GET A TASTE OF THE INTERNET’S INFLUENCE SUMMER 25 The World’s #1 Internet Magazine TIPS FOR CHOOSING THE RIGHT WI-FI BAND TIME TO UPGRADE YOUR PCS TO WINDOWS 11 CHOOSE TO SEE FRIENDS-ONLY CONTENT ON FACEBOOK WebsiteCompass
THE SWEET SPOT WITH OUTDOOR FAMILY At Outdoor Family, we want to provide you with all of the simplest ways to spend time outside as a family. Whether you are planning an epic RV roadtrip or you are trying to keep your sanity while keeping kids busy this summer, you’ll find everything you need at outdoorfamily.com. From gardening to hiking to camping and adventures at home, find the sweetest activities for you to spend time together outdoors this summer and beyond. @youroutdoorfamily
WebsiteCompass 1 8 Contents WebsiteCompass 18 Website Compass™ is a publication of Cornerstone Publishing Group, Inc. 4815 Caravelle Drive Fort Collins, CO 80526 970-818-5012 ISSN 1525-951X No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form, electronic, photocopying, recording, mechanical, or otherwise without prior written permission of the publisher. Website Compass™ is a trademark of Cornerstone Publishing Group, Inc. Copyright© 2025 by Cornerstone Publishing Group, Inc. All rights reserved. TRADEMARKS – All brand names and product names used in this publication are trade names, service marks, trademarks, or registered trademarks of their respective owners. Website Compass magazine is an independent magazine and is not affiliated with, nor has it been authorized, sponsored, or otherwise approved by Microsoft Corporation, Google, Pinterest, Twitter, and Facebook. All screen shots are the property of their respective owners. ADVERTISERS – To obtain advertising information, contact: Cornerstone Publishing Group, Inc. 4815 Caravelle Drive Fort Collins, CO 80526 970-818-5012 INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDERS – To obtain additional information about distribution of Website Compass magazine to your internet subscribers and a free customized online version of Website Compass, contact: Shane Petersen Cornerstone Publishing Group, Inc. 4815 Caravelle Drive Fort Collins, CO 80526 970-818-5012 shanep@cornerstonenow.com Cornerstone Publishing Group, Inc. (the Author and Publisher) as well as any participating Internet Service Provider Partners hereby disclaim all warranties relating to Website Compass magazine or its website, whether expressed or implied, including without limitation any implied warrantied of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. Although the Author and its ISP Partners believe the information provided is accurate, neither party claims responsibility for any damage or loss of data to a user’s computer caused by utilizing this information. The Author and its ISP Partners will not be liable for any special, incidental, consequential, indirect, or similar damages due to loss of data or any other reason when utilizing information/tutorials from Website Compass magazine or its websites. In no event shall the Author or ISP Partner be liable for any damages, regardless of the form of the claim. The person using the information contained in Website Compass magazine bears all risk as to the use of the information provided. Cornerstone Group is not responsible for the quality, performance, or reliability of third-party tools or software. 2 10 16 13 FEATURE STORY 2 Get a Taste of the Internet’s Influence How we meal plan, grocery shop, cook, and eat have all changed INTERNET CONNECTIONS 8 Tips for Choosing the Right Wi-Fi Band 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi has more range, but 5 GHz Wi-Fi is faster SOCIAL MEDIA BASICS 10 Choose to See Friends-Only Content on Facebook Updated Friends tab lets you scroll Facebook like it’s 2008 BACK TO BASICS 13 Time to Upgrade Your PCs to Windows 11 Microsoft will no longer support Windows 10 after October 14, 2025 BEYOND THE BASICS 16 What’s the Difference Between Content Creators and Influencers? It’s important to understand these social media roles FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS 18 Ask Dr. Webbie Answers to your internet questions A TO Z 19 Internet Glossary Words and definitions Tutorials in This Issue 12 How to find the updated Friends tab 12 How to pin the Friends feed to the tab bar
2 WebsiteCompass How we meal plan, grocery shop, cook, and eat have all changed Thanks to the internet, everything changed. You now have instant access to a huge variety of recipes from websites, blogs, and apps. You can order your groceries online to be delivered to your front door. You can follow along with cooking videos from a tablet on your kitchen counter, and take a photo of your finished dish to post on Facebook. If you’re feeling lazy or have no time to cook, you can get a meal from your favorite restaurant delivered with a few clicks. Hopefully, we’ve whet your appetite on this topic, and you’ll want to explore food-related internet resources that are new to you. Check out the following pages for a delicious assortment of ideas. The internet definitely brings a lot to the table! In the pre-internet era, recipes were mostly shared through personal interactions, family traditions, and printed cookbooks. Television and food magazines were primary sources of culinary knowledge, and food trends took much longer to spread and gain popularity. The vast majority of meals were cooked and eaten at home, and the closest thing to exciting technology was the development of TV dinners and cake mixes. FAST FACT: Younger generations are the biggest fans of food delivery—40% of Gen Z and Millennials order from food delivery apps at least once a week, but only 21.5%of Gen X and just 10%of Baby Boomers do the same. Source: https://business.yougov.com/content/ 51282-exploring-americas-appetite-for-food-delivery-apps GET A TASTE OF THE INTERNET’S INFLUENCE
WebsiteCompass 3 As is true with many aspects of life, the internet has both positively and negatively impacted eating habits. Here’s an overview: Positive and Negative Impacts on Eating Habits Positive Impacts • Access to Information and Recipes – The internet provides easy access to a vast array of recipes, cooking tips, and nutritional information, empowering individuals to make informed choices and experiment with different cuisines. • Online Communities and Support – Online platforms allow people to connect with like-minded individuals, share experiences, and find support for healthy eating journeys. • Convenience and Accessibility – Online meal delivery services and grocery shopping options make it more convenient for people to access food, particularly those with busy schedules or limited mobility. • Increased Awareness of Healthy Choices – The internet makes people more aware of plant-based diets, organic foods, and mindful eating, which can lead to healthier choices. • Personalized Nutrition Advice – Nutrition apps and websites provide personalized expert advice and support, encouraging the adoption of healthier eating habits. Negative Impacts • Exposure to Unhealthy Marketing – Social media and online advertisements can encourage some individuals, especially children and adolescents, to increase their consumption of unhealthy foods and drinks. • Distracted Eating – Scrolling through social media or watching videos while eating can