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It's decidedly not a Barbie world at the 96th Academy Awards.

This morning (Jan. 23) the Academy announced its 2024 Oscar nominations, and two Barbie favorites were snubbed: Greta Gerwig for Best Director and Margot Robbie for Best Actress. But the film did walk away with eight nominations, including Best Picture, Gerwig and Noah Baumbach for Best Adapted Screenplay, Ryan Gosling for Best Supporting Actor, and America Ferrera for Best Supporting Actress.

SEE ALSO: 2024 Oscar nominations: See the full list

For Barbie fans, Gerwig and Robbie's snubs felt a little too close to the themes of the film. Fans pointed to Gosling's Ken getting nominated instead of Robbie's Barbie as evidence of patriarchy in the Real World, despite the actors competing in different categories — and Ferrera scoring a surprise nomination.

To some, this moment is the perfect encapsulation of Ferrera's now Oscar-nominated monologue: "[Women] have to always be extraordinary, but somehow we're always doing it wrong."

SEE ALSO: 'Barbie' review: Bonkers, bold, and a bit of a miracle

As always, fans took to Twitter / X to air their grievances. One fan posted, "Ken getting nominated and not Barbie is honestly so fitting for a film about a man discovering the power of patriarchy in the Real World." Another wrote, "Ryan Gosling, while deserving, got an Oscar nomination for Barbie while Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie didn’t? Completely proving the point of the movie in 20 fucking 24 you cannot make this up." Dozens of posts echo this sentiment.

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As Billie Eilish's Oscar-nominated song goes, "When did it end? All the enjoyment."

SAVE $60: As of today, Jan. 23, you can save 40% on the new Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd generation). This limited-time deal takes the price down from $149.99 to $89.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd generation) $89.99 at Amazon (save $60) Get Deal

Back in October, Amazon released a fully upgraded Amazon Echo Show 8 smart home device. Today, it's finally on sale for less than $100.

In a limited-time deal, the Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd generation) is on sale for just $89.99. This sheds 40% off the regular list price of $149.99. This is the smart home hub's lowest price ever. If you've been holding out for an upgrade, now is a smart time to buy.

SEE ALSO: Score Amazon Fire tablets for all-time low prices, plus more tablet deals

The 3rd generation Amazon Echo Show 8 got some pretty meaningful upgrades from its predecessor. Now, its audio capabilities are bolstered by spatial audio, room acoustic sensing, and noise reduction technology, meaning that your room will be filled with powerful sound. We also appreciate the device's new processor that enables faster display when you're streaming or video calling. And with its smart home hub feature, you can connect and control your devices from one convenient location.

Take advantage of today's record-low price and score the Amazon Echo Show 8 for just $89.99.

Do a Google search for "Shark Tank keto gummies" and you'll find a slew of paid sponsored search ads promoting the supposed weight loss product. 

Scroll past all of those advertisements and you'll find even more posts, this time organic results, also praising these keto weight loss gummies allegedly endorsed by Mark Burnett's hit ABC show starring famous entrepreneurs like Mark Cuban and Kevin O'Leary.

Don't buy those products. Shark Tank and all of the business minds on the show have absolutely nothing to do with them. The whole "Shark Tank keto gummies" market is a fraudulent scheme to make money off of fans of the show.

A fake ABC website discovered though Google search hawking fake Shark Tank keto gummies. Credit: Check My Ads

And perhaps most concerning, these scams wouldn't succeed without Google's help.

Mashable has reached out to Google for comment and will update this article when we hear back.

The Shark Tank keto gummies scam

Weight loss products have long-been a market ripe for fraud, especially on online marketplaces where diet pills and other supplements are hawked as magical solutions to vulnerable people's health or self-esteem problems.

“I get heartbreaking emails from people who ask me why [Shark Tank keto gummies] don’t work. How they are overweight and really trusted my brand or the Shark Tank brand when they made the purchase,” said Shark Tank investor Mark Cuban on the problem in correspondence with adtech watchdog Check My Ads.

Cuban reached out to Check My Ads upon seeing its co-founder, Nandini Jammi, share her own experience getting scammed by fraudulent products being advertised via Google search's sponsored results.

In Jammi's case, she had been scammed by a fake shoe search ad before Christmas. When she posted about her frustrations with the state of online advertising, Cuban asked that she look into a similar search-related scam, Shark Tank keto gummies.

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After Cuban reached out to Jammi, Check My Ads looked further into the Shark Tank keto gummies ads on Google and found that scammers are utilizing Google's products in numerous ways to push their scheme onto unsuspecting consumers. 

Check My Ads shared their report exclusively with Mashable. What we found also backs up previous Mashable investigations that show Google products are successfully being weaponized by scammers.

For example, in November 2022, Mashable reported how fraudsters were using the Google Sites platform to set up phishing websites to steal people's passwords and other sensitive information. Often in those cases, scammers enjoyed added search engine-related benefits as their Google Sites-powered pages were prominently displayed on Google search.

In the case of Check My Ads' report on Shark Tank keto gummies, the organization found four different avenues in which Google played a role in perpetuating the scam.

Paid search ads

Google sponsored ads look just like regular, organic search results. The tech giant does add a "Sponsored" label above these paid-for results, but not all users notice it. And sometimes, Google displays so many sponsored results that it's hard to tell exactly where the ads end and the organic search results begin.

A Google search for "Shark Tank keto" displayed four sponsored ads promoting a fake product at the top of the page. Credit: Check My Ads

Furthermore, companies offering real products and services run sponsored search ads, too, so the label itself doesn't necessarily mean a website is sketchy. In fact, many scammers have excelled at purchasing domain names for their fraudulent website that look like they can ostensibly be official URLs from an actual reputable company.

We've already detailed what a prominent role Google search plays in hawking Shark Tank keto gummies, a product which does not exist, to unsuspecting consumers. In one such instance, Check My Ads found four sponsored search results at the top of a Google search promoting these fraudulent gummies. That would be the first four links a user sees on the page.

According to Check My Ads, it reported some of the advertisers promoting these scams in mid-December. Around a month later, all of the reported advertisers were still running these ads.

As of Tuesday, Jan. 23, one of the scam advertisers is still running fraudulent Shark Tank weight loss product ads.

Organic search results

As Check My Ads discovered, even if a user was to scroll past the sponsored ads and look at organic search results, many of the links that Google ranks are also promoting the scam. 

In fact, the FTC's own page with a specific warning about scammers advertising "Shark Tank-approved" products does not appear until after the sponsored posts and a few organic posts promoting such scam products. Other articles warning users about the keto gummy scams, like this one from USA Today, also don't rank until further down the search results page.

