[EL] campaign apps and privacy

[Rick Hasen]

Thanks Joe.
I just looked an a OFA app which is available for my iphone.
#3 of the license provides in part:
"You agree that OFA may collect and use location data, technical data, 
and related information in connection with your use of the application, 
including but not limited to location information and technical 
information about your device, system, and application software and 
peripherals, that is gathered periodically to facilitate the features 
and functionality of the Application and of software updates, product 
support and other services."
Pretty broad grant.
On 7/31/2012 8:54 AM, Joseph Lorenzo Hall wrote:
> Rick may understate the exposure voters may face by installing 
> campaign-oriented mobile applications.
>
> The case is much worse for mobile applications than the text-message 
> case you describe, Rick. With a text message, all they have is your 
> phone number.* With a mobile application, depending on a few things 
> (like operating system), they likely have access to your contacts 
> directory, location while running and other kinds of information that 
> is likely sensitive from a privacy perspective. I'd pay particular 
> attention to the claims the app makes in its' privacy policy, if it 
> has one.
>
> Anyway, this is just to say that installing a candidate's mobile 
> application could potentially deliver a great deal of personal 
> information to the campaign without your knowing it.
>
> I'd recommend staying very far away without explicit (FTC-enforceable) 
> representations from the campaign as to how they'll use your 
> information, for what purposes, etc.
>
> best, Joe
>
> * Granted, there are services like RapLeaf that can, for a fee, use a 
> mobile phone number to fill out a more comprehensive profile about an 
> individual, but that can be very unreliable data.
>
> On Tue, Jul 31, 2012 at 11:32 AM, Rick Hasen <rhasen at law.uci.edu 
> <mailto:rhasen at law.uci.edu>> wrote:
>
>
>         Be Careful If You Sign Up for Romney Mobile App
>         <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=37788>
>
>     Posted on July 31, 2012 8:21 am
>     <http://electionlawblog.org/?p=37788> by Rick Hasen
>     <http://electionlawblog.org/?author=3>
>
>     CNN reports
>     <http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/07/31/campaigns-debut-mobile-apps/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rss%2Fcnn_politicalticker+%28Blog%3A+Political+Ticker%29>
>     that if you want to be among the first to find out about Mitt
>     Romney’s Vice Presidential pick, you should sign up for his mobile
>     app.
>
>     I signed up for the Obama text message to find out about his v.p.
>     choice in 2008.  I’ve never sent a text again, given any
>     information besides my phone number, or sent the campaign (or any
>     presidential campaign) a penny in contributions.  But I have
>     received dozens and dozens of text messages from the Obama
>     campaign over the last few years.  Just yesterday, I received a
>     text from Michelle Obama asking me to sign the President’s
>     birthday card (and, I assume, make a donation at the same time.) 
>     I have not unsubscribed because I am interested in watching if,
>     and how, my cell phone number will be sold to other campaigns.
>
>     So signing up to be among the first to find out Romney’s v.p.
>     choice may hardly be free.
>
>     Share
>     <http://www.addtoany.com/share_save#url=http%3A%2F%2Felectionlawblog.org%2F%3Fp%3D37788&title=Be%20Careful%20If%20You%20Sign%20Up%20for%20Romney%20Mobile%20App&description=>
>     Posted in campaigns <http://electionlawblog.org/?cat=59> |
>     Comments Off
>
>
>
>
> -- 
> Joseph Lorenzo Hall
> Postdoctoral Research Fellow
> Media, Culture and Communication
> New York University
> https://josephhall.org/

-- 
Rick Hasen
Chancellor's Professor of Law and Political Science
UC Irvine School of Law
401 E. Peltason Dr., Suite 1000
Irvine, CA 92697-8000
949.824.3072 - office
949.824.0495 - fax
rhasen at law.uci.edu
http://law.uci.edu/faculty/page1_r_hasen.html
http://electionlawblog.org
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