lead to overeating and a decreased enjoyment of food. • Social Comparison and Body Image Issues – Exposure to curated images and lifestyles on social media can contribute to body image issues and disordered eating behaviors. • Sedentary Lifestyles – Excessive internet use can lead to a decrease in physical activity, contributing to weight gain and other health problems. • Internet Addiction – Excessive internet use, particularly among adolescents, can negatively impact eating behavior and nutritional health due to irregular meals, skipping meals, and unhealthy snacking. By being aware of these impacts, you can make decisions that benefit your health and the health of people you love. Take Food Influencers With a Grain of Salt Food influencers on social media platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube can have strong sway over the eating habits of followers. They post a constant stream of health and wellness messages—some of which inspire positive changes, but others contribute to misinformation about food, unrealistic expectations, and unhealthy body comparisons. It’s important to look at food influencers with a critical eye. Keep in mind that their content is often shaped not only by personal experience or verified nutritional expertise but also by algorithms, sponsorship deals, and engagement metrics. While some food influencers genuinely aim to educate or inspire, many of them rely on partnerships with brands or ad revenue to make a living, which can influence how they present information. There can be a blurred line between authentic sharing and strategically crafted messaging designed to drive sales or engagement. Do your homework and get advice from your health care provider before making any major changes to your diet. Blindly following a food influencer could be the recipe for disaster.
4 WebsiteCompass Feature Story 5 Ways Social Media Changed HowWe Eat Social media has played a role in reshaping our eating habits in ways including these: 1. Brought Screens to the Dinner Table. The dinner table used to be a tech-free zone. Now phones are often as handy to grab as salt and pepper shakers, since many people feel they must stay connected at all times. Plus, you need a phone to take photos of your meal at a trendy restaurant or show off your latest cooking accomplishment at home. 2. Made Us More Adventurous With Food. Thanks in part to cooking posts on social media, we’re craving flavors from faraway lands and taking more risks with spices and other ingredients. Supermarkets have responded by stocking aisles with international food items that used to be nearly impossible to get, and restaurants are popping up that satisfy the demand for a more worldly palate. 3. Inspired Culinary Tourism. If wanderlust and food culture had a baby, it would be culinary tourism. More of us are picking travel destinations based primarily on the meals we’ll be able to enjoy there—meals we saw featured on social media. Outdoor food markets, bakeries, and restaurants are replacing museums and traditional tourist attractions in order of priority. 4. Steered Us Toward Smaller Meals. After decades of eating three square meals a day, social media has encouraged many of us to shift our focus to more frequent, but smaller, plates of food like tapas and dim sum spreads. Sitting down to a massive plate of food is starting to feel almost passé. The advantage to this approach is the opportunity to try a few bites of a new dish without a huge commitment. 5. Demonstrated the Importance of Presentation. Your social media feeds no doubt include plenty of incredible food photos (from restaurants as well as friends) designed to make people take notice and feel a little envious. A key to these shots is the plating, which includes plate selection, food placement, drizzled sauces, and colorful garnishes (as well as the photography basics of lighting and composition). After getting a taste of all this on social media, you may even be paying more attention to how you serve meals at home! If you look through old photo albums, you may see birthday cakes and Thanksgiving turkeys in the center of tables with family gathered around them. However, you probably won’t see close-up shots of carefully plated food. Similarly, old cookbooks typically feature recipes for dishes that may seem bland to today’s tastes, with the only nod to international cuisine being something like Taco Salad. FAST FACT: Culinary travel has become the fastestgrowing segment in luxury tourism, with travelers prioritizing food as a gateway to culture and heritage. Source: https://spaexecutive.com/2024/12/10/2025-travel-trends-culinary-travel/
WebsiteCompass 5 It’s the age old question, “What’s for dinner?”To come up with the answer, you could look for ideas in your refrigerator or cupboards, check the file of recipes you’ve gathered from social media, or give up and order a pizza. Free Apps to Track Your Nutrition Keeping track of nutritional intake can be almost effortless with the use of nutrition tracking apps. They enable you to log meals, scan barcodes for accurate nutritional information, and set personalized goals. With just a few taps, you can monitor your calorie intake, track macronutrients, and ensure a balanced diet. You can also gain insights into your eating patterns and learn to make informed choices. Popular choices include these: • MyFitnessPal – The #1 nutrition tracking app, its extensive food database has over 20 million foods. It simplifies nutrition and calorie tracking, provides the data you want, and helps you make sense of it all. • Lifesum – Snap a photo for instant nutrition info, speak for hands-free tracking, type for detailed insights, scan barcodes for quick data, or use quick tracking for simple entries. Get a breakdown of your protein, carb, and fat intake. • Cronometer – Access a detailed nutrition snapshot with personalized nutrition charts and dashboards and see which of the essential 84 vitamins and minerals you’re getting the most and least of. If you’re serious about healthy eating, these apps can be valuable tools. You do have another option. Take advantage of meal planning apps like these to quickly generate recipes based on your dietary needs and preferences (or even the leftovers you have around). MealPrepPro This app plans the perfect meals for your needs, schedule, goals, and budget, and you can adjust any recipe to your portion needs. New recipes are added every month. Eat This Much Put your diet on autopilot with this automatic meal planner. Tell the app your weight loss goals, the foods you like, your budget, and what your schedule looks like, and it will automatically generate a complete meal plan to meet your requirements. Mealime This app is perfect for busy families, as it helps you plan meals for the entire week in minutes. It also simplifies grocery shopping by providing an organized shopping list. Paprika This app helps you organize your recipes, make meal plans, and create grocery lists. Using Paprika's built-in browser, you can save recipes from anywhere on the web. PlateJoy Described as the most customizable meal planner, PlateJoy uses 50+ data points and offers many options including low carb, Mediterranean, dairy-free, vegan, and gluten free. Smart grocery lists and optional grocery delivery are also available. BigOven The Use Up Leftovers feature lets you discover recipes you can make with the ingredients you already have. This app also shows you recipe ideas from friends you follow. MealBoard Save your recipes. Plan your meals. Create your shopping list. MealBoard is your all-in-one kitchen app that’s fully customizable, down to your favorite grocery stores and their store aisles. Meal Planning Apps Offer App-etizing Ideas
