving up even a scrap of information, your risks of getting scammed or hacked plummet. Keep your personal information out of circulation in the first place (using a data removal service, for example), and they drop to almost zero.

A man receiving a scam call. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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When to hang up

So, once faced with a suspicious call, the solution is simply to hang up as soon as something seems off. And when is that, exactly? The moment someone calls you out of the blue and requires you to give or confirm any personal information. This could be the last four digits of your Social Security number, your address, which credit card company you’re with — anything that concerns you, specifically. If the caller turns up the pressure and starts trying to get you to stay on the line, either by enticing you with “rewards” or even threatening you with dire consequences, then you can be absolutely sure the call is not legitimate. 

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The red herring of legitimacy

But what if the call is legitimate? What if you hang up on someone who was only doing their job? What if they were truly trying to help you? These are the doubts that scammers and hackers play upon to ply their trades. We’re all vulnerable to tactics like these, especially if caught off guard. Older adults are particularly vulnerable. Studies suggest that older people — who collectively lose over $28 billion to scams each year — are more likely to cling to initial impressions of trustworthiness, even when later behavior puts that trustworthiness into question. Scammers typically start their interactions with well-rehearsed, smoothly executed preambles, creating good first impressions. Older people are also more likely to put stock in good manners, finding it more difficult than younger adults to directly or indirectly question a caller’s intentions, let alone cut them off mid-sentence and hang up on them.

A woman frustrated by receiving a scam call. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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Why call center staff won’t ask for personal information

So, how can you know if the caller is really who they say they are? That’s the question many people get stuck on. The twist? It’s a red herring. The fact is, it doesn’t matter if the call is legit or not. If it’s a scammer, they won’t be hurt or offended: rejection and hang-ups come with the territory. If it’s a real call, the caller also won’t be hurt or offended — here’s why. Call center staff and other people who make cold calls as part of their job are aware of the privacy and security concerns that such calls bring up. They know how dangerous it can be to divulge personal information over the phone, which is why they won’t ask for it. They should also be familiar with one of the best practices there is for dealing with suspicious cold calls.

10 ways to safeguard against phone scams and unwanted calls

1. Use the “Hang up, look up, and call back” method for verification: When in doubt, hang up the phone, look up the organization the caller claimed to be calling from (using its official website, for example), and call it back using the number you find there. If the call you received was above board, they’ll be able to redirect you back to the initial caller.

2. Don’t answer calls from unknown numbers: Let unknown calls go to voicemail, as legitimate callers will usually leave a message if it’s important.

3. Register your phone number on the National Do Not Call Registry: This can help reduce telemarketing calls from legitimate businesses, but it won’t stop scammers, illegal robocalls or exempt organizations (like charities and political groups) from calling you. Scammers often ignore the registry and use tactics like number spoofing to bypass it. Want to know more about why your phone still won’t stop ringing and what you can do about it? Check out our article on the ‘Do Not Call’ list loophole.

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4. Use a spam blocking app for texts and calls: These apps can identify and block known spam numbers, significantly reducing the number of unwanted calls you receive.

5. Never give out personal information in response to unexpected calls: Legitimate organizations won’t ask for sensitive information over the phone if they’ve initiated the call.

6. Be cautious of pressure tactics or requests for immediate action: Scammers often create a sense of urgency to prevent you from thinking clearly or verifying their claims.

7. Set a password for your voicemail account: This prevents scammers from accessing your voicemail and potentially gathering personal information.

8. Be wary of caller ID spoofing — local numbers may not be local callers: Scammers can manipulate caller ID to display any number they choose, so don’t trust it blindly.

9. Don’t respond to questions, especially those that can be answered with “Yes”: Scammers may record your “Yes” response and use it to authorize fraudulent charges or changes to your accounts.

10. Invest in personal data removal services: To get fewer of these calls in the first place, you can enlist the help of a professional data removal service. These services can take your personal information out of circulation, including the contact details spammers and scammers use to call you. While no service promises to remove all your data from the internet, having a removal service is great if you want to constantly monitor and automate the process of removing your information from hundreds of sites continuously over a longer period of time. Check out my top picks for data removal services here. 

IDENTIFY ANY MYSTERY CALLER FOR FREE WITH THIS PHONE NUMBER LOOKUP TOOL

Kurt’s Key Takeaways

If you receive a call that gives you any doubts at all, even if you can’t quite put your finger on why, then you should end the call and either go on with your day or look up the company and call it back on its official number. You can reduce the number of calls like this by signing up for a data removal service. This will leave fewer spam and scam callers with your contact details and other personal information — something they use to craft convincing backstories and put potential victims at ease.

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Have you experienced an increase in robocalls or scam calls recently, and how are you dealing with them? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact

For more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Cyberguy.com/Newsletter

Ask Kurt a question or let us know what stories you’d like us to cover.

Follow Kurt on his social channels:

Answers to the most-asked CyberGuy questions:

New from Kurt:

Copyright 2025 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.

Harrison Ford. (Getty Images; Disney)

Welcome to Fox News’ Artificial Intelligence newsletter with the latest AI technology advancements.

IN TODAY’S NEWSLETTER:

• Harrison Ford shuts down AI fears, dismisses technology’s power to ‘steal my soul’
• ChatGPT will now combat bias with new measures put forth by OpenAI
• Apple’s entire AI roadmap has been ‘underwhelming,’ expert says

BRAVE NEW WORLD: Harrison Ford isn’t impressed by or afraid of artificial intelligence. In a recent interview with The Wall Street Journal, the “Captain America: Brave New World” star was asked if he was planning on securing control of his likeness from studios, and he brushed off the concern.

Harrison Ford in 2020. (Amy Sussman/Getty Images)

MAJOR OVERHAUL: OpenAI has announced a set of new measures to combat bias within its suite of products, including ChatGPT.

In this photo illustration, the OpenAI logo is seen displayed on a mobile phone screen with ChatGPT logo in the background. (Idrees Abbas/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

HIRING UP: Chipotle Mexican Grill is seeking to hire more workers ahead of “burrito season” – and it is embracing artificial intelligence (AI) tools to help streamline the process.

‘UNDERWHELMING’ APPLE: Apple’s foray into AI with Apple Intelligence has been “underwhelming” so far, but the company has the user base to continue to expand features, Futurum Group CEO Daniel Newman told FOX Business Network’s Stuart Varney.

Apple Intelligence. (Apple)

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