But it's not only that Google isn't prominently showing reputable websites warning users of these scam products. Google's organic search results are ranking fake websites promoting the scam products in the top spots.

For example, Check My Ads found that the number one ranked websites in the organic search results for "Shark Tank keto gummies" is a University of Pittsburgh link. When a user clicks that link in the search results, however, they aren't taken to a page on the university's website. Instead, they are sent to a random health domain name that's set up to mimic a CBS News local affiliate page. And that imposter page is promoting the scam keto gummies to users.

The first organic result for a Shark Tank keto gummies-related search is a fake page setup by scammers. Credit: Check My Ads

Mashable has previously reported as well on Google ranking scam websites impersonating Amazon and even Google's own products, such as YouTube. In these cases, Mashable heard from users who had been scammed because they found these websites ranked highly in Google search and trusted them for that reason.

Other Google products are incentivizing these scammers, too

One of the benefits of using Google's suite of products is how well they all work together. Scammers seem to have figured this out, too. Oftentimes, if a scam is weaponizing one Google product, other Google services have been set up by bad actors to work in tandem.

When it comes to the Shark Tank keto gummy scams, Check My Ads found that the fraudsters hawking these fakes are also benefiting from Google Analytics and Adsense.

Many of the scam websites running ads for fake products are using Google Analytics to track how customers find their website in order to tweak their marketing campaigns for maximum exposure.

To double-dip on their Google-assisted earnings, some scammers run fake "review" websites where they pose as neutral third-parties giving positive ratings to their scam keto gummy products. These websites often service Google Ads which help their owners monetize the site via the Adsense program.

This has long been a problem

As we've mentioned throughout the piece, scammers utilizing Google products for financial gain is far from a new phenomenon. And Google knows about it. The company has previously provided statements to Mashable when we report on similar scam-related issues. Google, for its part, says it removes tens of millions of scam ads and rolled out stricter advertiser verification processes.

But, as Check My Ads tells us, Google runs trillions of ads a month so the ads it takes action on make up a very small percentage of the total that run. In addition, each of the advertisers running scam Shark Tank keto gummy ads that Check My Ads reported to Google were "verified" advertisers with the company.

"Fraudulent schemes like this are so common, we’ve lost sight of how wrong it is that Google casually mints cash off copyright infringement and malicious impersonation," said Nandini Jammi, co-founder of Check My Ads, in a statement. "This is absolutely not normal. We cannot accept this as a cost of doing business." 

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth manages to mostly avoid the pitfalls that come with being a direct sequel of a video game. While the story can sometimes have pacing issues and feel bloated, its incredible cast of characters, fun gameplay, and amazing side content make Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth an unforgettable adventure.

In many ways, Infinite Wealth is very similar to its predecessor, Yakuza: Like a Dragon, except much bigger in scope. Sega and Ryu Ga Gotoku doubled down on what made the first game great. But because Infinite Wealth is a bigger game, it feels less focused this time around. However, its attempt to split the cast of characters between two parties helps to stomach the experience.

SEE ALSO: 'Like a Dragon Gaiden' gives longtime 'Yakuza' fans exactly what they want

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is releasing during a hugely stacked period on January 28, 2024, along with upcoming games like Tekken 8, Persona 3 Reload, and Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. After playing 45 hours of it, Infinite Wealth is certainly a game you don’t want to miss.

A tropical breeze

Our lovable and goofy main protagonist, Ichiban Kasuga, makes his return as he tries to work an honest job as a recruiter to help other fellow Yakuza integrate back into Japanese society by giving them work. One day, however, he gets an assignment that sends him to Hawaii in order to find his birth mother who was presumed dead.

Credit: Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio

Kasuga encounters the franchise’s previous protagonist, Kazuma Kiryu, who also happens to be looking for Kasuga’s mother, too. As their goals align, they work together to track her down. For the majority of the game’s first half, both Kasuga and Kiryu explore Honolulu. The refreshed setting was an excellent and convenient way to introduce brand new allies, as Kasuga’s buddies from the first game are still in Japan.

However, the sunny adventure is repeatedly interrupted by the introduction of mini-games, though it's genuinely impressive how well thought out they are. There are two main ones, the first being Sujimon League, which is a Pokemon-like mini-game where you try to collect the various types of enemies you encounter throughout the game and have them battle each other.

The second one is called Dondoko Island, an Animal Crossing game mode. These are fun and you'll sink dozens of hours into them. But you’re forced to go through their tutorials during the story, which kills the pacing and destroys the story's immersion.

Credit: Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio

Later on, when the story takes dark turns, your time is split between both Hawaii and Japan in a sort of dual-protagonist structure with Kasuga and Kiryu, similar to Alan Wake and Saga Anderson in Alan Wake 2. This allows you to easily keep up with the events that unfold in both places since they’re now being experienced by two different parties.

Splitting the party also lets each of them have their own smaller, sentimental moments between the characters while still keeping the story’s scope as grandiose as it is. Furthermore, it uses this as a great opportunity to reintroduce Kasuga’s previous buddies and get them acquainted with Kiryu.

Don't fix what isn’t broken

After 2020’s Yakuza: Like a Dragon overhauled the franchise’s traditional real-time action gameplay into turn-based combat like classic Final Fantasy, Infinite Wealth continues that trend. This is where it gets incredibly silly, as we have Kasuga pretending his baseball bat is a sword and Nanba, his friend, throwing birdseed at enemies to summon a flock of pigeons to attack enemies. 

Credit: Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio

Every single skill that these characters have is imaginative and heartful, making me genuinely laugh when I use them. My personal favorite of mine is former police officer Adachi; one of his attacks literally has him making a citizen’s arrest and has a chance of permanently removing an enemy from the battle. The way that realistic moves are reimagined into RPG attacks makes for a truly unique aesthetic and had me engaged throughout the entire game.

However, the main issue I had with the battle system is that multi-target attacks were very hard to aim precisely as everyone constantly skirted around the battlefield. While positioning is an important factor in battle, it was frustrating trying to find the right angle for my attack so that I could hit as many enemies as possible.

Sometimes, I would even wait a few seconds to see if a nearby enemy would come back into my attack’s proximity. It was also equally obnoxious when I was ready to fire off my attack and one enemy just decided to run to the opposite side of the field at the last minute. Unfortunately, Infinite Wealth doesn’t make any improvements to this at all from the previous game.

Infinite Wealth also takes cues from its inspirations and has a job system. Characters can switch professions, learn different attacks, and earn stat upgrades. It keeps the gameplay fresh and you can experiment with different formations to see which best fits your playstyle. Are you a cautious player? Switch your female characters to the Idol class and unlock their healing abilities!

