Is Your Neighbor a Democrat? There's an App For That

theodp writes "ProPublica's Lois Beckett reports that the Obama for America campaign's new mobile app is raising privacy concerns with its Google map that recognizes one's current location, marks nearby Democratic households with small blue flags, and displays the first name, age and gender of the voter or voters who live there (e.g.,'Lori C., 58 F, Democrat'). Asked about the privacy aspects of the new app, a spokesperson for the Obama campaign wrote that 'anyone familiar with the political process in America knows this information about registered voters is available and easily accessible to the public.' Harvard law prof Jonathan Zittrain said the Obama app does represent a significant shift. While voter data has been 'technically public,' it is usually accessed only by political campaigns and companies that sell consumer data. 'Much of our feelings around privacy are driven by what you might call status-quo-ism,' Zittrain added, 'so many people may feel that the app is creepy simply because it represents something new.'"

Comments

Re:Should be interesting

[Anonymous Coward]

I'm sure if this story were the other way around (smartphone app ousting locations of registered Republicans) most Democrats would love to get their hands on that kind of information to administer a bleeding-heart liberal "reeducation" program.

Re:Nothing new from Obama

[SuperKendall]

I'm voting for him because Mitt Romney will destroy America

Lets see, Obama will turn America into a true police state, yet you'll not vote for Romney because of some vague undefined fear about him "destroying America".

A case of "better the devil you know"?

I'd rather vote for the fellow, where at least there's a chance he cannot pull off his evil plans. If you vote in Obama, you are bringing down the very doom you claim to be voting against - with 100% certainty.

Or at least vote Libertarian where the "evil plan" is to shrink government and leave you the hell alone. How diabolical is that!

Either way it seems like a crappy logic engine you have going there.