Amazon Markets Surveillance Technology to Law Enforcement
Amazon, one of many tech companies that have called for reform of government surveillance, is selling facial recognition services to cops.
Big Data
Does Big Data Belong in Courtrooms?
The criminal justice system has been using predictive algorithms for decades, but research shows even the best algorithms are no better than humans at predicting recidivism—and neither are very good.
Alexander Peysakhovich's Theory on Artificial Intelligence
Peysakhovich's interdisciplinary work is driven by his deep interest in understanding decision-making—both human and machine.
Big Data’s Impending Struggle to Combat Climate Change
Saving the planet and addressing climate change now hinges on a massive data puzzle.
Is the Stock Market Sexist?
Inherent market bias is one of the factors keeping women off corporate boards—until someone has to take the fall. Welcome to the Glass Cliff.
Welcome to the Glass Cliff
An early look at a Pacific Standard story that's currently only available to subscribers.
Glitch in the Machine
The government unleashed Big Data to shut down Medicare fraud. Why isn't it working?
How to Scam Medicare in Four Easy Steps!
An early look at a Pacific Standard story that's currently only available to subscribers.
The $60 Billion in Missing Medicare Funds
Introducing the January/February 2016 print issue of Pacific Standard.
More Than Just the Numbers
When we treat people as collections of statistics, we ignore important aspects of their humanity.
The Future of Work: Stop the Stealing and Pay Us for Our Online Data
The latest entry in a special project in which business and labor leaders, social scientists, technology visionaries, activists, and journalists weigh in on the most consequential changes in the workplace.
When Big Data Becomes Bad Data
Corporations are increasingly relying on algorithms to make business decisions, and that raises new legal questions.
The Tiger Mom Tax
Asians are nearly twice as likely to get a higher price from the Princeton Review's SAT test prep services.
How Social Media Can Help Natural-Disaster Victims
It's a lot of information overload, but there's some useful stuff in there too.
Your Cell Phone Data Shows How Much You Hang Out With Friends
Even in this Internet age, it's a lot.
The Ethical Risks of Detecting Disease Outbreaks With Big Data
The stakes of the analysis are much higher when lives are on the line.
Survive and Thrive: How Big Data Is Transforming Health Care, Part I
It's becoming easier to track health data for our own casual use. But for some people—like Ph.D student Maria Qadri, a Type 1 diabetic—it could have a huge impact on quality of life.
The 30 Top Thinkers Under 30: Vera Katelyn Wilde, 29, Psychology
For the month of April we're profiling the individuals who made our inaugural list of the 30 top thinkers under 30, the young men and women we predict will have a serious impact on the social, political, and economic issues we cover every day here at Pacific Standard.
The 30 Top Thinkers Under 30: Emma Spiro, 29, Sociology
For the month of April we're profiling the individuals who made our inaugural list of the 30 top thinkers under 30, the young men and women we predict will have a serious impact on the social, political, and economic issues we cover every day here at Pacific Standard.
What Lord Byron's Penis Tells Us About the Digital Humanities
The technophobes are missing a central point: It's about community.
Inconclusive Results: Obama's Not-So-Big Data
After the last presidential election, wide-eyed pundits hailed a brave new era of political campaigning, crediting Obama's victory to his team's wizardry with data. The hype was premature. Here's what the story of 2012 really means for the future of politics.
Is Quantitative Analysis the Secret to Understanding Culture?
Is quantitative analysis the secret to understanding culture?