Exploring the city

Most of Infinite Wealth takes place in Hawaii, a vast departure from the traditional Japan setting we’ve seen throughout the entire Like a Dragon/Yakuza franchise. I was tired of seeing the typical Kamurocho and Ijincho cities for the past several games. When I saw the bright Hawaiian sun, it gave me a sense of renewed vigor and optimism I haven’t felt in ages. The change in scenery also let me appreciate what the developers were able to showcase. The towering palm trees, soft beaches, and gorgeous sunsets make me feel like I was in a Grand Theft Auto-like adventure.

Credit: Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio

As you explore the cities, you’ll come across sub-stories, which are unserious and fun side excursions that help balance the story’s serious stone. In one side quest, Kasuga works as a stunt double for a maniac director who doesn’t believe in CGI and wants him to dodge incoming cars to preserve the realism of the movie.

Throughout the cities, whenever the parties come across certain buildings or landmarks, they’ll make comments about them and chat amongst themselves. These conversations are non-intrusive and take place even as you’re still moving, making you feel immersed in the environment.

There’s also an incentive to seek out these conversations, too. As you engage with more side content and conversations, you’ll earn money and obtain rare items. Furthermore, your friendship meters with your party members will increase. Once they reach certain levels, you can sit down and have drinks with each of them, which unlocks their ultimate skills and ability to do follow up attacks in battle.

It’s rare to find a game with this much budget behind it while also having a tremendous amount of heart. Insomniac’s Spider-Man games and their New York settings are some of the only ones that can actually compare.

However, unlike those more concise experiences, Infinite Wealth will easily take up over a hundred hours of your time if you intend to explore everything it has to offer. It comes close to buckling over the sheer weight of its own content, but Infinite Wealth has many high highs and very few low lows.

Mashable film editor Kristy Puchko speaks to the cast of Letterkenny about the acclaimed series' finale, what they learned on the show, and some of their favourite moments from the past 12 seasons.

Letterkenny is streaming on Hulu.

The 96th Academy Awards are fast approaching, celebrating the best films of 2023. Last year, the gonzo action-comedy Everything Everywhere All at Once was the Oscar's big winner, taking home Best Actress, Best Original Screenplay, Best Film Editing, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Director, and Best Picture. Could another bonkers movie have such a big win this year? Or will the Academy favor some of the hard-hitting historical dramas that had critics and audiences in awe?

In 2024, will it be Barbie vs. Oppenheimer? Killers of the Flower Moon, Poor Things, and The Holdovers are also considered strong contenders. In a year full of outstanding cinema, these have been the big names across the Critics Choice Awards, the SAG Awards, and the Golden Globes. But smaller yet critically revered movies like Past Lives, Anatomy of a Fall, or All of Us Strangers could break through in major categories.

So, how will the nominations shake out? Stay tuned for live updates.

Here is the full list of the 2024 Oscar nominations:

Best Picture

Best Director

Best Lead Actor

Best Lead Actress

Best Supporting Actor

Best Supporting Actress

Best Adapted Screenplay

Best Original Screenplay

Best Cinematography

Best Live Action Short Film

Best Animated Feature Film

Best Animated Short Film

Best Costume Design

Best Original Score

Best Sound

Best Original Song

Best Documentary Feature

Best Documentary Short Subject

Best Film Editing

Best International Feature Film

Best Makeup and Hairstyling

Best Production Design

Best Visual Effects

How to watch: The 96th Academy Awards will air Sunday, March 10, 2024, 7 p.m. PT/10 p.m. ET

Palworld has seemingly come out of nowhere, cannonballing into Twitch feeds and Steam charts despite its extreme similarities to both Pokémon and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. But considering the game is still in early access release, it's doing some major numbers.

Developed by Japanese developer Pocketpair, the action-adventure, role-playing survival game dropped on Steam, Xbox, and Windows PC on Jan. 18 and has already sold over 5 million copies in a few days. As IGN points out, that's more than Naughty Dog's The Last of Us Part II, which sold 4 million copies in three days, Insomniac’s Marvel’s Spider-Man (3.3 million copies), and Sony's God of War reboot (3.1 million copies).

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Palworld is a large open-world map that where you can build bases and "peacefully live alongside mysterious creatures known as Pals or risk your life to drive off a ruthless poaching syndicate." You can use the Pals to fight your battles, force them into labour roles, sell them, or eat them — it's really dark for how cute it all is.

Palworld is currently the top played game on Steam, with a peak of 1.5 million concurrent players, and a total of 74 million hours banked — overtaking Counter-Strike 2 and Dota 2. It's currently the third most played game on Steam behind the mighty PUBG: Battlegrounds and Counter-Strike 2.

Guess it pays to directly copy one of the biggest franchises of all time — though Pokémon fans, understandably, are beyond mad. Is something burning? Can I smell a lawsuit?

In what seems like a scenario from a sci-fi movie, a UK university will soon be projecting guest lessons from professors halfway across the globe.

Loughborough University in Leicestershire, England has begun beaming in lecturers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) using holographic technology, the Guardian reports. The lecturers, specializing in sports science, will teach fashion students how to create "immersive shows," according to the publisher. In addition, management students will also be taught.

SEE ALSO: 5 ways AI changed the internet in 2023

Loughborough University's pro-vice-chancellor Professor Rachel Thomson told the Guardian that the strategy could help the university with its sustainability goals, particularly when it comes to flying in guest lecturers from around the world. The university's director of undergraduate studies, Professor Vikki Locke, added that the holographic images are "a lot more engaging and real" to students.

The technology will be officially indoctrinated into the university's curriculum in 2025, after a trial year. The holographic figures will be projected into classrooms with the help of Proto, an LA-based company offering holographic communications.

David Nussbaum, Proto's founder, said in an interview with The Guardian, "It’s awe-inspiring, it’s jaw-dropping, I’ve been in shock at how amazing the interactions are. AI is part of our life, whether people like it or not."

Holograms might soon make a splash in the world of academia, but the technology has long been used for entertainment purposes. Posthumous performances have taken place, from Tupac Shakur headlining at Coachella in 2012, to other artists and groups like ABBA, Whitney Houston, and Amy Winehouse. Holographic meetings are also on the horizon, but as Mashable reported – the tech might not be just there yet.

I’ve never been particularly into the sea (is anyone into the sea?). As hard as it might be to believe, unless I’m in the immediate vicinity of a big body of water, it’s not something that regularly crosses my mind. And yet this past year, I’ve spent more time thinking about the sea than ever before. Most of the time, it’s been off the back of increasingly ridiculous sea-related news stories – revenge-seeking orcas sinking boats; billionaires imploding near the wreck of the Titanic – but sometimes it’s been an obsession seemingly of my own making, like my TikTok algorithm feeding me an endless stream of shark videos.

