Technology & democracy
Opinion
Competition
Big Tech didn’t like Biden. Trump won’t be any better for Google & Co
The Biden administration has used antitrust legislation to target the technology giants, even seeking to break up Google. Trump’s nominees to key posts overseeing the tech sector won’t be much friendlier.
- by Stephen Bartholomeusz
Latest
Colonel Anthony Pratt? How the billionaire box king earned his stripes
What intrigued us most about the cardboard baron’s LinkedIn announcement that he was moving to the US was the name on his social media account.
- by Sherryn Groch and Kishor Napier-Raman
Analysis
US Votes 2024
The alarm over Elon Musk and national security has yet to sink in
The prospect of Musk doing the bidding of Vladimir Putin – or any authoritarian leader – would be malign influence at a whole other level.
- by Chris Zappone
On Telegram, a violent preview of what may unfold during and after the US election
Far-right groups like the Proud Boys are revving people up to fight should Trump lose, with some promising “to get you trained and ready for election day”.
- by Paul Mozur, Adam Satariano, Aaron Krolik and Steven Lee Myers
He coined the term ‘tipping point’ – then COVID superspreaders made him reconsider
As the pace of technological change accelerates, bestselling author Malcolm Gladwell predicts ever more frequent disruption.
- by Greg Callaghan
Russians faked video accusing Kamala Harris of hit-and-run: experts
In an emotional account from a wheelchair, a victim says she “cannot remain silent any more”. But everything about the video is made up by a troll army called Storm-1516.
- by Ali Swenson
Democracy backsliding: Fewer people are voting, more doubt results
The Global Report on the State of the Democracy, which has measured democratic performance in 158 countries since 1975, is out. It has some good news too.
- by Jan Olsen
Defending our democracy: How a cranky uncle, Swedish inspo and ‘pre-bunking’ help out
Our home-grown election system is the envy of the Western world. Will it be enough to inoculate us from AI, fake news and other threats to our way of life?
- by Nick Bryant
Musk’s troubles in Brazil grow as Starlink threatened
“The Brazilian judiciary may have given an important signal that the world is not obliged to put up with Musk’s far-right ideology just because he is rich,” Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said.
- by Daniel Carvalho
Telegram’s Matrix-styled tech boss charged in France
The Paris prosecutor said on Wednesday evening Pavel Durov was being investigated as part of a probe into the role of his messaging app Telegram in organised crime.
Exclusive
AI
Australia isn’t ready for the first AI-election, electoral commission warns
Australia’s top election official says deepfakes and AI-content pose unprecedented challenges to election integrity.
- by James Massola
Original URL: https://www.theage.com.au/topic/technology---democracy-1lyc