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Clones are everywhere. Last week I talked about the rumor that actor Selena Gomez is a clone or a double (she is not). This week, it's Jim Carrey. Many online are wondering whether the rubber-faced comedian/actor is not what he seems to be. Maybe he's a clone. Maybe he has a doppelgänger. Maybe it's a prank.

This is all obviously dumb, but unlike the Selena Gomez story, there's some evidence that supports the idea. It's not good evidence, but it's at least a little more interesting than most conspiracy theories.

Why people think Jim Carrey is a lookalike

The theories started flying last week, when Jim Carrey was given the César Award in Paris. The 64-year-old comedian hasn't been seen much in public for the past couple of years, and he delivered a speech in French at the awards presentation, despite never having publicly spoken the language. And he looked different than he used to. See for yourself:

This was enough evidence for the world's conspiracy theorists to conclude that Carrey is a clone, or that he has been replaced by a multilingual double or something. So people took to X, instagram, and TikTok to spread the theory in posts like this:

And this:

His eyes are a different color, people said. His face has a totally different shape. Not the same guy, they concluded. But the rabbit hole goes deeper than just "he looks different."

The Alexis Stone connection

On March 1, Alexis Stone, an online person, seemed to take credit for portraying Carrey at the award show with the following post on Instagram bearing the caption "Alexis Stone as Jim Carrey in Paris."

Stone has gained over a million followers online for their ability to impersonate celebrities to an uncanny level using latex and special effects makeup. Check out this Jack Nicholson:

So it's not impossible, right?

Jim Carrey has admitted to using doubles in the past

It wasn't long before internet sleuths tracked down a David Letterman interview with Carrey where he says he's used a "Jim Carrey double." "I send him off in one direction, and he sucks all the press in that direction, and I can just have my day," Carrey told David Letterman.

So he admits it! The plot thickens.

Wouldn't it be like Jim Carrey to do this?

Carrey is no stranger to pranking the media. During the filming of the Andy Kaufman bio pic Man on the Moon, Carrey would show up to the set dressed as Kaufman's alter ego Tony Clifton, refusing to break character and abusing the crew and director Milos Forman. He supposedly re-ignited Andy Kaufman's feud with wrestler Jerry Lawler. In the behind-the-scenes documentary Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond, Carrey says he "lost himself" in the character of Kaufman. So maybe Carrey pulled the prank himself as publicity stunt for a movie. If anyone could pull it off, surely it would Jim Carrey.

To recap: Jim Carrey is known for pranking the media; he showed up out of nowhere in Paris, spoke a different language, doesn't look the same, admits to using doubles in the past, and Alexis Stone seems to have taken credit for appearing as Carrey's double. So is it really that far-fetched to think that this could be the one real case of a celebrity double?

Yes, it is that far-fetched.

Why Jim Carrey is not a clone and there is no Jim Carrey double

It was not a clone. As discussed in this column previously, human cloning is theoretically possible, but you can only clone embryos, not full-grown Canadian comedians, so unless the switcharoo was planned in the early 1960s, it wasn't a clone that accepted the César Award for Jim Carrey last weekend.

It was not a body double, either. If Stone had appeared as Carrey, why would they do such a bad job? Why wouldn't fake Jim Carrey look how people expect him to look? Why go with the wrong face shape and the wrong eye color? Besides, latex face appliances can look good in photos, but as soon as someone wearing it tries to talk, it's obviously fake.

It was Jim Carrey. His people confirmed it, but even if they hadn't, it would still be obvious. Carrey's French was halting, because he'd learned it just to give that speech. His comments to Letterman were a joke, because he's a comedian. While the actor has pranked the media in the past, the César Award is as prestigious a filmic honor as there is; it's not the kind of thing you mess with. Besides, Carrey attended the ceremony with an entourage of 16 people, including his daughter Jane, his grandson Jackson, and his girlfriend Mina. So are they all in on it? Or did the double fool them too?

