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CNET
an hour ago
- Business
- CNET
Did You Know About the GameStop-Facebook Settlement? Here's How to File a Claim
There's still time to claim part of GameStop privacy settlement. Did you buy something from video game retailer GameStop in the past five years? And did you have a Facebook account when you did so? I know that sounds like me and if it sounds like you, too, there's a settlement you need to know about. Early this month, GameStop agreed to pay $4.5 million to settle a class action lawsuit accusing it of violating privacy laws by tracking and sharing customer info with Facebook. While the company has denied any wrongdoing in the matter, it is nonetheless now accepting claims, with estimates suggesting that hundreds of thousands of consumers could be eligible. While GameStop -- best known for its brick-and-mortar shop locations -- has seen its fortunes decline in recent years as commerce has migrated online, it still does considerable business: about $3.8 billion in 2024. Facebook, meanwhile, doesn't say much about how much consumer data it acquires from places like GameStop but those kinds of transactions have long been key to its business, helping to create targeted advertising on the platform. That sort of practice now appears to have run afoul of certain privacy laws, prompting the lawsuit that GameStop is working to settle. Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about the settlement and, for more, find out if you qualify for 23andMe's big privacy settlement or the Fortnite in-game purchases settlement. Why did GameStop get sued? The lawsuit at the heart of this situation, Aldana v. GameStop, alleged that the company used a tracking pixel on its website to collect information on specific consumer purchases, which it then sold to Facebook. This, the suit argued, violated the Video Privacy Protection Act, a 1988 law designed to prevent the "wrongful disclosure" of rental or sales records for certain audiovisual media, including video games. What prompted the creation of a law like that back then? The public disclosure of -- here's a throwback -- Supreme Court nominee Robert Bork's video store rental records. While there was nothing scandalous, or even terribly interesting in those records, the release of the information highlighted Bork's claims that Americans only had privacy rights directly granted to them by legislation and Congress certainly seemed to take the point, passing the VPPA little more than a year later. In addition to the consumer payouts, this settlement also requires GameStop to stop using tracking pixels on its online storefront. Who is eligible for the GameStop-Facebook settlement? To qualify for this settlement, you need to have bought something from GameStop's website any time between Aug. 18, 2020, and April 7, 2025. At the time of that purchase, you must also have had an active Facebook account using your real name that was public. Proof of purchase is not required. When is the deadline for filing a claim? You have until Aug. 15 -- about a month and a half -- to file a claim and opt in to this settlement. To do that, complete the official form on the settlement website. How much can I get from the GameStop-Facebook settlement? Unlike other notable settlements that can sometimes pay out thousands of dollars, the offers from this settlement are much more modest. When filing a claim, you have the option of receiving a cash payment of $5 or a voucher to GameStop worth $10. You can only get one payment per claim, even if you purchased multiple items from the GameStop website during the settlement period. When will I get paid from the GameStop-Facebook settlement? When those payments will go out isn't clear but it will be sometime after the final settlement hearing in the case on Sept. 18. Stayed tuned to this page for updates as information like this becomes available in the near future. For more, here's everything to know about Apple's Siri privacy settlement.