6 WebsiteCompass Feature Story Delivering the Ultimate in Convenience Over the past decade, there’s been a surge in the popularity of food delivery, grocery delivery, and meal kits. Once seen as occasional luxuries, these online services have become everyday essentials for millions of consumers worldwide. One of the main drivers behind their popularity is convenience. With increasingly busy schedules, many individuals and families find it challenging to allocate time for meal planning, grocery shopping, and cooking. The COVID-19 pandemic also played a pivotal role in accelerating the adoption of these services. Lockdowns, social distancing, and concerns about in-store shopping led more people to turn to digital platforms for their food needs. Even as restrictions eased, many continued to use these services. Food Delivery When you’re hungry now and want a meal quickly, you have delicious options. Thirdparty delivery apps like Uber Eats, DoorDash, and Grubhub allow you to access a wide range of restaurants with just a few taps and get your choice of meals delivered directly to your doorstep within minutes. Alternatively, your favorite local restaurants may offer their own delivery service, allowing you to stay home and enjoy everything from pizza and pasta to sandwiches and salads. Simply order online and wait for the doorbell to ring. Grocery Delivery Love to cook but aren’t as crazy about grocery shopping? Grocery delivery services such as Instacart, Amazon Fresh, and Walmart Grocery could be the answer. You can efficiently shop at your own pace from the comfort of home, eliminating the time-consuming hassle of walking through a huge store to find the food items you want. In addition, grocery delivery services often let you save previous shopping lists to streamline future ordering. For those with health or mobility issues, grocery delivery services can be a lifesaver, offering a less expensive meal solution than getting restaurant food delivered. Meal Kits You can think of meal kits—from companies including HelloFresh and Blue Apron—as somewhere in between food delivery and grocery delivery. Meal kits deliver pre-portioned ingredients along with easy-to-follow recipes. They make home cooking more approachable and less time-consuming, especially for beginners or those lacking inspiration in the kitchen. What’s Cooking in Smart Kitchen Appliances In 2025, smart kitchen appliances have become essential for modern homes, blending convenience with cuttingedge technology. Topping the list are smart refrigerators, which now feature AI-driven inventory tracking, expiration alerts, and meal planning based on available ingredients. These fridges can sync with grocery apps, making shopping virtually seamless. Smart ovens have also evolved offering voice controls, remote operation, and sensors that automatically adjust temperature and cooking time based on the food type. Some even include internal cameras to monitor progress via smartphone. Another standout is the smart coffee maker, a favorite for busy mornings. These machines remember individual preferences and can be programmed remotely, ensuring a perfect cup awaits when you wake up. Wi-Fi-enabled air fryers and pressure cookers round out the top smart kitchen appliances, offering app-controlled cooking, recipe libraries, and real-time monitoring. As technology continues to advance, smart kitchen appliances are becoming more intuitive, helping users cook healthier, save money, and enjoy a more connected kitchen experience.
WebsiteCompass 7 Food for Thought for Foodies As food culture continues to evolve, food enthusiasts have a growing number of culinary resources to explore online. They include top food blogs and influencers such as these, who share innovative recipes, cooking techniques, and restaurant recommendations with their followers. If you’re hungry for inspiration, check them out! Smitten Kitchen Deb Perelman's Smitten Kitchen remains a beloved resource for home cooks. Known for its approachable recipes and beautiful photography, the blog focuses on creating delicious meals using simple ingredients. Perelman's witty writing style and personal anecdotes make each recipe feel like a conversation with a friend. Minimalist Baker Dana Shultz’s Minimalist Baker continues to be a go-to resource for simple, plant-based recipes. The blog features dishes that require 10 ingredients or less, can be made in one bowl, or take 30 minutes or less to prepare. It’s perfect for busy individuals looking for healthy, easy-to-make meals. Serious Eats Serious Eats remains a powerhouse in the food blogging world. Led by culinary expert J. Kenji López-Alt, this blog dives deep into the science of cooking, offering meticulously tested recipes and in-depth food guides. It’s a must-follow for those who want to understand the ‘why’ behind cooking techniques. Eater Eater continues to be a leading source for food news and dining guides across the country. With a robust digital footprint and presence across major social platforms, Eater reaches over 30 million people a month. The site has been recognized 12 times by the James Beard Foundation Awards, highlighting its influence in the culinary world. Justine Doiron (Justine Snacks) Justine Doiron, known as Justine Snacks, has rapidly grown her audience with plantforward pescatarian recipes. Her approachable cooking style and emphasis on simplicity have resonated with many home cooks. Topjaw Topjaw, an Instagram series created by Jesse Burgess and Will Warr, has become more influential than the traditional Michelin Guide among foodies. It features short videos showcasing standout dishes from diverse dining establishments, including pubs and sandwich shops. Topjaw significantly impacts restaurant bookings and offers authentic, impartial recommendations. Tips for Taking Food Pics to Share on Social Media Have you made an amazing meal (or were just served one at a restaurant) and want to show it off on your social media platforms? Here’s the recipe for the most irresistible food photos: • Use indirect natural light if at all possible. If you’re at home, place your plate near a window, and turn off any harsh indoor lighting to avoid odd color casts. • Pay attention to thebackground. Clean, minimal surfaces work best, allowing the food to shine. • Choose the best angle. This will depend on the type of food. For example, flat food like pizzas and soft tacos are better viewed from above. On the other hand, layered food like burgers, sandwiches, and cakes, look better from the side. • Styling is key. Hopefully this goes without saying, but don’t photograph a plate of food that’s partially eaten. Consider props like napkins, cutlery, or even ingredients that were used to cook the food. They can add personality to the image. When your friends and family see your food photos, they’ll be jealous!