The most compelling evidence that the man who spoke at the French awards show last week was the real Jim Carrey is that he looks exactly like Jim Carrey. It's the same eye color: In dark-eyed people, bright, direct light can make brown eyes appear lighter. It's the same face. He looks older than he did when he was Ace Ventura, and he looks like he had cosmetic work done, but that is Jim Carrey, and no matter how many lines people draw on downloaded images, it's still going to be Jim Carrey.


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The trend of integrating AI into digital platforms continues. In the latest Android beta release (2.26.9.4), the company has introduced a feature that allows users to organize their chat history with the help of Meta AI.

WhatsApp chats Meta AI

Organize WhatsApp chats with Meta AI (Source: WABetaInfo)

Some beta testers can access a new feature that lets them review their conversations with Meta AI. Each time a user sends a new prompt, the chatbot starts a separate conversation, and the information shared within that thread is used to understand context and respond to subsequent messages.

Despite this separation, all messages exchanged with Meta AI are still displayed within a single interface, even when they belong to different conversations.

“With the latest update, WhatsApp is making it easier for users to track information shared in specific conversations with Meta AI. Each conversation is now treated as a separate thread, so information from one chat is not automatically carried over to another. However, memory is still shared across all AI threads unless users choose to disable it from the contact info screen,” WABetaInfo reported.

The feature may appeal to users who value AI-assisted organization. It also raises questions about data handling and privacy.

Messages sent to Meta AI are processed on the company’s servers to generate responses and maintain context. These exchanges fall outside WhatsApp’s standard end-to-end encrypted user-to-user model.

Users may disclose sensitive details, including health, financial or personal information, without knowing how long the data is stored or how it may be used. That creates privacy concerns, particularly in the EU, where regulators have said certain forms of AI data processing may require explicit consent.

The company has already faced criticism over its AI training practices.

According to a company blog post, the AI feature allows Meta to personalize content and advertising based on users’ interactions with its generative AI tools. There is no opt-out for this data use, and it applies to anyone who engages with Meta AI on Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, or Messenger.

Meta says it is investing significant effort in protecting user privacy. How those safeguards perform over time remains to be seen.


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Anthropic suffered widespread service disruptions Monday morning, leaving thousands of users unable to access its Claude AI platform. Most users reporting problems said they encountered errors when attempting to log in. The first notice was posted at 11:49 UTC. In its latest update, the company said it was continuing to work on a fix for the issue after discovering that some API methods were not functioning properly. The disruption comes at a sensitive time for … More →

The post Anthropic’s Claude hit by widespread service outage (updated) appeared first on Help Net Security.


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Five years can feel like a commitment, but not for a quality VPN this cheap. Right now, you can get an iProVPN five-year subscription on sale for just $19.99 at StackSocial, down from its $360 list price. Instead of paying month to month or even annually, you’re effectively paying about $4 per year. At that price, the money isn't as much a concern as whether the service fits how you actually use the internet. So let's focus on that.

iProVPN positions itself as a general-purpose VPN, not a niche privacy tool meant for power users. In day-to-day use, iProVPN covers most of what people expect from a modern VPN: It runs on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, browsers, routers, and even consoles and streaming devices. You can connect up to 10 devices at once, which is enough to cover a laptop, phone, tablet, and a few shared household devices. The service uses AES 256-bit encryption and includes a kill switch, so your connection shuts off if the VPN drops instead of leaking data. There’s also a Smart Connect option that automatically picks the fastest server, which matters if you don’t want to manually test locations. Speaking of, it has a reasonable geographic spread with over 250 servers across more than 45 countries. Streaming access is supported for services like Netflix, Prime Video, and BBC iPlayer, and speeds are generally stable thanks to WireGuard and OpenVPN support, plus 10 Gbps servers in some locations.

While iProVPN advertises a strict no-logs policy and added features like malware blocking and split tunneling, it doesn’t have the long public track record or independent audits that some higher-priced competitors do. Advanced users who want continuous server expansion or access to niche locations may find the network a bit limited. You also need to activate the plan within 30 days of purchase. Still, for casual streaming, basic privacy on public wifi, torrenting with P2P-friendly servers, and general everyday use, this subscription makes sense on cost alone.

