The Risks of Public Data
A desire for convenience and openness has left local and state public records easily available for mining, combining, and abuse.
Category: Law
Surveillance and the Limits of Law
Section 215 of the Patriot Act is set to sunset. New legislation would kill it entirely. But how much do intelligence agencies follow the law anyway?
“Billion Dollar Bully” Yelp Keeps Pressure On Businesses
Despite bad publicity and lawsuits, Yelp continues to tank ratings in order to punish those who won’t advertise.
Podcast #34: Ben Green on Smart Enough Cities
Data technology researcher and author Ben Green punctures the myth of the smart city.
Podcast #33: Clare Garvie on Facial Recognition
Facial recognition expert Clare Garvie explains how police are using (and abusing) this dangerous technology.
Podcast #32: Josh Golin on Marketing to Kids
Josh Golin, Executive Director of Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, fights a metastasizing marketing machine that has swept kids into its orbit of consumerism and surveillance.
Podcast #28: Jonathan Taplin on Internet Aggregators
Jonathan Taplin, former music and film professional, tells first-hand what the new rentier economy of Internet aggregators like Google and Facebook has done to the creative arts, journalism, and democracy.
Natural Birth: The Long Struggle of Dr. Ágnes Geréb
In the final piece in a series on birth and technology, David Reynolds shares the history of Hungary’s tireless natural childbirth advocate.
Cash Crunch: Your Money’s No Good Here
As some businesses stop taking cash, the poor, those without smartphones, and those who value privacy will be further excluded from the economy.
Carpenter v. US: A Rare Win for Privacy Rights
The Supreme Court finally taps the brakes on the unrestrained collection of digital data by law enforcement.