Obama, Romney campaigns know your favourite porn sites
Presidential campaigns use online tools to collect an unprecedented amount of personal data about voters. PLUS: Drink scandal at Young Nats ball.
It seems US voters need to be careful what they pick up if they visit one of the presidential candidates' websites.
The New York Times reports online tools to collect an unprecedented amount of personal data about voters:
The campaigns have planted software known as cookies on voters’ computers to see if they frequent evangelical or erotic Web sites for clues to their moral perspectives. Voters who visit religious Web sites might be greeted with religion-friendly messages when they return to mittromney.com or barackobama.com.
Both campaigns have also bought data from Acxiom, Experian and Equifax - all "currently subjects of Congressional scrutiny over privacy concerns" plus and Rapleaf and Intelius, also the subject of allegations over alleged privacy violations.
The findings seem borderline comic:
More subtle data mining has helped the Obama campaign learn that their supporters often eat at Red Lobster, shop at Burlington Coat Factory and listen to smooth jazz.
Romney backers are more likely to drink Samuel Adams beer, eat at Olive Garden and watch college football.
I'm not sure how they identify a swing voter in Ohio. Perhaps it's someone who wears a pea coat to gridiron.
You Nats Ball: the drinking scandal
Much has been written about the Facebook photos from the Young Nats Ball last Saturday.
I don't want to add to that, beyond pointing you to Toby Manhire's splendid montage and this image of Lindauer being serveed, which Cactus Kate labelled a National Party Disgrace.
I'll leave champagne drinking readers to draw their own conclusions on that one.
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Obama, Romney campaigns know your favourite porn sites
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