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If you're in the market for a new iPhone, good news: Apple just announced one. Despite the company's big event planned for Wednesday, it decided to drop some product news early, including its newest "affordable" phone, the iPhone 17e. While affordable certainly doesn't mean "cheap," the "e-series" offers most of what you'd expect in an iPhone with a price tag lot lower than $1,000.

At first glance, the new iPhone 17e looks remarkably like the iPhone 16e. That's because the phones are functionally the same in design. You'll still get the same 6.1-inch display with 800 nits of brightness (1200 nits for HDR); the same overall dimensions, minus an extra .08 ounces; the same IP68 water and dust resistance; a single camera on the back that supports 4K Dolby Vision video; and the same battery life (Apple says 26 hours of video playback). But though there are many similarities, that doesn't mean these are the same iPhones. In fact, there are a number of upgrades that make the iPhone 17e an interesting choice, especially for the price.

A faster chip, and what else is new with the iPhone 17e

The big hardware upgrade here is the A19 chip: If you take a look at the Geekbench scores for the iPhone 17 (A19) and the iPhone 16e (A18), you'll see the advantage. The iPhone 17 scored 3627 in single-core, and 9249 in multi-core, with a GPU score of 37146. The 16e scored 3242 in single-core, 7976 in multi-core, and 23888. These are all numbers on paper, and we'll need to see how the A19 runs on the 17e itself, but there's a real leap here, especially in multi-core and GPU performance. That means even if you're coming from last year's iPhone, you should see improvements in intense games and professional workflows, though not as much for simpler tasks. (I don't think anyone is writing home about how fast Notes opens on an A19 iPhone.)

That's not to say the A19 alone is reason enough to upgrade from an iPhone 16e. It's true there are performance jumps, but they're not making the A18 obsolete, nor the A17 for that matter. In fact, Apple press release compares the speed of the iPhone 17e to the iPhone 11, which shows you how good the iPhones in between still are, even in 2026. Still, we have to acknowledge the hardware gains here: The A19 is a 3nm chip, with a four-core GPU featuring "Neural Accelerators," which Apple says gives games a boost.

A faster modem

The 17e also gets the C1X, Apple's in-house modem. The company says this hardware is up to two times faster than the C1 modem in the iPhone 16e, and uses 30% less energy than the modem in the iPhone 16 Pro. That may help increase battery life when out and about, while maintaining speeds when connected to cellular networks.

A "better" camera

While the 17e still has one rear camera, Apple says it benefits from some improvements—namely, it's now a "48MP Fusion" camera, with "optical-quality 2x Telephoto." Optical-quality is not optical, as this lens won't actually "zoom," but Apple seems to say the larger sensor can mimic the quality of a 2x camera. While the iPhone 16e supports Portrait mode with depth control, Apple says the 17e supports "next-generation portraits" with depth and focus control.

iphone 17e in black, white, pink, and from the front
Credit: apple

A more durable display

One small upgrade that actually will make a big difference is Ceramic Shield 2. This is the display tech that the rest of the iPhone 17 series comes with, and, surprisingly, is one of my favorite features of my 17 Pro Max. Apple says the new glass has three times the scratch resistance, and while I can't speak to those numbers exactly, I haven't seen a single scratch on my screen since buying my phone (knock on wood).

MagSafe charging

The iPhone 17e also supports MagSafe, something the iPhone 16e was missing. That means the new iPhone supports first and third-party MagSafe accessories, but also Apple's faster Qi2 wireless charging, with a 15W or 20W adapter or higher.

iphone 17e magsafe
Credit: Apple

How to buy the iPhone 17e

The iPhone 17e starts at $599 for 256GB of storage—double the amount the 16e starts with. (That's effectively a price cut right there.) You can also choose to upgrade to 512GB for $799. It's available in black, white, or soft pink.

Apple says the iPhone 17e will be available to preorder starting March 4, likely after its big keynote presentation, and will be available to buy starting March 11. Curiously, that's the same day Samsung is launching the Galaxy S26 series.


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Enterprises are pushing AI deeper into workflows that touch sensitive data across cloud platforms and SaaS apps. The 2026 Thales Data Threat Report, based on a survey of 3,120 respondents in 20 countries, places that shift alongside growing pressure on data protection, identity controls, and cloud security.

