The Markup

A close-up view of a person holding a white cell phone with both their hands. A ray of light softly illuminates the person's left hand.

News

Background checks to curb dating app violence advance in California legislature

Bill addresses an issue investigated by The Markup last year.

April 17, 2026 2:00 p.m. UTC

Illustration of Facebook posts by the California Courier oozing out pink slime

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”

January 5, 2026 8:30 a.m. UTC

A white room with power cords throughout the ceiling leading to machinery with transfer switches in a data center. White fluorescents light up most of the room, with shadows in the background between the machinery.

News

Crackdown on Power-Guzzling Data Centers May Soon Come Online in California

A spate of new bills in California and other states would protect consumers from electricity rate hikes that subsidize data centers

February 21, 2025 4:15 p.m. UTC

A person in ceremonial attire holds a staff and stands in front of flags during a memorial for Native American war veterans. They are wearing glasses and have braided hair, dressed in a sequined outfit with patches, including one that reads 'Never Forgotten' with an image of a military service member.

Impact

Bill Would Force V.A. to Overhaul Suicide Prevention Algorithm That Favors White Men

The legislation would require the agency to incorporate factors linked to elevated suicide risk among women veterans into its AI program

October 28, 2024 8:00 a.m. UTC

Chair of the Appropriations Committee, Buffy Wicks, speaks during the Suspense File hearing in the Capitol Annex Swing Space in Sacramento on Aug. 15, 2024.

News

California Tried To Make Google Pay News Outlets. The Company Cut a Deal that Includes Funding AI

State lawmakers give up on bills to force tech companies to pay media outlets for using news. Instead, they agree with Google on a program to help local newsrooms and to explore artificial intelligence

August 22, 2024 1:55 p.m. UTC

Artificial Intelligence

Why Silicon Valley Is Trying So Hard to Kill This AI Bill in California

The sprawling California legislation offers protection to whistleblowers and citizens. The coming weeks could decide its fate

August 12, 2024 8:00 a.m. UTC

A uniformed soldier with long red hair holding American flags and looking down at a row of tombstones

News

V.A. Uses a Suicide Prevention Algorithm To Decide Who Gets Extra Help. It Favors White Men.

An AI program designed to prevent suicide among U.S. military veterans prioritizes White men and ignores survivors of sexual violence

May 30, 2024 11:00 a.m. UTC

Photograph of panoramic view of immigrants standing in line to cross the U.S.–Mexico border, with one border patrol agent standing in the middle of the gate

News

The Future of Border Patrol: AI Is Always Watching

Human rights advocates warn of algorithmic bias, legal violations, and other dire consequences of relying on AI to monitor the border

March 22, 2024 11:00 a.m. UTC

News

Whistleblowing While Black: How Truth-Telling Changes the Careers of Black Women in Tech

Black women whistleblowers not only jeopardize their professional prospects, experts say, but often face more intense backlash

March 13, 2024 8:00 a.m. UTC

Illustration of a closeup of a femme-presenting person's face looking at three images; the three images show a pixelated drawing of suggestive figures with the person's same skin tone and hairstyle

News

With AI, Anyone Can Be a Victim of Nonconsensual Porn. Can Laws Keep Up?

States around the country are scrambling to respond to the dramatic rise in deepfakes, a result of little regulation and easy-to-use apps

March 11, 2024 6:00 a.m. UTC