Business Day Personal Tech

Is Watching a Movie on a Phone Really So Bad?

By GLENN KENNY

New ways of watching movies have long made film folk antsy. And for many, watching on a phone remains a line in the sand.

Why Do Our Recorded Voices Sound Weird to Us?

By JONAH ENGEL BROMWICH

Many people are unpleasantly surprised when they hear recordings of themselves: Do we really sound like that?

Levi Felix, a Proponent of Disconnecting From Technology, Dies at 32

By CHRISTOPHER MELE

Mr. Felix championed the virtues of unplugging from smartphones and co-founded Digital Detox retreats and camps to help people reconnect in real life.

N.S.A. Gets More Latitude to Share Intercepted Communications

By CHARLIE SAVAGE

New rules relax longstanding limits on what the National Security Agency may do with the information gathered by its most powerful surveillance operations.

State of the Art

How Netflix Is Deepening Our Cultural Echo Chambers

By FARHAD MANJOO

There was a lot to criticize about broadcast TV, but it brought the nation together. Streaming services are doing the opposite.

Op-Ed Columnist

Online and Scared

By THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN

A critical mass of our interactions has moved to a realm where we’re all connected but no one’s in charge.

Facebook, Nodding to Its Role in Media, Starts a Journalism Project

By MIKE ISAAC

The effort calls for, among other things, the company to forge deeper ties with news organizations by collaborating on publishing tools and features before they are released.

More Ads to Appear on Instagram, Now on ‘Stories’ Feature

By SAPNA MAHESHWARI

The free app, which Facebook owns, is offering another vehicle to advertisers, who since late 2015 have been buying space on its original photo feed.

Facebook’s Safety Check, Now Automated, Turns a Firecracker Into an Explosion

By DANIEL VICTOR

The social network automatically linked to a bogus article about an “explosion” in Thailand and appeared to conflate it with a 2015 bombing.

Bid for Access to Amazon Echo Audio in Murder Case Raises Privacy Concerns

By CHRISTOPHER MELE

Arkansas investigators are seeking access to what may have been recorded on the electronic personal assistant.

Entrepreneurship

The Restless Quest for a Good Night’s Sleep

By CONSTANCE GUSTKE

Entrepreneurs are applying technology to the age-old problem of insomnia, some of it caused in recent times by an overabundance of technology.

State of the Art

For Millions of Immigrants, a Common Language: WhatsApp

By FARHAD MANJOO

With the ability to communicate securely and free, the messaging app has become a mainstay for those who have left their homes for the unknown.

On Technology

Finding Inspiration for Art in the Betrayal of Privacy

By JENNA WORTHAM

In their probing, sardonic commentary on Silicon Valley’s broken promises, artists have begun to sound an alarm that we might not be ready to hear.

Skin Deep

An App to Help Black Women With Hair Care

By CRYSTAL MARTIN

The beauty booking program connects black and Hispanic women with salons that know how to care for textured hair.

Facebook Mounts Effort to Limit Tide of Fake News

By MIKE ISAAC

Facebook said on Thursday that it had begun introducing a series of experiments to limit misinformation and false articles on its site.

How Facebook’s Fact-Checking Partnership Will Work

By MIKE ISAAC

A team of about six people will draw on the resources of ABC News to get to the bottom of questionable articles, said James Goldston, the president of ABC News.

Cars Talking to One Another? They Could Under Proposed Safety Rules

By CECILIA KANG

Under the rules, cars would be able to use wireless technology to detect if another vehicle was moving too fast in their direction and headed for a collision.

Podcast

‘Big Social’ and Facebook’s Moral Core

By WESLEY MORRIS and JENNA WORTHAM

Mike Isaac, a New York Times technology reporter, joins to talk about Facebook’s decision to comply with Chinese censorship regulations.

The Best New Podcasts of 2016

By AMANDA HESS

Splendid new series, including “2 Dope Queens,” “Bad With Money,” “In the Dark” and “Homecoming,” represent a growing aural landscape.

Children’s Headphones May Carry Risk of Hearing Loss

By CATHERINE SAINT LOUIS

Half of 30 sets of so-called noise-limiting headphones and earbuds tested did not restrict volume as much as their manufacturers promised.

How Loud Are Your Headphones?

By THE NEW YORK TIMES

There are many headphones for sale with different noise levels, but an audiologist helped The Times create a safe experiment with a common model of headphones.

Automated Assistants Will Soon Make a Bid for Your Finances

By NATHANIEL POPPER

Companies are vying to create automated financial assistants that employ artificial intelligence; one was directly inspired by science fiction.

Trying Snap’s Spectacles: Live With the Look, Enjoy the View

By FARHAD MANJOO

Spectacles, the video-recording sunglasses released by the company behind Snapchat, are among the most compelling tech gadgets of recent years.

Skin Deep

‘Instagram Face’: Is It the End of Good Makeup?

By CRYSTAL MARTIN

From selfies for pay to sponsored content, social media has changed the cosmetics game for good.

Insomniacs Are Helped by Online Therapy, Study Finds

By BENEDICT CAREY

The report suggests that many garden-variety insomniacs could benefit from cognitive behavior therapy without ever having to talk to a therapist.

Biggest Spike in Traffic Deaths in 50 Years? Blame Apps

By NEAL E. BOUDETTE

Highway deaths have surged in the last two years, and experts put much of the blame on in-car use of smartphones and dashboard apps.

On Technology

Is Social Media Disconnecting Us From the Big Picture?

By JENNA WORTHAM

We’ve heard about its power to help us empathize with others. But what if, instead, it’s just cocooning us with our friends?

This Life

When Tech Is a Problem Child

By BRUCE FEILER

How parents fight back against their kids’ obsession with smartphones and social media.

Should You Spy on Your Kids?

By NICK WINGFIELD

Using smartphones to track family members can be reassuring, but it can open the door to a surveillance state in the home.

Why Netflix Lets Movie Lovers Down, and What to Do About It

By GLENN KENNY

Sure, there’s choice via streaming. But, really, how much?

Strategy

How to Deal With Digital Distractions

By QUENTIN HARDY

Some students can tweet and take a test, some can’t. Know thyself.

Tech Fix

The Definitive Guide to Cord-Cutting in 2016, Based on Your Habits

By BRIAN X. CHEN

We teamed up with The Wirecutter to come up with cord-cutter bundles for movie buffs, sports addicts, fans of premium TV shows, binge watchers and families with children.

A Field Guide to Civilian Drones

By NICK WINGFIELD

As consumer and commercial drones increase in popularity, the government is taking more steps to address safety concerns and regulate the aerial vehicles.