Digital Life

The Department of Homeland Security detected "anomalous activity" consistent with cellular site simulators such as the StingRay II.

Feds Say They've Detected Apparent Rogue Spy Devices In D.C.

4:57pm April 04, 2018

by Merrit Kennedy

This is believed to be the first time the U.S. government has publicly acknowledged the apparent devices in the capital. The agency warned that they could be used by hackers, criminals and spies.

As of Monday, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms had said the city hadn't decided whether it will pay the cyberattackers.

Time Is Running Out For Atlanta In Ransomware Attack

6:55pm March 28, 2018

by Vanessa Romo

The deadline to pay off the hackers who have crippled many of the city's online services is fast approaching. It's uncertain whether the city will pay to save its data; it may even be too late.

Major credit card companies say they are phasing out signature requirements starting in April.

Economy

No Need To Sign On Dotted Line: Credit Cards Are Phasing Out Signatures

2:33pm March 28, 2018

by Merrit Kennedy

Mastercard, Discover, American Express and Visa have all announced that they are limiting policies requiring you to make your mark. They say advances in technology make fraud less likely.

Whistleblower Christopher Wylie alleges that the campaign for Britain to leave the EU cheated in the referendum in 2016.

'They Don't Care': Whistleblower Says Cambridge Analytica Aims To Undermine Democracy

4:25pm March 27, 2018

by Merrit Kennedy

"Donald Trump makes it click in your head that this actually has a much wider impact," former Cambridge Analytica employee Christopher Wylie said of Trump's election and the misuse of data.

National

How Facebook Users Are Responding To The Cambridge Analytica Scandal

4:37pm March 26, 2018

Listeners tell NPR what changes — if any — they are making to how they use Facebook. This comes after news that the political data-mining firm Cambridge Analytica used the 50 million users' data.

Queue Listen Now

Apps that deliver birth control pills in the mail help provide a service in "contraception deserts," where the local clinic may be miles away.

Birth Control Apps Find A Big Market In 'Contraception Deserts'

2:14pm March 26, 2018

For some U.S. women who buy hormonal contraception via an app, it's all about convenience — birth control pills in the mail, without an office visit. But in Texas there's much more to it.

Queue Listen Now

World News

In Some Places, Deleting Facebook Would Mean Erasing Opportunity

7:16am March 25, 2018

by Diaa Hadid

Facebook is heavily used in Pakistan among the middle class. WhatsApp and Twitter are popular too. But Facebook has played a key role in Pakistan in gathering people for political and cultural movements of all stripes.

How Does Cambridge Analytica Flap Compare With Obama's Campaign Tactics?

7:16am March 25, 2018

NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro talks with Betsy Hoover, the online organizing director for Barack Obama's 2012 presidential campaign. Conservatives have drawn parallels between the work of Cambridge Analytica to the data operation of the Obama campaign.

National

In Good Facebook News, This Woman Got Her Wallet Back After 50 Years

8:24am March 24, 2018

A woman got a message from a stranger who found her wallet — almost 50 years after it was stolen. A construction worker renovating the store where the wallet went missing got in touch via Messenger.

This video is our guide to finding that balance: limiting screen time and getting the most benefit from it.

What You Need To Know About Kids' Screen Time Right Now

6:00am March 24, 2018

by Anya Kamenetz

There's so much information — and anxiety — out there about how much time your kids should spend using devices. Here's our video guide to balancing the need for limits with the potential benefits.