CNET
an hour ago
- Science
- CNET
Look Up Friday Night, You Just Might See the Bootids Meteor Shower
Earth gets pelted by meteors all the time, but only a few showers are large enough to warrant names. Bootids is one such meteor shower that generally occurs in June every year as the Earth moves through the tail of the 7)/Pons-Winnecke comet. For 2025, the best night to catch a potential glimpse of Bootids is this Friday, June 27. It's not an easy meteor shower to spot. Its radiant — the point in the sky from which the meteor shower appears to originate — is in the constellation Boötes, hence the shower's name, which itself means herdsman or ox-driver in ancient Greek. Per Stellarium's sky map, Boötes will be in the western sky close to the horizon all Friday evening before dipping below the horizon at sunset. This applies to the entire continental US, so there aren't any special instructions based on location. The reason viewers will need a little luck to see it is twofold. For starters, the constellation is pretty low on the horizon, which will make it much harder for anyone to see anything if they're in a well-lit city or suburb. Secondly, The American Meteor Association classifies Bootids as a Class III meteor shower. That means it may light up the sky with plenty of meteors or average less than one per day, even at its peak. We won't know how strong this year's Bootids will be until Saturday after the peak has passed. Despite its finicky nature, the shower did produce an incident here on Earth. Early Friday, a meteor entered Earth's atmosphere and mostly burned up, but did leave a golf ball-sized hole in a Georgia family's home. Observers reported seeing the meteor as far away as Tennessee, Florida, and North Carolina. Here's an excellent video showing the Georgia meteor that looks like something out of War of the Worlds. With Bootids at its peak, there is an increased risk of such an event occurring again. Tips for watching the Bootids meteor shower Much like real estate, it's all about location, location, location. City dwellers and suburbanites will have the hardest time seeing a shooting star since the light pollution of larger populated areas can get in the way of seeing dimmer meteors. For context, the Perseids meteor shower can spit out upwards of 100 meteors per hour, but in the city, you may see one to two per hour, if any at all. The best tip is getting out of the city as far as you're willing to go. The further out you go, the less light pollution will hinder your progress and the more meteors that will be visible. If you can swing it, take a pair of binoculars as well. Telescopes won't be necessary as they will restrict your view of the open sky too much, which may cause you to miss meteors. Other than that, the key is patience. With inconsistent showers like Bootids, it may be a consistent shower all night or bursts of activity. Finally, it's best to temper expectations. You may go home not seeing anything at all, especially if the weather is not on your side.
CNET
an hour ago
- Entertainment
- CNET
This Pitch-Perfect '80s Horror Throwback Hits All the Right Notes, and It's Free on Tubi
Tons of movies try to pull off the vibe of classic 1980s horror movies, but it's not as easy as dropping in some neon spandex and sprawling synthesizers. One film that does a fantastic job of capturing the "Me Decade" horror aesthetic is The House of the Devil, and you can stream it for free right now on Tubi. Directed by Ti West, this indie gem doesn't rely on cheap jump scares or flashy effects. Instead, it leans into tension, atmosphere and that slow-building sense of unease that defines the best of retro horror. It's a love letter to the genre that understands what makes it so terrifying in the first place. If you're craving something suspenseful, stylish and soaked in vintage vibes, this one's a must-watch. The movie follows Samantha (Jocelin Donahue), a college student desperate for cash who takes a babysitting job in a creepy old mansion. She soon discovers she's dealing with a much different charge than a child when she arrives on site. As she's left alone for the night, she orders a pizza and cues up a flick on TV, while the dread builds incrementally and the audience settles in for something horrific. The House of the Devil is reminiscent of classic films like Halloween and When a Stranger Calls, but ratcheted up tenfold. This horror flick is gory, grim, and shockingly true to its vintage setting. MPI Movie Group/Screenshot by CNET From the opening credits, The House of the Devil sets the tone with a ridiculously accurate and detailed retro aesthetic. It doesn't just take place in the 1980s -- it feels like it was made then. The grainy film texture, era-appropriate costumes and hair are absolutely perfect. It's set to a curated soundtrack with tracks including The Fixx's One Thing Leads To Another and The Greg Kihn Band's The Break Up Song. The movie doesn't just feel like it's dressing up in '80s tropes, but like it was birthed from that time. The movie was shot on 16mm film, creating its specialized throwback look. It lifts cinematography straight from '80s filmmakers along with a slew of other techniques to evoke classics of the era. Everything, down to the credits, is period accurate, and I appreciated all the attention given to making sure everything matches, down to the cups at the pizza restaurant seen early in the movie. The Ulmans have a secret reason why they hired Sam to watch "Mother." MPI Movie Group/Screenshot by CNET Sam realizes something is amiss when she stumbles upon proof that the family that hired her for the babysitting job isn't the same one in the photos. Realizing she might have been deceived, she attempts a 911 call, but she's already eaten a piece of tainted pizza. She passes out just as she gets a glimpse of what exactly it is she's been hired to "babysit." The movie's path is fraught with grisly moments (just ask Sam's best friend Megan, played by Barbie director Greta Gerwig), with believably gruesome practical effects that unsettle and chill to the bone. The hideous "Mother," who Sam discovers is connected to her original job, is an example of '80s filmmaking that would have made audiences sick to their stomachs. Sam's friend Megan is not pleased at all by the situation at the Ulmans' house. MPI Movie Group/Screenshot by CNET Without spoiling the climax, The House of the Devil maintains a gnawing, upsetting sense of dread throughout its runtime. It isn't afraid to use themes of isolation, the unknown and betrayal to keep you on the edge of your seat, which I appreciated on my first viewing and only grew to love more with each rewatch. As horrific as the story is, I firmly believe that this movie wouldn't have been possible without its commitment to staying true to the era that inspired it. If you're looking for a horror movie that doesn't rely on cheap jump scares or the overwrought parable "sex is bad" with a group of teens being picked off one by one, The House of the Devil is one of the best flicks you could put on your Halloween viewing list. It brings the golden years of '80s horror to life in believable, decadent ways that'll have you squirming in your seat. I'm still unpacking the gagworthy climax, and I bet you will be too.
CNET
an hour ago
- Business
- CNET
Get a Free Worldwide Ubigi eSIM Data Plan for Your Summer Travel
Summer is the time to roam. According to Deloitte, more Americans plan to travel in 2025 than 2024, and a recent poll by Allianz found that 70% of Americans under 35 are planning a summer getaway. With prices rising worldwide, travelers are cutting costs wherever they can — including data, a must-have for local recommendations and easy navigation. But roaming doesn't have to mean roaming fees. One easy way to trim your travel budget is to opt for an eSIM plan like Ubigi, which works seamlessly in over 200 locations worldwide — including 5G in over 60 destinations — all without having to pay your carrier's data fees or switch SIM cards in different countries. For a limited time, Ubigi is offering 500MB of data when you make a free account to try the service, as well as 10% off your first purchase. An eSIM makes crossing borders easy You're probably familiar with a traditional SIM card — that tiny chip you can pop in and out of your phone to switch carriers. When traveling internationally, using a physical SIM means you have to stop and wait in line at airport kiosks or stores to buy a mobile plan and swap out your SIM cards. But with an eSIM, you can skip all that hassle: it loads directly onto your phone. Changing mobile carriers becomes as easy as a tap or a swipe, with no risk of losing your old SIM card. A vacation should feel like a vacation, not a list of errands. But with an eSIM, it's easy to get everything ready before you take off. Make sure your phone is eSIM-compatible and carrier-unlocked, then choose your data plan and install your Ubigi eSIM before boarding your flight. Once you arrive, simply activate mobile data on your Ubigi line, and you'll be all set to find your hotel and discover great local spots to eat. An eSIM gives you more data for less Ubigi offers affordable packages from 1GB to unlimited data, with seamless 5G and 4G coverage in over 200 locations across the world. With Ubigi's SmartStart feature, your eSIM data plan activates only when you arrive and connect to a cell tower at your destination, so there's no risk of your plan starting before you leave. Plus, the app makes adding data on the go as easy as topping up a metro card, with no Wi-Fi or data credits required. Ubigi A travel eSIM provider like Ubigi eliminates any roaming surprises or charges. With Ubigi's data-only service, you only need to focus on gigabytes, no SMS or voice fees to worry about. Their straightforward pricing makes managing your data simple and transparent. Get 500MB of free data for your summer travels today We all know summer passes in a blink. Create your free Ubigiaccount today and receive 500MB of free data, as well as 10% off your first purchase. After that, you're all set to relax, no matter where the journey takes you.
