Eleanor Finch
Political campaigns are known to use invasive tricks to gather data about potential voters, including who they are, where they are, and how to reach them. This data is used to target voters in various ways, and is collected from a variety of sources, both online and offline. While the right to a secret ballot is a cornerstone of the democratic process, personal information is often gathered, used, and sold. This includes information from consumer scoring data brokers, smartphone data, publicly available voter information, and more. Political campaigns also use autodialed or pre-recorded voice calls, as well as text messages, to reach potential voters.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Source of data | Publicly available voter information, consumer scoring data brokers, smartphone data, petition signatures, purchasing behavior, census information, real estate property records, estimated income levels, consumer purchasing patterns, demographic data |
| Purpose of data collection | To target voters and shape campaign strategies |
| Data collection methods | Voter registration forms, absentee voter information, petition signatures, online behavioral ad tracking systems, data purchased from third-party companies, robocalls and automated text messages |
| Data usage | Data is used to create detailed profiles of voters and build models that predict people's stances on issues or candidates |
| Data sharing | Campaigns may have different agreements with political parties regarding data sharing; data is often fed back into a central system to improve the overall voter file |
| Opt-out options | Users can opt out of the sale of their information on streaming services and websites; individuals can also opt out of receiving political text messages by replying "STOP" |
| Legal requirements | All US jurisdictions have laws covering the use of disclosure statements on political advertising; the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) contains specific rules for political robocalls and text messages |
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Public records
Political campaigns collect data from a variety of sources, including public records, to create targeted advertising profiles. This data is highly valuable to campaigns as it helps them understand how to reach potential voters and predict their preferences and behaviours.
The Federal Election Commission (FEC) in the United States also provides transparency by making a wide range of federal campaign finance reports and other documents available for public review and inspection. The FEC's website includes resources and guides to help the public find and explore campaign finance filings and other documents that are on the public record, such as information filed by candidates and committees. The Public Records Office publishes the Combined Federal/State Disclosure and Election Directory, which includes state addresses, phone numbers, web addresses, and other contact information for federal and state disclosure offices.
In addition to voter registration information, political campaigns may also utilise other types of public records. For example, signing a petition can result in your information becoming part of the public record, and this data may be used for targeted political ads. Similarly, public voter files, which include basic information such as names, party affiliation, and addresses, are often combined with data points from commercial vendors to create a more comprehensive profile of potential voters.
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Online behavioural ads
Political campaigns use online behavioural ads to target voters. They pull data from a variety of sources to create a profile of a potential voter, including their name, address, party affiliation, shopping habits, hobbies, demographics, and more. This data is collected from public records, consumer scoring data brokers, smartphone data, and voter information. This information is then used to target specific groups of people with tailored ads.
One way this is done is through social mirror ads, which look like posts from a campaign's social media page but are actually ads that appear on thousands of websites and apps. When users click on the ad, they are directed to the campaign's website or social media page. These ads can be targeted using behavioural targeting, which allows campaigns to reach specific categories of voters, such as those who voted in specific elections.
Another form of online behavioural ad used in political campaigns is native ads, which use similar targeting strategies to social mirror ads, including behavioural targeting, keyword targeting, artificial intelligence, and retargeting. Native ads can also utilize email matching, allowing campaigns to target specific email addresses when they are online. Video ads, including pre-roll and over-the-top (OTT) ads, have also become increasingly popular in political campaigns, with a 216% increase in political spending in online video from 2018 to 2020.
Mobile conquesting is another tactic used in online behavioural ads, which uses location-based, demographic, and behavioural targeting to reach consumers with display and video ads on their mobile devices. This can be particularly useful for reaching voters who are not in the campaign's files. In 2020, it was found that political groups paid 37 different data brokers a total of $23 million for access to services or data, including information collected from browser cookies, web beacons, mobile phones, and social media platforms.
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Data firms
Political campaigns use data firms to create national databases of voter files, collecting information from many sources to create detailed profiles of voters with thousands of data points. This data is used to build models that predict people's opinions on a candidate or issue, which helps campaigns decide whom to target in their outreach efforts, how to reach them, and how they might respond to certain messages.
