Dan Atkinson

Big Dig, meet Big Papi? MassDOT is preparing to give a David Ortiz-backed company making mobile electric vehicle chargers a $1M no-bid contract. My latest for @BINJreports horizonmass.news/2024/07/24/the…

This is a tremendous article by @_danatkinson_. Nobody tipped us off to this, it came from going through hundreds of contracts and proposals and looking up who was behind ones that seemed questionable. This is #journalism. We'll see if it makes the 5 o'clock news.

Check out our latest investigation into state contracts ... Commonwealth seeks no-bid contract with #DavidOrtiz -tied #EV charger company. Read the full article by @_danatkinson_ ... #mapoli #electricvehicles #RedSox #Boston #MassDOT horizonmass.news/2024/07/24/the…

Hey everyone did you see our big #MBTA scoop this week? They spent millions studying train safety and won't show the public the reports. And they will keep them secret unless you cause an uproar ... horizonmass.news/2024/07/15/lac… #publictransit #investigativereporting #bospoli

NEFAC Executive Director Justin Silverman recently spoke to Dan Atkinson at @BINJreports about the lack of transparency within the MBTA.

For @BINJreports: The #MBTA spent $3M on workforce and safety studies, but won't release them for fear of 'setting unclear or incomplete expectations for the media and public.' horizonmass.news/2024/07/15/lac…

The MBTA spent millions of dollars commissioning multiple safety studies, and now they won't show them to the media or public. GEE, I WONDER WHAT THAT MEANS!?! The latest from @BINJreports and @_danatkinson_ #publictransit #transparency horizonmass.news/2024/07/15/lac…

Big news from the #MBTA today about its new fare system, but there are still big questions about equity/bias issues in fare collection horizonmass.news/2024/01/22/far… and what this will really cost the T (and how much will go to private equity firms) @BINJreports horizonmass.news/2024/06/18/the…

This is a bad one. A very, very bad one ... horizonmass.news/2024/06/18/the… #mbta #mbtafail #redline #orangeline #blueline #greenline #Boston

'We can’t get folks on Beacon Hill to wake up and pay attention to this project,” an advocate told me. It's a complex story, but people need to pay attention. Thanks to @StreetsBoston @PubInterest @amprog for insight. horizonmass.news/2024/06/18/the…

And now that private equity is involved, we have even less info. But we do know the T has paid nearly a billion dollars for a system that won't be fully ready for another two years - and that the people they're paying are turning around and hiring lobbyists to work Beacon Hill

The #MBTA is eager to tout a new fare system coming online this summer - they're less eager to talk about whether delays will cost them daily six-figure payments to private equity lenders. My latest for @BINJreports horizonmass.news/2024/06/18/the…

Thanks to the @EFF for helping get the word out about our ongoing @BINJreports investigation by @_danatkinson_ into cell site simulators and other #surveillance tools. eff.org/deeplinks/2024… #mapoli #massachusettsstatepolice

“Facial recognition still gets things wrong, especially in reference to Black men and women,” EFF’s @MGuariglia told @HorizonMass, and “police around the country have demonstrated they can’t be trusted to do follow-up investigations.” horizonmass.news/2024/05/20/fac…

- despite it being shown to racially discriminate and misidentify people. Thanks to @JamieEldridgeMA , @digitalfourth, @EFF and @ACLU_Mass for insights, read the full report at @HorizonMass horizonmass.news/2024/05/20/fac…

Security promises to never use the tech, but civil liberties experts are skeptical: "Any technology that is adopted, you have to assume it is going to be exploited.” And currently, Mass. police are using the tech to investigate fraud and financial crimes -

New for @BINJreports: While #mapoli legislators are looking to restrict the use of facial recognition, their own security system at the State House is getting an upgrade with the technology horizonmass.news/2024/05/20/fac…

“This is the clearest picture that we’ve gotten of how cell-site simulators are operated, installed, and sold to police in years,” EFF’s @CooperQ told @HorizonMass. “There absolutely needs to be case law requiring a warrant for a simulator.” horizonmass.news/2024/04/03/fea…

@just_steve_h @Fara1 @BINJreports And here's a look from 2022 about how Boston officials went around a surveillance transparency ordinance to get more ShotSpotter tech: binjonline.com/2022/12/13/ear…

@Fara1 @BINJreports @_danatkinson_ Thanks for the reminders! Everyone should read these.

I have some thoughts on #media and coverage of #surveillance in particular, but I'll start with what's new - @BINJreports just published a follow-up to the @_danatkinson_ piece on #Massachusetts State Police buying a #stingray aka #cellsitesimulator ... horizonmass.news/2024/04/03/fea…