Article Archive - The Markup

Photograph of a surveillance tower monitor, with a background landscape of a river and mountains

Artificial Intelligence

Trump Wants Even Looser AI Guardrails. Why California, Despite Passing Over 20 AI Bills This Year, Might Not Push Back

President-elect Trump has vowed to rescind an executive order that imposed AI safeguards, and could use tech to enable mass deportations. How far will California go in the other direction?

November 21, 2024 12:32 ET

Photo illustration of a person surrounded by graphic elements that include the U.S. Supreme Courthouse, a hand with a gavel, a dilated eye, a search bar, a bottle with pills floating around, a pregnancy test and a diagram of a uterus; a dotted white line with two location pins runs across the composition

The BreakdownPrivacy

How Do I Protect My Privacy If I’m Seeking an Abortion?

A guide to keeping your plans private through every step of an abortion in any state, including Florida and South Dakota

November 14, 2024 08:00 ET

A person in ceremonial attire holds a staff and stands in front of flags during a memorial for Native American war veterans. They are wearing glasses and have braided hair, dressed in a sequined outfit with patches, including one that reads 'Never Forgotten' with an image of a military service member.

Impact

Bill Would Force V.A. to Overhaul Suicide Prevention Algorithm That Favors White Men

The legislation would require the agency to incorporate factors linked to elevated suicide risk among women veterans into its AI program

October 28, 2024 08:00 ET

Sisi Wei, right, and Dean Baquet in front of a colorful background at the Aspen Ideas Festival in June

Inside The Markup

Sisi Wei Recognized as a Freedom of the Press Rising Star in 2024 RCFP Awards

The awards honor the accomplishments of news and legal leaders whose work embodies the values of the First Amendment

October 17, 2024 08:00 ET

Ride-share driver and SEIU Gig Workers Union member John Mejia, center, speaks during a press conference outside of the Supreme Court of California in San Francisco on May 21, 2024. The state Supreme Court heard oral arguments on Prop. 22, a ballot initiative that allows ride-share companies, such as Uber and Lyft, to classify drivers as independent contractors.

Working for an Algorithm

California Uber and Lyft Drivers Could Get Back Pay

The state Labor Commissioner sues to help ride-hailing drivers with wage theft that happened before Proposition 22 took effect

October 16, 2024 13:18 ET

Illustration featuring a magnifying glass positioned over multiple browser windows with a green swoosh in the background; inside the magnifying glass are two looping arrows

Blacklight

Launching Blacklight Query, a Tool to Scan Websites for Privacy at Scale

Inspect batches of websites for user-tracking tech with our new open-source command-line tool

October 16, 2024 08:00 ET

Photo illustration of a raised fist holding up crumpled up one-hundred dollar bills, a rifle and bullets

How Meta Brings in Millions Off Political Violence

CalMatters and The Markup used Facebook’s AI model to count the millions of dollars it makes after violent news events

October 4, 2024 08:00 ET

Illustration of hands holding a recipe card; in the background are 6 panels, three panels are images of emergency alerts, three panels are illustrations of a cleaver with data blocks, a pot with speech bubbles coming out of it and a pan holding a pie chart

Story Recipes

We Made an Emergency Alert Guide To Help Californians Navigate a Complicated Process. Here’s How To Do This In Any State

CalMatters and The Markup reported on how residents in each of California’s 58 counties can sign up for local emergency alerts, and found a few surprises along the way. Here’s how you can build the same guide in your state

September 27, 2024 08:00 ET

Illustration of a line of Senegalese men standing in front of a brightly lit iPhone; the man at the front is stepping into the phone's vibrant landscape, creating a striking contrast with the darker surroundings

Languages of Misinformation

TikTok Videos Spread Misinformation to New Migrant Community in New York City

Misinformation on TikTok influenced these Senegalese migrants to come to the United States. Now they are being fed even more misleading information about navigating their new home

September 26, 2024 07:00 ET

Collage of five stories from The Markup that won the 2024 ONA General Excellence in Online Journalism and Community-Centered Journalism Awards