We pride ourselves on our journalism being actionable and having real-world impact. In 2024, we continued to do exactly that. Here are some examples 🧶👇
Our Real-World Impact In 2024 – The Markup
The Markup’s reporting led to federal lawsuits, local government reforms, and much more
The hardest part is not getting an anonymous phone, but staying off the grid afterwards. Some golden rules:
Without a Trace: How to Take Your Phone Off the Grid – The Markup
A guide on anonymizing your phone, so you can use it without it using you
A young entrepreneur created an AI tool to help public defenders process digital evidence like body cam footage. Now 65 public defender offices are using it. By Axios: https://www.axios.com/2024/11/08/ai-justicetext-public-defenders-tool
Trump’s reelection is almost certain to disrupt the future of reproductive rights in the U.S. Here are some meaningful measures to protect your privacy (and safety):
How Do I Protect My Privacy If I’m Seeking an Abortion? – The Markup
A guide to keeping your plans private through every step of an abortion in any state, including Florida and South Dakota
Meta is letting the US military and defense contractors use its Llama AI model for national security purposes. Via The Verge:
The Verge
Meta AI is ready for war
Meta is opening the door to the US military.
A parent or a friend just shared a social media post with misinfo about the election. Now sure what to do about it? This guide might be useful:
Second-Generation Americans: What to Do When Loved Ones Are Sharing Misinformation – The Markup
Don’t get into a political argument. Talk about misinformation instead
UPDATE: A new bill would force the Department of Veterans Affairs to overhaul its suicide prevention algorithm that favors White men.
Bill Would Force V.A. to Overhaul Suicide Prevention Algorithm That Favors White Men – The Markup
The legislation would require the agency to incorporate factors linked to elevated suicide risk among women veterans into its AI program
Real-world violence can mean new revenue opportunities for Meta: the company saw a 450% increase in Israel-related ad dollars since the attack on October 7th.
How Meta Brings in Millions Off Political Violence – The Markup
CalMatters and The Markup used Facebook’s AI model to count the millions of dollars it makes after violent news events
Meta has cashed in millions from real-world violence through online advertising, including the war in Gaza and the attempted assassination of Trump. What we found:
How Meta Brings in Millions Off Political Violence – The Markup
CalMatters and The Markup used Facebook’s AI model to count the millions of dollars it makes after violent news events
Rather than having honest convos on AI, people have been sold the idea that the tech is inevitable, said Maywa Montenegro, an assistant professor at UC Santa Cruz. Because of that, she wrote an AI policy to her class, and got some interesting responses:
How AI Detection Software Turns Professors into Cops, Tech as Systems of World-Making, and More – The Markup
A conversation with agroecologist Maywa Montenegro