If the intention is to make me fear the sea, though, then it’s North SeaTok that’s done it. Over the last month or so, my feed – just like everyone else’s – has been dominated by videos of the treacherous North Sea; more specifically, its oil rigs and the people who work on them. 

The clips, some of which are getting up to 100 million views, tend to follow the same pattern: boats being violently tossed around by massive waves, offshore workers dangling from oil rigs or almost being swept out to sea, the occasional orange being thrown into pitch black nothingness. They’re mostly soundtracked by the same creepy version of the sea shanty, "Hoist the Colours," which – sing it with me – goes: "Yo ho, all hands / Hoist the colours high / Heave ho, thieves and beggars / Never shall we die."

You might be thinking: OK, so what? People have always been fascinated by the frightening depths and power of the sea – even TikTok is no exception (see: Drake PassageTok). But what you should be asking is: who’s going to reap the rewards of this virality?

SEE ALSO: TikTok users report that they can no longer log in through Twitter / X

As the North Sea itself can’t capitalise on its newfound notoriety (sad!), offshore workers are doing it instead, documenting their lives on the oil rigs, giving rig tours, doing offshore daily routines, and making memes about the work. Unlike the nightmarish North Sea montages, workers tend to show the mundanity of life inside the rig: watching Netflix in their clinical bedrooms, themed dinners in the canteen, and working or hanging out in the gym, sauna, or ‘hobby’ rooms. It’s less, "We’re all going to die," as TikTok would have you believe, and more, "Working cruise with the lads." One oil rig creator, @lifeofamalie, who has 45k followers, has even started stitching the viral videos to debunk them.

That said, the montages are real, so there is some truth to them. "You do have people swinging about from the steelwork, but it’s very well-controlled and safe," confirms 45-year-old Colin from Perthshire in Scotland, who’s worked offshore for over 15 years, and now posts about it on TikTok as V9 Media. "Well, as safe as it can be hanging on to two tiny ropes." Colin himself is an industrial electrician, so can be found climbing around and dangling off the rig at night. "The work is usually quite dirty," he adds. "And it’s a noisy environment with machinery running everywhere. It’s also normally cold and windy."

Colin, like a lot of offshore workers, works three weeks on, three weeks off, including on wind turbine vessels, which he likens to prison, but admits "is usually good craic". Although, he adds: "You need thick skin, as there’s a lot of characters and relentless, good-natured piss taking that wouldn’t be allowed in a normal onshore working environment."

The terrifyingly turbulent weather can be true to life, too. "I’ve had a few scary moments with wind and waves," Colin continues. "The rigs themselves can also occasionally shut down, causing serious vibrations and noise. I’ve never seen anybody panic, though. We’re all well-trained and know what to do if something serious happens, so everybody just accepts it. Although if you plucked a civvy off the street, I’m sure most would be terrified."

SEE ALSO: TikTok's orange peel theory is the latest way to test your relationship

Like Colin, many of these workers were posting about oil rigs before North SeaTok took off, but have seen their follower counts jump in recent weeks. Some of them have even become bizarre oil rig influencers, gaining tens and even hundreds of thousands of followers. Their videos tend to be flooded with commenters asking about life and work on the rig, as well as how they can get into the industry themselves. As Colin notes: "Most people on TikTok seem to think we’re all millionaires."

"Most people on TikTok seem to think we’re all millionaires."

Although the majority of the oil rig creators I’ve come across appear to be making content of their own accord, this might not be the case for long – or even the case at all. Employers encouraging, or even paying, their employees to boost a brand’s profit or reputation by posting on TikTok isn’t new. Companies like Sephora, Chipotle, and Dunkin’ Donuts have all benefited from employee influencers, whether they encouraged it or not. You can see the draw of this for big oil companies, too, whose reputation is, rightly, in tatters; if they can humanise the industry by framing it through the eyes of happy, well-paid employees, then maybe they can shift focus from the climate catastrophe they’re – quite literally – fuelling (Britain’s oil and gas rigs are the most polluting in the North Sea, releasing as much carbon dioxide as a coal-fired power plant).

This isn’t a far-fetched idea – it’s already happening. Earlier this year, it emerged that fossil fuel giants, like Shell and BP, both of which operate in the North Sea, were employing UK influencers to push false solutions to the climate crisis and, importantly, to revamp their image. In October, for example, it was revealed that Shell had partnered with popular gamers to promote fossil fuels via Fortnite. As per DeSmog, leaked documents showed how BP hoped to use influencers to become "more relatable, passionate, and authentic" and to convince young people that they’re not "the bad guys".

Granted, there’s little evidence that this is what’s happening with the oil rig influencers, most of whom don’t even declare who they work for. Though one creator, who documents her experience as a woman on the rig and encourages other women to enter the industry, did share a dystopian-looking cake decorated with the Shell logo. "Companies can be extremely strict on their confidentiality when it comes to practices, hence the reason I’ll never disclose the platform I work on, the company I work for, nor the duty holder," says 28-year-old Mosey, an offshore mechanical technician from the north west of England who boasts almost 30k followers on TikTok. "But I think it’s great that videos are being posted. It gives people more of an idea of what life is like on an oil and gas platform. It shows the benefits as well as the negatives."

"It gives people more of an idea of what life is like on an oil and gas platform. It shows the benefits as well as the negatives."

Still, this boom and the intrigue around it is having what could be considered a desired effect for big oil companies: young TikTokkers, seemingly watching the lifestyle longingly, are asking how to get into oil and gas.

That’s not to say it’s a bad thing that these influencers exist. They’re providing rarely heard insight into their brutal and often thankless work, and showing the camaraderie that exists in such a dangerous workplace. Plus, as many of the oil rigs in the North Sea are in the process of being decommissioned (which raises controversies of its own), any independent documentation of this mysterious world is worthwhile. This is partly why Mosey started posting on TikTok in the first place. "It’s very difficult to get insight into the offshore lifestyle, so a lot of people go in blind," he explains. "I was in that exact situation before I got my job offshore only three years ago, so I’d like to provide some information from my experience of what the industry is like."

The problem arises when/if the big oil bosses start capitalising on the success of their employees – will those who’ve organically grown their platform be incentivised by money or other perks to peddle false information about the broader oil and gas industry? As they’re employees, would they have to declare this as sponsored content on platforms like TikTok, or can they embed messages covertly?

At a time when almost anyone has the means to become an influential micro-celebrity, the potential for this to be abused by employers – especially evil ones like Shell and BP – can’t be ruled out. But, like with most things on TikTok, the tide will soon turn on the North Sea, and employees in a different industry will be raking in the views. So hopefully big oil has already missed its chance.

For now, one thing’s for sure: I’d rather be swallowed up by the tempestuous waves of the North Sea than ever hear "Hoist the Colours" ever again.

