The form asked my permission to share my health data. Then it wouldn’t let me say no.
Dark patterns force patients to share their data with big healthcare networks, even when the privacy form they’re signing explicitly says they can opt-out.
Following Markup investigation, Congress finds data brokers cost consumers tens of billions of dollars
A congressional investigation estimates broker breaches have cost consumers $20 billion in identity theft. Major brokers now promise to make it easier to opt out of their…
It’s easier for Californians to escape data brokers following a Markup investigation
The Markup and CalMatters showed how website code could make it harder for Californians to exercise their right to remove personal data. Now much of that code has disappeared.
The Markup wins SABEW Award for Best in Business Journalism
The 18-month-long investigation about how Tinder, Hinge, and their corporate owner kept rape under wraps won in the technology reporting category.
Dating App Rape Survivors File Lawsuit Accusing Hinge, Tinder of “Accommodating Rapists”
The civil lawsuit filed Tuesday, citing the Dating App Reporting Project, argues that dating apps could kick off serial rapists, but don’t.
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”
Websites break California privacy law at ‘industrial scale,’ survey finds
Tech companies like Google, Facebook and Microsoft are ignoring data controls mandated under California law, researchers say.
We posted a job. Then came the AI slop, impersonator and recruiter scam
Red flags that both job seekers and employers should watch for, in an era of AI slop and application scams
Blacklight, our privacy inspector tool, now tracks X and TikTok pixels
We’ve updated Blacklight, our popular privacy tool, to check for TikTok and X trackers.
‘We’re basically pushers:’ How a battle over kids on social media is unfolding in two California courtrooms
Lawsuits in California federal and state court are unearthing documents embarrassing to tech companies — and may be a tipping point into federal regulation.
California colleges spend millions on faulty AI systems: 'The chatbot is outdated’
Community colleges are spending millions on AI-powered chatbots that students say often give inaccurate answers. Many might see upgrades this year.
California investigates Elon Musk’s AI company after ‘avalanche’ of complaints about sexual content
Attorney General Rob Bonta said his office is looking into whether a new AI image editing tool from Elon Musk's company violates California law.
Trump orders crackdown on state AI regulation. Here's why California is hardest hit
Since 2016, California enacted more AI regulations than any other state. The president's new order against such laws worries state officials.
How Californians can use a new state website to block hundreds of data brokers
A tool called DROP lets California residents fill out a few forms to keep their personal data from being tracked or sold by data brokers.
California tried to protect students’ data. Tech companies found loopholes
A legislative battle is under way over gaps that allow companies to collect and sell students’ personal information.
How we tested and evaluated AI-generated dance videos
None of the videos produced by the leading AI platforms showed the actual dances we requested.
It was John Wayne’s political club. Now it’s spending millions on online influence
The Lincoln Media Foundation has spent big to push ‘local’ conservative messaging
Mamdani to kill the NYC AI chatbot we caught telling businesses to break the law
New York mayor says terminating the ‘unusable’ bot will help close a budget gap
Background checks to curb dating app violence advance in California legislature
Bill addresses an issue investigated by The Markup last year.
He saw an abandoned trailer. Then, he uncovered a surveillance network on California's border
Southern California residents are noticing new license plate readers that appear to be operated by the Border Patrol. Some have had confusing encounters with agents.
Generative AI is eating culture. See how close it’s getting to disrupting dance
Dancers say their craft can’t be duplicated by AI. Our tests show they’re right — for now.