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So Long for Now

BY Nick Judd | Friday, August 2 2013

Today will be my last day at techPresident, and among my last days, for now, in New York City. After taking some time off in August, I plan to begin studies this fall at the University of Chicago. I've been accepted into the university's graduate program in sociology. Read More

First POST: Open to Suggestions

BY Nick Judd | Friday, August 2 2013

Exclusively for Personal Democracy Plus subscribers: What President Barack Obama wants to hear about NSA surveillance; what really sent law enforcement to the home of someone who searched online for "pressure cookers;" and more in today's round-up of news about technology in politics from around the web. Read More

First POST: On the Move

BY Nick Judd | Thursday, August 1 2013

Exclusively for Personal Democracy Plus subscribers: Snowden's on the move; "your" phone might become your actual phone; and more in today's round-up of news about technology in politics from around the web. Read More

What Edward Snowden Could Have Guessed About Bradley Manning's Verdict

BY Nick Judd | Wednesday, July 31 2013

Photo: Ben Sutherland / Flickr

For the one man with the single biggest reason to follow the verdict issued Tuesday in the case of Army Pfc. Bradley Manning, the ruling will offer very little he did not already know. Read More

First POST: Busy Day

BY Nick Judd | Wednesday, July 31 2013

Exclusively for Personal Democracy Plus subscribers: What's being discussed this morning in a Senate committee hearing on NSA surveillance; a new way to understand federal law; and more in today's round-up of news about technology in politics from around the web. Read More

First POST: Judgment Day

BY Nick Judd | Tuesday, July 30 2013

Exclusively for Personal Democracy Plus subscribers: An expected verdict in the Manning trial; new facts may be coming to light about NSA surveillance; and more in today's round-up of news about technology in politics from around the web. Read More

First POST: Premonitions

BY Nick Judd | Monday, July 29 2013

Exclusively for Personal Democracy Plus subscribers: Ron Wyden suddenly makes more sense; White House staffers, guard your passwords; an Instagram for drones; and more in today's round-up of news about technology in politics from around the web. Read More

First POST: Insecurity

BY Nick Judd | Friday, July 26 2013

Exclusively for Personal Democracy Plus subscribers: Criticism of National Security Agency surveillance of Americans gains traction on Capitol Hill; security flaws in Silicon Valley's shiny future threaten personal privacy; and more in today's round-up of news about technology in politics from around the web. Read More

First POST: Awkward

BY Nick Judd | Thursday, July 25 2013

Exclusively for Personal Democracy Plus subscribers: Edward Snowden's itinerary, Rep. Mark Sanford's exercise clothes, Anthony Weiner's social media habits and more in today's round-up of news about technology in politics from around the web. Read More

First POST: Decisions

BY Nick Judd | Wednesday, July 24 2013

Exclusively for Personal Democracy Plus subscribers: Understanding the history behind today's expected, and weighty, vote in Congress on NSA surveillance; the GOP's new "50-state strategy," a la Howard Dean's Democratic Party; and more in today's round-up of news about technology in politics from around the web. Read More

News Briefs

RSS Feed today >

Analyzing Social Network Metadata to Uncover Censorship

If you've entered your email into the MIT Media Lab Immersion platform, you might have some idea of the information that can be gleaned from metadata. The same is true of social networks like Twitter and Facebook. One researcher has found that analysis of social network metadata can reveal wide scale censorship with 85 percent accuracy, without needing to track sensitive keywords.

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tuesday >

For Crimea, Dangerous Memes (And The Listicles to Combat Them)

Could memes be making the situation in Crimea worse?

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Anyone Anywhere (with Internet) Can Look for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370

This morning I helped look for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, and you can, too. (The website seems to be back on its feet after a crash following a surge of visitors.)

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Public Good Software Lands Half A Million In Seed Funding to Bring Data-Driven Campaigning to NonProfits [UPDATED]

A group of former Obama techies want to port their campaign and entrepreneurial experiences to the world of non-profits, and help them to operate better. GO

monday >

More Fodder For Social Media Activism Pessimists

A recent study of the Save Darfur Facebook campaign found that the massive participation online gave the “illusion of activism rather than facilitating the real thing.” More evidence, if it was needed, that the “revolution will not be tweeted.”

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friday >

For Millennials, Institutions Are Out, Selfies, Social Networks and Diversity Are In

A Pew survey released Friday highlights that young Americans are noticeably detached from traditional institutions such as political parties, organized religion and marriage even as they are increasingly connected with their peers through online social networks. GO

Snowden EU Testimony Renews Calls to Grant Asylum

On Monday, Edward Snowden will participate in his first live discussion before an audience as part of SXSW Interactive through a video conference with his legal advisor Ben Wizner, director of the ACLU's Speech, Privacy & Technology Project, as well as digital privacy expert Christopher Soghoian. (Republican Rep. Mike Pompeo from Kansas, also a member of the House Intelligence Committee, has asked SXSW to cancel the webcast, The Hill reported). Snowden's discussion will come amidst renewed calls in Europe to grant him asylum. GO

Minnesota Announces Civic Tech Legislation

Can civic innovation be managed statewide? A bill in Minnesota is betting yes. It is looking to grab some of the state's $1.2 billion surplus to fund open data, open government, and civic technology. Openminnesota.org, a site set up to promote and explain the bill, says the following: "Open Minnesota will build an engine for public open data use, civic technology creation engaging start-up companies and technology volunteers, and help hundreds more government units get cost-effectively connected to the best global open government lessons for local adaptation." GO

wednesday >

Now You Can See Who Really Pays NYC Property Taxes

Property tax revenue makes up around a quarter of New York City's budget, but until now broader information about it has not been easily accessible. Users could only look up individual properties by entering lot and block information into a basic online form on a city website, and would have had to cross-reference that information with a building's address and other sources, explained Chris Whong, co-organizer of New York City's Code for America brigade betaNYC. "This data is much more powerful in the aggregate," he said. That's why, as part of last week's Code Across NYC hackathon, he along with several collaborators worked to develop an online platform "born out of curiosity" that maps New York City property data. GO

Facebook's Got A Finger in India's Political Pie

Facebook is an increasingly active political force in India. The company launched their Indian election tracker Tuesday to coincide with the first Facebook Talks Live digital broadcast, “Town Hall” style conversations in which 2014 candidates field questions submitted by Facebook users. These projects build on the get-out-the-vote collaboration between the Times of India and Facebook, which was announced in September.

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