This content originally appeared on Mashable for a US audience and has been adapted for the UK audience.

If you've dated in the past 20 years, it's almost certain that you've encountered a dating site or app. You might have even encountered a few of them (no judgement here). As our lives have moved online in recent years, digital dating has allowed us more freedom to meet others how we choose.

The only real issue with online dating is that there are a lot of sites and apps out there to consider. With so many options, it can be really tricky knowing where to find the best crop of potential partners. Each of the dating apps on offer has a selection of features that will matter differently to you depending on your lifestyle, what you want, and what's most important to you. It's simply a case of finding something that works for you. This is where we can help.

What should you include on your dating profile?

In many cases, the amount of information you can get from detailed profiles is more than what would be covered in the "traditional" period of getting to know someone. The whole "do you want to have babies" thing is a huge piece of information that could decide your future with someone, but it's very possible that such a weighty subject won't be brought up until you've caught feelings or met their parents.

However, many dating sites ask about kids — whether you want them or already have them — during the sign-up process (as well as other potentially-awkward questions), and probably won't match you with someone who has different goals than you do. Similarly, some of OkCupid's matching is rooted in political and social justice views. Will you find out if someone opposes vaccinations on the first date? Probably not, but OkCupid won't send you to get a beer with someone you'd start a fight with on Facebook.

SEE ALSO: How to start dating again after a break

Plus, it's always nice when your current booty call doesn't suck as a person. Even if you're just in it for something frisky and fleeting, the personality you can gather from a simple bio might let you know who's worthy of your time — even if that time is strictly within "You up?" hours.

Julie Spira, dating expert and CEO of cyberdatingexpert.com, says it wasn't always so easy to meet people online. She would know — she's been helping clients find love online since 1994.

"People didn’t have mobile phones and laptops, and the process was people would go home, log on slowly, see who had written to them and write back," she says. "The courtship process was a lot slower, so it took quite a while to get from the first interaction to actually going on a date. Plus in those days, there was a stigma associated with online dating. You did not tell people you met your spouse, or partner, or even a date online."

The rhetoric has clearly come a long way since then, and the digital dating landscape has evolved with people's changing needs. OkCupid realised that the way a potential match votes matters romantically to a lot of people. Women were tired of men blowing up their messages with creepy first-liners, so Bumble came along. "Tindering" is now a verb, but it's far from your only option.

Do you really need to use dating sites?

If you're lucky, you'll find a perfect match right away, but that's not usually how it works out. While you do know more about online matches than you would a stranger you met in person, there's only so much a quick dating profile can tell you.

Dating sites and apps can make finding a compatible potential partner easier, but it's still dating. Not everyone is going to be a gem. While apps like Bumble let you display what kind of relationship you're looking for, others don't, so you might end up going out with someone only to realise you're not looking for the same thing.

That said, there will be people on dating sites who are looking for the same thing as you. And using a dating app to find them is a hell of a lot easier than going up to strangers on the street or in bars and asking if they're looking for a relationship. Apps and dating websites expand your dating pool and allow you to meet people with similar interests you might not run into naturally in your everyday life. You just might need a little patience to find The One.

We haven't reached full AI-based or gene matchmaking just yet, but many modern features facilitating more meaningful matches (or quicker, safer hookups) have sprung up even in the past five years.

What is the best dating site?

Whether you're looking for something specific or a site that ticks every box, we have produced a handy guide that gives you all of the essential details. To ensure that you find a date in time for the weekend, we have tracked down a selection of the best dating sites for everyone, including popular sites like Match, eharmony, and EliteSingles.

All you need to do is check out these dating apps and pick a favourite from the bunch. Once you've made your decision, you just need to get out there and actually date someone. Good luck out there.

These are the best dating sites for finding a connection in 2024.

This content originally appeared on Mashable for a US audience and has been adapted for the UK audience.

Online dating is pretty much the best thing that ever happened to introverts. You can scan for a potential mate without ever leaving the comfort zone of your home. Of course, you'll eventually need to get up and actually go on a date. But hey, it's better than trying to find a single cutie at the bar or approaching a random person in a cafe. That's scary stuff.

Being introverted doesn't necessarily mean you're shy, but if you are a little more reserved than outgoing, dating apps can be a great way to make a first move without feeling like you're putting yourself out there too much, too fast.

Do you need to use a dating site?

By subscribing to a dating site, you're shortening your odds of finding a connection. Dating sites and apps let you get your information out there to a massive network of like-minded individuals, and provide the opportunity to test out a potential relationship on an app before actually meeting in real life.

SEE ALSO: Not quite dating but not hooking up either? You're in a situationship.

Subscribing to dating apps and sites is also a way less intimidating way of meeting someone compared to a face-to-face situation. If you find the idea of meeting people slightly terrifying, these apps can help you face your fears from the comfort of your own home.

Are there any dating sites designed for introverts?

Tinder seems to be the go-to for anyone dabbling with online dating, but it's not automatically an easy place to socialise just because it's behind a screen. It's crowded, full of users with unspecified intentions, and has more going on than most introverts will probably feel like dealing with. If endless swiping and next to no filters have you feeling more discouraged than hopeful, it doesn't mean you're too much of an introvert for online dating — maybe all you need is a dating site that gives you more control and the ability to take things at your own pace.

If the idea of making conversation in large groups or going up to strangers is your personal idea of hell, there are dating services out there that can cater to your specific needs. Have a hard time coming up with the perfect first line? There's an app for that. Prefer to make meaningful connections without revealing what you look like? We found a few websites with features that can let you do that too. 

Should you use free dating apps?

The good news is that there are a lot of free dating sites and apps out there, and the likes of Tinder and Hinge are good examples of free apps with massive networks of users. The bad news is that a lot of free apps simply don't cut it.

You get what you pay for with dating sites and apps, and for the best experience with the greatest possibility of finding exactly what you're looking for, you are going to have to cough up the cash. You can still find something worth your time with a free app, but if you're looking for compatibility tests, chat rooms, videos, and a greater level of control, we recommend upgrading. Paid sites provide access to premium features that give you the best chance of finding something special.

What are the best dating sites for introverts?

To help improve your odds of finding the person to match your awesomeness, we have rounded up the best dating sites for introverts, including leading services like Match, eharmony, and AdultFriendFinder. There are even options specifically for hooking up, because being introverted doesn't mean you don't like to get it on.

These are the best dating sites for introverts, wallflowers, and shy people in 2024.

Apple has released iOS 17.3 and iPadOS 17.3 for the iPhone and iPad, and with it came a very important new feature called Stolen Device Protection.

We've explained what the feature does here; the short version is that it protects your data in case your iPhone or iPad gets stolen.

