Iowa caucus tech issue: what happened?

Nicholas Thompson, editor-in-chief of WIRED, talks about voting and technology!

What tech issue caused all the problems at the Iowa caucuses?

Well, seems like what happened is a Democratic app developer company built an app to try to process the results and they coded it badly. They released it too late. They didn't train people. It crashed. It was a big mess. And yes, it is the apps fault. They also named it "Shadow," which is insane.

Is a low-tech voting system safer than a high-tech one?

No. I still think we need high-tech voting. I am still in favor of electronic voting. I do think you need paper ballot backups, so people trust it. And you do need to protect it from hackers. But high-tech voting, please, let's get there.

What is Section 230 and should we repeal it?

That refers to Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. It is an old law and is an important section of it. What it does is it gives the social media companies, or any platform company really, protection over things that people say on the sites. So, on wire.com, if you write something really nasty or libelous in a comment, we aren't responsible for it. Or on Facebook, if you say something, Facebook has limited liability over what you say. A lot of people want to get rid of it because it means a lot of bad stuff gets posted online. They also want to get rid of it because everybody hates the social media companies right now. Should they get rid of it? No. Maybe modify it. But we do need protections or else it would be impossible to run this website or a platform like Facebook.

More from GZERO Media

Throughout his Walmart career, Greg has earned nine promotions, moving from an hourly associate to now overseeing 10 Walmart stores. His story is one of many. More than 75% of Walmart management started as hourly associates, and the retailer offers competitive benefits to support associates on and off the clock. At Walmart, there is a path for everyone. Learn how Walmart is investing in opportunities for associates at all levels.

This summer, Microsoft released the 2025 Responsible AI Transparency Report, demonstrating Microsoft’s sustained commitment to earning trust at a pace that matches AI innovation. The report outlines new developments in how we build and deploy AI systems responsibly, how we support our customers, and how we learn, evolve, and grow. It highlights our strengthened incident response processes, enhanced risk assessments and mitigations, and proactive regulatory alignment. It also covers new tools and practices we offer our customers to support their AI risk governance efforts, as well as how we work with stakeholders around the world to work towards governance approaches that build trust. You can read the report here.

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba adjusts his glasses during a press conference as he announces his resignation, in Tokyo, Japan, on September 7, 2025.
Toru Hanai/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo

GZERO spoke to Eurasia Group’s Japan Director David Boling about why Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba resigned after less than a year in charge, and about who will replace him.

A girl is inoculated against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) during a vaccination event hosted by Miami-Dade County and Miami Heat, at FTX Arena in Miami, Florida, USA, on August 5, 2021.
REUTERS/Marco Bello/File Photo

Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo’s plan to repeal childhood vaccine mandates in the state’s public schools has prompted further debate over shots, states’ rights, and medical freedoms.

The body of Israeli Levi Itzhak Pash, who was killed when Palestinian gunmen opened fire at a bus stop at the outskirts of Jerusalem, is transported on the day of his funeral procession in Jerusalem September 8, 2025.
REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun

A group of terrorists from the West Bank opened fire on civilians at a major junction in Jerusalem on Monday morning, killing at least six people and injuring another 21.