8 WebsiteCompass Internet Connections For example, your Wi-Fi network options may list SmithFamily and SmithFamily5G. In this case, it’s safe to assume the unlabeled SmithFamily is the 2.4 GHz band. Most routers these days utilize dual-band technology, allowing them to broadcast both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands. What does all this matter? Because the choice of Wi-Fi band plays a role in the speed and reliability of the internet connection. How Do 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Differ? Your router uses radio frequencies to transmit Wi-Fi signals to connected devices including smartphones, laptops, tablets, and more. Here’s a quick summary of the pros and cons of 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. Tips for Choosing the Right Wi-Fi Band 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi has more range, but 5 GHz Wi-Fi is faster There are two commonly usedWi-Fi bands— 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. Many people aren’t aware of this until they connect a new device to their home network and see two slightly different Wi-Fi network names pop up. Pros Cons 2.4 GHz • Better range provides larger coverage area • Better penetration through walls and other solid objects • Slower data transmission speeds • More prone to interference from other electronic devices • Usually there are more devices using this frequency 5 GHz • Higher data transmission speeds • Less prone to interference from other electronic devices • Usually there are fewer devices using this frequency • Limited range means less • Worse penetration through walls and other solid objects
WebsiteCompass 9 Thinking About Extending Your Wi-Fi Outside? When the weather is nice, you probably spend more time in your home’s outdoor spaces—such as the porch, patio, and deck—not to mention the garage. Wouldn’t it be nice to have Wi-Fi signals in those areas that are as strong as the ones inside? You could enjoy the sunshine as you work on your laptop or stream a movie while relaxing on the hammock. To expand your home’s Wi-Fi network, you may be able to add aWi-Fi extender, which takes your Wi-Fi signal and broadcasts it to a wider area. Another option is a mesh Wi-Fi system. By plugging “nodes” into multiple points around your home, mesh network systems provide whole-home Wi-Fi coverage with a strong signal. They typically have a range of coverage around 3,000 square feet, enough to cover an average home as well as the yard and garage. If you’d rather not deal withWi-Fi equipment yourself, ask your internet service provider about Managed Wi-Fi. They may be able to set up a Wi-Fi system that provides the coverage you want both inside and outside your home. Which Band Is Best for You? In general, the 2.4 GHz band is best suited for larger homes or settings where Wi-Fi needs to travel through multiple walls or floors. The 5 GHz band is recommended for smaller spaces or for activities requiring high bandwidth, such as online gaming and HD video streaming. To determine which Wi-Fi band to use, and when, consider these factors: Your Home’s Size – The size of your home plays a big role in determining what band you should use. If it’s large, the 2.4 GHz band may be a better choice to provide your entire home with coverage. However, if you want to take advantage of the 5 GHz band in a larger home, consider investing in a Wi-Fi network extender, which will give you greater coverage while reaping all the benefits of the 5 GHz band. For smaller living spaces such as a condo or apartment, 5 GHz is great for fast internet speeds. It will also prevent interference from the many networks around you. PossibleWi-Fi Interference – If interference from everyday devices such as microwaves and garage door openers is a recurring problem, using the 5 GHz band may be best. Number of Devices – If you have several devices already utilizing the 2.4 GHz band, your internet speed can slow down to an annoying pace. In this case, the 5 GHz band may be a better option. As long as the devices are close to the router, this should give you faster performance. The 5 GHz band also offers more channels, which means there is less chance of running into interference. Type of Online Activities and Devices – Basic activities like emailing and checking the latest YouTube videos will work just fine on the 2.4 GHz band. However, if you’re a serious online gamer or plan to stream HD movies, you may want to choose the 5 GHz band, as it has a higher bandwidth. It’s also important to note that some smart home devices may only be able to connect to the 2.4 GHz band, which is older and more prevalent than 5 GHz. Don’t want to think too much about your Wi-Fi network? With a dual-band Wi-Fi router, devices can be configured to automatically switch between the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands, often by using band steering or Smart Connect technology.
10 WebsiteCompass Choose to See Friends-Only Content on Facebook Updated Friends tab lets you scroll Facebook like it’s 2008 Social Media Basics Meta, the social media company behind Facebook, is trying to bring the feeling of those days back by launching an updated Friends tab. It’s designed to make it easier for users to only see posts from people they know, without the often-annoying algorithmic feed content mixed in. In a blog post announcing the feature, Meta said, “Connecting with friends has been a part of Facebook since it launched. Over the years, Facebook evolved to meet changing needs and created best-in-class experiences across Groups, Video, Marketplace and more, but the magic of friends has fallen away.” Changes to the Friends Tab The Friends tab isn’t brand new, but it’s been significantly expanded. It was previously a place to solely view friend requests and “People You May Know.” By contrast, the updated Friends tab will now show your friends’ stories, Reels, posts, birthdays, and friend requests. It launched in March 2025 in the United States and Canada, and represents a shift back to Facebook’s original mission of connecting people with friends, not just with content. No timeline has been announced yet for a global rollout. By using the updated Friends tab, you can choose to scroll through a feed made up entirely of content from your Facebook friends, just like in the good old days. If you check out this option, you may notice that the posts don’t seem to be entirely chronological. Facebook hasn’t been clear about how posts on this tab are organized, but for those who appreciate “OG” Facebook experiences, it’s definitely a step in the right direction. Do you remember the good old days of Facebook, when virtually all you saw were posts from your Facebook friends—the real people you actually cared about? You could catch up on everything from their big life events to their silly little experiences, without the algorithm-driven content that’s come to dominate the platform in recent years. FAST FACT: “OG” is a slang term that stands for original gangster. It’s often used to describe the originator of something or to praise someone who’s exceptional.
