Privacy
Google wasn't against this privacy bill, officially. Behind the scenes, it orchestrated opposition
Google organized business owners against California legislation to force its Chrome web browser to safeguard personal data.
Ryan Tate
Deputy Editor • he/him
Ryan Tate has been writing and editing technology stories for more than 15 years. He was previously at The Intercept, where as deputy and technology editor he led lengthy investigations into companies like Facebook, Google, and TikTok and into surveillance by the National Security Agency, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and authorities in the Chinese region of Xinjiang.
Before that, he wrote about the use and abuse of corporate power in the tech sector at Wired and Gawker.
(Photograph by Noah Berger.)
Privacy
We caught companies making it harder to delete your personal data online
Dozens of companies are hiding how you can delete your personal data, The Markup and CalMatters found. After our reporters reached out for comment, multiple companies have stopped the practice.
Hello World
During my kid’s surgery, I was denied a copy of my consent form — then sent to a ghost office
Help us understand the challenges patients face opting out of voluntary uses of their data, or getting access to their records.
Artificial Intelligence
California's fire protection agency made an AI chatbot. It can’t answer one crucial question
The bot fails at some basic questions about fires. Cal Fire says it is working on fixes.
Artificial Intelligence
State AI regulations safe after Senate strips moratorium from ‘big, beautiful bill’
In the end, both Republicans and Democrats helped doom a 10-year moratorium on state AI regulation after it cleared the House
Pixel Hunt
House lawmakers demand answers from California health exchange on sending data to LinkedIn
The lawmakers cite a Markup and CalMatters investigation that first revealed Covered California’s data practices in April.
Privacy
California police are illegally sharing license plate data with ICE and Border Patrol
LAPD and the counties of San Diego, Orange, and Riverside have repeatedly shared automated license plate reader data to federal agencies
Pixel Hunt
We caught 4 more states sharing personal health data with Big Tech
Healthcare exchanges in Nevada, Maine, Massachusetts and Rhode Island shared users’ sensitive health data with companies like Google and LinkedIn
The BreakdownPixel Hunt
This is how you stop data trackers from sucking up your health data
The Markup and CalMatters found multiple ways consumers can block the trackers quietly sending your data to tech companies, including those used on state-run health exchange websites.
Artificial Intelligence
Congress moves to cut off states' AI regulations
House Republicans advanced a 10-year moratorium on state AI rules. California would be especially hard hit
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