The Markup
@themarkup.org
Challenging technology to serve the public good.
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The Markup
@themarkup.org
· Jun 17
We caught 4 more states sharing personal health data with Big Tech – The Markup
Healthcare exchanges in Nevada, Maine, Massachusetts and Rhode Island shared users’ sensitive health data with companies like Google and LinkedIn
themarkup.org
NEW: State healthcare sites around the country have been quietly sending sensitive user data to Google and LinkedIn. themarkup.org/pixel-hunt/2...
Data on sensitive locations, such as abortion clinics, could be sold off, raising alarms
What Happens to Your Sensitive Data When a Data Broker Goes Bankrupt? – The Markup
Data on sensitive locations, such as abortion clinics, could be sold off, raising alarms
bit.ly
January 16, 2026 at 8:00 AM
Data on sensitive locations, such as abortion clinics, could be sold off, raising alarms
Alcohol addiction treatment company Monument banned by the FTC from disclosing user information to third-party advertisers
FTC Cracks Down on Telehealth Addiction Service Monument for Sharing Health Data – The Markup
Alcohol addiction treatment company Monument banned by the FTC from disclosing user information to third-party advertisers
bit.ly
January 15, 2026 at 8:00 PM
Alcohol addiction treatment company Monument banned by the FTC from disclosing user information to third-party advertisers
Attorney General Rob Bonta said his office is looking into whether a new AI image editing tool from Elon Musk's company violates California law.
California investigates Elon Musk’s AI company after ‘avalanche’ of complaints about sexual content – The Markup
Attorney General Rob Bonta said his office is looking into whether a new AI image editing tool from Elon Musk's company violates California law.
bit.ly
January 15, 2026 at 8:00 AM
Attorney General Rob Bonta said his office is looking into whether a new AI image editing tool from Elon Musk's company violates California law.
An AI program designed to prevent suicide among U.S. military veterans prioritizes White men and ignores survivors of sexual violence
V.A. Uses a Suicide Prevention Algorithm To Decide Who Gets Extra Help. It Favors White Men. – The Markup
An AI program designed to prevent suicide among U.S. military veterans prioritizes White men and ignores survivors of sexual violence
bit.ly
January 14, 2026 at 8:00 PM
An AI program designed to prevent suicide among U.S. military veterans prioritizes White men and ignores survivors of sexual violence
A conversation with Mingqian Zheng, Jiaxin Pei, and David Jurgens
What Happens When you Roleplay with ChatGPT – The Markup
A conversation with Mingqian Zheng, Jiaxin Pei, and David Jurgens
bit.ly
January 14, 2026 at 8:00 AM
A conversation with Mingqian Zheng, Jiaxin Pei, and David Jurgens
A guide to spotting audio and video deepfakes from a professor who’s studied them for two decades
Deepfakes: Did Joe Biden Really Call? – The Markup
A guide to spotting audio and video deepfakes from a professor who’s studied them for two decades
bit.ly
January 13, 2026 at 8:00 PM
A guide to spotting audio and video deepfakes from a professor who’s studied them for two decades
Telehealth company Cerebral will pay a $7 million fine and limit the consumer health data it uses for advertising purposes under a new FTC order
Cerebral to Pay $7 Million Fine and Limit Health Data Use for Ads Under Federal Order – The Markup
Telehealth company Cerebral will pay a $7 million fine and limit the consumer health data it uses for advertising purposes under a new FTC order
bit.ly
January 13, 2026 at 8:00 AM
Telehealth company Cerebral will pay a $7 million fine and limit the consumer health data it uses for advertising purposes under a new FTC order
A huge but little-known industry has cropped up around monetizing people’s movements
There’s a Multibillion-Dollar Market for Your Phone’s Location Data – The Markup
A huge but little-known industry has cropped up around monetizing people’s movements
bit.ly
January 12, 2026 at 8:00 PM
A huge but little-known industry has cropped up around monetizing people’s movements
A trove of unsecured data allowed the first-ever independent analysis of actual crime predictions across the U.S. by the self-described software leader, PredPol
How We Determined Crime Prediction Software Disproportionately Targeted Low-Income, Black, and Latino Neighborhoods – The Markup
A trove of unsecured data allowed the first-ever independent analysis of actual crime predictions across the U.S. by the self-described software leader, PredPol
bit.ly
January 12, 2026 at 8:00 AM
A trove of unsecured data allowed the first-ever independent analysis of actual crime predictions across the U.S. by the self-described software leader, PredPol
A tool called DROP lets California residents fill out a few forms to keep their personal data from being tracked or sold by data brokers.
How Californians can use a new state website to block hundreds of data brokers – The Markup
A tool called DROP lets California residents fill out a few forms to keep their personal data from being tracked or sold by data brokers.
bit.ly
January 11, 2026 at 8:00 PM
A tool called DROP lets California residents fill out a few forms to keep their personal data from being tracked or sold by data brokers.
