Recommended Reading: Painful memories the algorithms won't let you forget

I called off my wedding. The internet will never forget

Lauren Goode, Wired

Wired senior writer Lauren Goode canceled her wedding in 2019, but the algorithms that power apps like Facebook, Pinterest and Timehop still serve up marriage-related material. Goode tells her story, one we can all relate to in some form, by reminding us that even the photo apps on our phones are using memories "to boost engagement and make a buck off nostalgia." And they don't care if that memory is happy or painful. 

Surveillance nation

Ryan Mac, Caroline Haskins, Brianna Sacks, Logan McDonald; BuzzFeed

In an investigation into the use of Clearview AI, Buzzfeed discovered over 1,800 publicly-funded agencies and over 7,000 individuals have used the facial recognition tech "with little to no public oversight." Those entities include law enforcement, ICE, state attorneys general, public schools and more. 

Kati Kariko helped shield the world from the coronavirus

Gina Kolata, The New York Times

Meet the scientist who dedicated her life to mRNA research. After decades of struggling to get her work noticed, she ended up playing a major role in the development of the Moderna and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines. Kariko's research also has the potential to create life-changing treatments for HIV and malaria.