“She’s just talking about cybersecurity 101” : Internet reacts as Kamala Harris reasons why she uses wired earphones

Kamala Harris recently revealed she still uses wired earphones. During her appearance on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert on Thursday, July 31, 2025, the host questioned the former vice president, who addressed why she prefers old-school rather than Bluetooth earphones.

Colbert showed a picture of Harris taken after Joe Biden told her he would be dropping out of the election race (July 2024). It featured her sitting in the dining room of the VP's residence, wearing wired earphones as she made calls to figure out her plan of action. Referring to her earphones, she explained she has been "teased" about it in the past, adding:

"I served on the Senate Intelligence Committee. I have been in classified briefings, and I’m telling, like, don’t be on the train using your EarPods thinking somebody can’t listen to your conversation."

Kamala Harris tells Stephen Colbert why she’s sticking with wired earphones:

“I served on the Senate Intelligence Committee. I have been in classified briefings, and I’m telling, like, don’t be on the train using your EarPods thinking somebody can’t listen to your conversation.… pic.twitter.com/X2aG5Jtfxf

— Buzzing Pop (@BuzzingPop) August 1, 2025

Harris continued to add that they were "a little bit more secure."

As her remarks went viral, internet users were quick to react. One wrote:

"Ppl thinking she’s talking about eavesdropping when she’s just talking about cybersecurity 101."

Many joked that those eavesdropping on their Bluetooth device would be listening to their music preferences on a loop.

"She's right on that one. I miss phones having a headphone jack," one commented.

"My NSA listening to my playlists with me," another quipped.

"whoever’s tuned into my airpods I’m sorry but we’re listening to the same song 10 more times get into it," a user chimed in.

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Others agreed with Kamala Harris' claim but pointed out it applied to important public figures, not average citizens.

"I mean yes, she said something right for once. Bluetooth can be intercepted. However, if your reading this comment, your not important enough for that to ever happen to you, so go ahead and stick to the wireless earbuds," one wrote.

"This doesn’t even matter cause there’s nothing important to get out of the average citizen," another added.

"The chances of someone going out of their way to track your bluetooth would only be important for public figuresd but she is 100% correct," a person noted.

"I don’t want to go back in the system. I think it’s broken," Kamala Harris said about stepping out of the California governor's race

On Wednesday, Kamala Harris announced she would not be running for the California governor's position. In a written statement shared on her X account, the former VP wrote:

"I love this state, its people, and its promise. It is my home. But after deep reflection, I’ve decided that I will not run for Governor in this election."

She continued to explain that she admired those who dedicated their lives to public service. But noted that the current "politics," "government," and "institutions" have failed the people, leading to this "moment of crisis."

During her conversation with Stephen Colbert, the host inquired why she was dropping from the race, especially given that she beat every other candidate in "early polling." Kamala Harris explained that she was a devout public servant and believed in bettering the system from the "inside." However, for some time, she didn't want to go back into the system. She stated:

"For noew, I don’t want to go back in the system. I think it’s broken."

Kamala Harris went on to praise teachers, firefighters, police officers, nurses, and even scientists who work in the public domain, adding that she wasn't referencing them. She added:

"I always believed, as fragile out democracy is, our systems would be strong enough to defend out most fundamental principles," adding, "right now... they're not as strong as they need to be."

She elaborated that she wanted to travel and listen to people, without it feeling "transactional," where she was asking them for their vote. She also asserted that she didn't mean giving up, adding she would always be part of the fight.

It is worth noting that this is not the first time reports of Kamala Harris using wired headphones have made headlines. In 2021, she told Politico that she has long felt that Bluetooth headphones were "a security risk."

In March 2025, HuffPost published an article warning people of the security risks of using Bluetooth headphones. Citing Maril Vernon, a security architect and certified ethical hacker, the outlet relayed that any wireless signal can be "intercepted." In case of using Bluetooth devices, HuffPost advised to ensure the following:

• Turn off Bluetooth when not in use.
• Regularly check paired devices and connections.
• Use the latest versions and regularly update software.
• Make it harder for people to identify devices by using random names instead of your real name.

Harris recently announced her upcoming book, 107 Days, chronicling the 107 days she spent running for president during the 2024 elections.

It is scheduled to be released this September.