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TL;DR: Live stream Barcelona vs. Atletico Madrid in La Liga for free on ITVX. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Select La Liga fixtures are available to live stream without spending anything. And that includes some of the biggest games on the schedule, like Barcelona vs. Atletico Madrid.

Barcelona and Atletico Madrid are fighting it out at the top of the table, so this game really is massive. We're expecting a fiery battle from the first whistle.

If you want to watch Barcelona vs. Atletico Madrid in La Liga from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Barcelona vs. Atletico Madrid?

Barcelona vs. Atletico Madrid in La Liga kicks off at 8 p.m. GMT on Dec. 21. This fixture takes place at the Lluís Companys Olympic Stadium.

How to watch Barcelona vs. Atletico Madrid for free

Barcelona vs. Atletico Madrid is available to live stream for free on ITVX in the UK.

If you're abroad for this fixture, you might need to use a VPN to unblock ITVX. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK, meaning you can unblock ITVX to stream La Liga fixtures for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Barcelona vs. Atletico Madrid for free by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in the UK

4. Sign in to ITVX

5. Watch Barcelona vs. Atletico Madrid for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Year Subscription + 3 Months Free) $99.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can access free live streams of La Liga without actually spending anything. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream Barcelona vs. Atletico Madrid before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for ITVX?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on ITVX, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including the UK

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Live stream Barcelona vs. Atletico Madrid in La Liga for free with ExpressVPN.

The search giant’s proposals included allowing flexibility for companies and consumers in choosing a search engine.

The federal judge who ruled Google was a monopolist in search is weighing his options to fix the monopoly. Here’s what happens now.

Connections is the latest New York Times word game that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for today's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections?

The NYT's latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications' Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

Tweet may have been deleted

Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.

If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

Tweet may have been deleted

Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.

SEE ALSO: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for December 21 Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

• Yellow: Circular shapes or formations

• Green: Used for cooking or baking

• Blue: Styles or types of beds

• Purple: Associated with Oscar

Featured Video For You Connections: How to play and how to win Here are today's Connections categories

Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:

• Yellow: Loop

• Green: Cooking Vessels

• Blue: Kinds of Beds

• Purple: Things Called "Oscar"

Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections #559 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Loop: BAND, CIRCLE, HOOP, RING

• Cooking Vessels: CASSEROLE, CROCK, PAN, POT

• Kinds of Beds: BUNK, CANOPY, MURPHY, SLEIGH

• Things Called "Oscar": BALONEY, GROUCH, O, STATUETTE

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for December 21

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Connections.

Oh hey there! If you're here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we're serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today's answer.

If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: NYT Connections today: Hints and answers for December 21 Where did Wordle come from?

Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once. 

Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.

What's the best Wordle starting word?

The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.

What happened to the Wordle archive?

The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.

Is Wordle getting harder?

It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn't any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle's Hard Mode if you're after more of a challenge, though.

SEE ALSO: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for December 21 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Sharp and sleek, it slices through things with ease.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no reoccurring letters.

Today's Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with...

Today's Wordle starts with the letter B.

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. The Wordle answer today is...

Get your last guesses in now, because it's your final chance to solve today's Wordle before we reveal the solution.

Drumroll please!

The solution to today's Wordle is...

BLADE.

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for December 21

Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Wordle.

If you're reading this, you're looking for a little help playing Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game.

Strands requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of an answer. There's always a theme linking every solution, along with the "spangram," a special, word or phrase that sums up that day's theme, and spans the entire grid horizontally or vertically.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable

By providing an opaque hint and not providing the word list, Strands creates a brain-teasing game that takes a little longer to play than its other games, like Wordle and Connections.

If you're feeling stuck or just don't have 10 or more minutes to figure out today's puzzle, we've got all the NYT Strands hints for today's puzzle you need to progress at your preferred pace.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for December 21 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for December 21 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Keeping the faith

These words are for practicing religion.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

Words are places you'd visit to practice your faith.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is SacredSpaces.

Featured Video For You Strands 101: How to win NYT’s latest word game NYT Strands word list for December 21

• Temple

• Tabernacle

• Mosque

• Abbey

• Monastery

• SacredSpaces

Looking for other daily online games? Mashable's Games page has more hints, and if you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now!

Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Strands.

Willem Dafoe and filmmaker Robert Eggers talk at-length about where they pulled their inspirations from for Nosferatu. And Eggers describes how he intentionally updated the iconic character for this film.