WebsiteCompass 11 The updated Friends tab isn’t an either/or proposition, and will coexist with more recent forms of content distribution. Within the updated Friends tab, you’ll see only posts recommended or shared by people in your network. Outside of this tab, content will keep circulating as it has been in recent years. Will This Experiment Work? Meta has undoubtedly done its research and believes the updated Friend tab will help restore the platform’s former glory. However, some in the technology industry are dubious, citing these factors: • Fewer people post on Facebook these days. If your friends are posting way less, your feed of dedicated friend content is going to be skimpy and lack the ability to encourage engagement. • Many people stopped sharing on Facebook because either it got boring, or it became divisive to share your opinions and get criticized for them. • The Friends-only content won’t be in a user’s main feed, and many people won’t bother to tap across from the main feed to the dedicated friends tab. Only time will tell if the updated Friends tab will significantly impact user behavior and help re-engage younger Facebook users. No matter what your age, it’s probably worth a few minutes to explore whether the updated Friends tab will improve your Facebook experience. What’s Behind the Change to the Friends Tab? Facebook, with 2 billion daily active users as of 2025, is trying to reclaim what made it special in the first place. Meta is trying to win back younger Facebook users who have drifted toward TikTok and Instagram, platforms known for their AI-driven recommendations, and is betting that some of these users still crave a space for real-life connections. By refocusing on personal connections and emphasizing updates from actual friends, the company is offering an alternative to the endless streams on TikTok and Instagram, rather than directly competing with them. The recently revamped Friends tab is part of that push. Previously, the tab was limited to showing friend requests and “People You May Know.” Now, it’s a one-stop place to catch up with friends’ activities without distractions. Meta hopes this feature will help boost engagement and remind users why they signed up for Facebook in the first place. It’s one of several features Meta plans to add to Facebook in 2025.
How to Use Facebook’s Updated Friends Tab If you miss seeing lots of posts from friends and family in your Facebook feed, follow these steps to take advantage of what the updated Friends tab has to offer. TUTORIAL How to find the updated Friends tab The Friends tab is available initially through the navigation bar on your home Feed and can always be accessed in the Bookmarks section of the app. TUTORIAL How to pin the Friends feed to the tab bar By default, the new Friends feed is quite hidden. Don’t expect to see it front and center simply because you updated the Facebook app. You should find it in your home feed’s navigation bar on the very bottom of your screen, hidden behind an icon depicting one person standing in front of another. But if you don’t see it, you can also pin it to your navigation bar manually. Here’s how to do that: 1. Click your Profile picture. 2. Go to Settings & Privacy > Settings > Tab Bar. Here, click the button next to Friends and choose the Pin option. 3. Now, the Friends feed will be available in the tab bar for quick access. 4. If you don’t want to use this feature down the line, you can press and hold the Friends tab to unpin it. 12 WebsiteCompass Social Media Basics
WebsiteCompass 13 However, there are compelling reasons to upgrade to Windows 11 soon. Microsoft will end support for Windows 10 on October 14, 2025, meaning you won’t receive free software updates, technical assistance, or security fixes after that date. While your Windows 10 PC will continue to function, it will be at greater risk for viruses and malware whenWindows 10 reaches end of support. Microsoft shared this checklist to ensure you have what you need before the upgrade: 1. Reviewminimum system requirements. Before upgrading to Windows 11, make sure your device meets the minimum system requirements. These include a compatible 64-bit processor, 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of storage. Certain features require specific hardware. Check at www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windows -11-specifications for a more detailed list. 2. Upgrade by software download. One of the simplest ways to switch fromWindows 10 to Windows 11 is by downloading the upgrade through Windows Update. Navigate to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update and select Check for updates. If your device is eligible, you’ll see the option to download and install Windows 11. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process. The upgrade to Windows 11 fromWindows 10 Home or Windows 10 Pro to the equivalent edition of Windows 11 is free (for example, Windows 10 Pro to Windows 11 Pro). 3. Buy a new device. If your current device doesn’t meet the minimum system requirements, consider purchasing a new device pre-installed with Windows 11. Not sure which device is right for you? Take the quiz at www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/ help-me-choose to get personalized recommendations. Time to Upgrade Your PCs to Windows 11 Microsoft will no longer support Windows 10 after October 14, 2025 Are you one of the many Windows users who are still using the Windows 10 operating system? You’re certainly not alone. StatCounter, a web traffic analysis company, consistently shows Windows 10 as the dominant operating system, with around 60% of the worldwide market share. Windows 11 has around 35%. Back to Basics
14 WebsiteCompass Back to Basics Built-In Generative AI Microsoft’s Copilot generative AI tool combines the smarts of ChatGPT with Bing web-scraping for up-to-the-minute data. While you can get an optional basic version of it in Windows 10 as an installable app, Copilot in Windows 11 can do more, such as change settings and organize windows using Snap Assist. The Windows 11 version of Paint also includes AI image generation from text prompts in styles like oil paint, photorealistic, ink sketch, and anime. That’s more than the art styles that you get with Apple Intelligence, which is limited to cartoons and sketches. Improved Apps The included apps inWindows 11 are better than those inWindows 10. An all-newMedia Player app makes watching videos and listening to music and podcasts a better experience. The Windows 11 Clock app includes a useful Focus Sessions feature that help you concentrate on projects, and the Photos app includes generative erase for removing objects or backgrounds. The Notepad, Paint, and Calculator apps have all been updated as well. A Better Screenshot Tool Taking screenshots in Windows 11 is even better, with many good options in the updated Snipping Tool, including the ability to record screen video and copy or redact text from images. The Snipping Tool lets you select rectangular or freehand areas, program windows, or the whole desktop. It then opens a mini editor for cropping and markup. Snap Layouts for an Organized Desktop In Windows, you have always been able to arrange windows on the desktop just the way you want them. Just when you thought it wasn’t possible to improve the already great capabilities in Windows 10—which lets you snap a window to the side to fill exactly half the screen or to a corner for an exact quarter of screen real estate—Microsoft comes up with another window layout trick called Snap Layouts. Widgets for Quick Access to Updates New for Windows 11, widgets will help you stay up to date with all the things you need to keep tabs on, like schedules, weather, stocks, sports—even celebrity gossip. Advanced Network Security Windows 11 provides more secure and reliable connection methods and advanced network security. Included are encryption and firewall protection and built-in Virtual Private Network (VPN) protocols. Windows 11 is the most technologically advanced version of Windows yet. Take a look at some of its most compelling new features for users. What Are the Benefits of Windows 11?
