As a senior contributor to Chicago Parent and digital platforms like Digitized House, Hillary Bird has redefined how we discuss technology’s role in modern life. Her work sits at the crossroads of:
Bird prioritizes stories that:
Recent recognition from the Family Online Safety Institute (2024) underscores her influence in shaping responsible tech discourse.
Hillary Bird’s career began in local journalism, where she honed her skills in community-focused storytelling. Early roles at outlets like WWTV-TV and MetroParent.com allowed her to explore the intersection of technology and daily life, a theme that would define her later work. Her transition to freelance journalism marked a shift toward in-depth analysis of how emerging technologies reshape human relationships and societal norms.
This 2024 investigative piece for Digitized House dissects the privacy risks embedded in popular smart home technologies. Bird combines interviews with cybersecurity experts, case studies of data breaches, and hands-on testing of devices like voice assistants and IoT security systems. Her analysis reveals how default settings often prioritize corporate data collection over user security, offering actionable steps for consumers to reclaim control. The article’s methodology—testing devices across multiple price points and brands—sets a benchmark for consumer tech journalism.
Bird’s follow-up coverage highlighted legislative responses to these issues, including proposed bills mandating "privacy-by-design" standards. Her work has been cited in policy discussions by advocacy groups like the Electronic Frontier Foundation, underscoring its real-world impact.
Bird consistently explores how technologies actually affect marginalized communities rather than theoretical risks. Successful pitches might examine:
Her Chicago Parent work reveals fascination with how different age groups adopt technologies. A 2023 series contrasted Gen Z’s social media literacy with Baby Boomers’ vulnerability to misinformation, using longitudinal data from family case studies. Pitches could explore tools bridging generational digital divides.
“Bird’s reporting doesn’t just inform—it equips readers to demand better from tech creators.” — Digital Rights Watch Annual Report, 2024
At PressContact, we aim to help you discover the most relevant journalists for your PR efforts. If you're looking to pitch to more journalists who write on Tech, here are some other real estate journalist profiles you may find relevant:
