Privacy
How Californians can use a new state website to block hundreds of data brokers
A tool called DROP lets California residents fill out a few forms to keep their personal data from being tracked or sold by data brokers.
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.)
News
Could this mysterious California news site influence the 2026 election?
The California Courier uses the name of an established paper and doesn’t disclose apparent Republican ties. Critics call it “pink slime”
Artificial Intelligence
Trump orders crackdown on state AI regulation. Here's why California is hardest hit
Since 2016, California enacted more AI regulations than any other state. The president's new order against such laws worries state officials.
Hello World
How American Big Tech guards the profits it extracts around the world
A consortium of journalists is revealing how the industry influences governments in Latin America and globally.
Privacy
Why a new California law could change the way all Americans browse the internet
Legislation recently enacted in California will make it easier for consumers nationwide to protect their data
On Borrowed Time
It’s hard to find resources while on the transplant list. These sites want to change that
Here are seven resources to help if you need an organ transplant
On Borrowed Time
Is the patient Black? Check this box for yes
For years a race-based medical calculation delayed Black patients access to life-saving kidney transplants
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.
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.
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