70 percent of security professionals say election infrastructure is at risk


A new survey of security professionals shows that 70 percent of respondents believe their governments can't adequately defend election infrastructure against domestic and international cyber attacks.
In addition the study, from machine identity protection company Venafi, finds that 75 percent believe the spread of disinformation is the greatest threat to election integrity.
Election scams get creative and voters take the bait


The upcoming US presidential election is wrought with emotions. That makes it the perfect ruse for email scams targeting citizens, politicians, and government organizations. While election phishing is the top concern, there are a host of other scams that are making the rounds.
Your favorite politician -- or the one you’re most likely to vote for -- needs money to successfully run their campaign. Hackers are relying on our devotion not only to politicians but to our affiliated political party to lure us into a trap.
Fear and loathing in Hong Kong


Hello from Hong Kong, that "Special Administrative Region" of the People’s Republic of China.
This amazing city is brimming with technology that makes visiting a joy. From fast Wi-Fi in nearly every shop and restaurant to ultra-cheap SIM cards (under $9 for 5 days of unlimited 4G LTE surfing), it’s enough to bring a tear to this jaded tech writer’s eye. Though, in retrospect, that may have just been lingering tear gas from the protests that rocked the city on the night of my arrival. Yes, there really is nothing like the smell of anti-riot munitions in the morning. It smells like…tyranny!
Smack down! It's Tulsi Gabbard vs. the Digerati of Silicon Valley!


Putting your "thumb on the scales." That’s how many pundits have described Google’s continued meddling with the search results for hot-button social and political topics. The tech giant’s reputation has taken a hit in recent years as evidence of the company’s highly political, left-leaning culture has emerged across its core web search and YouTube franchises.
Channel bans. Demonetizations. Traffic throttling. These are some of the techniques that frustrated users say Google is employing to limit their reach and quash their voices. And now you can add biased Gmail spam filtering and advertising account suspensions to the list of accusations.
Protecting the US voting infrastructure [Q&A]


It's two years since international forces interfered with the security of the US elections. However, with the US midterm elections behind us and the presidential elections ahead, vulnerabilities in the country’s voting infrastructure still remain.
Simply put, it's not hard to hack into US voting systems. Don't believe it? Just ask the 11-year old who hacked a replica of the Florida election website to change results in under 10 minutes. We might not have seen widespread cyberattacks on the day of the midterms, but as we saw multiple opportunities for hacking and disruption in the run up, the presidential elections are already at risk.
Twitter removes thousands of accounts that discouraged people from voting in US midterm elections


Twitter has confirmed the removal of thousands of accounts for not only discouraging people from voting in next week's US elections, but also falsely appearing to originate from the Democratic Party.
In all, over 10,000 accounts were deleted in September and October, for targeting key demographics and encouraging them to withhold their vote. While the removals are pretty small-scale, they still serve to demonstrate how Twitter is being used to try to subvert the outcomes of elections.
North Korean leaders abandon western social media


Chances are you're not currently friends with Kim Jong Un on Facebook. And it's not likely to happen any time soon according to researchers at Recorded Future who have been looking at the internet usage patterns of North Korea's leaders.
In July last year they found that the country's ruling elite were plugged into contemporary internet society, were technologically savvy, and had patterns of internet use that were very similar to users in the West.
Zuckerberg Senate testimony shows politicians don't understand Facebook


Dressed in a dark suit and looking pale-faced, Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg was clearly expecting a tough grilling before the Senate committee.
In fact he was largely let off the hook, facing a series of questions that mainly served to expose politicians' lack of understanding of the social network's technology.
UK should lead the world in safe, ethical AI


Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos the UK Prime Minister Theresa May says she wants the country to lead the world in deploying artificial intelligence in a safe and ethical manner.
A new advisory body -- Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation -- will be set up to co-ordinate the UK's efforts with other countries, and the UK will join the Davos forum's own council on artificial intelligence.
No walls here: virtual reality exhibit showcases US-Mexico border


In what can be described as part political statement, part historical documentation, and part 21st century technology, a new exhibit has opened at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in California, in which visitors can experience a virtual reality experience of what it is like to cross the border from Mexico to the United States.
The exhibit opened earlier this week, and public tickets are already sold out through the scheduled end of the exhibit, September 10.
European political parties left open to email-based cyber attacks


None of the political parties in the UK, Germany and Norway, all of whom have upcoming elections, have email authentication or protection against spear phishing in place, according to new research.
The study by secure email company Agari shows that while eight percent have published an email authentication policy, they've left the door wide open by setting their policy to 'none', which will not stop malicious emails from reaching intended victims.
British voters concerned about the impact of fake news on elections


With the UK's general election campaign now in full swing, a new study of 2,000 adults finds that 68 percent are concerned that fake news could influence the outcome.
In addition, 26 percent are not confident in their ability to identify a fake story and a further 39 percent were unsure if they had ever seen one. This makes Facebook’s decision to publish tips on spotting fake news timely.
Chrome extension Who Targets Me? reveals how Facebook is used for election propaganda


Social media is powerful, so it's really little wonder that the likes of Facebook are used for propaganda. We already know that advertising can be very carefully targeted for maximum impact, and this can prove important when it comes to getting across a political message.
With the UK on the verge of an early general election -- one that will be fought with Brexit and Scottish Independence looming large -- political campaigns are getting underway, including on Facebook. To help educate voters about how they are being besieged by political parties, a free Chrome extension called Who Targets Me? has been launched. It reveals just how personal information made available on the social network is used.
Democracy 'threatened' by the social media echo chamber


In the wake of Donald Trump's election in November, we looked at the phenomenon of social media bubbles and the effect they have on political discourse.
Research released by UK political think tank Demos reveals some of the extent of the echo chamber effect in political discussions on Twitter.
Goodbye, Barack! Watch President Obama's farewell address speech online live stream here


Regardless of your opinion of Barack Obama and his presidency, you can't deny that he and his legacy are cemented into American history. He is the first-ever African-American leader of the USA, giving hope to many young folks. Under his leadership, the USA brought Osama bin Laden to justice and provided affordable healthcare to millions of people.
Tonight, President Obama is saying goodbye to the American people, as he prepares to hand over his leadership position to former reality TV star, Donald Trump. On January 20th, Barack will become a private citizen once again. If you want to watch Barack Obama's farewell speech on your computer, smartphone, or tablet, you can do so here. We have embedded the live steam below. Just click play!
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