To what degree can referendums not just measure the national character, but shape it? That was the question I was asking myself as I attended Dublin’s Pride Parade yesterday, because one thing was wonderfully obvious – Ireland is a very changed country from the one I grew up in. The streets of the capital were emblazoned…

From The Irish Times, September 19th, 2015   Since its introduction in 2009, Facebook’s “like” button has become a ubiquitous unit of online expression. However, its limitations were always obvious: it’s far too reductive even as a swift mode of interaction. One example I can recall occurred earlier this year when a good friend wrote…

  So saddened to hear about the sudden death of David Carr. I was fortunate enough to interview him at the Web Summit in 2013, and he was terrific company, and just as hilariously irascible as you would imagine. His legacy, not just as a media critic but as a chronicler of our times, will…

  My opinion column on the changing nature of journalism, from The Irish Times, Monday June 16th, 2014 When the Pulitzer Prizes were announced in April, the prestigious prize for public service was awarded jointly to the Guardian and the Washington Post for their role in breaking the series of stories about vast government surveillance…