big data in politics: how did we get here & where are we going?
DESCRIPTION
Big data is transforming politics, creating new opportunities to contact individual voters with messages specifically designed to motivate them in particular. How did we get here? How does data-driven voter targeting work? What are the implications for democracy?TRANSCRIPT
Big Data in Politics: How Did We Get Here & Where Are We Going?
Colin Delany, Epolitics.comMarch 6, 2014
Colin Delany
Former political staffer (Texas)
Founder/editor Epolitics.com
Online communications consultant
Political advocate
Colin Delany
Ebook author: “How to Usethe Internet to Win in 2014”
Columnist for Campaigns &Elections Magazine
Contributing Editor, DigitalPolitics Radio
Political Data: History[We've been using data w/o knowing it] 1970's/80's – direct mail, phones 2002/2004: Republican microtargeting 2006: Catalist founded (Dems) 2008 Obama: grassroots & online 2008-2012: cookie targeting & other new tech 2012 Obama:data integration, TV targeting 2013: Dems take down-ballot 2014: Parabellum Labs, Dem national rollout
Political Data: Essentials
Essential political data tools:
Voter file
Data manipulation software
Voter models
Ways to put data into action
NOTE: commercial marketers are way ahead of political marketers
Political Data: Essentials
What you can do with data
Overall: target communications
Online advertising
Field organizing/canvassing
Direct mail/TV
In theory, data lets you hit the right person with the right message at the right time.
Political Data: Essentials
Key concept: data = listening
Political Data: Essentials
Data sources:
Voter file
Commercial data
Field data (canvassing, phone bank responses)
Behavioral data (history of interactions with the campaign)
Online behavior
Political Data: Limits
Limits on political data:
Legal framework
Data quality
Infrequency of voting = small data set
Match rates
Diminishing marginal returns
Need for niche content
Political Data & Democracy
Is political data good or bad for democracy?
Does it have a corrosive effect?
Is it manipulative?
Or, could it lead to a more-engaged electorate?
Big Data: la nueva tendencia para conocer al elector
Bruce Willsie, Labels & Lists
Chris Wegrzyn, Blue Labs, @wegbert
Matt McMillan, Buzzmaker, @wearebuzzmaker
Colin Delany, Epolitics.com, @epolitics (moderator)
Hashtag: #VAC14