Technology has become a weapon in the 2016 presidential election

With its hacked emails, Russian server pings and daily drip of Podesta email leaks, the current presidential election has effectively turned the promise of technology as an agent of political progress into a nightmare.

Eight years ago, we marveled at a young Illinois senator’s canny use of social media to mobilize an electorate and make his opponent and even the current Democratic presidential candidate look like Luddites.

Pundits lathered praise on the Barack Obama campaign back then, marveling at all his team accomplished. Social media and technology were a force for good in the political process. Almost a decade later, they’re weapons of war.