WebsiteCompass 15 Questions and Answers About Windows 11 Q. What happens to my files during the upgrade? A. The default experience during a Windows 11 upgrade is that files and data are moved to the newWindows 11 installation. However, Microsoft always recommends backing up files before installing a newWindows version. If files are already synced to OneDrive, additional action to create a backup might not be necessary. Q. Will Windows 11 work with my current software and accessories? A. Most software and accessories that worked with Windows 10 are expected to work with Windows 11. For specific product compatibility details with Windows 11, check with the software publisher or accessory manufacturer. Q. How long does it take to upgrade toWindows 11? A. The amount of time varies, depending on internet speed. Downloading and installingWindows 11 usually takes longer than a typical Windows 10 feature update. The Windows device can be used whileWindows 11 is downloading. Once the download completes, there’s an option to schedule the install to happen at a specific time, such as when the Windows device isn’t being used. Are you tempted to just stick withWindows 10 and take your chances? You may want to think again. Without critical security updates and patches fromMicrosoft, devices runningWindows 10 after its End of Life (EOL) date of October 14, 2025, will become increasingly vulnerable to cyberattacks, malware, and data breaches. Here are the risks: Unpatched Vulnerabilities Any newly discovered vulnerabilities or security flaws will remain unpatched, as Microsoft will no longer provide security updates. This means that if you continue usingWindows 10, the lack of security updates and patches will leave your operating system with weaknesses that hackers can easily exploit. Cybercriminals actively seek out and target unprotected systems, so even if you use antivirus software and a firewall, the lack of official security updates toWindows 10 significantly increases the risk of successful attacks. Increased Malware Threats As Windows 10 becomes more widely unsupported, it will become a prime target for malware authors. Without regular security updates, malware can easily infiltrate systems and spread to other devices on the network, which can lead to data theft and system disruptions. Lack of Technical Support After the EOL date, Microsoft will no longer provide technical support for Windows 10. This means that if you encounter any issues or need assistance troubleshooting security-related problems, you will not be able to rely on Microsoft’s expertise and resources. System Performance and Reliability Issues Ultimately, the lack of security and technical support may affect your ability to rely on a stable system for tackling everyday tasks. When an operating system stops receiving support and updates from the manufacturer to optimize the environment, it degrades system performance. That degradation leads to a significantly diminished user experience, thanks to slower processing speeds, more system crashes, and potential data loss. Compatibility Challenges As software developers focus their efforts on newer operating systems, such as Windows 11, compatibility issues may arise withWindows 10. Over time, more applications and services may drop support for older versions of Windows, limiting the functionality and security of systems runningWindows 10 after its EOL. Security Risks of Continuing to Use Windows 10
16 WebsiteCompass What’s a Content Creator? Content creators produce and post engaging, high-quality material—such as videos, blogs, podcasts, and photos—which often emphasize personal storytelling, express a unique voice, or share knowledge of a specific subject matter. The value of content creators is linked to their credibility and expertise, and their success is typically measured by the appeal and consistency of their content. Because many content creators come across as relatable, everyday people who feel like friends, they may have a more personal connection with their followers than influencers do. For example, a content creator might provide vegetarian recipes to home cooks looking for meal ideas, and also invite followers to ask questions and leave comments about their experience with the recipes. The ultimate goal of creators is to connect and engage people with similar goals, values, and lifestyles. Content creators include the photographers, videographers, writers, bloggers, and artists you might bump into on your Instagram feed, who are making great stuff for the sake of content—not necessarily to gain followers or build a community. Because there are so many content creators online, the bar is set high if they want to stand out. What’s an Influencer? An influencer is commonly viewed as an individual with an influential, engaged, and large following (at least 1,000 followers) on social media. Their rise to popularity can largely be attributed to the creation of viral social content or notoriety outside of social media through which they acquired a large fan base. Followers may be drawn to influencers for aspirational reasons, based on influencers’ more celebrity-like lifestyle and appeal. The main strength of influencers is their ability to effectively impact the opinions of their followers and get them to purchase featured products—which might be clothing, skin care, food, health and fitness items, home goods, etc. Influencers build a personal brand and cultivate trust with a specific audience. What’s the Difference Between Content Creators and Influencers? It’s important to understand these social media roles When you hear the terms “content creator” and “influencer,” you may think they’re the same thing. However, there are distinctions related to their intent and impact. Content creators focus on sharing stories and information on social media, while influencers focus on swaying opinions and encouraging purchases. Beyond the Basics
