Ben Smith

Elon Musk Is No Donald Trump

When it comes to media criticism, comparing Elon Musk to Donald Trump is very unfair — to Trump.

Facebook Has Begun To Rank News Organizations By Trust, Zuckerberg Says

A responsibility "to find common ground."

Macron Says Trump Will Likely Kill The Iran Deal

The US flip-flops on treaties are “insane,” the French president said.

Jake Tapper And The Virtue Of Taking Yourself Seriously

What Comes After The Social Media Empires

“Maybe we’ve reached the point where it’s not even possible to have Facebook in common.”

This Is What It Was Like Learning To Report Before Fake News Was The Biggest Problem In The World

As a young reporter in Eastern Europe in 2001, I expected to witness the “end of history” and the flowering of democracy. That was just one of the mistakes I made.

Trump Brings "Christmas For Neocons"

Welcome to the Donald Rumsfeld–Liz Cheney restoration.

Lessons From Tech's Last Political Crisis

"A very, very serious hit," says Mark Penn.

The Founder Of Daily Kos Just Launched A Massive New Polling Project

Nearly a million respondents are a deep new data source for Democrats. One early finding: Don't talk about impeachment.

The Real Threat To Trump Isn’t Russia, Racism, Or Incompetence. It’s Corruption.

Even insiders struggle to follow the plot of the Mueller investigation. But the politics of corruption are simple: Voters hate it.

Facebook Isn't Playing Along With Silicon Valley's Humble New Look

Microsoft learned to take government seriously in Washington in the late 1990s, Google in Brussels in the 2000s. Facebook still hasn't learned from its elders' mistakes.

Trump Got What He Wanted In Davos: Elite Acceptance

There were scattered boos, but the president was chiefly treated to the kind of fascinated audience he craves.

George Soros Just Launched A Scathing Attack On Google And Facebook

"They claim they are merely distributing information. But the fact that they are near- monopoly distributors makes them public utilities," the philanthropist said at a dinner on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos.

Why Uber’s New CEO Loves Leaks

Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi has been converted to a pretty radical theory of management and transparency — one that will no doubt be tested when Uber’s leaks concern his own plans and decisions.

Donald Trump Will Finally Visit The UK Later This Year

But the president won't get a full-blown state visit hosted by the Queen.

Who Will Donald Trump Appease In Davos: His Base Or The Global Elite?

The White House says the president will go to push “America First.” But business and world leaders already in Switzerland know better than to predict what Trump will actually do.

The Case Against President Oprah

Nope-rah?

19 Things BuzzFeed Tech Tried And Liked In 2017

All the innovations, apps, hacks, habits, gadgets, and robovacuums that made our lives a little better this year.

The Open Secrets Of The Russia Story

The long history of Paul Manafort and Rick Gates's work abroad.

Kamala Harris Pushes For "Clean" DREAM Act

"I am all for everyone who agrees that we need to pass a clean DREAM Act with no strings attached."