Despite losing the general election, the Pirate Party could still form Iceland's government
Back in October there was a mixture of great excitement and huge worry that the controversial Pirate Party could end up winning the general election in Iceland. That didn't happen, but with no clear winner there was an attempt to create a five-way coalition that ultimately failed after weeks of talks, paving the way for the radical party made up of poets, hackers and online freedom activists.
The Pirate Party -- which says it would offer exile to Edward Snowden and also embrace Bitcoin -- could still end up in power after being invited to form part of the government by Iceland's president. But even if the controversial, anti-establishment party does end up wielding power, it's unlikely that its more radical policies would come to fruition.
Facebook fake news guru Paul Horner credits himself with getting Donald Trump elected
Fake news stories are on the rise, spreading across the internet via social media. They spread at a quickening rate thanks, in large part, to well-known people sharing them. Now some services are cracking down on these stories, but is it too late?
Just recently we learned that both Google and Facebook are clamping down on the spread of fake news stories, with Google withholding ads that appear on sites it deems to contain misleading content.
How social media bubbles are driving political anger
How could Donald Trump be elected president? Judging by Facebook and Twitter a lot of people are asking that question this week. The same thing happened in the UK back in June when many people struggled to understand how the country could have voted for Brexit.
When everyone you're friends with online reinforces your world view it's easy to convince yourself that most of the world thinks as you do. It comes as a bit of an awakening therefore to discover it isn't the case and that -- shock! -- there may be people who vote that aren't even on social media at all.
Bitcoin price surges after Trump's victory
The world is still reeling from the outcome of the US elections, where Donald Trump came out on top against Hillary Clinton to become the 45th President of America.
Financial markets around the world have been affected by the shocking and unexpected news and the notoriously unpredictable digital currency Bitcoin is no exception, with prices close to hitting a 35-month high against the pound amidst investor uncertainty.
You can use your phone, just shut up about the election!
Smartphone use at family dinners used to be something of a frowned on activity. But a new survey reveals that people are becoming more tech tolerant.
The study from connected experience agency Sequence shows that while 35 percent of those surveyed say smartphone use at the holiday table creates tension, far more (65 percent) are bothered by discussing politics.
Need personalized #Election2016 voting information? Direct message @Gov on Twitter
November 8, 2016 is Election Day, and I am excited. While neither of the two major presidential candidates are exceptional in my eyes, I have decided on one of them. It is my responsibility and duty as an American to vote, and when I cast my ballot for her/him, I will do so proudly -- not holding my nose as I pull the lever.
If you are still undecided about choosing a candidate, or simply don't know where to go to vote, I have good news. Twitter is making it all very easy. Simply direct message the @Gov account, and you can obtain useful information. You can also use the #Election2016 hashtag when tweeting about the election.
US Presidential debate launches latest Twitter meme
The US has perhaps grown used to the political season, complete with its ugly mudslinging. The name-calling-laced tirades become something that many just tune out, sometimes in fear for their own sanity. 2016 has become an example of gutter-talk that will be held up for many years and it has fueled late night comedians like no previous campaign.
If nothing else, the debates alone have kept Saturday Night Live relevant, though one candidate no longer thinks a show he once hosted is very funny anymore and has even stated that it should be taken off the air.
Watch Tim Kaine and Mike Pence VP debate live on YouTube in English or Spanish here
While the Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton presidential debate broke a YouTube record, tonight's vice presidential debate isn't likely to garner the same audience. That's not to say that Senator Tim Kaine (Democrat) and Governor Mike Pence (Republican) aren't formidable debaters, its just that VP is a less exciting position than president. With that said, fans of politics and unsure voters will likely tune in to learn more about both men.
If you want to watch the debate but do not have a television, do not panic. Networks are live-streaming the debate on Google's YouTube, meaning if you have a computer or mobile device, you can watch it over the internet. To make things easier, we here at BetaNews have embedded some of the streams below. If you prefer Spanish, that is an option too. You can even tell us who you think won in the comments.
Watch the Vice Presidential debate tonight on Roku
Tonight at 9pm ET the two vice presidential candidates square off in their one and only debate. Unlike the top of the ticket, this pair doesn't get three tries at it. Mike Pence and Tim Kaine, perhaps the most two ordinary candidates in an extraordinary year, will get the chance to give their views and defend their tickets.
If you have cable or satellite then you should have no problem catching the action, depending on your package. But if you no longer have that option it doesn't mean you're out of luck. There are other ways to catch the big debate.
New York Times endorses Hillary Clinton for president, but sexist online ad taints it
The New York Times is one of the most respected news publications. Yeah, some folks call it a liberal propaganda tool, but I disagree with that stereotype. While the paper does tend to lean left, ultimately, it is based on common sense and forward-thinking.
Today, the aforementioned paper endorses Hillary Clinton. While this was totally expected, it is still historic. Why? Because it is backing the first-ever female candidate for president that is representing a major party. When I clicked the link for the article, I was excited to read it -- I have many women in my family, and it made me proud. Unfortunately, my pride quickly turned to disappointment and shame. There, in the middle of the endorsement, was an online advertisement featuring an almost naked woman.
Amid election chaos Melania Trump's website quietly removed
With the general election campaign now in full swing, and appearing to have potential to get ugly, things are starting to happen quickly. Many of things go on behind the scenes and, in some cases, we never know about them.
That isn't the case with this latest debacle. The Republican nominee, Donald Trump's, wife Melania has another problem with potential honesty issues.
Did Google remove presidential candidates Donald Trump and Gary Johnson from search results?
The US has four nominees for president now. The choices narrowed a bit yesterday when Bernie Sanders officially nominated Hillary Clinton upon losing a hard fought campaign. Clinton swallowed her pride and did the same thing for Barrack Obama back in 2008.
Despite the common misconception, the US does have more than two parties, though most citizens seldom hear about others. There are also fringe parties that really aren't heard of.
Will Wikileaks shatter the unity of the Democratic party on the eve of the convention?
We've just wrapped up one convention and I'll leave you to decide what you thought of it, but, leanings aside, it can be assumed that unity wasn't really involved. Now the Democrats are set to descend on Philadelphia next week, an event that was expected to be much more pleasant. That may not be the case.
The case in question involves a dump of some 20,000 emails by Wikileaks. Only several seem relevant to the current situation, but those involve Democratic National Chair Debbie Wasserman-Shultz, and seem to indicate a clear intent to be rid of candidate Bernie Sanders. We say "seem" because it's hard to say and we aren't here to point fingers.
Bitcoin is a 'safe haven' in a period of economical and political instability
Bitcoin’s transaction value has increased drastically over the past year, mostly because of both political and economic instability we’ve been witnessing in the past few years, according to a new Juniper Research report.
Total value of the cryptocurrency’s transactions is expected to hit $92 billion (£69.3bn) this year, up from less than $27 billion in 2015.
Post-Brexit, an online campaign for a second UK referendum gains huge support
The UK may not yet have introduced online voting -- nor is it likely to any time soon -- but it does have a website that can be used to raise petitions for debate. The House of Commons website is home to a huge number of such petitions, and any that gain 100,000 signatures will be raised in Parliament.
After the UK referendum on EU membership saw the country narrowly voting in favor of Brexit (even if they didn’t know what this meant), a petition calling for a second referendum has been signed more than 3 million times. Ironically, the petition was set up by a pro-Brexit, anti-EU politics student a month before the referendum actually took place. His plan was to call for a re-run in the event of a narrow vote to remain in the EU, but his wording is such that it could (although it's unlikely) backfire on him.
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