The Breakdown
How Do I Prepare My Phone for a Protest? (Updated 2024)
Simple steps to take before hitting the streets
Dan Phiffer
Full Stack Engineer
Dan Phiffer is a software developer who helps out with building the website and keeping it running smoothly.
Prior to joining The Markup, he worked at the American Civil Liberties Union, helping to build web-based tools and products. Before that, Dan worked on data at Mapzen and launched website redesigns at The New Yorker and The Museum of Modern Art.
Dan occasionally teaches, most recently a course on Hacktivism at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He lives in Troy, N.Y.
News
Twitter Is Throttling Patreon Links, Creators Say It Undermines Their Livelihood
Markup readers helped uncover the link delays, which also affect WhatsApp and Messenger
Twitter Is Still Throttling Competitors’ Links—Check for Yourself
Loading links to Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram, and Substack takes far longer than to other sites. We built a tool so you can check any domain you like
LevelUp
Solving the Case of the Tricky Timeout Bug
Sometimes, fixing a bug requires “sheer persistence”
Machine Learning
AI Detection Tools Falsely Accuse International Students of Cheating
Stanford study found AI detectors are biased against non-native English speakers
LevelUp
How We Verified Ourselves on Mastodon — and How You Can Too
One Twitter alternative’s verification system is simple, open, and free
The Breakdown
We Joined Mastodon. Here’s What We Learned About Privacy and Security
As Elon Musk sends Twitter into chaos, we’re sharing what we picked up about Mastodon as we selected a server
LevelUp
Introducing Smol Links: Shorten URLs Without Tracking
Our WordPress plugin, built on top of Shlink, lets editors generate short URLs without compromising user privacy
Show Your WorkAmazon’s Advantage
How We Analyzed Amazon's Treatment of Its "Brands" in Search Results
We found that Amazon routinely puts its own brands and exclusive products first, above competitors with better ratings and more reviews
Amazon’s Advantage
Amazon Puts Its Own “Brands” First Above Better-Rated Products
The online giant gives a leg up to hundreds of house brand and exclusive products that most people don’t know are connected to Amazon
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