Nosferatu opens in theaters Dec. 25.

The artificial intelligence start-up said the new system, OpenAI o3, outperformed leading A.I. technologies on tests that rate skills in math, science, coding and logic.

OpenAI just announced o3 and o3 mini, its next-gen reasoning models.

In the livestream, SVP of Research Mark Chen showed o3's performance on certain benchmarks, compared to o1, like competition math (96.7 percent) and PhD-level science (87.7 percent). OpenAI and the ARC Prize competition also shared how o3 scored 76 percent on the ARC-AGI benchmark, which includes novel unpublished datasets. The ARC-AGI benchmark is designed to test ability to learn new and distinct skills on the fly with every new task.

Tweet may have been deleted

The announcement caps the 12 Days of OpenAI marathon, which debuted something new everyday. Over the past 12 business days, OpenAI has launched its AI video generator Sora, vision with Advanced Voice Mode, in addition to a slew of products and features designed to make ChatGPT more seamless to use in work and daily life.

SEE ALSO: OpenAI now lets you call ChatGPT on your phone

The o3 mini model is designed to be a cost-efficient model that balances performance. It has three different effort levels and cap adapt its amount of reasoning time based on the difficulty of the problem. "An incredible cost-to-performance gain," said CEO Sam Altman.

So, o3 and o3 mini have achieved amazing intelligence breakthroughs according to OpenAI. But they're not ready to be released to the public yet. But OpenAI is granting early access to o3 and o3 mini for safety testing starting today. Applications to join the model testing program are accepted on a rolling basis and close on Jan. 10.

We couldn't think of a better way to spend the holiday season than curled up by the fire with a good book. Well, ebook, that is. You could go with a classic hardcover, but then you wouldn't be able to take advantage of double Kindle Rewards points on your purchase, would you?

That's right, for one day only (although they've done this already recently), Amazon is offering double Kindle Rewards points when you pick up any Kindle books. Rather than the usual three, you'll now get six points for every dollar spent on Kindle books and one point for print books. For every 300 points you accrue, you'll get $3 towards your next Kindle book purchase. Prime and non-Prime Amazon customers are eligible to participate in Kindle Rewards, so you've really got nothing to lose.

SEE ALSO: I’ve tried every Kindle and the Paperwhite is the only one you need

So, get yourself signed up before the offer ends at 2:59 am ET on Dec. 21. And while you're at it, check out some of our favorite Kindle book deals this week to get you started on earning your Kindle Rewards points.

Best Kindle book deals this week:

• A Heart That Works by Rob Delaney — $1.99 $18 (save $16.01)

• Birnam Wood by Eleanor Catton — $2.99 $19 (save $16.01)

• The Boys by Katie Hafner — $1.99 $18 (save $16.01)

• The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson — $1.99 $17.99 (save $16)

• Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver — $2.99 $19.99 (save $17)

• Hook, Line, and Sinker by Tessa Bailey — $1.99 $15.99 (save $14)

• How to Stop Time by Matt Haig — $2.99 $18 (save $15.01)

• In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware — $2.99 $17.99 (save $15)

• Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson — $2.99 $17 (save $14.01)

• The Last Devil to Die by Richard Osman — $2.99 $18 (save $16.01)

• Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood — $1.99 $17 (save $15.01)

• Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia — $2.99 $17 (save $14.01)

• Only When It's Us by Chloe Liese — $1.99 $17 (save $15.01)

• The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan (The Kane Chronicles book one) — $1.99 $15.99 (save $14)

• Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas —$2.99 $15.20 (save $12.21)

• Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel — $2.99 $17 (save $14.01)

• The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert — $1.99 $18 (save $16.01)

• Splinters by Leslie Jamison — $3.99 $29 (save $25.01)

• The Throne of Fire by Rick Riordan (The Kane Chronicles book two) — $1.99 $15.99 (save $14)

• West with Giraffes by Lydia Rutledge — $2.99 $4.99 (save $2.50)

• World Travel by Anthony Bourdain — $1.99 $22 (save $20.01)

SAVE $800: As of Dec. 20, you can get an LG 77-inch Class C3 Series OLED TV (2023) for $1,499.99 at Best Buy. That's $800 off the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: LG LG 77-inch Class C3 Series OLED TV (2023) $1,499.99 at Best Buy
$2,299.99 Save $800.00 Get Deal

I don’t really know anyone who needs a 77-inch TV, but if you want one, you can get a pretty good deal on one at Best Buy right now.

