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TECH _I MADE ONE DONATION TO A POLITICAL CAMPAIGN, AND NOW I GET BOMBARDED WITH EMAILS. HOW CAN I MAKE IT STOP?_ There’s no comprehensive federal privacy law that prevents organizations

from selling and sharing your email address. In general, people should expect that when they make a donation, related groups will end up with their contact information. One strategy to

reduce email is to set up filters that block senders. Maintain that actively because as each new organization gets your address, you have to add them to the filter. Or set up a separate

email account just for donations and related activities, so political emails stay out of your main account, where you get messages from friends and family or important bills. —Nathalie

Maréchal, codirector of the Center for Democracy & Technology’s Privacy & Data Project _I’VE HEARD THAT SOME NEWS STORIES ARE NOW WRITTEN BY AI. HOW CAN I TELL?_ AI content has been

increasing rapidly, and a problem with artificial intelligence is that it makes it easier to create disinformation, especially when fabricated images can be added that seem to back up the

story. But closely vetting all the information we come across online would be too much for anyone. So focus your fact-checking energy. AI-generated fake news and other misleading content is

often created to appeal to our emotions. Anytime you see something online that sparks a big emotional reaction — whether that’s outrage, excitement or surprise — take a moment to verify

it with another source. Also, focus on where the news is coming from: What organization published or shared it? Open up new browser tabs and search for information about the website, author

or specific claims you’re seeing. You might search for a topic plus the word “fact-check” to see if any professional fact-checking sites have already done the work for you. These strategies

could alert you to the fact that the website you’re on is known for sharing AI-generated content. —Julia Feerrar, head of digital literacy initiatives and associate professor at the

University Libraries at Virginia Tech _COMPUTERS ARE CONSTANTLY CHANGING, BUT I WANT TO SAVE DIGITAL PHOTOS FOR POSTERITY. WHAT FORMAT SHOULD I USE THAT WILL BE RECOVERABLE IN 20 YEARS BY

MY CHILDREN OR GRANDCHILDREN?_ I encourage my clients to preserve their ­legacy both digitally and physically. Digitally, the JPEG file (ending in .jpeg or .jpg) has been resilient. It was

one of the first image file formats and is still the most common. Stay away from saving important photos in proprietary file formats like the HEIC files that iPhones use; they may not be

readable down the road. Instead, convert them to a JPEG or TIFF, which is what the National Archives currently recommends. But also, printing is a fantastic way to preserve your legacy.

Archival storage containers that are light-free and acid-free are the best way to ensure preservation of your photos. —Peter Bennett, professional photography organizer from Culver City,

California _WHEN I GO TO CUSTOMER SERVICE ONLINE, I USUALLY GET DIRECTED TO A CHAT. I DON’T THINK THERE’S A PERSON ON THE OTHER END. HOW DO I GET A REAL PERSON?_ My advice is this: Don’t

shy away from ­engaging with a chatbot. Up to 70 percent of customer service queries are answerable by providing basic information, and chatbots are great at doing that quickly. And chatbots

are typically programmed so that if you ask something that they can’t help with, they’ll forward you to a human or give you a number to call. But if you are set on starting with a real

person, there’s a website called GetHuman.com, which tells you the number to call to get a person and the average wait time for many companies. —Evgeny Kagan, assistant professor of

operations management and business analytics at Johns Hopkins University’s Carey Business School _I’ve been told that charging my cellphone all night degrades the battery over time. My

husband is skeptical. Is it possible to overcharge electronics?_ Keeping your phone battery fully charged will, in fact, degrade it. The closer you get to 100 percent, the more stressed

your battery is. Same with batteries in other electronics. Some leave their laptop plugged in for weeks, and that’s pretty bad for it. Treat your battery better by stopping at 90 percent

charged or unplugging after it’s at 100 percent. —Kent Griffith, an assistant professor specializing in energy storage at the University of California, San Diego _JUST AS I GOT ALL MY