So how do you turn it on?

How to turn on Apple's Stolen Device Protection for iPhone

If it hasn't been turned on automatically, go to your device's Settings, tap Face ID & Passcode, enter your device's passcode, and tap to turn Stolen Device Protection on.

For the option to be available, you need to have two-factor authentication set up for your Apple ID, and have the following settings enabled on your device: a passcode, Face ID (or Touch ID for older iPhones and iPads), Find My, and Significant Locations. The first two options are, again, found under Face ID & Passcode in your settings, while Find My and Significant Locations are set up under Settings - Apple ID - Find My.

The feature is easy to turn on, but there are certain settings that must be enabled before it can work. Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable How does Apple's Stolen Device Protection work?

Stolen Device Protection adds an additional layer of security that's needed to change certain settings on your phone. For example, if someone steals your iPhone or iPad, and even if they somehow found out your passcode, they still must authenticate with either Face ID or Touch ID before they can access the passwords and passkeys stored in your Keychain, use payment methods in Safari, erase all content and settings, and apply for a new Apple Card, among others. Note that these protections will only apply when your iPhone or iPad is not in a familiar location.

SEE ALSO: iPhone 16 rumors: Every single thing we know about it so far

Also, with Stolen Device Protection on, there will be a delay before certain important changes can be made to your device. For example, if your iPhone is not in a familiar location, you won't be able to change the Apple ID password or sign out of Apple ID right away. Instead, you'll have to authenticate with Face ID or Touch ID, wait for the security delay (one hour) to end, then authenticate with Face ID or Touch ID again to change these settings.

Dell and HP are two well-known brands that offer a variety of laptops for students, business employees, and everyday users. 

You’ll find great workstations, 2-in-1 laptops, and premium options from both brands, but is one brand better than the other? If you’re looking for a new laptop and trying to decide between Dell vs HP, here’s what you need to know.

Opens in a new window Credit: Best Buy HP Spectre 2-in-1 $1,499 Get Deal SEE ALSO: The best 2-in-1 laptops heading into 2024 A laptop’s specs are more important than the brand 

When searching for your next laptop, it’s more important to compare laptops by specs rather than by brand. Figure out how powerful your processor needs to be, whether you want a discrete GPU for a better gaming experience, how much RAM and storage you need, and whether you want a top-tier, vivid display or the standard option.

If you know which specs you’re looking for in a laptop, find similar options from Dell and HP and compare the two in terms of customization and overall value.

Dell vs HP: Price, customization, and customer service

When you search for laptops by specs on each brand’s website, you’ll find similarly priced devices with identical processors, amount of RAM, and so on. Of course, Dell or HP might run special deals that make a laptop significantly less than its twin on the other brand’s site, so it’s always worth checking for a similar laptop on both sites when you’re ready to buy.

Opens in a new window Credit: Dell Dell XPS 13 Plus $1,499 Get Deal

You can customize your desired processor, amount of RAM and storage, display specs, and more through both Dell and HP, but there are typically more customization options through Dell. More laptops on Dell’s site are customizable before purchase, whereas HP offers a lot of pre-built laptops with a set array of specs.

HP often allows you to customize the color of your laptop. With Dell, on the other hand, laptop color options are more limited. That said, you’ll typically find more customizable categories through Dell than HP, letting you choose between multiple CPU and GPU options, different displays, or a standard versus premium webcam.

Dell is widely regarded for having great customer service, but HP is slightly more hit-and-miss. Often, your customer support experience can depend on where you’re located, but Dell seems to be the fan-favorite brand among most online users for laptop customer service. 

Both brands offer a wide range of great laptops

Whether you’re in need of a laptop to write papers for school, draw up presentations for work, or play games for fun, both Dell and HP have plenty of unique options. The key to finding your next laptop is to research the perfect configuration of specs rather than choosing a brand first. 

Once you know what you’re looking for, find a laptop from each brand and check out reviews for that specific laptop. Keep an eye out for the new Dell XPS series as well as the HP Spectre x360 14.

TL;DR: As of January 23, get the Complete 2024 CompTIA Certification Training Super Bundle for just $64.97 — usually $585.

There are so many resources online to train yourself in incredible skills, but some fields are constantly changing. For fast-growing industries like IT and cybersecurity, it may be worth it to go straight to a credible source that has some of the most recent information to teach you. 

That's why aspiring IT workers and students could benefit greatly from the Complete 2024 CompTIA Certification Training Super Bundle. You can even get it for a reduced price, just $64.97 instead of $585, but that price won't be around too long.

Save on a comprehensive IT intro

If you're looking forward to a career in tech, this bundle could be a great place to get started. While courses do start with fundamental material, they do recommend some basic understanding of computers and CompTIA objectives, so give the course topics a once-over before purchasing. 

When you're ready to get started, it's up to you which class you start with. There are introductory IT fundamentals courses, lectures on network security, guides for using Linux, an introduction to cloud computing, and a whole lot more. 

This bundle itself won't certify you as an expert, but you could use it as a study guide for your CompTIA certifications. Just keep in mind that those are organized by CompTIA, so all the awesome prep material may be here, but you'd still need to register for the exams through them. 

Learn the basics of IT and cybersecurity

Get a lifetime of CompTIA study materials at a drastically reduced price.

You have until January 28 at 11:59 p.m. PT to get the Complete 2024 CompTIA Certification Training Super Bundle on sale for only $64.97, with no coupon needed. 

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: CommerceNova LTD Complete 2024 CompTIA Certification Training Super Bundle $64.97 at the Mashable Shop Get Deal

TL;DR: Through January 28, get Luminar Neo photo editor for $149.97 or Luminar Neo Lite for only $39.97 — you'll save over 80% on each.

In a world where we snap pics of anything from aesthetic plates of food to colorful birds to milestones like graduations and engagements, it’s only natural that we want those still moments to look their absolute best. Whether you’re an Instagrammer or an aspiring photographer, you might be interested in Luminar Neo, an advanced yet user-friendly photo editor.

For a limited time, you can get it on sale at $149.97 (reg. $752) for the full version or $39.97 (reg. $273) for the lite. Both include six packs of photo filters, making this bundle something you won’t find anywhere else.

Turn your photos into works of art

Luminar Neo received the 2022 Red Dot award for user interface design, making pro-level editing tools accessible to everyone on Windows or Mac or as a plugin for Photoshop and Lightroom. However, you don’t need to understand Photoshop in order to use layers, color correction, enhancements, and more when you have Luminar Neo.

