A World Without Privacy Will Revive the Masquerade
As the growing scale of facial recognition shows, more data can always be extracted.
The Risky Dream of the Fast-Food Franchise
Americans have long pinned economic hopes on fast-food chains. And where there are hopes, there are scams.
Only Telephones Are Good
In Iowa and everywhere else
The Company That Botched the Iowa Caucus Was Formed Only Months Ago
Its app didn’t solve much, but it did reveal a lot.
Who Needs the Russians?
Don’t blame shadowy foreign hackers for the chaos in Iowa. Blame Shadow’s caucus app.
The Misogynistic Joke That Became a Goth-Meme Fairy Tale
“Doomer Girl” began as a cartoon for angry men. Then women started dressing up as her.
Our Instructions for AI Will Never Be Specific Enough
AI excels at following human commands. That may be a problem.
The Staggering Vulnerability of Global Elites
Anyone can get hacked. But when it happens to the rich and powerful, the stakes can be extraordinarily high.
‘We’ve Got an Uber Driver Who’s Got a Gun’
Uber officially bans drivers from carrying firearms—but the company’s business model prevents it from enforcing such a ban. The results can be deadly.
Facebook’s New Privacy Tool Is a Data Landfill
Assume that every website you visit tattles on you to the social-media behemoth.
How to Misinform Yourself About the Coronavirus
Even if you avoid the conspiracy theories, tweeting through a global emergency is messy, context-free, and disorienting.
The Divine Origins of the Horny Chain Text
Crude, emoji-based chain texts are an internet-indigenous art form, and a viral menace. But where do they come from?
The Risk of ‘Getting Bangs’
When a woman picks up a pair of scissors, she also picks up a trope.
What Jeff Bezos’s Reported Phone Hack Says About Billionaires
Stunning new allegations about the relationship between the Amazon CEO and the crown prince of Saudi Arabia hint at just how connected the world’s most powerful people are.
The Way We Write History Has Changed
A deep dive into an archive will never be the same.
Alaska’s Ferries Aren’t Doing So Well
The system that connects many of the state’s rural communities may soon shut down.
Why Twitter May Be Ruinous for the Left
It’s a machine for misunderstanding other people’s ideas and identities. How do you even organize that?
Every Place Is the Same Now
With a phone, anywhere else is always just a tap away.
Silicon Valley Abandons the Culture That Made It the Envy of the World
Once upon a time, in the notorious start-up cradle, small was beautiful.
Gadgets for Life on a Miserable Planet
At the Consumer Electronics Show, the only solution for technology-induced stress is more technology.