CNET
an hour ago
- Health
- CNET
Do You Really Need to Eat 3 Meals a Day? We Asked an Expert Dietician
Eating three balanced meals per day is often touted as the healthiest way to maintain a healthy diet and get adequate nutrition. But if you're like me and have an unpredictable eating pattern, getting three meals in each day can be tough. I love to snack throughout the day, I don't like putting effort into cooking and I even skip meals until I'm so hangry I can barely think straight. I know that I'm not alone in struggling to make the three meals a day lifestyle work for me. According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, the proportion of people consuming three meals a day declined significantly from the 1970s to 2010 (73% to 59% in men and 75% to 63% in women). I'd venture to guess those numbers have gone down even more in the 12 years since that survey, as stress and burnout has reached a fever pitch in recent years. This made me wonder how important is it to have frequent meals? Why aren't two meals (or the popular OMAD) safe? And why is it so hard to eat three meals a day? I talked to a nutrition expert and dove into the research to find out. Here's how my own eating habits have transformed for the meals a day: An origin story Though we now take it for granted, the division of your daily diet into three meals -- breakfast, lunch and dinner -- hasn't always been the standard, and it still isn't in some places in the world. Before industrialization, as New York University food historian Amy Bentley told The Atlantic, people in the US tended to eat just two large meals, fueling their bodies for rural, outdoor labor. In ancient Rome, the custom was to eat one large meal, plus two small, light meals. In the US, our eating habits are now typically organized around our workdays or school days. But cultural norms aside, there's no scientific reason for you to eat exactly three meals every day. "The number of meals in a day itself isn't key," said Marissa Kai Miluk, a registered dietitian nutritionist who specializes in stopping binge eating. "Every person is different and there is research on all ends of the spectrum of how many times a day you 'should' be eating." Over the years, there have been studies that show benefits to eating more frequent meals, as well as studies that show the downsides of it. Some research has also found benefits to eating less frequent, bigger meals and -- you guessed it -- the downsides of it. With that said, the three-meals-a-day recommendation didn't come out of nowhere. In one sense, it all comes down to math: The average adult human requires 2,000 calories per day, and you're only awake for so many hours. "Across all peer-reviewed research and health practices, three meals a day is a general recommendation to encourage consistent, adequate energy intake," Miluk said. "Unless someone is seriously lacking in time or safe access to food, I would not recommend eating less than three meals a day, as that would require a large intake in one sitting in order to meet basic needs," she added. Best Coolers for Barbecues, Camping and More Best Coolers for Barbecues, Camping and More Click to unmute Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Skip Backward Skip Forward Next playlist item Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 13:15 Loaded : 1.52% 00:00 Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 13:15 Share Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. 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Best Coolers for Barbecues, Camping and More Still, the math can change depending on your own health needs and schedule, not to mention a ton of other, less quantifiable factors -- like, in my case, a love for snacks. More important than the number of meals, Miluk said, is consistency. Skipping meals, waiting all day to eat and other inconsistent eating patterns can have a range of unintended outcomes, from increased blood pressure to high or low blood sugar. So how do you know if your eating patterns are healthy? "Experiencing frequent mood swings, hanger, erratic cravings, insatiable hunger, eating with a sense of urgency and binges are common signs that you may need to reevaluate your eating patterns and relationship with food," Miluk explained. But eating regular meals is, somehow, so much harder than it seems, at least for people like eating three meals a day is so hard Sometimes the choice to veer away from the three-meals-a-day schedule is just that -- a choice. But even if you'd love to eat a proper breakfast, lunch and dinner every day, it can be challenging. You can't always control when you get a moment to sit down and eat, or what food options are available. Mental health and stress can also affect appetite. Let's call a spade a spade: Eating is work. Preparing a meal takes physical and mental labor, in addition to time and money. Even the process of figuring out what to eat can feel like an insurmountable obstacle when you have a million other things on your mind. And that's before you account for diet culture, which makes meal times even more fraught and stressful by equating thinness to health, and health to a moral virtue. (If your goal is simply weight loss, meal timing and frequency involves a whole other type of math.) There's a lot of pressure to eat the "right" number and type of meals and cook them all ourselves, using fresh, whole ingredients. On a budget. While working and taking care of loved ones. Easier said than done. Sometimes it's more convenient to… not do all that, and