As of Dec. 20, you can get the LG 77-inch Class C3 Series OLED evo 4K UHD Smart webOS TV (2023) for $1,499.99, down from $2,299.99. That’s a hefty $800 discount and an almost irresistible price for a premium OLED TV of this size. It also comes with three months of Apple TV+ and 30 days of FurboTV.

SEE ALSO: The best time to buy a TV: A guide to the times of year that you'll find the best TV deals

This model has an α9 AI Processor Gen6, made exclusively for LG OLED. It also has a Brightness Booster, so you can watch anything from the big game to your favorite movies in vibrant colors (even in the brightest rooms). Plus, with the webOS 23, LG ThinQ AI, and Magic Remote, you can find whatever you want in seconds.

With hundreds of LG channels and Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos support, this TV is great for the living room or home theater. It also has NVIDIA G-Sync, AMD FreeSync Premium, and VRR for a smooth, stutter-free gaming experience.

SAVE $120: As of Dec. 20, get the DJI Action 2 for $159 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $279. That's a discount of 43%.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon DJI Action 2 Camera $159.00 at Amazon
$279.00 Save $120.00 Get Deal

Thinking about getting out into the world and doing some fun things in the new year? Maybe your resolution is to get up off the couch and try some new sports or physical activities. If you want to document all that while you're getting into it, you need a great action camera. And there's one on sale right now thanks to Amazon that can be your constant companion. Not only is it affordable, but it's also more than capable of capturing all those action-packed moments.

As of Dec. 20, you can get the DJI Action 2 Camera for just $159, down from its usual price of $279. That's $120 off and a discount of 43%.

This camera has a special magnetic design that lets you add accessories by snapping them on and off. It's small and compact as well, and you can add a magnetic lanyard or headband to wear it on your head or around your neck to capture everything that's going on around you.

It records in 4K at 120fps and has an ultra-wide FOV to make sure it doesn't miss a detail either, with an AI editor that can automatically compile your best moments while adding music and transitions. It's also waterproof and dustproof, so you can take it into water up to 10 meters to make sure you get all your best moments even when you're splashing around.

If you're ready to add a capable action camera to your arsenal or just want to start getting out there more and sharing it with the world, this is a deal you should hop on quickly, lest it go away just as fast.

Dec. 20th, save up to 60% on last minute toy deals like the Discovery Marble Run at Macy's One Day Sale.

The best toy deals at Macy's One Day Sale The best toy deal for builders Discovery #MINDBLOWN Glow Roll Marble Run Light-Up Construction Set $19.99 (Save $60) Get Deal The best toy deal for plush lovers Geoffrey's Toy Box 22" LED Light-Up Plush Bear $19.99 ($40) Get Deal The best gift for siblings Sharper Image Two Player Laser Tag Set $27.99 ($42) Get Deal

Sometimes we drag our heels on that final push before the holidays. If you need one final gift to complete the list (or 10), the Macy's One Day Sale is right on time. Shop now to find great toys for up to 75% off that will still arrive before Christmas.

Whether it's a robotic RC T-Rex you can control with with a remote, a two-player laser tag set, or a customizable marble run, Macy's has plenty of exciting toys that are showing surprisingly generous discounts.

The best toy deal for builders Opens in a new window Credit: Discovery Discovery #MINDBLOWN Glow Roll Marble Run Light-Up Construction Set $19.99 at Macy's
$79.99 Save $60.00 Get Deal Why we like it:

Kids love to build. The Discovery Marble Run is an endlessly customizable roller coaster for their marble collection. Set it up to launch marbles into the air, shoot them through chutes, and jump them from one part of the set to the next. At 75% off, this marble building set is only $19.99. Don't miss out.

SEE ALSO: There's still time to score last-minute gifts at Amazon — here are our top picks The best toy deal for plush lovers Opens in a new window Credit: Geoffrey's Toy Box Geoffrey's Toy Box 22" LED Light-Up Plush Bear $19.99 at Macy's
$59.99 Save $40.00 Get Deal Why we like it:

Umm... this bear is big. It's also anything but ferocious, with an interstellar, cosmic fur pattern in pink, yellow, and blue that lights up. The Geoffrey's Toy Box Light-Up Plus Bear is 22 inches tall — prime hugging dimensions for a kid. On sale for just $19.99, it's currently 67% off and arrives before Christmas.