WebsiteCompass 17 Brands often work with influencers when they’re trying to boost visibility and awareness. For example, an influencer could post a video highlighting how they’re watching a big sports game while enjoying a certain food or beverage brand. Roles Aren’t Mutually Exclusive There are many individuals who are both content creators and influencers. They leverage their content to build a large following, and as their audience grows, they use that influence to promote products, brands, or services, often through collaborations and endorsements. For example, a fitness YouTuber might create beautifully shot workout videos (content creation) and also recommend products or promote healthy lifestyles (influencing). Similarly, a food blogger who shares recipes on Instagram may influence followers’ eating habits and restaurant choices. The digital space is fluid, allowing individuals to wear multiple hats depending on the platform, project, or partnership. Abilities They Share Despite the differences in their focus and goals, content creators and influencers do possess similarities. Successful individuals in both roles must be able to do the following: • Leverage digital content to engage others and nurture online communities. • Be exceptionally skilled on the leading social media platforms. • Easily resonate with audiences through engaging, authentic content. • Possess the ability to convey messages clearly and compellingly. • Understand social media trends and stay relevant. As a consumer, you should be aware that influencers may be compensated for their endorsements and that transparency in disclosures is crucial. Not all endorsements are genuine, and not all products will perform as promised. Be discerning and do your own research before making a major purchase. Learn How the Money Is Made Content creators and influencers are turning their passions—whether it’s dancing on TikTok, sharing lifestyle tips on Instagram, or vlogging on YouTube—into thriving careers. However, the earning potential varies widely, depending on the platform, follower count, promotion type, and level of audience engagement. Some people earn millions annually, while most bring in only modest supplemental income. For example, on TikTok, creators with 50K–75K followers typically earn between $1,000 and $3,000 per video. On Instagram, creators with the same audience size can charge between $2,000 and $2,700 per reel. Influencers have a a variety of ways to make money. They include sponsored promotions, which is when a brand pays a social media star to create content on its behalf to share with their followers. Sponsored promotions include product placements, brand stories, event coverage, product reviews, and more. Some influencers receive small payouts and free merchandise for sponsored content, while top social media stars can receive enormous paychecks. Influencers also have the opportunity to make money by becoming brand ambassadors.
18 WebsiteCompass FAQs Ask Dr. Webbie Answers your frequently asked questions QUESTION: How can I use online resources to find a friend I’ve lost touch with? ANSWER: Step 1: Gather information. This includes the full name (including any nicknames or maiden names), last known location, schools they attended, places they worked, and mutual friends or acquaintances. Step 2: Start with social media. Social media platforms are often the quickest and easiest way to find someone. Search for your friend’s name on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and X. To narrow results, use filters like location, school, or workplace. Step 3: Use people search engines. Specialized search tools such as Whitepages.com, Spokeo, and Pipl can help you find contact information, but some may charge a fee for detailed results. Step 4: Employ Google search techniques. Google can be a powerful tool if you know how to use it. Try these tricks: 1. Use quotation marks for exact phrases: “John Smith” 2. Add location: “John Smith” Boston 3. Include other details: “John Smith” engineer Boston 4. Use the minus sign to exclude results: “John Smith” Boston - lawyer Step 5: Check alumni networks. Look for official alumni associations or groups on social media. Check if your school has an online alumni directory. Step 7: Ask mutual connections. Reach out personally to mutual friends or acquaintances about your lost friend and post on your own social media to ask if anyone has information. Step 8: Use public records. For hard-to-find individuals, public records can be useful. You can check county or state websites for property records as well as search for marriage or divorce records. QUESTION: What are the privacy concerns associated with the new Meta AI app? ANSWER: Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook’s co-founder, recently launched the Meta AI app, a dedicated home for his company’s artificial intelligence chatbot. The app promises users a more “personalized” AI with tailored answers and advice. However, it also brings something else—surveillance—which some people find concerning, if not creepy. Meta AI keeps a transcript or voice recording of every conversation you have with it. It learns from what you ask, and can reference it in future chats. It also keeps a list of what it deems to be key facts about you in a separate Memory file. Plus, Meta AI is hooked into Facebook and Instagram, so if you set up a profile for the app using your existing Facebook or Instagram account, the AI will have access to information from your profile. Meta AI can also share information derived from your chats back with Facebook and Instagram. If you don’t want all that data mingled together, you must create a separate Meta AI account. When using Meta AI chat, your content (words, photos, and even voice) will end up being fed back into the AI training systems. Meta says in its terms of service: “Do not share information that you don’t want the AI to use and retain.” Given all this, you may want to only use this app for surface-level, fun prompts and avoid sharing content of a personal nature.
