“President Barack Obama’s re-election campaign has taken its digital infrastructure to the streets, arming its ground troops with mobile software that maps Democratic voters and canvassing strategies – and raising the blood pressure of privacy activists who worry about possible misuse,” Eric Johnson reports for Reuters.
“The mobile application, which was publicly released last week, is a free download for use with an Apple iPhone,” Johnson reports. “It re-purposes already public information about registered voters, such as their first name and last initial, age, gender and street address. A version for Google’s mobile platform, Android, was to be released on Thursday, the Obama campaign said.”
“Besides immediately being able to locate, register and tap nearby Democrats for cash – and send intel back to a database – the ‘Obama for America’ app is essentially a portal to all things Obama,” Johnson reports. “But the implications of having a stranger’s name and address at one’s fingertips has raised the hackles of privacy advocates, said Justin Brookman, a consumer privacy expert at the Center for Democracy and Technology, and their concern is not annoying pleas for cash. ‘The concern is making it available to people who may have bad intent and that fear could deter people from giving money’ or otherwise participating in the political process, Brookman said…
Johnson reports, “Mitt Romney’s campaign on July 31 released its mobile app, designed to inform supporters of the former governor’s vice presidential running mate, an announcement expected any day.”
Read more in the full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews readers too numerous to mention individually for the heads up.]
Related articles:
Mitt Romney to announce VP pick via iPhone app – July 31, 2012
Photos of Mitt Romney with his Apple iPhone and iPad at his Lake Winnipesaukee home – July 15, 2012
RNC Chairman Priebus credits Apple iPads, iPhones, and iPods in Wisconsin Governor Walker’s recall election victory – June 6, 2012
Obama uses his Apple iPad to watch NBA basketball games (with video) – March 5, 2012
Obama got presidential iPad 2 from Steve Jobs ahead of public launch – October 3, 2011
U.S. President Obama confirmed Apple iPad owner (with photo) – April 25, 2011
Confirmed: Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter is an Apple iPod and iPad user – December 14, 2010
Former U.S. President George W. Bush’s favorite iPad app – October 28, 2010
I’m surprised those who control the Obama puppet’s strings didn’t call the app: “Vote Early and Vote Often, Even if You’re Dead.”
The Chicago Way and all.
The trolls are up early this morning….
Looks like you are as well….
@ Finelinebob
The population is so large and the internet is so easy to access anonymously that the lower tail of the bell curve noisily constantly announces it’s presence. Or, in the words of the conservative icon George Will,
“If your net worth is high enough, your IQ can be very low and you can still intrude into American politics.”
???
The app shows a map of your location, and the names of your neighbors – along with what party they’re registered to. Nice way to use public information to out people on your block. Effin’ O and his ways are enough to make me hurl. Oh, and Mitt Romney kills factory workers wives too. O has no record to run on, so it’s down to the dirt. Both parties suck. But I can’t even put into words how I feel about this crap.
The Mitt thing, if you’re not following, is sarcasm based on the bogus O ad that he “knows nothing about”. Right.
Quote: “It re-purposes already public information about registered voters, such as their first name and last initial, age, gender and street address.” [emphasis added]
You added a partisan spin to this discussion, but both parties are using this type of information. If you think otherwise, then you are deluded.
Yeah, we get that. The sole intent is to “out” R’s in the ‘hood. Not to find donations. Complete and utter Chicago BS. By the Anointed One™ Enjoy Hopeless & No Change…
So the Romney app informs the voters about the candidate and the Obama app informs the candidate about the voters…?
BINGO!
The live Twindex monitors the tweets of the internet and adds in polling data from one liberal and one conservative polling organization. Here’s the link:
http://election.twitter.com
Since when have Obama voters been or want to be informed about anything anyway?
Amazing what normal passes for in the Democratic party these days.
so you’ve failed at basic political discourse; would you have a go then with tech subjects? titularly the blog’s area of interest
Uninformed?
Try this non-partisan report on RawMoney’s Tax Plan:
Click to access 1001628-Base-Broadening-Tax-Reform.pdf
Betcha Faux didn’t break out these numbers.
Sounds like sour grapes that the Republicans didn’t come up with this first.
For the record, I trust neither party.
Sounds like you need your hearing checked…
Where’s the Obama app that blames Romney for a woman’s cancer death and threatens that Romney will take the country back to the 1950’s?
Does Obama really think voters are that stupid?
Oh, wait, they elected him once, so probably, yeah he does.
I am President Obama’s classmate at Columbia University, Class of ’83. Obama has a big skeleton in his closet. It’s his college records.
My bet is that Obama will never unseal his records because they contain information that could destroy his chances for re-election. Once this challenge is made public, my prediction is you’ll never hear about Mitt’s tax returns ever again.