Educators describe scrapped lesson plans, laborious appeal processes, and digital dysfunction in response to The Markup’s latest investigation
Online Censorship in Schools Leaves Teachers in the Lurch, Too – The Markup
Educators describe scrapped lesson plans, laborious appeal processes, and digital dysfunction in response to The Markup’s latest investigation
bit.ly
January 11, 2026 at 8:00 AM
Educators describe scrapped lesson plans, laborious appeal processes, and digital dysfunction in response to The Markup’s latest investigation
Roughly half of Affordable Connectivity Program recipients are military families, one in four live in rural communities, and one in five are households with people who are 65 or older
Millions Rely on an Affordable Internet Subsidy. It Ends This Month – The Markup
Roughly half of Affordable Connectivity Program recipients are military families, one in four live in rural communities, and one in five are households with people who are 65 or older
bit.ly
January 10, 2026 at 8:00 PM
Roughly half of Affordable Connectivity Program recipients are military families, one in four live in rural communities, and one in five are households with people who are 65 or older
Mayor Eric Adams said the city is working to fix the problems, and the site now advises visitors to “not use its responses as legal or professional advice”
Malfunctioning NYC AI Chatbot Still Active Despite Widespread Evidence It’s Encouraging Illegal Behavior – The Markup
Mayor Eric Adams said the city is working to fix the problems, and the site now advises visitors to “not use its responses as legal or professional advice”
bit.ly
January 10, 2026 at 8:00 AM
Mayor Eric Adams said the city is working to fix the problems, and the site now advises visitors to “not use its responses as legal or professional advice”
Jonathan Soma on the power and pitfalls of AI and chatbots
This Journalism Professor Made a NYC Chatbot in Minutes. It Actually Worked – The Markup
Jonathan Soma on the power and pitfalls of AI and chatbots
bit.ly
January 9, 2026 at 8:00 PM
Jonathan Soma on the power and pitfalls of AI and chatbots
The awards honor excellence in digital journalism around the world
The Markup Wins ONA Awards for General Excellence and Community-Centered Journalism – The Markup
The awards honor excellence in digital journalism around the world
bit.ly
January 9, 2026 at 8:00 AM
The awards honor excellence in digital journalism around the world
More than 200 national and regional lenders share sensitive user data with Facebook. Experts say it might be illegal
Mortgage Brokers Sent People’s Estimated Credit, Address, and Veteran Status to Facebook – The Markup
More than 200 national and regional lenders share sensitive user data with Facebook. Experts say it might be illegal
bit.ly
January 8, 2026 at 8:00 PM
More than 200 national and regional lenders share sensitive user data with Facebook. Experts say it might be illegal
A Markup examination of a typical college shows how students are subject to a vast and growing array of watchful tech, including homework trackers, test-taking software, and even license plate readers
He Wanted Privacy. His College Gave Him None – The Markup
A Markup examination of a typical college shows how students are subject to a vast and growing array of watchful tech, including homework trackers, test-taking software, and even license plate readers
bit.ly
January 8, 2026 at 8:00 AM
A Markup examination of a typical college shows how students are subject to a vast and growing array of watchful tech, including homework trackers, test-taking software, and even license plate readers
In Los Angeles, residents in Whiter and wealthier areas post more often on Neighbors, but do not report a higher crime rate
How We Investigated Ring's Crime Alert System for Police Departments – The Markup
In Los Angeles, residents in Whiter and wealthier areas post more often on Neighbors, but do not report a higher crime rate
bit.ly
January 7, 2026 at 8:00 PM
In Los Angeles, residents in Whiter and wealthier areas post more often on Neighbors, but do not report a higher crime rate
Sonia Ohlala borrows heavily from right-wing media outlets and even broadcast from Washington DC on the day of the Capitol riots. But who is she?
The Inside Story of the YouTube Influencer Who Peddles Misinformation to Vietnamese Communities – The Markup
Sonia Ohlala borrows heavily from right-wing media outlets and even broadcast from Washington DC on the day of the Capitol riots. But who is she?
bit.ly
January 7, 2026 at 8:00 AM
Sonia Ohlala borrows heavily from right-wing media outlets and even broadcast from Washington DC on the day of the Capitol riots. But who is she?
The civil lawsuit filed Tuesday, citing the Dating App Reporting Project, argues that dating apps could kick off serial rapists, but don’t.
Dating App Rape Survivors File Lawsuit Accusing Hinge, Tinder of “Accommodating Rapists” – The Markup
The civil lawsuit filed Tuesday, citing the Dating App Reporting Project, argues that dating apps could kick off serial rapists, but don’t.
bit.ly
January 7, 2026 at 8:00 AM
The civil lawsuit filed Tuesday, citing the Dating App Reporting Project, argues that dating apps could kick off serial rapists, but don’t.
Videos on China’s TikTok, Douyin, give Chinese migrants step-by-step instructions on how to get to the United States—and then leave them stranded upon arrival
He Found the American Dream on China’s TikTok, the Reality Was More Complicated – The Markup
Videos on China’s TikTok, Douyin, give Chinese migrants step-by-step instructions on how to get to the United States—and then leave them stranded upon arrival
bit.ly
January 7, 2026 at 8:00 AM
Videos on China’s TikTok, Douyin, give Chinese migrants step-by-step instructions on how to get to the United States—and then leave them stranded upon arrival
The California Courier likes to run Facebook ads against Democrats. Its funding, and most of its writers, are a mystery.
Could this mysterious website influence the 2026 election? – The Markup
The California Courier likes to run Facebook ads against Democrats. Its funding, and most of its writers, are a mystery.
bit.ly
January 7, 2026 at 8:00 AM
The California Courier likes to run Facebook ads against Democrats. Its funding, and most of its writers, are a mystery.
Why do tech people love talking about the end of the world?
Apocalypse Not – The Markup
Why do tech people love talking about the end of the world?
bit.ly
January 6, 2026 at 8:00 PM
Why do tech people love talking about the end of the world?
Purchasing records show some colleges are paying three times more than others.
Turnitin charged colleges vastly different amounts to detect plagarism – The Markup
Purchasing records show some colleges are paying three times more than others.
bit.ly
January 6, 2026 at 8:00 AM
Purchasing records show some colleges are paying three times more than others.
A conversation with Shaolei Ren
The Secret Water Footprint of AI Technology – The Markup
A conversation with Shaolei Ren
bit.ly
January 5, 2026 at 8:00 PM
A conversation with Shaolei Ren