Politics

Exclusive: Read Julian Assange’s Introduction to The Wikileaks Files

This essay by Julian Assange is taken from the introduction to The Wikileaks Files: The World According to the US Empire, a collection analyzing how Wikileaks’ release of US diplomatic cables impacted foreign policy. One day, a monk and two novices found a heavy stone in their path. “We will throw it away,” said the…

Tech News Julian Assange

There’s a Hidden Conveyor Belt Under the Capitol That Was Just for Moving Books

Most people who work in the U.S. Capitol don’t know about the 100-year-old book conveyor tunnel underneath them that used to connect the building to the Library of Congress. It’s long since abandoned, but it’s still down there. Before the separate library was finished in 1897, books had been kept in the Capitol itself, and…

Books & Comics Elliot Carter

Google Ordered to Remove Links to Stories About Google Removing Links to Stories

Europe’s “Right to be forgotten” laws have come to an apex of dumb: The UK’s Information Commissioner’s office has ordered Google to remove links to stories about Google removing links to stories. My brain hurts. Google has 33 days to take down links to stories about a previous “Right to be forgotten” order. Last year,…

Tech News Kate Knibbs

How The Hugo Awards Saboteurs Actually Disproved Their Own Best Argument

The people who stuffed the ballot at this year’s Hugo Awards nominations have made a number of arguments in favor of their actions. We shared some of those with you a while back. But there’s one argument that the Hugo saboteurs keep making which seems especially strong—except they already disproved it. In case you’re one…

io9 Charlie Jane Anders

Could Google Decide the Next Election With Its Search Algorithm?

We trust Google not to be evil, but new evidence published by prominent psychologist Robert Epstein suggests that if it wanted to, Google could undermine democracy–simply by tweaking its search algorithm. In an article on Politico Epstein describes the findings, published today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Along with his colleague…

Tech News Mario Aguilar

Jeb! Bush Thinks We Haven’t Given the NSA Enough Power to Spy on Us

He’s trailing an openly misogynistic troll doll in the polls, but Jeb Bush has outdone his opponents in the “slavish praise for the government’s surveillance apparatus” department. Bush thinks we need more NSA surveillance, not less. “There’s a place to find common ground between personal civil liberties and NSA doing its job,” Jeb! said at…

Privacy & Security Kate Knibbs

The U.S. Won’t Give Up Control of the Internet Quite Yet

The world welcomed news that the United States would finally cede control of the internet address system this fall. You know… because the American government was spying on everyone and stuff. However, Uncle Sam just announced that he needs a little more time. Like maybe three years. The Commerce Department announced in a blog post…

Tech News Adam Clark Estes

Uh, Did Chris Christie Forget About the Time He Deleted Bridgegate Text Messages?

Ah, 2013. A simpler time. Donald Trump was still an orange reality show host! It seems like so long ago. And apparently it was long ago enough that New Jersey governor and ardent Springsteen stan Chris Christie doesn’t remember the details of his worst political scandal. Christie recently compared himself to democratic presidential frontrunner Hillary…

Tech News Kate Knibbs

What the Oval Office Looks Like Empty

The Oval Office has a very pretty floor! You’d never know it based on most photos of the White House’s most famous non-square-shaped room, but the president spends his days walking on a Reagan-era design. It’s a heck of an improvement over the wood-grain linoleum of the Johnson years. The rare photo above was taken…

Tech News Adam Clark Estes

The Dumbest Pro-Russia Hoax on the Internet

David L. Stern is a freelance writer based in Kiev, Ukraine. He’s also, if you believe several Russian media outlets, a covert CIA agent who helped orchestrate a conspiracy to shoot down an airplane and blame Russia. What a busy fellow! The accusation is a whopper: When Malaysian Airlines Flight 17 went down over eastern…

Tech News Kate Knibbs

The U.S. Embassy in Havana Is a Perfect Metaphor for American Diplomacy

John Kerry watched a soldier hoist the American flag over the United States Embassy in Havana on Friday morning. He’s the first secretary of state to visit the land of Castro, communism, and cigars in 70 years. The embassy itself, an acclaimed example of midcentury modern architecture, has been rotting for just as long. In…

Tech News Adam Clark Estes

Spooks Keep Finding Classified Information in Hillary’s Private Emails

Hillary Clinton’s email scandal isn’t going away any time soon. The Associated Press is now reporting that the intelligence community found classified information in two of the 40 randomly selected emails from the 30,000 that Clinton handed over to investigators. Think about those numbers. Two screw ups is not necessarily a career-ending revelation. The content…

Privacy & Security Adam Clark Estes

Chelsea Manning Faces Solitary Confinement For Having A Copy of Vanity Fair

Chelsea Manning, the US army soldier who leaked classified documents to Wikileaks, is looking at “indefinite” solitary confinement for infractions that include possessing a copy of the Caitlyn Jenner Vanity Fair magazine and using an expired tube of toothpaste. Former intelligence analyst Manning is serving out a 35-year prison sentence at Fort Leavenworth for espionage…

Tech News Kaila Hale-Stern

And Now, a Tweet From the White House’s Official Iran Deal Twitter Account

It’s rare to see a Twitter exchange where the use of “memetacular” is the least upsetting part but here we are. The memes have won.

