Digital Book Banning
Students: Investigate Internet Censorship in Your School District
Virtually every public school filters the web, and blocked websites create a paper trail
Ryan Tate
Investigative 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.)
Digital Book Banning
Five High Schoolers Describe the Dangers and Frustrations of Censored Web Access
Their schools block information about The Trevor Project, abortion, microplastics, and more
News
NYC’s AI Chatbot Tells Businesses to Break the Law
The Microsoft-powered bot says bosses can take workers’ tips and that landlords can discriminate based on source of income
Automated Censorship
Instagram Creators: Check If Your Posts Are “Political”
The platform will not “proactively recommend content about politics.” See if what you’ve posted counts
Hello World
I Used ChatGPT as a Reporting Assistant. It Didn’t Go Well
The AI tool ignored basic instructions about sourcing and citations. But it’s a pretty good newsroom coding partner.
Impact
L.A. Is Changing How It Scores “Vulnerability” of Unhoused People
An investigation by The Markup sparked demands for answers
Privacy
Use Our Game Safety Buddy to Protect Your Kids and Yourself on Gaming Consoles
Our tool and advice can help you navigate the overwhelming number of settings on today’s game platforms.
Organ Failure
A Death Sentence: Native Americans Shut Out of the Nation’s Liver Transplant System
Despite being more likely to die of liver disease, Native Americans are far less likely to make the transplant list than White people
Show Your WorkOrgan Failure
How We Investigated Racial Disparities in Liver Transplants
We found Native Americans were listed for a transplant significantly less often than other racial groups compared with their number of deaths from liver disease
Gentle January
Be Wary of Email (Like Our Readers)
Several people wrote in to suggest caution when hosting and handling email
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