The Gig Economy and Outsourcing: A Dark Net of Near Slavery

Julian Vigo / Truthdig Sep 7, 2018 The gig economy is being driven by those who seek to cut costs; this begins and ends with their ability to wiggle out of being considered “employers” in any sense. Dig deeper ( 11 Min. Read )

New Cyberattack Wallops Europe; Spreads More Slowly in U.S.

By Raphael Satter and Frank Bajak, Associated Press Jun 28, 2017 Ukraine and Russia appear hardest hit by the ransomware, with Poland, Italy and Germany following in order of countries most affected. Dig deeper ( 4 Min. Read )

‘Threat-Score Software’: Will It Get You Shot by a Cop?

Thor Benson / Truthdig Feb 1, 2016 This law enforcement technology can use facts such as ZIP codes and frequency of address changes to assign a danger level to people an officer might engage A high threat score could increase the officer's anxiety and you know where that could lead. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

When Robots Run the Show

Peter Richardson / Truthdig Aug 22, 2015 In "Rise of the Robots: Technology and the Threat of a Jobless Future," Martin Ford predicts that the next wave of job losses will be caused by advances in artificial intelligence, making robots the most efficient way to perform routine work now done by humans. Dig deeper ( 6 Min. Read )

Want to Build a Smartphone App but Don’t Know Code? Microsoft Makes an App for That

Peter Z. Scheer / Truthdig Aug 7, 2013 Microsoft has been paying developers to build apps for its beleaguered Windows Phone operating system. Now the company has a better idea. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Violent Video Game Ban Blown to Smithereens

Staff / Truthdig Jun 28, 2011 The Supreme Court overturned California's ban on violent video games; social networking sites may be effectively enhancing our social lives; and a case of public urination in Oregon forces a city to flush its reservoir. These discoveries and more after the jump. Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

Personal Data Farmed Out by Facebook Apps

Staff / Truthdig Oct 18, 2010 No matter how strict Facebook users may be with their settings, their bid for privacy can be compromised by third-party software developers who make those annoying apps that let users play games with each other -- and, apparently, share their personal information with advertisers. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Facebook CEO Sniffs at Ownership Lawsuit

Staff / Truthdig Jul 26, 2010 Here's some palace intrigue from the inner chambers of the Facebook empire that could threaten the whole enterprise: Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg is denying the legitimacy of a contract, allegedly signed in 2003 (continued). Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Google Gives Microsoft a New Reason to Lose Sleep

Staff / Truthdig Jul 8, 2009 Google's inexorable drive toward world domination took a major leap forward Tuesday when the company unveiled plans to build its own operating system. Google says it is designing the long-rumored OS, called Google Chrome OS, "to be fast and lightweight, to start up and get you onto the Web in a few seconds." Wouldn't that be nice? Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

China to Censor Online Porn, Possibly Basketball

Staff / Truthdig Jun 9, 2009 Starting July 1, every computer sold in China will come bundled with software designed to block access to pornographic sites and whatever else parents -- and, critics fear, the government -- want to keep at bay. As one of the software's developers explains, "If a father doesn't want his son to be exposed to content related to basketball or drugs, he can block all Web sites related to those things." Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Murder, Spies & Voting Lies

Staff / Truthdig Oct 29, 2008 Patty Sharaf's new documentary "Murder, Spies & Voting Lies," featuring election integrity journalist Brad Friedman, tells the story of Clint Curtis, a computer programmer who says a prominent Florida Republican asked him in 2000 to create software that could be used to rig the vote. Al-Jazeera's Riz Khan takes a closer look. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Software Scans for Spin in Speeches

Staff / Truthdig Sep 18, 2008 Humans may be susceptible to methods of persuasion that play on the emotions and circumvent logic, but computers are another story. Enter a software program that purports to detect "spin" in politicians' speeches by using a complex (albeit man-made) algorithm to hunt for truth-stretching words and phrases. Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )