Locked Out
The Obscure Yet Powerful Tenant-Screening Industry Is Finally Getting Some Scrutiny
Reforms have been in the works for years, but a looming eviction crisis has made them urgent
Lauren Kirchner
Investigative Reporter
Lauren Kirchner writes about the intersection between government and technology and how the use of data in decisions affects us all, particularly the most vulnerable.
She previously worked at ProPublica, where she was part of the team of reporters and programmers who were finalists for the Pulitzer Prize in Explanatory Reporting for their “Machine Bias” series.
Her reporting on technology and criminal justice has appeared in The New York Times, Columbia Journalism Review, and Pacific Standard magazine, among others. Lauren began her journalism career at the Richmond Times-Dispatch in Virginia.
Locked Out
When Zombie Data Costs You a Home
Even when people get their criminal records expunged, data brokers ensure the past keeps coming back to haunt them
Locked Out
Can Algorithms Violate Fair Housing Laws?
Landlords increasingly use screening services to weed out renters. Advocates say both landlords and the algorithms should be accountable when things go wrong
Ask The MarkupLocked Out
What Do I Do If the Bank Says I’m Dead?
Investigate, complain, and maybe sue
Locked Out
Data Brokers May Report COVID-19–Related Evictions for Years
Scant rules around tenant background screenings mean money woes during the pandemic’s economic slowdown will haunt some tenants, even if they pay up
Coronavirus
¿Qué tan equitativa es la Justicia en Zoom?
Las audiencias judiciales se están volviendo virtuales en respuesta al coronavirus (COVID-19). Algunos estudios demuestran que pueden producirse resultados más severos para los acusados
Coronavirus
Millions of Americans Depend on Libraries for Internet. Now They’re Closed
From big cities to tiny towns, librarians are getting scrappy to meet the need
Ask The Markup
If I Go to a Protest, What Kinds of Personal Information Might Police Collect About Me?
(And how long can it stick around?)
Coronavirus
How Fair Is Zoom Justice?
Court hearings are going virtual in response to COVID-19. Studies show they can lead to harsher outcomes for defendants
Show Your WorkLocked Out
How We Investigated the Tenant ScreeningIndustry
Public records, interviews, and months of searching and reading court records helped us uncover how automated screenings come up short
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