Benjamin Powers

Benjamin is a technology journalist. He writes about AI, privacy, algorithms, grifts, and tech platforms. His work has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, Rolling Stone, New Republic, and Pacific Standard, among others.

Science

Best Password Managers 2019 Edition: The Best Free and Premium Options

Have you installed a password manager yet?

ByBenjamin Powers
Science

FaceApp: Here's What You Really Need to Know

Can what you're uploading be used against you?

ByBenjamin Powers
Science

There Are Google Alternatives: 5 Privacy-Focused Search Engines 2019 Edition

People are more than their data.

ByBenjamin Powers
Science

Amazon Prime Day 2019: Best Tablet Deals, Headphones, and "On-the-Go" Tech

From headphones to tablets, we've got you covered. 

ByBenjamin Powers
Science

Best Video Conferencing: The Best Tools for Protecting Your Privacy in 2019

Move over Slack and Zoom. 

ByBenjamin Powers
Science

Chromecast vs. Fire TV: How to Benefit From the Google-Amazon Peace Treaty

How the détente affects the streaming wars. 

ByBenjamin Powers
Science

Instagram Restrict: How to "Shadowban" Haters With Instagram's New Features

Tools for teens could prove useful for many on the platform.

ByBenjamin Powers
Science

Facebook's Plan to Stop Misleading Health Claims Makes a Crucial Omission

One key area isn't mentioned in the announcement. 

ByBenjamin Powers
Science

The Trump Administration Considers Starting a Global Cybersecurity Disaster

The implications go well beyond the borders of the United States.

ByBenjamin Powers
Science

Facebook's "Supreme Court" Faces Skepticism Amid an Ugly Record of Transparency 

Trust is not one of Facebook's fortes. 

ByBenjamin Powers
Science

Chrissy Teigen's 2 Suggestions for Twitter Would Make It 100 Percent Better

Teigen should really be Twitter's CTO at this point

ByBenjamin Powers
Science

YouTube Recommendations: New Features Shed Light on What You're Watching

YouTube's at least trying to clean up its algorithm.

ByBenjamin Powers
Science

FTC: This Is the Most Important Thing to Avoid When You Get a Robocall

This one action could save you a lot of pain.

ByBenjamin Powers
Science

Instagram Chief Still Talking About Bringing a Defining Feature "Private" 

Instagram's recipe for countering toxicity keeps returning to one key change.

ByBenjamin Powers
Science

Bitcoin Tops $12K: Three Reasons It Is Primed to Keep Rising

The tide on bitcoin's price has turned.

ByBenjamin Powers
Science

Bitcoin Halving 2020: Thinking About Buying Bitcoin? It's About to Get More Expensive

Why halving could cause another spike. 

ByBenjamin Powers
Science

The 5 Best Browsers for Protecting Your Privacy, 2019 Edition

Keep your privacy private with these five trusted browsers.

ByBenjamin Powers
Science

Google Doodle: The Summer Season Can Wreak Havoc on Your Tech

The summer heat can be too hot for your phone to handle.

ByBenjamin Powers
Science

Google Calendar Down: Outage Map, Timeline, When It Will Be Restored

You're free, be free!

ByBenjamin Powers
Science

Study From Facebook: The Depressing Subtext to Facebook's User Research App

Study from Facebook offers more privacy protections but perpetuates the status quo.

ByBenjamin Powers