Article Archive - The Markup

Privacy

Websites break California privacy law at ‘industrial scale,’ survey finds

Tech companies like Google, Facebook and Microsoft are ignoring data controls mandated under California law, researchers say.

April 21, 2026 8:00 a.m. UTC

A close-up view of a person holding a white cell phone with both their hands. A ray of light softly illuminates the person's left hand.

News

Background checks to curb dating app violence advance in California legislature

Bill addresses an issue investigated by The Markup last year.

April 17, 2026 2:00 p.m. UTC

Inside The Markup

The Markup wins SABEW Award for Best in Business Journalism

The 18-month-long investigation about how Tinder, Hinge, and their corporate owner kept rape under wraps won in the technology reporting category.

March 30, 2026 8:00 a.m. UTC

A close view shows a person using a laptop displaying a news website with a headline and photo on the screen. Another laptop sits nearby on the desk, and the scene is set in a modern office environment with glass walls and overhead lighting.

Election 2026

It was John Wayne’s political club. Now it’s spending millions on online influence

The Lincoln Media Foundation has spent big to push ‘local’ conservative messaging

March 9, 2026 8:30 a.m. UTC

An illustration in green, red, blue and yellow tones that shows a desktop computer screen with an open window tab that resembles a Pokemon battle scene. At one end of the screen is a pixelated student and at the other is a wolf that represents a chatbot. The illustration includes a bubble text that reads "where can students get free food on campus?" alongside other bubbles of text with red exclamation points.

Machine Learning

California colleges spend millions on faulty AI systems: 'The chatbot is outdated’

Community colleges are spending millions on AI-powered chatbots that students say often give inaccurate answers. Many might see upgrades this year.

March 7, 2026 8:00 a.m. UTC

A roadside device mounted on a small trailer sits on the shoulder beside a two-lane road as a blurred van drives past, with utility poles, trees, and rocky hills in the background under a clear sky.

Privacy

He saw an abandoned trailer. Then, he uncovered a surveillance network on California's border

Southern California residents are noticing new license plate readers that appear to be operated by the Border Patrol. Some have had confusing encounters with agents.

March 6, 2026 8:00 a.m. UTC

Privacy

Following Markup investigation, Congress finds data brokers cost consumers tens of billions of dollars

A congressional investigation estimates broker breaches have cost consumers $20 billion in identity theft. Major brokers now promise to make it easier to opt out of their databases.

February 27, 2026 1:15 p.m. UTC

A young student sits at a table, headphones on, looking at a computer screen in a classroom. The students head peals over the top of the screen as their attention is focused on the computer.

Artificial Intelligence

California tried to protect students’ data. Tech companies found loopholes

A legislative battle is under way over gaps that allow companies to collect and sell students’ personal information.

February 21, 2026 8:00 a.m. UTC

Blacklight

Blacklight, our privacy inspector tool, now tracks X and TikTok pixels

We’ve updated Blacklight, our popular privacy tool, to check for TikTok and X trackers.

February 9, 2026 11:44 a.m. UTC

A person in a dark coat and light blue tie speaks at a wooden podium outdoors, smiling slightly as a microphone stands in front of them, with the pale yellow facade and white railing of a government building blurred in the background.

Artificial Intelligence

Mamdani to kill the NYC AI chatbot we caught telling businesses to break the law

New York mayor says terminating the ‘unusable’ bot will help close a budget gap

January 30, 2026 12:00 p.m. UTC

All Articles

Websites break California privacy law at ‘industrial scale,’ survey finds

Background checks to curb dating app violence advance in California legislature

The Markup wins SABEW Award for Best in Business Journalism

It was John Wayne’s political club. Now it’s spending millions on online influence

California colleges spend millions on faulty AI systems: 'The chatbot is outdated’

He saw an abandoned trailer. Then, he uncovered a surveillance network on California's border

Following Markup investigation, Congress finds data brokers cost consumers tens of billions of dollars

California tried to protect students’ data. Tech companies found loopholes

Blacklight, our privacy inspector tool, now tracks X and TikTok pixels

Mamdani to kill the NYC AI chatbot we caught telling businesses to break the law