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investigations


How One Rental Startup Gamed Airbnb (The Information)

Domio was part of a wave of short-term rental startups drafting behind the Airbnb juggernaut. But an investigation shows it has engaged in efforts to flout local rental laws with misleading online identities and other questionable business practices.   
             impact: The CEO and COO resigned following my reporting.
             impact:  Rental Startup Domio Faces Likely Shut Down (And it did, in fact, shut down.)


A Long, Strange Trip for the ‘Uber for Nurses’ (The Information)

Allegations of drug use, lax vetting of nurses and a stumbling business encircle CareRev, a hospital-staffing startup that raised $100 million during the pandemic. 

             impact:  CEO Will Patterson resigned after inquiries from The Information
            impact:  CareRev Plans to Cut Roughly a Third of Staff

The Deadly Toll of Amazon’s Trucking Boom (The Information)

Amazon’s explosive growth is flooding highways with semitrucks carrying cargo for the internet retailer. But a five-month investigation by The Information reveals that those trucks were involved in more than 50 serious crashes over the last three years. And Amazon says it bears no responsibility.
             impact:  This story was an honorable mention at the SABEW’s.


A Hospitality Startup’s Promises Fall Short for Hotel Customers (The Information)Life House told hotels it could help them boost revenues and cut costs, partly through its cutting-edge software. But many of its customers have sought to ditch their contracts with the startup recently after seeing disappointing results.

             impact:  Life House CEO Departs After The Information’s Report on Company



features



When Amazon Comes to Town (The Information)Residents of Milford, Mass., didn’t think twice when the internet retail giant opened a warehouse in town. But then trucks carrying Amazon cargo began choking its roads with traffic, making late night rackets and damaging a local cemetery.


An Asbestos Lawyer’s New Crusade: Suing Social Media Companies (The Information)Matthew Bergman won $900 million for plaintiffs over a 25 year career filing asbestos lawsuits. Now he sues Meta, TikTok and other social media companies, claiming that they’re hooking teenagers on their apps.


From King to Exile to King Again: The Inside Story of Sam Altman’s Whiplash Week (The Information)

For more than a year, OpenAI had been on a glide path to AI dominance—then came 120 hours of self-inflicted chaos that shook an industry.

Mad Moms Stigmatized Drunk Driving. Their Next Target: Social Media (The Information)

A generation ago, a coalition of parents sparked meaningful legislation to combat booze and cars. A new group hopes to accomplish the same thing with social media.


How Blind Became the App Silicon Valley Bosses Love to Hate (The Information) 

Tech execs despise it. The industry's rank-and-file are addicted to it. Blind has become something like a Reddit for workplaces, mixing anonymous nastiness with layoff leaks, confessions about compensation and a bonanza of corporate gossip.


Inside Airbnb’s ‘Guerrilla War’ Against Local Governments (WIRED)

The high-profile unicorn is battling cities from Boston to San Diego over collecting taxes and enforcing zoning rules.

Inside Pioneer: May the Best Silicon Valley Hustler Win (WIRED)

Submit a project. Rack up points by completing quests. Post weekly updates. This is tech culture distilled into a game—with real consequences.

A FUN FACT



I Helped Uncover QAnon. Failed Prophecies Won’t Kill It (The Information)
          see also, the story i wrote that broke the news of qanon:   (2017; NYMag)