Citizen App Again Lets Users Report Crimes — and Experts See Big Risks
The revived video feature could foment racism, increase invasive surveillance, and stoke panic, the experts say.
Technology
Leaked Reports Show EU Police Are Planning a Pan-European Network of Facial Recognition Databases
The proposal to link the EU’s facial recognition databases would likely connect them to the U.S. as well, in a massive consolidation of biometric data.
TikTok Livestreamed a User's Suicide — Then Got Its PR Strategy in Place Before Calling the Police
Internal documents show that, after a livestreamed suicide, TikTok’s Brazil office planned its crisis management before calling the police.
Election Insecurity
The Iowa Democratic Party Did the Opposite of What It Should Have Done to Secure Its Disastrous App
Hiding the details of how a computer system works does nothing to make it more secure; election systems should instead rely on “open design.”
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.
The Rise of Smart Camera Networks, and Why We Should Ban Them
Police are using cameras at private businesses and homes, along with AI, to expand their video surveillance — raising privacy concerns.
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.
Facebook Warrant Targeting Student Journalists in Puerto Rico Prompts Fears of Political Surveillance
The Puerto Rico Justice Department accessed private information from student news publications as it built a case against protest leaders.
Year in Review 2019
Everybody's Watching You: The Intercept’s 2019 Technology Coverage
A look back at The Intercept’s must-read technology stories from 2019.
How Big Tech Manipulates Academia to Avoid Regulation
A Silicon Valley lobby enrolled elite academia to avoid legal restrictions on artificial intelligence.