elections

Who would be the most tech-friendly president?

The short answer: it depends. Do you like the idea of Net neutrality so much that you'd hand the Federal Communications Commission the authority to levy open-ended Internet regulations? Do you support pro-fair use changes to copyright law, which many programmers and computer scientists do--but which practically all software and video game companies oppose?

To help clear things up for our readers living in the 24 states that are holding primaries or caucuses on Tuesday, we've assembled a sketch of the leading contenders' technology-related positions in the following chart.

And to … Read more

NEW YORK--When it comes to a strategy for galvanizing young voters in the hours before the "Super Tuesday" primaries, a coalition of big-media outlets chose to throw an online and offline dialogue with candidates. A group of tech-friendly 20-somethings in New York decided the best way to organize young supporters of Democratic candidate Barack Obama would be to invite them to a massive dance party.

Over the past week, invitations created through Facebook and Evite flew around the inboxes of many plugged-in young New Yorkers: an appropriate donation to Obama for America would give them access to an … Read more

NEW YORK--Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton was the fourth and final presidential candidate to appear at the youth-focused "Closing Arguments" question-and-answer session, co-hosted by MySpace, MTV, and the Associated Press. And as with her predecessors--Republican candidates Mike Huckabee and Ron Paul and Democrat Barack Obama--Clinton, a senator from New York, was not asked to touch upon technology policy.

Net neutrality, piracy, and online privacy were barely mentioned (UPDATE: Ron Paul did briefly allude to his opposition to restrictions on Net use and online government snooping), and environmental and energy issues were only addressed peripherally as the vast majority … Read more

NEW YORK--Right before Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama addressed the MySpace-MTV "Closing Arguments" event via videoconference from Minneapolis, one of the young studio audience members whispered, "He's the whole reason why we're here."

And those of us inside the studio could hear enthusiastic cheers from outside in Times Square, where dozens of Obama supporters had gathered before the event.

Obama might not have the online cult following that Republican candidate Ron Paul does, but he has arguably amassed the most significant online following out of all the Democratic candidates; he was MySpace users' favorite … Read more

NEW YORK--Texas Rep. Ron Paul was the second of four presidential candidates answering questions at the MTV-MySpace "Closing Arguments" event on Saturday evening, and there was probably a whole lot of people tuning in online to the live-streamed event.

Paul and his libertarian leanings have proven hugely popular on the Web; the long-shot Republican candidate actually won MySpace's mock Republican primary. Unfortunately for tech enthusiasts, technology policy wasn't brought up at all; subjects like Net neutrality and online copyright law didn't seem to be hot-button issues among the Gen-Y crowds in the audience.

One question … Read more

NEW YORK--MTV's "Choose or Lose" pre-Super Tuesday event, co-hosted with MySpace and the Associated Press, marked my first time in a live studio audience. It sure has been a trip; there are cameras just about everywhere, and MTV packed us all in like sardines. Right above my head is a giant flashing red-and-blue lightning bolt; I've been trying to make sure I don't smack against it.

MTV News anchor Gideon Yago introduced the candidates, all of whom were dialed in via videoconference from around the country: Barack Obama from Minneapolis; Hillary Clinton from Tucson, Ariz.; … Read more

NEW YORK--There are red, white, and blue lights flashing everywhere and I think I might be the oldest person in the room; I'm in the Uptown Studio at MTV's Times Square headquarters for the "Closing Arguments" event co-hosted by MTV, MySpace, and the Associated Press.

Presidential candidates Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Mike Huckabee, and Ron Paul will be videoconferencing in to answer questions from the studio audience, as well as questions submitted online.

Outside, a huge crowd has amassed outside MTV Studios, primarily student groups in support of Obama, though a number of Clinton supporters were … Read more

I'm doing a live chat Thursday about technology, politics, and the 2008 presidential election, and you're invited to participate. Topics include: Which candidate is the most tech-friendly? Who will protect online liberty the best? Who actually understands economics? And how much does any of this matter when candidates are talking about Iraq, the economy, and health care instead?

By way of background, check out News.com's 2008 voters' guide that we published in January. John Edwards may not be in the race any more, but the other candidates we profiled still are.

And at 11 a.m. … Read more