tech
What the Hell is Blockchain, and Why Won’t Men Stop Telling Me About it?
You’ve heard about it on dates. You’ve read about it on Tinder profiles. You’ve seen it emblazoned on startup t-shirts worn at 21st Amendment.
“Blockchain.”
How to Use Tech for Activism
Our Tech Column was made possible by the fine folks at Mozilla Firefox. The nonprofit Mozilla Foundation believes the Internet must always remain a global public resource that is open and accessible to all. And that’s why we love Firefox as our browser, and you should too. It’s also why we’re
This New Literary Magazine is a Gift to the People of San Francisco
I’ve got some awesome news! We received a grant from the Civic Joy Fund to put out a literary magazine celebrating SF and acting to counter the stupid “Doom Loop” narrative. It’s a gift to the people of San Francisco. And after months of working on this project it’s now available
How to Stay Safe Online, Even if You’re Broke
Staying safe in the real world can be a hassle. Installing a home security network? Expensive. Training a guard dog? Time-consuming. Hiding your wallet in an under-the-pants fanny pack? Sweaty. Luckily, staying safe online is more manageable. In fighting back against hackers, viruses, and online trackers, here are some of the easiest, cheapest ways to protect you and your data when using the Internet.
Which Popular Gadgets Have The Riskiest Security Flaws
Our Tech Column was made possible by the fine folks at Mozilla Firefox. The nonprofit Mozilla Foundation believes the Internet must always remain a global public resource that is open and accessible to all. And that’s why we love Firefox as our browser, and you should too. The dirty little secret
Why I Miss Life Before Smartphones
I remember getting my first smartphone in 2008. It was a Blackberry, and I was so excited that I’d be able to take care of emails on the go. I was researching my book, “Broke-Ass Stuart’s Guide to Living Cheaply in New York,” at the time and was on the go all day and night. The idea of being able to handle things without being in front of the computer seemed amazing.
How Billionaires, Corporations, and the Government are Battling for Your Private Data
2018 was a rough year for people who use the Internet, as distinguished from the bots that now account for a majority of online traffic, or the corporate behemoths that continue to monetize us. One bright spot, however, offers reasons for cautious optimism. Facebook, in particular, has screwed the user privacy pooch so many times that mounting global public outrage at Silicon Valley’s corporate carelessness is finally forcing policymakers to pay attention and consider potential interventions.
Note to Tech Industry: Try Asking “Should We do This?”
The tech ideal of “move fast and break things” is cute until really important things, like access to housing, healthcare and a job, are broken.
How Tech Companies are Responding to California Fires
As many know, some of the world’s biggest tech companies call San Francisco, the Bay Area, and Silicon Valley their home. Locals have had a hell of a time getting those companies to put us, their neighbors, ahead of company shareholder goals. Uber adding over 6,000 cars to our streets daily, Twitter opposing the business tax for homeless, overpaid employees driving up rents and worsening the divide…you get the picture. It hasn’t been a pretty one.