The Coronavirus Crisis
Location-Tracking Firm Helping Trump Get Reelected Now Wants to Cash In on Coronavirus
Phunware wants to sell social-distancing enforcement while serving the president who bungled the response to Covid-19.
Sam Biddle
Sam Biddle is a technology reporter focusing on issues of surveillance, privacy, and corporate power. He was previously a senior writer at Gawker, and his work has also appeared in GQ, Vice, and the New York Times magazine, among other outlets.
Contacts:
- sam.biddle@theintercept.com
- @sambiddle.99 on Signal
- @sambiddle.com on Bluesky
- @samfbiddle on X
Posts:
The Coronavirus Crisis
Facebook Tech Support Contractors Sent Into Work Question “Essential” Designation
The contractors were given letters classifying them as providing “essential services” — setting up laptops for new hires and employees working from home.
The Coronavirus Crisis
Privacy Experts Say Responsible Coronavirus Surveillance Is Possible
Data collected to fight the pandemic should not be used for other purposes and should only be requested by health officials.
The Coronavirus Crisis
Facebook's $1,000 Coronavirus Bonus Doesn't Apply to Its Most Vulnerable Workers
Facebook gave employees a $1,000 bonus to help deal with the coronavirus crisis — but left out its tens of thousands of full-time contractors.
TikTok Told Moderators to Suppress Posts by “Ugly" People and the Poor to Attract New Users
The China-based social media company also has policies censoring various forms of political speech, leaked documents reveal.
The Coronavirus Crisis
Facebook Contractors Must Work in Offices During Coronavirus Pandemic — While Staff Stay Home
Moderators and others employed through vendors are complaining about health conditions at Facebook offices in Austin, Texas, and Mountain View, California.
ICE’s New York Office Uses a Rigged Algorithm to Keep Virtually All Arrestees in Detention. The ACLU Says It’s Unconstitutional.
ICE is using an algorithm to determine whether detainees should be released or not, but eliminated options for both release and bond.
Voices
Fear Is the Democracy Killer, Not Hackers
An app caused problems counting votes in Iowa. But our attitude of assuming the cyber-worst at every cyber-turn will lead to a cynical electorate.
Ring Ukraine News Suppressed at Amazon's Request, Journalists Say
Amazon told a business publication that it was expanding the scope of its work in Ukraine — then asked for that information to be removed from the article.
Amazon’s Ring Planned Neighborhood “Watch Lists” Built on Facial Recognition
Documents hint the data could be shared with police, but Ring denies the features are in use or development.