The best gift for siblings Opens in a new window Credit: Sharper Image Sharper Image Two Player Laser Tag Set $27.99 at Macy's
$69.99 Save $42.00 Get Deal Why we like it:

When you want to encourage group play, an interactive game set is a great gift. The Sharper Image Two Player Laser Tag Set equips kids with the gear they need for home-brewed laser tag games. The set is complete with two laser blasters and two chest targets that light up and keep score.

Other Macy's One Day Sale toy deals we love

• Discovery Kids RC T Rex Dinosaur Electronic Toy Action Figure — $27.99 $69.99 (save $42)

• Sharper Image 2.4GHz RC Glow Up Stunt Drone with LED Lights — $31.99 $79.99 (save $48)

• Discovery #MINDBLOWN Crystal Aquarium Tank DIY Underwater Garden — $15.99 $39.99 (save $24)

• Discovery #MINDBLOWN 2 in 1 Planetarium Space Projector — $23.99 $59.99 (save $36)

SAVE $140: The Dec. 20 Best Buy Drop of the day is the 13-inch M2 iPad Air (WiFi, 128GB). Usually $799, the newest Air is on sale for $659 (compared to $699 on Black Friday) as long as you go through the Best Buy mobile app.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple 13-inch iPad Air (M2, WiFi, 128GB) $659.00 at Best Buy
$799.00 Save $140.00 Get Deal

The Best Buy Drop for Dec. 20 proves what the big deal about Best Buy Drops is. When else would you casually see an Apple product beat its own Black Friday price less than a month after Black Friday?

As long as inventory's still there when you see this on Dec. 20, you can snag the 13-inch iPad Air with M2 chip (WiFi, 128GB) for $659 through the Best Buy app. You'll be saving an extra $40 over anyone who bought this iPad on sale during Black Friday and Cyber Week, when it was only $100 off at $699. (That sale price lingered at Best Buy through Dec. 20, when the Drop shaved an extra $40 off.)

SEE ALSO: Apple iPad Air 2024 (13-inch) review: More space for the 'I use it as a laptop' folks

The 2024 iPad Air is much more of an iPad Pro competitor than it was years ago. In fact, unless you're a hardcore designer who needs the ultimate efficiency and graphics, it's hard to think of someone who wouldn't find the Air to be the best fit for them. With Apple's M2 chip fueling every move, the Air makes a better laptop replacement than nearly any other tablet — in Mashable's testing, it dished out the same processing power as a MacBook Air with the same chip. The 13-inch version also simply feels like more of a legit laptop screen than the 11-inch version.

Despite pumping out more juice than previous Airs, the 2024 model can still squeeze out 13 hours of battery life on one charge. It's not the 16 hours clocked by the M4 iPad Pro, but when the difference in price is several hundred dollars, you may not care.

SAVE $29.01: As of Dec. 20, you can get a four-pack of AirTags for just $69.99 at Best Buy and Amazon. That's a savings of $29.01.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirTag (4-Pack) $69.99 at Best Buy
$99.99 Save $30.00 Get Deal

AppleAir tags are super handy, especially if you’re a frequent flyer or forget where you've left your keys, wallet, or other valuables. These tiny gadgets attach to whatever you need to keep tabs on, and the Find My app on your iPhone can locate them within seconds.

SEE ALSO: 50 last-minute gifts that will actually arrive on time

Right now, you can get a four-pack for just $69.99 at Best Buy and Amazon. That’s a savings of $29.01 and a great reason to stock up.

Apple AirTags are compatible with most iPhone models and iPads. Once you’ve paired them with a device, you can use the Find My app to track their location — it’ll even play a little tune to help you find the tag. The replaceable battery lasts about one year, and they’re IP67 dust and water-resistant. And, if you’re worried about privacy, Apple says the location data and history aren’t stored on the AirTag itself.

Sabrina Carpenter had a lot to celebrate in 2024.

SEE ALSO: Sabrina Carpenter's 'Espresso' is the internet's Song of the Summer

Her hit single "Espresso" was Spotify's most-streamed song of the year, and she picked up six nominations for the 2025 Grammys thanks to her album Short n' Sweet.

To cap off her breakout year, the "Please Please Please" and "Taste" singer dropped by NPR's Tiny Desk Concert series to perform a number of songs from Short n' Sweet. Jam along above.

