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

Stephen Graham, winner of Best Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie and Best Writing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie, Owen Cooper, Best Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie, and Erin Doherty, Best Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie, for "Adolescence", Best Limited or Anthology Series pose with their awards at the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards in Los Angeles, California, U.S., September 14, 2025.
REUTERS/Daniel Cole

8: Netflix teen murder series "Adolescence" won eight Emmys including for best limited series. Supporting actor Owen Cooper,15, became the youngest male actor to win an Emmy.

Senior U.S. and Chinese led by U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng and Chinese trade negotiator Li Chenggang meet to discuss trade and economic issues and TikTok, in Madrid, Spain, September 14, 2025.
United States Treasury/Handout via Reuters.

In an announcement teeming with viral potential, the White House said the US and China have outlined a deal for TikTok to continue operating in the US.

U.S. President Donald Trump holds a letter from Britain's King Charles as he meets with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., February 27, 2025.
REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/File Photo

As US President Donald Trump travels to the United Kingdom this week, there is an unnerving sense in which the ghost of Christmas past will be greeting the potential ghost of Christmas yet to come.

A combination photo shows a person of interest in the fatal shooting of U.S. right-wing activist and commentator Charlie Kirk during an event at Utah Valley University, in Orem, Utah, U.S. shown in security footage released by the Utah Department of Public Safety on September 11, 2025.
Utah Department of Public Safety/Handout via REUTERS