WebsiteCompass 19 Glossary ADDRESS BOOK - A feature of an email program, or a stand-alone application, that stores and organizes a list of email addresses and other contact information a computer user frequently uses. ALERTS - Automatic notifications, often by email, that news on topics you’ve specified is now online. APP - Shorthand for application, app is popularly used to describe software that enhances the usefulness of mobile phones, media players, and social networking sites. AUTO-COMPLETE - Feature that predicts a word or phrase before the user types it in completely. BLOG - (short for Weblog) Writings similar to a journal or diary by individuals that are posted to the internet. Someone who writes a blog is a “blogger.” BOOKMARK - A reference to a file or webpage you plan to frequently visit. Most internet browsers let you maintain and organize a list of bookmarks (also called “favorites” when using Microsoft Internet Explorer) to make it easy to return to them again. BOOLEAN PHRASES - Linking words or symbols in all caps that indicate the relationships of words to each other and refine online searches. BOTNET - A collection of compromised zombie computers running programs automatically under remote direction. BROADBAND - (Broad Bandwidth) A high-speed network connection capable of supporting a wide range of frequencies. BROWSER - A software program that is used to look at various kinds of internet resources. The most popular browsers are Microsoft Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Safari. BYTE - A group of eight bits that represent a character. Computer memory and disk capacity are measured in bytes. (A bit is the smallest unit of measurement for computer data.) CACHE - The hard drive space your browser uses to temporarily store webpages. When returning to a recently visited page, the browser can get a copy of it from the cache rather than the original server, saving time and network traffic. The larger amount of space you allocate for the cache, the more webpages can be stored. CELLULAR DATA - A way for your phone to access the internet that ’s offered by your mobile carrier. CHATBOT - A computer program that mimics conversations with humans. CHAT ROOM - A system where people can “chat” on a website through their browser. CLIENT - A computer or piece of software that requests information or services from a server. Your computer becomes a “client” when you connect to your ISP for a service such as surfing the internet or using email. COMPRESSION - A method by which data, images, and text can be stored using less disk space. After a file is compressed into a smaller file size, it will require less time to transmit over a network. CONTACT GROUP - A group of email addresses specified by a user. A contact group allows one to easily send a message to multiple recipients by entering the group name in the “To:” field. COOKIE - A piece of information sent by a Web server to be stored by your Web browser. Whenever the browser makes additional requests to that server, the server is able to use the information stored in the “cookie” to customize a response based on data from a previous connection. CROWDSOURCING – Meeting a challenge by asking many people—via the internet—if they can help. CROWDTURFING – Organized, for-pay efforts that hire people to create accounts under false names and post certain reviews or push a brand or website. CSS - (short for Cascading Style Sheet) A specification for the presentation of html documents that allow Web developers to easily control the style and layout of single or multiple webpages. DNS - (Domain Name Server) A computer which translates a domain name into a set of numbers called an IP address. DOMAIN NAME - A “domain name” is a unique name that is used to represent and help locate a specific Web server on the internet. For example, “www.websitecompass.com” is a domain name. Each domain name corresponds to a set of numbers called an IP address. DSL - (Digital Subscriber Line) Allows users to download and upload data over standard telephone lines. It provides a constant internet connection over which users can receive voice and data simultaneously. It isn’t available in many areas because it requires a short distance to the DSL provider’s origin. E-LEARNING - Any kind of learning that is provided through the digital technology used by computers. E-PATIENT - An internet user who looks online for health information. EBOOK - (short for Electronic Book) A book in digital format that can be read on a computer or other digital device. EDU - When these letters appear as the last part of a Web address, it indicates that the host computer is run by an educational institution, usually in the United States. EMOTICON - (or Smileys) Short for emotion icon. Symbols composed of punctuation that help convey how an email message should be interpreted by the reader. Ex. :-) = Happy, :-( = Sad EMOJIS - Icons or small digital images that are used online to express emotions or an idea. E-ZINE - A periodic publication distributed by email or posted on a website. FAQ - Short for Frequently Asked Question. FAVORITE - See Bookmark. FILTER BUBBLES - Process by which websites show you search results and feed items based on your past choices and other factors. FIREWALL - A specially programmed computer that connects networks (usually a local network to the internet) and for security reasons lets only certain kinds of data in and out. FIREWIRE - (Also known as IEEE 1394) A fast type of computer connection–similar to USB 2–that allows for high rates of data transfer. FLASH - A multimedia program for viewing and creating interactive and animated content on the Web. FORUM - A section of a website where users post and read topics of common interest. FREEWARE - Software provided at no charge by its originator. FTP - (File Transfer Protocol) A common method of transferring files between two computers connected over a network. FTP is a way to login to an internet server for the purposes of retrieving and/or sending files. Many publicly accessible internet sites allow their materials to be obtained using FTP. Most FTP sites require a user name and password. GIF - (Graphics Interchange Format) A file format that uses compression for saving and viewing images. GIGABYTE - A measure of computer storage capacity equal to 1,000 megabytes, or 1 billion bytes. GOV - When these letters appear as the last part of a Web address, it indicates that the host computer is run by a government body, probably in the U.S. HACKER - A person who tries to defeat computer security measures and break into websites and computers. HASHTAG - A word or phrase preceded by (#) and used to categorize social media messages. HISTORY - A browser feature which keeps track of Web resources that have been recently visited. HOME PAGE - (or Homepage) Originally, a Home Page was defined as the webpage your browser was set to use when it was started up. The more common meaning now refers to the main webpage for an organization, business, person or simply the main page out of a collection of webpages. HTML - (HyperText Markup Language) A coding language used to create hypertext documents for use on the Web. HTML files contain instructions on how your browser displays text, images, links and etc. HTML files usually end in “.htm” or “.html.” HTTP - (HyperText Transfer Protocol) The standard protocol for moving hypertext files across the internet. HYPERTEXT - Text that contains links to other documents. Words or phrases in the document that can be chosen by an internet user which causes another document to be retrieved and then displayed. INTERNET OF THINGS (IOT) - A collection of unique objects represented and connected virtually. IP ADDRESS - A numeric address which identifies a particular computer or server over a network. ISP - (Internet Service Provider) An institution that provides access to the internet. JAVA - A network-oriented programming language specifically designed for writing programs that can be downloaded to your computer and run. By using small Java programs called “applets,” webpages can include functions such as animations, calculators, chatrooms, games, etc. JAVASCRIPT - A programming language used to add interactive and dynamic features to webpages. It shares some characteristics with Java but is independent. JPEG - (or JPG) Named after the committee that created it, the Joint Photographic Experts Group, this is a file format that uses compression for saving and viewing images. LAN - (Local Area Network) A computer network limited to an immediate area, usually the same building or just one floor of a building. LINK - (short for Hyperlink) A hypertext connection that can take you to another document or another part of the same document. On the World Wide Web, links appear either as underlined text or as pictures/icons. To follow a link, double click on the underlined text or on the corresponding icon.
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