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Behavior : All Tech Considered Tracking how technology — from the simplest tools like pencils, to the most advanced artificial intelligence — is affecting and changing our individual habits, but also group behavior and society.
All Tech Considered

All Tech Considered

Tech, Culture and Connection

Behavior

Friday

Will Using Artificial Intelligence To Make Loans Trade One Kind Of Bias For Another?

Digital lenders are pulling in all kinds of data, like purchases, SAT scores and public records. TCmake_photo/iStockphoto hide caption

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TCmake_photo/iStockphoto

Behavior

Will Using Artificial Intelligence To Make Loans Trade One Kind Of Bias For Another?

WSHU

The next loan you get may depend less on your credit score and more on what a program thinks of your habits. Digital lenders say the process will be more fair, but others worry about unintended bias.

Will Using Artificial Intelligence To Make Loans Trade One Kind Of Bias For Another?

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Monday

'Irresistible' By Design: It's No Accident You Can't Stop Looking At The Screen
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Behavior

'Irresistible' By Design: It's No Accident You Can't Stop Looking At The Screen

Fresh Air

Technology is designed to be addictive, offering gratification that's similar to that of drug abuse or gambling. Author Adam Alter says a new frontier could soon provide another escape from reality.

'Irresistible' By Design: It's No Accident You Can't Stop Looking At The Screen

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Friday

'It Has To Have A Soul': How Chatbots Get Their Personalities

These days, talking to a bot is commonplace. Think Siri, or your chatty banking app. But you wouldn't talk to your toaster like you talk to a friend — unless your toaster had a great sense of humor. RYGERSZEM/Getty Images/iStockphoto hide caption

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RYGERSZEM/Getty Images/iStockphoto

Behavior

'It Has To Have A Soul': How Chatbots Get Their Personalities

These days, talking to a bot is commonplace: think Siri, or your chatty banking app. But you wouldn't talk to your toaster like you talk to a friend — unless your toaster had a great sense of humor.

Wednesday

Monday

'Never Trust Magic': Tips From An IT Guy

Michael Czaplinski has been unveiling the magic of computers for more than a quarter century. Raquel Zaldivar/NPR hide caption

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Raquel Zaldivar/NPR

Behavior

'Never Trust Magic': Tips From An IT Guy

Sometimes, fixing the computer problem is much less challenging than fixing the user.

'Never Trust Magic': Tips From An IT Guy

Listen · 3:47
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Wednesday

Saturday

At This English Bar, An Old-School Solution To Rude Cellphones
Liam Norris/Getty Images/Cultura Exclusive

Behavior

At This English Bar, An Old-School Solution To Rude Cellphones

A new bar in Sussex has lined its walls with foil to block phone signals. The owner, inspired by the Faraday cage, hopes people will talk to each other rather than stare at their smartphones.

At This English Bar, An Old-School Solution To Rude Cellphones

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Thursday

Managing Your News Intake In The Age Of Endless Phone Notifications
Oliver Byunggyu Woo/Getty Images/EyeEm Premium

Behavior

Managing Your News Intake In The Age Of Endless Phone Notifications

This summer, it has felt like the terrible news just won't stop. A digital journalism expert at Columbia University offers advice for dealing with the barrage of news updates flowing to our screens.

Managing Your News Intake In The Age Of Endless Phone Notifications

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Tuesday

Behavior

Can Big Data Help Head Off Police Misconduct?

An officer who has been under stress after responding to cases of domestic abuse or suicide may be at higher risk of a negative interaction with the public, a data scientist says.

Can Big Data Help Head Off Police Misconduct?

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Tuesday

Lock Screen: At These Music Shows, Phones Go In A Pouch And Don't Come Out

Concertgoers use their cellphones during a Fifth Harmony concert March 23, 2015, in New York. The company Yondr created a locking pouch to hold phones during performances, creating a "phone-free zone." Theo Wargo/Getty Images hide caption

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Theo Wargo/Getty Images

Gadgets & Apps

Lock Screen: At These Music Shows, Phones Go In A Pouch And Don't Come Out

The Lumineers are among many artists frustrated by people on their mobile devices during performances. Their singer explains why they're asking fans to lock up their phones with a new technology.

Lock Screen: At These Music Shows, Phones Go In A Pouch And Don't Come Out

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Saturday

Thursday

Clash Of The Screens: Should Movie Theaters Allow Texting? AMC Says Maybe

Should texting be allowed at some movie screenings? Brand New Images/Getty Images hide caption

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Brand New Images/Getty Images

Behavior

Clash Of The Screens: Should Movie Theaters Allow Texting? AMC Says Maybe

The CEO of AMC Entertainment says he is considering allowing texting during some movie showings at AMC Theaters. A good thing? Our pop culture blogger and movie critic weigh in.

Clash Of The Screens: Should Movie Theaters Allow Texting? AMC Says Maybe

Listen · 3:23
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Monday

A Real-Life Tax Scam: This Is What IRS Phone Fraud Sounds Like
Gary Waters/Getty Images/Ikon Images

Behavior

A Real-Life Tax Scam: This Is What IRS Phone Fraud Sounds Like

It's tax season, which also means it's tax scam season. People around the country are getting phone calls from criminals pretending to be tax collectors. Here is one of them.

A Real-Life Tax Scam: This Is What IRS Phone Fraud Sounds Like

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Monday

What Happens When The Online Bully Is A Child With Special Needs

Children with special needs often feel targeted by peers at school. Social media can be a powerful tool to fight back. Martin Dimitrov/Getty Images hide caption

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Martin Dimitrov/Getty Images

Opinion

Behavior

What Happens When The Online Bully Is A Child With Special Needs

A bullying counselor argues that too often, adults expect kids to navigate the Web with wisdom but without much guidance. For a child with special needs, it can be a powerful yet frightening space.

Thursday

'Body Hacking' Movement Rises Ahead Of Moral Answers

Justin Worst, Marlo Webber and Jes Waldrip show off an LED light implant. Grindhouse Wetware calls it the Northstar. Courtesy of Ryan O'Shea hide caption

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Courtesy of Ryan O'Shea

Behavior

'Body Hacking' Movement Rises Ahead Of Moral Answers

In what they say is a quest to create a better human, body hackers implant digital devices into their bodies. Despite ethical and moral concerns, they say they are welcoming an era of transhumanism.

'Body Hacking' Movement Rises Ahead Of Moral Answers

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