Makena Kelly

Reid Hoffman Hasn't Given Up on Biden Just Yet

Hey, everyone! It’s Makena. I’m back after a charming getaway to the Adirondacks. A lot has happened since I’ve been gone. Namely, what the heck is happening with Joe Biden and the Democratic nomination? Luckily, I spoke with Reid Hoffman, LinkedIn cofounder and Democratic mega-donor about Biden and whether Silicon …

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Is Dr. Phil a Bigger Political Stage for Candidates Than CNN?

Tonight, President Joe Biden and former president Donald Trump will face off in what has traditionally been one of the most important events of each election cycle—the first presidential debate. For decades, these major television events have driven news cycles and provided the largest opportunities for candidates to speak directly …

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You Can Get Paid to Talk to Friends About Voting

In Tonya Williams’ Mississippi family, they all vote. But last year, Williams’ uncle mentioned offhandedly that he hadn’t voted in an election for several years. Shocked, she helped him make a plan. “We don't miss elections. We will go. If you need a ride, we will go pick you up …

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Inside the Reluctant Fight to Ban Deepfake Ads

Two things happened this week that got me really worried about AI’s role in the US election: First, WIRED published a massive story on how voters in India have received over 50 million deepfaked voice calls imitating candidates and political figures. That’s a lot of deepfakes, and voters are confusing …

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Hasan Piker Won’t Tell You to Vote for Joe Biden

The left’s favorite political Twitch streamer, Hasan Piker, doesn’t know if he’s voting for President Joe Biden and doesn’t care if you do either. Nearly every day, Piker streams on Twitch for around eight hours to his more than 2.6 million followers on the platform. He’s not a household name …

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TikTok Sues the US Government to Stop a Potential Ban

TikTok sued the US federal government on Tuesday, arguing that the possible app ban violates the First Amendment. Last month, President Biden signed a bill that forces TikTok and its Chinese owner, ByteDance, to divest its ownership of the app or face a nationwide ban. At the time, TikTok said …

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