just reach for a snack instead. While the number of people eating three meals a day has gone down over the past several decades, people are eating more calories overall; we're just getting more of those calories from snacks now. In some countries, it's relatively easy to access nutritious food -- and this is key -- that you don't have to cook yourself. Local foodways in Mexico and Ghana, for example, make it easy to walk down the road and get a cheap, fully prepared (and delicious) meal made with local protein and produce, or a bundle of fresh local fruit. Not so in many places in the the idea that you should cook all your meals yourself at home is a relatively recent phenomenon. In the past, only families that had space for a home kitchen and the means to hire help ate home-cooked meals every day. In cities, working-class people ate cooked food from small eateries and street vendors. Communal eating is also a treasured tradition in many cultures, both in the US and across the globe. Three meals a day isn't some magic number; it's just a benchmark to help ensure you're eating enough consistently -- and modern life in this country makes it extremely difficult. So what can you do about it? 3 tips for eating 3 meals First things first: Accept that struggling to cook three meals at home every day is not a personal failing. But you don't necessarily have to wait for sweeping society-wide changes to relieve some of the frustration. Here are some tips that helped me, and might help you, too. 1. Go back to basics As you know by now, three meals a day is not a golden rule. But if you're struggling to eat regular meals at all, Miluk told me she usually advises her clients to prioritize eating three meals a day first and foremost. "When your body doesn't trust that food will be consistently available, it goes into fight-or-flight mode," she explained. A daily meal schedule provides a "solid foundation" that allows you to rebuild trust in your body and reregulate your appetite. That's not to say it'll be smooth sailing. I'm used to skipping lunch by accident or postponing dinner for way too long, and that didn't just go away. But having a clear goal in mind was incredibly helpful. Every time I was able to successfully eat breakfast, lunch and dinner, I learned what it felt like to enjoy life with consistent energy instead of brain fog and hangriness. d3sign/Getty Images 2. Practice nonjudgment Over the years, I've tried a lot of different ways to outsmart myself and get my three meals in. But I can't truly say that I was able to succeed until I finally gave up on trying to always eat the "right" foods, the "right" way. Instead, I focused on what was realistic and convenient for me: How could I get the nutrients that I need, while taking all the barriers in my life into account? By removing any judgment about what your three meals consist of, you may be more likely to actually eat them. For me, that meant adding a meal subscription and meal shakes to my daily routine. For others, it might mean grocery delivery, help with meal prep from your community, canned or prepared foods, food trucks or cheap easy produce (like bananas). Focusing not only on health, but on ease -- even when it meant eating stuff that I felt like I "shouldn't" eat -- changed everything for me. With each day, I remind myself that I'm worth all the money and the effort that it takes to feed myself. I forgive myself for living in a culture and era that doesn't make nourishing my body easy, and I commit to caring for myself in whatever ways I have to despite that. 3. Check in with yourself After you've gotten comfortable with eating three meals a day, according to Miluk, you can focus on tuning into your own body's signals and using the hunger-fullness scale to maintain an eating schedule that works best for you. That means taking into account your food preferences, health needs and values, schedule and accessibility. A professional dietitian can help guide you along this journey, but remember that there is no one-size-fits-all prescription for when or what to eat. "The key to knowing the optimal meal timing for yourself is tuning out the world around you and getting honest with yourself," said Miluk. Westend61/Getty Images Her recommendation for figuring that out is to ask yourself the following questions: How do I feel when I eat breakfast, lunch and dinner consistently versus when I skip a meal? Do my meals and/or snacks sustain me until my next meal or snack? When I go long periods of time without a substantial meal or snack, do I notice any changes in my focus, energy or mood? Do I pay attention to signs from my body for when I am hungry and when I am full? Are there any patterns to my appetite that stand out? Does my appetite stay stable throughout the day or do I find I eat more at certain times of the day? For me, it turns out that eating three meals a day is actually the most feasible way to reach my daily needs while working a 9-to-5 job. Given how often I get hungry and how much I like to eat in one sitting, that's just what makes sense. You might decide that living your best life means eating two ginormous meals as farmers used to, or snacking from morning to night. "Some may consider themselves 'grazers' and there's nothing wrong with that," Miluk assured me. "This is why trusting and tuning into one's own body is more important than any diet rule or handbook on health," she said. "A scientific study could say that eating 12 times a day is the best for longevity, but who does that realistically apply to?"