Tech News Kate Knibbs

Nope, You Can’t Learn About Climate Change in Georgia Schools

Georgia Tech paleoclimate scientist Kim Cobb made a disturbing discovery when she saw her 8 year-old daughter’s state-issued science textbook. In the section on Earth science, there was no mention of climate change whatsoever — despite the fact that studies conducted by state scientists show the state is vulnerable to climate change (see image above).…

Climate Change Annalee Newitz

Donald Trump Won’t Be Our Next President Because He Doesn’t Have a Beard

Donald Trump will not be our next president. Neither will Bernie Sanders, Jeb Bush, nor Hillary Clinton. How can I say this with such confidence? Because none of these people have beards. And that was supposed to be the style for US presidents by now. At least according to one random magazine from 1966. The…

Tech News Matt Novak

A List of People Clinton Should Ask for Advice About Her Email Scandal

Hillary Clinton initially brushed off critics of her decision to use a private email server by saying it was more convenient. But now her “convenience” is derailing her presidential campaign. Yesterday, the former Secretary of State and current Democratic frontrunner agreed to turn over her personal server to the Department of Justice. Exactly how much…

Privacy & Security Kate Knibbs

This Could Seriously Be The Greatest Political Campaign Ad Of All Time

American politicians, you’d better step up your game. This campaign ad from Canadian politician Wyatt Scott—featuring dragons, giant geese, robots, laser eyes and much, much more—is the new gold standard in campaign advertising.

io9 Charlie Jane Anders

The First Digital Liberties Presidential Candidate in History

Lawrence Lessig is perhaps best known as the digital liberties attorney who transformed copyright rules with Creative Commons, a nonprofit that promotes non-exclusive, internet-friendly copyrights. But now he’s a government reformer. And he’s decided to run for president. Of course the road to candidacy is long and difficult. Though Lessig wants to run as a…

Tech News Annalee Newitz

The Most Enlightening Explanations of Cyberwalls From Twitter

During the debate this evening, presidential hopeful (and former HP executive) Carly Fiorina surprised us all by asking that we “tear down that cyberwall.” Especially Russian and Chinese cyberwalls. WTF? Fiorina’s response came after a bizarre question about how terrorists “hide behind cyberwalls.” Immediately, Twitter seized upon the new meme. It was especially exciting for…

Tech News Annalee Newitz

Exclusive: Read Julian Assange’s Introduction to The Wikileaks Files

There’s a Hidden Conveyor Belt Under the Capitol That Was Just for Moving Books

Google Ordered to Remove Links to Stories About Google Removing Links to Stories

How The Hugo Awards Saboteurs Actually Disproved Their Own Best Argument

Could Google Decide the Next Election With Its Search Algorithm?

Jeb! Bush Thinks We Haven’t Given the NSA Enough Power to Spy on Us

The U.S. Won’t Give Up Control of the Internet Quite Yet

Uh, Did Chris Christie Forget About the Time He Deleted Bridgegate Text Messages?

What the Oval Office Looks Like Empty

The Dumbest Pro-Russia Hoax on the Internet

The U.S. Embassy in Havana Is a Perfect Metaphor for American Diplomacy

Spooks Keep Finding Classified Information in Hillary’s Private Emails

Chelsea Manning Faces Solitary Confinement For Having A Copy of Vanity Fair

And Now, a Tweet From the White House’s Official Iran Deal Twitter Account

Nope, You Can’t Learn About Climate Change in Georgia Schools

Donald Trump Won’t Be Our Next President Because He Doesn’t Have a Beard

A List of People Clinton Should Ask for Advice About Her Email Scandal

This Could Seriously Be The Greatest Political Campaign Ad Of All Time

The First Digital Liberties Presidential Candidate in History

The Most Enlightening Explanations of Cyberwalls From Twitter

Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic Comes Down $130 Amid a 2025 Smartwatch Lineup Clearout on Amazon

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Doctors Struggle to Spot AI-Generated X-Rays, Raising Scam Risks

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The Ikea Varmblixt Smart Lamp Fills a Donut Hole in My Life

Nothing Headphone A vs. Headphone 1: Which Pair of ANC Wireless Headphones Wins?

Asus ROG’s Cetra Open Wireless Gaming Earbuds Might Be Better Than Wearing a Headset

Nintendo’s Talking Flower Is Annoying as Hell. I Love It

Level Lock Pro Review: As Good as a Secret Smart Lock Gets

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