If anyone should have questions about Obama’s record at Columbia University, it’s me. We both graduated (according to Obama) Columbia University, Class of ’83. We were both (according to Obama) Pre-Law and Political Science majors. And I thought I knew most everyone at Columbia. I certainly thought I’d heard of all of my fellow Political Science majors. But not Obama (or as he was known then- Barry Soetoro). I never met him. Never saw him. Never even heard of him. And none of the classmates that I knew at Columbia have ever met him, saw him, or heard of him.
But don’t take my word for it. The Wall Street Journal reported in 2008 that Fox News randomly called 400 of our Columbia classmates and never found one who had ever met Obama.
I can only think of one answer that would explain this mystery.
Here’s my gut belief: Obama got a leg up by being admitted to both Occidental and Columbia as a foreign exchange student. He was raised as a young boy in Indonesia. But did his mother ever change him back to a U.S. citizen? When he returned to live with his grandparents in Hawaii or as he neared college-age preparing to apply to schools, did he ever change his citizenship back? I’m betting not.
If you think I’m “fishing” then prove me wrong. Open up your records Mr. President. What are you afraid of? – Wayne Allyn Root, August 6, 2012
Read more here.
i’m sure you have plenty of evidence to turn over to the FBI – the evidence missing after all the years of congressional and presidential campaigning and office with no shortage of cash and investigators
His college records are sealed. He won’t release them. Every other U.S President has released his college records.
Why won;t Obama release his college records? What is Obama hiding?
Ah, Art Bell. I’d know you anywhere.
Actuslly seems like a pretty good idea… If someone chooses to download the app the Demos know that this person is ASKING to be contacted for registration assistance or to donate money or time to the campaign ….downloading implicitly affirms that this person is not concerned about privacy of info with regards to the campaign personnel….Republicans need to Do the same thing and copy this app… Unless the Demos own the patent … :=)
Yes, they can…
As it is with most socialists, they need an app to ask for your money. If they can’t get it that way, they pass socialist laws that raise taxes and compel you to hand money over to the state.
To a socialist, your money is his money.
French President Proposes 75% Income Tax, Wealthy Flee Taking Business and Jobs With Them
France’s Downward Spiral Ensues
Socialists/Statists/Progressives Never Learn
French Fools
What about our socialist roads, bridges, water systems, libraries, pools, military, schools, etc.?
There is a large difference between ‘Society’ and ‘Socialism’.
At what point do you draw a line for what government controls?
At what point do you draw a line for what is socially acceptable?
At what point does ‘art’ turn to porn?
The many aspects of society that can be run by individuals should not be run by government. It may be taxed, regulated, have oversight, laws and penalties to do those businesses, which can in some cases be too much for those market to successfully thrive, but in other cases keep consumers protected and markets fair.
Find the balance between need and responsibility and that is where government should stop.
The hard issue for many is understanding what they should be responsible for in respect to taking care of their individual needs.
Dow Jones on Bush’s first day: 10,587
Dow Jones on Bush’s last day: 7,940
Dow Jones yesterday: 13,160
AAPL on Bush’s last day: 90.58
AAPL yesterday: 619.86
Damn, that “socialist” is bad for business. Need another Bush in office so maybe Apple stock will be affordable again
I think the info needed is to show the Dow lowering when Bush came in, steadily rose after 9/11, and then crashed after the Dodd/Frank/FreddieMac/FannieMay debacle unwound.
http://www.the-privateer.com/chart/dow-long.html
Doesn’t that give more valid info rather than the selective numbers you give? Or was that the intent?
Also, Apple enjoyed huge growth under Bush and keeps going. What relevance does that have? Are you implying he stymied their growth?
Politics to the Smart Phone … PTTS
That’s better than Fiber to the Curb – FTTC
Fiber to the Home – FTTH
…
We’ll call it “iPolitics”
Being a die-hard Republican, I used to hate having to look at Obama ads popping up on sites like this one and AI. Then I changed my opinion on the subject. Now I *always* click on them. I always fill in the email address with
YetAnotherClick@CostsYouMoney.com
🙂
We republicans love the patriot act, so this is nothing to fear. We republicans hide nothing…except our tax returns.
And you liberals love to lie
http://articles.latimes.com/2011/may/23/nation/la-na-patriot-act-20110524
Yes, that tells the exact polar opposite of the tripe you just spewed.
And here are some of your heroes who voted for the law
http://irregulartimes.com/index.php/archives/2011/05/26/senate-democrats-for-the-patriot-act-may-26/
Read much…ever? Give it a try sometime……
the speculation, innuendo, and sniping on this subject by partisans on both sides is truly disgusting. Do you really believe either political party would have the moral fortitude to resist the maximum mobile electronics power grab? Of course not. Never have before. BOTH republicans and democrats are corrupt. Anyone who can’t see this has already been brainwashed.
well, at least we have clean brains.
youtu.be/nafYT7_i4as
youtu.be/8X-FX58lfGs
Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality. Yo will really know if you voted for the right person to its vision. Thank you for this post about Obama apps.