When Televisions Were Radioactive
Anxieties about the effects of screens on human health are hardly new, but the way the public addresses the problems has changed. An Object Lesson.
Amazon Is Invading Your Home With Micro-Convenience
The company’s new line of voice-automated products, including a wall clock and a microwave, could help it amass an enormous database of consumer behavior.
Why You’re Probably Getting a Microchip Implant Someday
Microchip implants are going from tech-geek novelty to genuine health tool—and you might be running out of good reasons to say no.
Finance Law Isn’t Ready for Elon Musk
The Department of Justice has opened a criminal investigation into the Tesla founder, but there’s no precedent for him, or his tweets.
You Can Never Go Back to the Old Twitter
The platform’s return to a chronological timeline won't be enough to recapture its original magic.
What Happens When Gig-Economy Workers Become Employees
Drivers for cannabis companies in California now have to be classified as employees, rather than independent contractors. But has that been a good thing?
Should Your Watch Monitor Your Heart?
Apple’s new watch can screen for heart problems. But doctors are increasingly worried about the dangers of testing healthy people for disease.
The New iPhones Are Big So You Won’t Put Them Down
Apple’s latest designs mark the end of casual, one-handed smartphone use. Instead, the device is meant to occupy more of your attention, more of the time.
Everything Is Worse, Except Your Phone
The jarring spectacle of an Apple Keynote in 2018
Phishing Is the Internet’s Most Successful Con
Tricking people out of sensitive information online is far too easy.
The 8 Most Revealing Quotes From the Big Zuckerberg Profile
A massive new New Yorker profile of Facebook’s CEO reveals exactly as much as he wants you to know.
The Problem With Parents and Social Media
Should parents monitor or restrict their kids’ use of technology?
The Mystery of Alexander Hamilton’s Bank Clock
The origins of an 18th-century timepiece are part of an American institution even older than its financial system: embellishing facts. An Object Lesson.
Launching Rogue Satellites Into Space Was a ‘Mistake’
Sara Spangelo says she isn’t rebellious by nature. So why did she defy federal regulators?
The End Finally Comes for Alex Jones
Twitter’s permanent ban is an important symbolic gesture.
Brands Are Not Our Friends
Comcast sent me 10 pizzas. This isn’t nice; it’s manipulative.
Elon Musk and the Meaning of ‘Off the Record’
The entrepreneur’s reaction to recent media coverage illustrates a common—and dangerous—misconception of reporting practices.
Victorian-Era Orgasms and the Crisis of Peer Review
A favorite anecdote about the origins of the vibrator is probably a myth.
Alex Jones and Marco Rubio Explain the Internet
The encounter between the Infowars host and the Florida senator offers a perfect summary of why life online is so terrible.
Twitter’s New Features Aren’t What Users Asked For
Tackling abuse should be priority number one, many say.