US President Barack Obama during Democratic National Committee event at the Austin Music Hall in Austin, Texas — PICTURE: AFP As the first presidential nominee to ride the social media wave, US President Barack Obama was a fitting speaker at South by Southwest (SXSW), the geek conference where Twitter was launched.Celebrating its 30th anniversary, South By (as its known by its faithful visitors and locals in Austin, where it is held) remains the best brain food in a calendar packed with tech events.Obama is the first sitting US president to speak at the conference, and his wife Michelle was also in the lineup, with a speech on education for girls around the world.As befits the audience, Obama discussed digital inclusion, how technology can make voting easier, and civic engagement in the 21st century.“We take pride in being the world’s oldest systematic democracy and yet we put up barriers and make it hard for our citizens to vote. It’s easier to order pizza, or take a trip, than it ...
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