You may also discover AI-powered features like removing objects, replacing backgrounds, and retouching skin to transform photos in just a few clicks. Speaking of which, you also receive six packs of preset overlays and filters to use in your photos:

• Light Reflections: 10 overlays

• Color Harmony: 10 LUTs

• Wintertime: 10 overlays

• Frosty Winter: 20 LUTs

• Tranquil Dawn Skies: 25 overlays

• Tender Blushing Skies: 25 overlays

Should you grab Luminar Neo full or lite?

All users get all of the above features. However, if you spring for the full version, you’ll also get video tutorials, creative landscape tools, advanced portrait adjustments, extensions like panorama stitching, AI-powered suggestions, and generative AI features expected to arrive soon.

Grab this award-winning photo editor while it’s on sale through January 28 at 11:59 p.m. PT at prices you won’t find elsewhere, with no coupons needed:

• Luminar Neo lifetime bundle on sale for $149.97 (reg. $752).

• Luminar Neo Lite lifetime bundle on sale for $39.97 (reg. $273)

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: Skylum Luminar Neo lifetime bundle $149.97 at the Mashable Shop Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Skylum Luminar Neo Lite lifetime bundle $39.97 at the Mashable Shop Get Deal

TL;DR: Through Jan. 28, you can get a lifetime license to PDF Converter Pro for just $24.97 instead of $99.99. That's over 70% in savings on an all-in-one hub for merging, splitting, converting, and scanning PDFs.

PDFs are hard to avoid, but good PDF apps aren't nearly as common. You might already have a subscription to a PDF app, but that's like paying a continuous fee just to open a file. A more affordable alternative would be to get an app you only have to pay for once that still lets you convert, merge, cut, and work with PDFs seamlessly. 

PDF Converter Pro is a PDF app that makes it easy to work with PDFs, and you don't have to pay for it every month. In fact, a lifetime license is on sale for $24.97 through January 28.

Convert, Merge, Split, and Protect PDFs

From your central hub, you can use this app to convert files to and from PDFs quickly. Can't afford to lose the formatting on your Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Text, HTML, PNG, or JPG? Just quickly convert to a PDF and preserve the original layout, including images, text, links, and more.

PDF Converter Pro has built-in OCR technology, so you can even extract text from image-based PDF documents. That means all those ancient PDF files that have been scanned and re-scanned can finally be revised. 

Look out for additional features like PDF merging, splitting, image extraction, compression, unlocking password-protected PDFs, and encrypting PDFs for protection. This app is compatible with Windows 8/10/11 and macOS X 10.8 or later, and it's only available to new users. 

Get One App for All Your PDFs

Stop switching between apps just to use a file type that's practically impossible to avoid. 

You only have until January 28 at 11:59 p.m. PT to get lifetime access to the PDF Converter Pro for $24.97 (reg. $99.99, with no coupon needed. 

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: Acethinker PDF Converter Pro: Lifetime License $24.97 at the Mashable Shop Get Deal

TL;DR: Through Jan. 28, pick up a refurbished Apple TV HD streaming device on sale for $69.97 instead of $149. That's a savings of 53%.

There's an overwhelming number of choices for streaming sites — choosing the device to use for said streaming sites can also be tough. Your streaming stick or box of choice should ultimately depend on the services you want to use, along with the user experience that is most aligned with your streaming habits. But let's face it. If you're an Apple loyalist and wish to stay within its ecosystem, the Apple TV becomes the most obvious choice.

But you don't necessarily have to shell out for a brand-new device. You could stand to save more money if you opt for a refurbished unit, like this new-to-you 4th Gen Apple TV. Through January 28, you can grab it on sale for over 50% off.

This Apple TV may be an older unit, but it's capable of delivering stunning 1080p HD resolution. Sure, it may not let you see Jeremy Allen White's pores in 4K when you binge-watch episodes of The Bear, but you're still getting a full high-definition experience. Powering it is an Apple A8 chip that boosts audio, video, and graphic quality, while its Dolby Digital Plus 7.1 feature delivers impeccable surround sound. With 32GB of storage, you have more than enough space for storing apps and content.

It also comes with a 1st Generation Siri remote with a touch surface that makes it easy to navigate apps with the swipe of a finger. The built-in microphone can pick up voice commands, too, and the Bluetooth connectivity links up to a keyboard for a quicker searching experience. But if you don't want to bother messing with the remote, there's always AirPlay that allows you to stream and mirror any content from your mobile device to the Apple TV.

This refurbished HD Apple TV with Siri Remote normally retails for $149, but through January 28 at 11:59 p.m. PT, you can grab it on sale for only $69.97.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Refurbished Apple TV HD (4th Gen) $69.97 at the Mashable Shop Get Deal

UPDATE: Jan. 23, 2024, 5:00 a.m. EST We've revisited this review as part of an ongoing overhaul of Mashable's VPN coverage based on stricter criteria and hands-on testing. Our analysis will continue to evolve as we keep using TunnelBear on differnet platforms over the coming months.

"Beginner-friendly VPN" is not an oxymoron thanks to TunnelBear, a cheery provider with an uncluttered, cartoon-y app, unlimited simultaneous connections, and an unintimidating privacy policy that doesn't require a law or IT degree to understand. Crucially, it's also one of the few VPN services you can safely use for free (with some major restrictions).

Power users won't be impressed by its lack of advanced features or its spotty performance. But for casual users and VPN newbies who'd rather be inundated with bear puns than technical jargon, TunnelBear is a worthy pick.

SEE ALSO: Comparing popular VPNs? Folks on Reddit have some thoughts. How much does TunnelBear cost?

TunnelBear offers three different subscription options:

• TunnelBear Free is designed for "testing and limited usage." It includes 2GB of browsing data per month on a single device, which doesn't roll over to the next month if it goes unused.

• TunnelBear Unlimited ($9.99/month, $4.99/month per year, or $3.33/month per three years) unlocks unlimited browsing data, unlimited simultaneous connections, access to its entire server network, the ability to select certain servers on the city level, and priority customer support.

• TunnelBear Teams starts at $138/year for businesses with at least two users.

TunnelBear doesn't have a money-back guarantee, unlike many of its peers, and refunds are only offered by request on a case-by-case basis. It accepts Mastercard, Visa, and American Express.

For the purposes of this review, I only tested TunnelBear's Free and Unlimited tiers.

Hands-on with TunnelBear He's a jetsetter. Credit: Screenshots: TunnelBear

TunnelBear works on Windows, Mac (which I tested), Android, iOS, and Chrome. That's fewer platforms than some of its peers, but realistically, it covers most users on a smartphone and/or desktop.