Google is tracking your online behavior in the name of advertising, reintroducing a data collection process that ingests all of your online signals (from IP address to complex browser information) and pinpoints unique users or devices, also known as "digital fingerprinting."

The company's updated platform program policies include relaxed restrictions on advertisers and personalized ad targeting across a range of devices, an outcome of a larger "advertising ecosystem shift" and the advancement of privacy-enhancing technologies (PETs) like on-device processing and trusted execution environments, in the words of the company.

A departure from its longstanding pledge to user choice and privacy, Google argues these technologies offer enough protection for users while also creating “new ways for brands to manage and activate their data safely and securely." The new feature will be available to advertisers beginning Feb. 16, 2025.

SEE ALSO: Supposed expert reviews of Google Gemini outputs are coming from non-experts

"With new innovations like PETs to mitigate risks, we see an opportunity to set a high privacy bar on the use of data like IP. We can do this by applying privacy-preserving protections that help businesses reach their customers across these new platforms without the need to re-identify them," writes Google. "And because we’re looking to encourage responsible data use as the new standard across the web, we’ll also partner with the broader ads industry and help make PETs more accessible."

In July, Google announced it was backtracking on a decision to kill third-party cookies, instead putting the role of privacy watchdog in the hands of users by adding personalized privacy options to a new product known as the Privacy Sandbox.

Contrary to other data collection tools like cookies, digital fingerprinting is difficult to spot, and thus even harder for even privacy-conscious users to erase or block. On Dec. 19, the UK's Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) — a data protection and privacy regulator — labeled Google "irresponsible" for the policy change, saying the shift to fingerprinting is an unfair means of tracking users, reducing choice and control over their personal information. The watchdog also warned that the move could encourage riskier advertiser behavior.

"Google itself has previously said that fingerprinting does not meet users’ expectations for privacy, as users cannot easily consent to it as they would cookies. This in turn means they cannot control how their information is collected. To quote Google’s own position on fingerprinting from 2019: 'We think this subverts user choice and is wrong,'" wrote ICO executive director of regulatory risk Stephen Almond.

The ICO warned that it will intervene if Google cannot demonstrate existing legal requirements for such tech, including options to secure freely-given consent, ensure fair processing, and uphold the right to erasure: "Businesses should not consider fingerprinting a simple solution to the loss of third-party cookies and other cross-site tracking signals."

It's the most wonderful time of the year: The Steam Winter Sale (not to be confused with the second most wonderful time of the year, which is the Steam Summer Sale).

Running from Dec. 19 to Jan. 2, the sale features deep savings on tons of games, from popular titles to hidden gems that may have flown under your radar. Steam's big sale events don't come around all that often, so if you own a gaming PC or Steam Deck and you're looking to stock up on new stuff to play, now is the best time to do that.

SEE ALSO: Alienware m16 R2 review: The best RTX 4070 gaming laptop

There are too many deals to list fully, but we've gathered up some of the best discounts we could find from what's on offer. Check out our favorite deals from the Steam Winter Sale 2024, and go to Steam's website for even more.

Best Steam Winter Sale deals

• Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora — $27.99 $69.99 (save $42)

• Baldur's Gate 3 — $47.99 $59.99 (save $12)

• Cyberpunk 2077 — $26.99 $59.99 (save $33)

• Dave The Diver — $13.39 $19.99 (save $6.60)

• Disco Elysium: The Final Cut — $9.99 $39.99 (save $30)

• Divinity: Original Sin Enhanced Edition — $3.99 $39.99 (save $36)

• Elden Ring — $35.99 $59.99 (save $24)

• Final Fantasy VII Rebirth — $48.99 $69.99 (save $21)

• Firewatch — $1.99 $19.99 (save $18)

• Grand Theft Auto IV: The Complete Edition — $5.99 $19.99 (save $14)

• Grand Theft Auto V: Premium Edition — $14.98 $39.98 (save $25)

• Helldivers 2 — $31.99 $39.99 (save $8)

• Inscryption — $7.99 $19.99 (save $12)

• It Takes Two — $7.99 $39.99 (save $32)

• Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes — $1.49 $14.99 (save $13.50)

• Mad Max — $2.99 $19.99 (save $17)

• Metro Exodus — $2.99 $29.99 (save $27)

• No Man's Sky — $23.99 $59.99 (save $36)

• Okami HD — $4.99 $19.99 (save $15)

• Outer Wilds — $14.99 $24.99 (save $10)

• Planet Coaster — $2.24 $44.99 (save $42.75)

• Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order — $3.99 $39.99 (save $36)

• Star Wars Outlaws — $45.59 $69.99 (save $24.40)

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Hawk Tuah Girl became a breakout internet star over the summer, and her viral origin story is all too common in the digital age. It started with one of those man-on-the-street interviews designed to go viral. The questions were sexual in nature, and that, combined with the setting (a.k.a. the party scene in Nashville), was a recipe for success.

