Data Mining proves useful for Democratic Campaign

Howard Dean noted that by using private citizens’ credit card data, they could predict with 85% accuracy who you were likely to vote for.

Dean and Republican National Committee Chairman Mike Duncan were speakers at a luncheon at the National Press Club Nov. 5, where both reflected on what went right and wrong with their efforts during the 2008 election cycle.

Dean revealed his party used credit card data to predict voting outcomes. However, Democrats and the media have been highly critical of credit card companies that provide that data.

“We now can do what they can do,” Dean said. “We have your credit card data like they do. They’ve been for years doing something that we, until 2006, weren’t able to do. We can predict with 85 percent accuracy how you’re going to vote based on your credit card data without bothering to see what party you’re in – the Secretary of State’s office.”…

But while Congress has repeatedly slapped the hands of DHS for data mining for potential terrorists, the same methods are being used to garner votes.   Seems a bit odd doesn’t it?

There are concerns.  Danger Room’s “Barack Obama’s Privacy Challenge” sums up a number of them.

No Place to Hide

In Robert O’Harrow’s book, No Place to Hide (copyright 2005), he outlines the new surveillance society and does a pretty good job of showing how information is used and potentially abused.   ABC news did a show based on the content from the book and it runs about 40 minutes long.   It’s a few years old but still worth watching.

No Place to Hide ABC Part 1 of 4

No Place to Hide ABC Part 2 of 4

No Place to Hide ABC Part 3 of 4

No Place to Hide ABC Part 4 of 4

Data Mining Dangers?

The Economist.com recently posted an article on Data Mining in Government agencies.

“Electronic snooping by the state may safeguard liberty—and also threaten it” Link here.

Most of the information about us is created and maintained not in the Government sector, but in the private sector.  Commercial transactions (grocery store purchases, credit cards, travel bookings, etc.) are collected, mined, and often sold to 3rd parties.  It’s a good and healthy exercise to ensure our Gov’t is following the rules when collecting information, but shouldn’t we hold commercial companies accountable too?