“Our preliminary findings reveal serious concerns about the impact of differential privacy as currently envisioned by the Bureau on our communities’ ability to attain our fair share of political power,” said the report by the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, also known as MALDEF, and Asian Americans Advancing Justice’ AAJC.
The report is the latest warning about the Census Bureau’s introduction of deliberate errors to protect privacy into the 2020 census data that will be used for redistricting later this year.
Differential privacy adds mathematical “noise,” or errors, to the data to obscure any given individual’s identity while still providing statistically valid information. Bureau officials said the change is needed to prevent data miners from matching individuals to confidential details that have been anonymized in the massive data release expected as early as August. It will be applied to race, age and other demographic information in geographic areas within each state.
Since it was first proposed three years ago, the methodology has been criticized by redistricting experts and demographers who fear it will create inaccurate data.
Continue reading your story on the app
Continue reading your story in the magazine
A Bear Market May Be on the Horizon. Here's What That Means
Investors on Wall Street need a place to hide.
PARK OUTDOORS: FORD RECALLS SUVS DUE TO ENGINE FIRE RISK
Ford is asking the owners of 350,000 vehicles in to take them to dealers for repairs in three recalls, including about 39,000 that should be parked outdoors because the engines can catch fire.
ARGO TOUTS DRIVERLESS OPERATIONS IN MIAMI AND AUSTIN, TEXAS
An autonomous vehicle technology company that partners with Ford and Volkswagen says it has started driverless operations in two of eight cities where it is developing its technology.
‘TWITTER PHILANTHROPY' REVEALS CHASMS IN SOCIAL SAFETY NET
Single father Billy Price was already struggling to make ends meet before someone broke into his Michigan storage unit, stole his identity and ruined his credit.
DUSTY DEMISE FOR NASA MARS LANDER IN JULY; POWER DWINDLING
A NASA spacecraft on Mars is headed for a dusty demise.
GOOGLE'S RUSSIAN BUSINESS PLANS TO FILE FOR BANKRUPTCY
Google says its Russian subsidiary is planning to file for bankruptcy because it can’t pay staff and suppliers.
NY AGENCY FILES DISCRIMINATION COMPLAINT AGAINST AMAZON
A state agency in New York has filed an administrative complaint against Amazon, alleging the e-commerce giant discriminated against pregnant and disabled workers by denying them “reasonable accommodations” and forcing them to take unpaid leave, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced this week.
CONGRESS DIVES INTO UFOS, BUT NO SIGNS OF EXTRATERRESTRIALS
Congress held its first hearing in half a century on unidentified flying objects. And no, there is still no government confirmation of extraterrestrial life.
CONSUMERS SHIFT AGAIN, FLUMMOXING BIG RETAILERS LIKE TARGET
The pandemic vastly changed the way Americans spend money and now as they return to pre-pandemic behavior, they’re tripping up retailers again.
HARLEY-DAVIDSON SUSPENDS PRODUCTION FOR 2 WEEKS, SHARES FALL
Harley-Davidson announced a two-week suspension of vehicle assembly and most shipments, citing a regulatory compliance issue with one of its suppliers.
11 Insanely Corrupt Speed-Trap Towns
CAUGHT STEALING FROM MOTORISTS, THESE TOWNS DISBANDED THEIR POLICE FORCES OR EVEN DISBANDED THEIR GOVERNMENTS ALTOGETHER.
Natural Resources
Gulf Shores invests in its greatest asset: the environment.
This Florida Drug Smuggler Escaped 7 Life Sentences—Twice
Dickie Lynn’s story shows how the drug war warped the Criminal Justice System.
The man who built the foundation
Perkins will always be remembered for ending the dark era
List of needs no longer imposing
With the regular season rapidly winding down, the needs of this team moving forward are pretty obvious, aren’t they?
Lowe Mill Arts
An Art Pilgrimage in Huntsville, Alabama
Salvation Through Dictation
Charlotte attorney—who can’t type—has first novel published 61 years after stroke at birth
Flo Milli Is Only Going Up From Here
The rising rapper from Mobile, Alabama, spins rhymes that sound like schoolyard taunts.
2020 Draft Profiles: Tua Tagovailoa
Round: 1 (5th overall) • Position: QB • Ht.: 6-0 • Wt.: 217 • College: Alabama
Alabama Wilson and the Zombies of the Crawling Brain
Alabama Wilson has rocked the scientific world with an amazing discovery.