Pixel Hunt
Suicide Hotlines Promise Anonymity. Dozens of Their Websites Send Sensitive Data to Facebook
The Markup found many sites tied to the national mental health crisis hotline transmitted information on visitors through the Meta Pixel
Colin Lecher
Investigative Reporter
Colin Lecher is a reporter based in New York. His work on technology and society has received honors from the Association of Health Care Journalists, the Deadline Club, the Radio Television Digital News Association, and more.
Before joining The Markup, he was a senior reporter with The Verge. There, he reported on issues like automated cuts to healthcare, access to phone services in prisons, and the online gun market.
Show Your Work
How We Investigated L.A.’s Homelessness Scoring System
Year after year, White people have been rated highly “vulnerable” more often than Black people
L.A.’s Scoring System for Subsidized Housing Gives Black and Latino People Experiencing Homelessness Lower Priority Scores
An investigation by The Markup found racial disparities in L.A.’s intake system for unhoused people
Story Recipes
Journalists: Investigate Homeless Vulnerability Scoring in Your City
The survey we investigated was also used in dozens of other cities and counties, according to its creators. Here are our tips for looking into it
Hello World
Your Tax Data Shouldn’t Be Up for Grabs
Especially when there’s a better way
Pixel Hunt
Members of Congress Call for IRS to Investigate Tax Companies Sharing Data with Facebook
The Markup revealed the companies’ practices last year
Pixel Hunt
Sen. Elizabeth Warren Questions Tax Filing Companies, Meta, and Google About Sharing of Financial Data
Letters to the companies, signed by Warren and others, cite a recent Markup investigation
Pixel Hunt
Meta Sued for Collecting Financial Information Through Tax Filing Websites
A proposed class action was filed on Dec. 1
Pixel Hunt
Tax Filing Websites Have Been Sending Users’ Financial Information to Facebook
The Markup found services including TaxAct, TaxSlayer, and H&R Block sending sensitive data
The Breakdown
Police Are Looking to Algorithms to Predict Domestic Violence
But will they be effective or reinforce bias-based practices?
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