In case you somehow, some way missed it, Hawk Tuah Girl — real name Haliey Welch — first surfaced in a Tim & Dee TV video. She was asked, "What's one move in bed that makes a man go crazy every time?"

In a Southern accent, she answers, with enthusiasm and in a ridiculous way: "Aw, you gotta give 'em that 'hawk TUAH' and spit on that thang! You get me?" She says this while miming, well, spitting on that...thang...in the form of a microphone angled toward her.

This clip, in turn, went wildly viral on TikTok with videos featuring the moment, reacting to it, or updating folks on it, gaining millions and millions of views. Of course, not everything was peachy for Welch upon her newfound fame. It's not always a smooth process becoming a viral star. As the internet is wont to do, people began digging and starting random rumors.

SEE ALSO: 'Hawk Tuah' girl Haliey Welch has disappeared from public view after crypto rug pull

Chief among them? That Welch was a teacher and fired for the viral clip. That started with a parody account that fooled people online. Now, months later, the world knows quite a bit about the real Welch. And against all odds, she has become something of a household name.

And while Welch initially seemed a bit hesitant to cash in on the viral moment, she quickly reversed that course — perhaps to a fault. Welch began by selling merchandise, which is a pretty foolproof way to pull in money as an influencer. She's worked with a local Tennessee company called Fathead Threads to sell merchandise capitalizing on all the Hawk Tuah virality. Among the items: a "Hawk Tuah 2024" trucker hat, graphic tees, and New Jersey-Boardwalk-esque shirts making crude Hawk Tuah jokes.

Soon enough Welch expanded into another space lucrative for influencers: podcasting. Her pod, aptly named Talk Tuah, actually did pretty well on the charts and on YouTube. But then what was once a feel good story — turning a potentially embarrassing moment into a well-paying career — went south.

SEE ALSO: Haliey Welch releases first statement after going MIA following 'Hawk Tuah' crypto crash

As Mashable's Matt Binder covered in detail, this month Welch launched a crypto memecoin called $HAWK, which rocketed in value before plummeting, perhaps leaving her fans in a financial hole. She, and the team behind the coin, have been accused of a rug pull, which is effectively ballooning a coin's value in an effort to cash out at other folks' expense. It didn't help that Welch logged-off a public Spaces stream on X about $Hawk in a frankly cartoonish manner. She's not surfaced in public since that moment on Dec. 5.

Tweet may have been deleted

The lesson seems that as quickly as the internet can build you up, it can bring you down — though it stands to reason Welch's bank account still has far more zeroes than it did that night of the fateful interview.

SAVE $80: As of Dec. 20, you can score an Apple Watch Ultra 2 for $719 at Best Buy. That's $80 off the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple Watch Ultra 2 (49mm, GPS+Cellular) $719.00 at Bes Buy
$799.00 Save $80.00 Get Deal

If you’ve been waiting to get your hands on the Apple Watch Ultra 2, now’s your chance to snag one for less at Best Buy.

As of Dec. 20, you can get an Apple Watch Ultra 2 for $719 at Best Buy. That’s $80 less than the usual $799 price tag. Sure, it’s still a little pricey, but definitely worth it for what you’re getting. (You can also save up to $250 by trading in an old device.)

SEE ALSO: Apple Watch Ultra 1 vs. Ultra 2: We'll make this simple

The Apple Watch Ultra 2 (49mm, GPS+Cellular) with a titanium case and black ocean band is built for sports, adventure, and outdoor excursions. It has a rugged and durable exterior and is water resistant up to 100 meters, so you can take it diving with you.

With the freedom of cellular, you can leave your phone at home and still stay connected. Take calls, send messages, stream music, and more right from your wrist. It also has features for cyclists, hikers, and swimmers, including offline maps, elevation tracking, and automatic stroke detection. And with the new Action button, you can customize one-touch access to your favorite apps and workouts.