For example, records of purchasing history can be used to predict consumer preferences, such as whether someone owns a pet or a gun. Similarly, a "Covid concern score" can be created by analyzing cell phone location and ranking people based on their travel patterns during the pandemic. Data firms also use location data to target voters in specific areas, such as by identifying IP-matched voter homes that meet specific targeting criteria.
Political campaigns can purchase this voter information from most states, which provides a rough idea of whether a person will vote and, if they are registered with a particular party, who they might vote for. Campaigns can then use this data across different platforms, such as texting apps, to target voters with ads and messages tailored to their predicted preferences and opinions.
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Social media
Candidates and their teams can now speak directly to voters through social media, bypassing traditional media and reaching a wider audience in real time. Platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube have become powerful tools for political campaigns, with Facebook being a massive force for fundraising and advertising. Twitter, on the other hand, provides a platform for candidates to share their thoughts and connect with followers, while Instagram offers a more light-hearted and visual approach. YouTube is ideal for hosting explainer videos and providing more in-depth content.
Political campaigns have recognised the importance of social media engagement, incorporating it into their traditional strategies. They use social media to request donations, run ads, and increase their reach. Asking questions, conducting Q&As, and responding to comments are effective ways to boost engagement and show willingness to listen to constituents. Visual content, such as videos and infographics, is also more likely to be shared and disseminated.
Additionally, social media algorithms play a significant role in shaping users' experiences. These algorithms cater to users' likes and dislikes, creating an echo chamber that can influence individuals' political views. The rapid spread of information on social media can quickly impact the perception of political figures, and campaigns can take advantage of this to benefit their candidates. However, negative information spread through social media can also damage a political figure's reputation.
While social media has benefits, there are also privacy concerns. Data brokers collect information from social media platforms, and political campaigns use this data to create profiles and target specific audiences with their ads. This invasive practice raises questions about the ethical boundaries of data collection and use in political campaigns.
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Robocalls and robotexts
Political campaigns have been increasingly using robocalls and robotexts to reach potential voters since the early 2000s. This is because they are quick, easy, cheap, and can reach a large number of people. Political robocalls and texts are exempt from the National Do Not Call Registry requirements. However, the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) contains specific rules that political campaigns must follow when making robocalls or sending robotexts.
Robocalls
Political campaigns are allowed to make robocalls to landline phones without prior consent, but these calls are limited to no more than three calls within any consecutive 30-day period. If a political campaign uses a prerecorded message for its robocalls, the message must include the identity of the individual or entity initiating the call at the beginning. If the caller is a corporate entity, its official business name must be stated clearly at the beginning of the message, along with the telephone number, which must be provided either during or after the message.
Robotexts
Robotexts are text messages generated through autodialing and are considered a type of call, so they must comply with the same rules as robocalls. Political campaigns are required to obtain prior express consent from the recipient before sending robotexts to mobile phones using an autodialer. However, political text messages can be sent without prior consent if the sender does not use autodialing technology to send the text.
If you are receiving unwanted robocalls or robotexts from political campaigns, you can take several steps to stop them. You can reply "STOP" to the text message or file a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) at fcc.gov/complaints. You can also forward the text message to 7726 or "SPAM" to report the sender. Additionally, you can use third-party apps like Robokiller to block spam calls and texts.
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Frequently asked questions
Political campaigns collect your personal information from a variety of sources, including public records, consumer data brokers, smartphone data, and voter registration forms. They also purchase data from companies like Experian or Acxiom, which provide real estate property records, estimated income levels, consumer purchasing patterns, and demographic data.
The information available to political campaigns varies by state and county. In general, they have access to public information such as your name, address, phone number, party affiliation, and voting history. They do not have access to sensitive information such as dates of birth, Social Security numbers, or driver's license numbers.
Political campaigns use your information to target you with ads and outreach efforts. They create detailed profiles of voters to predict their stances on issues or candidates and decide how to reach them and what messages to use.
Yes, you can take steps to protect your personal information and opt out of certain data collection practices. For example, you can contact your local election office or visit the National Do Not Call Registry to express your preferences. Additionally, many streaming services and websites now offer the option to opt out of the sale of your information.