AI security spending 2026

A dedicated budget for AI security is becoming more common. Thirty percent of respondents report having a dedicated AI security budget, up from 20% in the prior year. Many organizations continue to fund AI initiatives through existing security allocations, which keeps AI risk management closely tied to broader cyber programs.

Deepfake activity and AI generated misinformation are now part of routine threat modeling. Fifty nine percent of respondents report experiencing deepfake attacks. Reputational damage linked to AI generated misinformation reaches 48%. These figures sit alongside broader concerns about the security of AI ecosystems and data pipelines that feed models.

Cloud remains a primary attack surface

Cloud assets continue to rank among the most targeted resources. Cloud based storage, cloud delivered applications, and cloud management infrastructure hold the top three positions in reported attack targets at 35%, 34%, and 32% respectively.

The average organization uses 2.26 cloud providers and 89 SaaS applications. That footprint increases the number of identities, interfaces, and data stores that require oversight.

Credential abuse stands out in attacks against cloud management infrastructure. 67% cite credential theft or compromise, including misappropriated secrets, as a leading technique. Third party vulnerabilities and API exposures also register prominently, reinforcing the concentration of risk around identity and access pathways.

Encryption coverage in cloud environments shows uneven adoption. Forty seven percent of sensitive cloud data is encrypted in 2026, down from 51% in 2025. The data reflects gaps in consistent protection across workloads and storage tiers.

Tool sprawl and limited visibility

Data protection programs often span multiple point solutions. 77% report using five or more data protection tools, reflecting broad tool sprawl across environments. That distribution adds friction to policy enforcement and limits consistent telemetry across platforms.

Visibility into data location remains constrained. Only 34% report complete knowledge of where their data is stored. Many organizations continue to track structured and unstructured data across hybrid estates with partial inventories and uneven classification.

Nearly half report using five or more key management systems. Encryption strategies vary between enterprise managed keys and provider managed services, creating mixed control models within the same organization.

Misconfiguration and human error remain the most common causes of data breaches at 28%. Configuration governance and access control discipline continue to influence incident frequency across cloud and SaaS deployments.

Breach reporting differs across leadership tiers. Seventy eight percent of CEOs, presidents, and managing directors report no experience with an on premises breach, compared with 58% across the broader survey population. For cloud breaches, 62% of executives report no prior incident history, compared with 54% overall. The gap reflects differing visibility and reporting perspectives within organizations.

Sovereignty and cryptographic planning

Data sovereignty initiatives continue to influence architecture decisions. Portability is cited by 45% as the primary driver of a sovereignty initiative. Thirty four percent cite a desire for full control over software and data. Workload placement also factors into planning, with 49% indicating that the physical location of cloud infrastructure is important for some or all workloads.

Quantum risk is moving from theory into program planning. Harvest now, decrypt later is cited by 61% as the top quantum-related concern. Fifty nine percent report prototyping and evaluating post quantum cryptographic algorithms. These efforts signal early stage preparation for cryptographic transition in anticipation of future quantum capabilities.


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Gaming handhelds are in a bit of a rough spot right now. The Nintendo Switch 2 costs significantly more than its predecessor, the Steam Deck is out of stock in most regions, and the Xbox handheld is prone to bugs. Plus, they're all huge.

Lenovo has been one of the better companies in this space of late, releasing two of my favorite gaming handhelds running, but the company apparently isn't done with handhelds yet. At Mobile World Congress, Lenovo showed off its newest concept, the modular Legion Go Fold handheld, a device that tries to solve pretty much every problem in gaming handhelds through one neat trick: It's also a foldable tablet.