CHARGING CABLES FIGURED OUT, ALONG COMES USB-C. WHAT CAN I DO TO KEEP MY CORDS ORGANIZED?_ I recommend collecting all the different cords and cables in your house and reviewing them with

your current devices. Get rid of old cables. Look for tech recycling at major stores like Best Buy or an organization such as Tech for Troops. To keep the cables you use from tangling,

corral them with cord wraps or twist ties and use a label maker or piece of tape to identify which devices they work with. —Mindy Godding, certified professional organizer and owner of

Abundance Organizing _THESE NEW OVER-THE-COUNTER HEARING AIDS ARE GREAT, BUT I’M SO AFRAID I WILL LOSE THEM. HOW DO I PREVENT THAT?_ Top-end prescription hearing aids come with a “Find My

Hearing Aid” feature built into their smartphone apps, but there are not currently any over-the-counter devices with this functionality. Beyond creating a consistent routine for when and

where you put on and take off your hearing aids, and always storing them in a designated case when not in use, wearers can use another effective ­tactic: An inexpensive hearing aid lanyard

can be clipped to your clothing or worn around your neck during physical activities like sports or yard work, ensuring they won’t fall to the ground if dislodged. Or buy a monthly

replacement coverage plan. —Blake Cadwell, CEO and cofounder, Soundly.com _BECAUSE OF NEW EFFORTS TO CRACK DOWN ON SPAM CALLS, I’M NOW GETTING A LOT OF SPAM TEXTS. I WANT IT TO STOP._ Some

of those spams are trying to figure out whether the phone number is in use. So if you get a spam text, don’t respond, don’t click on the links, and block the number immediately. I also

encourage people not to give out their phone numbers or contact information unless it’s absolutely necessary. —Murat Kantarcioglu, professor of computer science, University of Texas at

Dallas AUTO _My new car didn’t come with a spare. What if I get a flat tire?_ About 30 percent of new cars today come with a tire repair kit instead of an actual tire. Unfortunately, the

kits only fix small punctures, so more extensive damage means waiting for a tow. You can buy an after­market spare, or donut tire, plus a jack (generally less than $200). But when buying a

car, check if there is space designed to accommodate a spare. You don’t want to take up a big chunk of cargo space with a tire. If you decide that you can live without a spare, make sure you

have towing insurance. —Robert Sinclair Jr., public affairs spokesperson for AAA _I’M INTERESTED IN BUYING AN ELECTRIC CAR. BUT HOW DO I GET A CHARGING OUTLET INSTALLED IN MY GARAGE?_

You’ll want it installed by a licensed electrician who knows this is for an electric vehicle. While a car’s plug will fit into a 240-volt outlet designed for a dryer, charging a car requires

a heavier-duty outlet that can handle more juice. —Mike Porcelli, adjunct automotive technology professor at Bronx Community College, Bronx, New York _THERE ARE SO MANY TOLL ROADS NOW, BUT

FEWER TOLL BOOTHS. WHAT DO I DO IF I DRIVE ON A ROAD AND I DON’T HAVE THAT STATE’S ELECTRONIC PAYMENT SYSTEM IN MY CAR?_ Increasingly, these electronic payment systems are regional.

E-ZPass, for example, is used by 18 states, and E-PASS is used by 19. That said, states like California, Alabama and Texas have their own systems. Typically, if you come upon a toll road

with electronic collection but no manual collection, the system may read your license plate and mail you a bill; in some cases, it may hit you with a penalty too. Sometimes there’s an 800

number posted that you can call to pay the toll and avoid a fine. Beyond that, your best ­defense is to research the toll situations along your route. You can learn about the toll payment

systems in each state at TollGuru.com, including whether the electronic payment transponder from your home state will work in the states you’re traveling through. —Charles Leocha, president

of Travelers United, a Washington-based nonprofit that represents the interests of travelers _Interviews by: Beth Braverman, Maisy Fernandez, Michael Frank, Chris Morris, Kelsey Ogletree,

Lexi Pandell, Pamela Schmid, David Schiff, Evelyn Spence, Robin Westen and Stewart Wolpin_