The TunnelBear app is effectively just a posterized world map speckled with yellow, Super Mario Bros.-esque pipes that represent different servers, and when you boot up the app for the first time, a small sheep will be sitting at your physical location. Toggling on the VPN will colorize the map and make the sheep poof into a teensy brown bear, who then digs down and emerges from the pipe at the VPN server location nearest you — that means you're connected. (In theory, this default server should be the speediest one for you since your data doesn't have to travel very far. TunnelBear calls it the "Fastest Tunnel.") If you look closely, you can see the bear look around once he's settled. It's very cute.

Via Giphy

That's pretty much the extent of the TunnelBear interface. The free version lets you switch between servers in different countries, while a paid subscription opens up servers in specific cities worldwide; you can connect to them by clicking on their pipes or by selecting them from a list. The app defaults to an "auto" protocol option that it deems best for you. (TunnelBear's website says you can choose between WireGuard, OpenVPN, and IKEv2 on desktop under "TunnelBear settings," but I couldn't find that on my app. I'll look into it for a future update to this review.)

Features-wise, TunnelBear uses are limited to an automatic kill switch called "VigilantBear" and a split tunneling tool called "SplitBear." The latter offers varying levels of control depending on your platform: SplitBear for Windows lets you exclude both websites and apps from your VPN connection, for instance, while SplitBear for macOS lets you only exclude sites. There's no multi-hop.

TunnelBear Unlimited

Browsing with TunnelBear was hit or miss. Sometimes it took ages to connect to a server and load sites. (There was one day when my Fastest Tunnel was basically unusable; a New York server and even some European servers worked better.) Other times it got me online and pulled up different content without a hitch. That bear can be a little temperamental, it seems.

Regular internet connection versus nearby TunnelBear server Credit: Screenshot: Ookla Credit: Screenshot: Ookla Regular internet connection versus French TunnelBear server Credit: Screenshot: Ookla Credit: Screenshot: Ookla

This was also the case when I tried to watch different content with TunnelBear. On the plus side, the VPN didn't make its presence known at all when I pulled up YouTube videos and movies on Disney+ and Max; once things loaded in, lagging and stuttering were non-issues. But international streaming platforms gave it trouble: ITVX would let me watch Love Island UK on a TunnelBear UK server one day and give me a "you're outside the country" error code 01-01 the next. The BBC iPlayer was a little more on top of things and detected my VPN usage every time.

In TunnelBear's defense, it at least kept my true IP address locked down while I was connected to its server. (It passed multiple DNS leak tests.) It's important to remember that this is the main job of a VPN, and that extras like unblocking content are essentially just bonuses.

TunnelBear Free

A TunnelBear Free plan used to limit you to just 500MB of browsing data per month. TunnelBear's decision to raise it to 2GB per month in February 2023 made this tier eons more practical for regular use, but you can still chunk through it in a few hours if you're not careful. I ate through my 2GB in just under four hours by surfing the web, scrolling through social media, and watching some music videos on my Fastest Tunnel, so don't just leave it on and expect it to get you through the month.

One of the biggest things TunnelBear Free has going for it (besides the obvious "it's free!" part) is that it isn't cluttered with ads. A banner promoting a seasonal discount on Tunnelbear Unlimited did appear across the top of the app at one point during my testing, but it was subtle and unobtrusive and didn't affect my user experience whatsoever. TunnelBear's rangers have kept this park litter-free.

From a VPN performance standpoint, TunnelBear Free matched that of TunnelBear Unlimited in my testing. Load times varied between fast and pokey seemingly depending on the day. Domestic streaming content played just fine, but the VPN couldn't reliably unblock international streaming content. Most importantly, DNS leak tests showed that it kept my real IP address hidden.

Is TunnelBear trustworthy?

TunnelBear has democratized VPNs in two major ways: One, by simplifying the technology itself, and two, by maintaining a privacy policy that's extremely easy for a layperson to understand. It uses plain language and mixes in explainers that delve into why certain types of customer data are collected and stored — the last name on your credit card is used for fraud prevention, for instance — and it explicitly states that it does not log activity while someone's using the VPN. (It doesn't know who you are, where you connect from, or what you're doing when you're on it.) TunnelBear Free users' monthly data consumption is documented so that the company can enforce its 2GB limit, but they're otherwise protected by the same "no logs" promise.

TunnelBear was the first consumer VPN to publish an independent security audit back in 2017, and it's completed them every year since. It also publishes reports that disclose the government data requests it receives.

As far as I can tell, TunnelBear has avoided amassing any obvious dings on its record in the 13 years since it first hit the market. Its acquisition by McAfee in 2018 initially raised some concerns about whether TunnelBear's VPN would be bundled with its new owner's, but the company has continued to operate separately. Overall, it's made some stellar commitments to privacy and transparency.

Is TunnelBear worth it?

TunnelBear is a refreshingly approachable service that will win over VPN newbies, not veterans. It's an excellent introduction to the technology, but those in need of a VPN that's running 24/7 will get more bang for their buck by subscribing to one of its competitors. (For comparison's sake, a NordVPN Standard plan gets you multi-hop, a built-in dark web monitor, an anti-malware/tracker tool, support on more platforms, up to six simultaneous connections — plenty — and guaranteed access to international streaming content for the same annual rate as TunnelBear Unlimited.) I also don't love the fact that it only offers refunds on a case-by-case basis, so it could be a risky pick for long-term subscribers.

The free version of TunnelBear deserves its own shoutout. Many free VPN providers will log and sell user data to third-party advertisers or bundle their products with malware — there's that thing about free lunches — but TunnelBear Free is backed by the same policies and protections as the paid version. While it probably won't meet your needs as a daily user, it's decent for sparing, situational use and may help you decide whether to invest in a higher-end VPN.

And you might as well try to get it to unblock a few episodes of your favorite international shows in the off-chance your bear decides to clock in that day. Unreliability is less annoying when it doesn't cost you anything.

The Mini is a bite-sized version of The New York Times' revered daily crossword. While the crossword is a lengthier experience that requires both knowledge and patience to complete, The Mini is an entirely different vibe.

With only a handful of clues to answer, the daily puzzle doubles as a speed-running test for many who play it.

So, when a tricky clue disrupts a player's flow, it can be frustrating! If you find yourself stumped playing The Mini — much like with Wordle and Connections — we have you covered.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections today: See hints and answers for January 23 SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Here's the answer and hints for January 23

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024:

AcrossTook to the air

• The answer is flew.

Actor Ledger of "The Dark Knight"

• The answer is heath.

Words that can precede 1-Down and 5-Down, to mean "Undecided" and "Liable"

• The answer is onthe.

Group of eight

• The answer is octet.

Boat's bottom

• The answer is keel.

DownBackyard border

• The answer is fence.

Coffee-and-milk order

• The answer is latte.

Broadway actress Merman

• The answer is ethel.

Stimulate, as an appetite

• The answer is whet.

End of a fishing line

• The answer is hook.