Various ways to use the Lenovo Legion Go Fold
Various ways to use the Lenovo Legion Go Fold Concept Credit: Michelle Ehrhardt

The device is essentially a tablet with an 11.6-inch OLED screen that can fold in half, but it comes with two controller halves that can attach to it in a number of ways. While you can use the full screen horizontally if you like, with one controller half on either side, you can also orient the tablet vertically for a "dual-screen" experience. Or, fold that vertical orientation over itself for a more compact 7.7-inch screen. There's also a stand and Bluetooth keyboard you can use to turn the tablet into a pseudo laptop, and you can even connect the controller halves to a connector piece to turn it into a standalone controller that doesn't need to be attached to the tablet. I tried all of these configurations, and they mostly felt comfortable, although I'll admit the "dual-screen" mode did feel a little top heavy on the early prototype I tested.

Lenovo's "FPS Mode" even makes a return, so you can take the right-hand controller piece and slot it into a special dock to use it like a mouse. Essentially, this thing can play in pretty much any orientation or form factor you can think of, meaning you won't need to buy multiple handhelds for different use cases anymore. The tablet is Windows-based, too, promising more app compatibility than Android. And one of the controller halves even has its own tiny OLED screen, for keeping an eye on important performance stats.

The catch? Like a lot of Lenovo's more interesting devices, the Legion Go Fold is just a concept for now. If you want to see it come to fruition, you'll have to make your voice heard with an email or social post—Lenovo has a history of making good on its concepts, so you never know if the company is just testing the waters to gauge interest.

Unfortunately, because it's a concept, there's no word on what the Legion Go Fold might cost, although I do know the prototype I saw was decked out with an Intel Core Ultra 7 CPU, 32GB of RAM, and 1TB of storage. Based on Lenovo's other gaming handhelds, I'd have to guess this would start for at least $600, and could go as high as $1,100, which is obviously pricier than the Switch 2 or Steam Deck, but might be worth it for all this device can do.

Lenovo also showed off a Framework competitor

ThinkPad Modular AI PC Concept
ThinkPad Modular AI PC Concept Credit: Michelle Ehrhardt

The Legion Go Fold is the clear standout among Lenovo's MWC lineup, but there are a few other noteworthy devices worth calling out.

Alongside iterations on existing laptops and consumer tablets that will be making their way to market later this year, Lenovo also showed off the ThinkBook Modular AI PC concept, which reads like the company's approach to the Framework Laptop. This device seems like a normal laptop at first, but you can swap out the keyboard for a second display if you'd like. You can then use that display for touch input, or continue to use the keyboard you just removed wirelessly. There's also an integrated kickstand, so you can prop up the second display to become an external monitor instead, and slot the second display into the laptop lid to use the device like a tablet while it's closed.

So far, none of that is especially Framework-y, but the kicker is that this concept's ports are modular, so you can mix and match how many USB or ethernet connections you have. That's something we haven't really seen from any company other than Framework, so it looked like Lenovo decided to see that laptop's bet and then raise it.

Lenovo AI Workmate (left), Lenovo AI Work Companion (center), Yoga Wireless Webcam (right)
Concepts for Lenovo AI Workmate (left), Lenovo AI Work Companion (center), Yoga Wireless Webcam (right) Credit: Lenovo

The Lenovo Workmate is an odd AI device

In the enterprise space, there's the Lenovo AI Workmate, a concept that basically attaches an AI chatbot to an animated touchscreen and puts it on an articulating robot arm. It's supposed to be able to do regular computer things, like scan documents or even create PowerPoints, but looking at the thing, I think the idea is to make you greet your new robot overlords with a smile.

Also, while I didn't get to see them, Lenovo also showed off concepts for the AI Work Companion, which focuses more on scheduling and look like a retro alarm clock, and the Yoga Wireless Webcam, which can stream 4K video to your computer from a distance.

Lenovo Yoga Book Pro 3D
Lenovo Yoga Book Pro 3D Concept Credit: Michelle Ehrhardt

Finally, the company showed off a glasses-free 3D laptop concept, called the Yoga Book Pro 3D. Devices like these have become common among creatives in the past few years, but what sets this one apart is that it comes with magnetic pucks you can place on it to summon certain tools in your editing programs.

Again, these concepts aren't guaranteed to come to market, but they certainly bring some much-needed oddball energy to the table at a time when other big companies are sticking with tried-and-true designs. Here's hoping the RAM crisis doesn't keep them in the lab longer than necessary.


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