Facebook Approached Australian Political Parties To Microtarget Voters

[Ripper]

Crikey! We are not even safe from Big Tech here in Australia.

Facebook offered "advanced matching" as part of their so-called Custom Audience feature to both the conservative (if not confusingly named) Liberal Party, as well as the "democratic socialist" Labor Party. The tool promised to allow the parties to compare data they had collected about voters - such as names, birth dates, phone numbers, postcodes and email addresses - and match that information to Facebook profiles.

The combination of data sets would then allow political parties to target Australian swing voters with custom tailored ads over Facebook, which advertised a 17% increase in matching rates using a beta version of the service provided to the Liberal Party.

Fairfax Media reports that while the conservative Liberal Party turned Facebook down over concerns that sending voter data overseas to Facebook servers would violate the Privacy Act and the Electoral Act, the Labor Party took Facebook up on their offer.

 

[Frank Bunn]

Fairfax Media reports that while the conservative Liberal Party turned Facebook down over concerns that sending voter data overseas to Facebook servers would violate the Privacy Act and the Electoral Act, the Labor Party took Facebook up on their offer.

Asked specifically whether Labor used the tool, a Labor spokesman said in a statement: "A range of different campaign techniques and tools are used for campaigning, from doorknocking to phone banking to online. Labor works with different groups to get our message out, including social media platforms like Facebook."

 

[Ripper]

Asked specifically whether Labor used the tool, a Labor spokesman said in a statement: "A range of different campaign techniques and tools are used for campaigning, from doorknocking to phone banking to online. Labor works with different groups to get our message out, including social media platforms like Facebook."

I take that as a yes. Have there been comments from ALP figures on the CA stuff?

 

[Kurve]

This is more serious than to turn into a partisan chitfight, imo.

 

[Maggie5]

Crikey! We are not even safe from Big Tech here in Australia.

Have you got the Fairfax link?

 

[Ripper]

Have you got the Fairfax link?

It's linked in the article.

 

[Maggie5]

It's linked in the article.

No it isn't.
Shame sorted didn't put the full quote in.

Asked specifically whether Labor used the tool, a Labor spokesman said in a statement: "A range of different campaign techniques and tools are used for campaigning, from doorknocking to phone banking to online. Labor works with different groups to get our message out, including social media platforms like Facebook."

"All of our work is in complete compliance with relevant laws, including the Commonwealth Electoral Act, which makes it a criminal offence to misuse information on the electoral roll." -Sydney Morning Herald​

​

 

[Ripper]

No it isn't.
Shame sorted didn't put the full quote in.

​

Make up your mind.

 

[Maggie5]

Make up your mind.

Nothing to make my mind about. Article is not linked, just some quotes one of which I posted in full.
Just another Zerohedge opinion piece. One of your favourite sites.

 

[Maggie5]

Maybe one reason that the Liberals say they didn't use it (that is if you believe them), is that they have their own data system.

Parakeelia is a company owned, in some unclear way, by the Liberal Party. It provides software services to the party's federal members of Parliament - voter-monitoring software that compiles information about constituents. That information appears to be largely compiled by MPs' electorate staff - that is, Liberal Party operatives. No doubt it's highly valuable data. Reportedly each Liberal MP in Federal Parliament pays Parakeelia $2,500 each year for access to it.

 

[HairyO]

No it isn't.
Shame sorted didn't put the full quote in.

​

So the Liberals didnt do it because they believed it would be a breach of Australian electoral and privacy laws. Labor did it because they believed it was not a breach of Australian electoral and privacy laws.

Sounds like it should be investigated to find out whether any laws were broken.

Hopefully not by the Ombudsman who helped Vic Labor out of a tough spot over their electoral scam.

Maybe one reason that the Liberals say they didn't use it (that is if you believe them), is that they have their own data system.

So do Labor. The Greens probably do as well.

 

[Maggie5]

So the Liberals didnt do it because they believed it would be a breach of Australian electoral and privacy laws. Labor did it because they believed it was not a breach of Australian electoral and privacy laws.

Sounds like it should be investigated to find out whether any laws were broken.

Hopefully not by the Ombudsman who helped Vic Labor out of a tough spot over their electoral scam.



So do Labor. The Greens probably do as well.

Agree, lets investigate everybody. Happy?

 

[HairyO]

Agree, lets investigate everybody. Happy?

Everybody where there is evidence of possible breaches of privacy and electoral laws? Yes. Of course.

Oh wait, its Labor. So they get a free pass on everything. If the Liberals did it. Wow that would be worth complaining about. I reckon 50 or 60 pages of complaints easy.

Helicopter ride bad.
Hiring dozens of people improperly good.
Trump using Facebook bad.
Labor using Facebook good.

I think Ive got it right?

 

[Fire]

I think Ive got it right?

no, you didn't. Your rant was bizarre and ran counter to what you quoted. It was as if you had a gotcha lined up, but when you didn't get the response you wanted, you ran with it anyway.

Because, in the face of their parties completley selling their principles out, whataboitism is the only thing conservatives have left. And if it doesn't fit, then you have to try and make it fit and hope no one notices.

I think I've got it right?

 

[Maggie5]

Everybody where there is evidence of possible breaches of privacy and electoral laws? Yes. Of course.

Oh wait, its Labor. So they get a free pass on everything. If the Liberals did it. Wow that would be worth complaining about. I reckon 50 or 60 pages of complaints easy.

Helicopter ride bad.
Hiring dozens of people improperly good.
Trump using Facebook bad.
Labor using Facebook good.

I think Ive got it right?

Did you comment on this in the Trump thread? Don't think so.
Oh wait, but it is Labor...

 

[HairyO]

Did you comment on this in the Trump thread? Don't think so.
Oh wait, but it is Labor...

Ive posted quite a few times in that thread.

But how about this one. Liberals said they didnt do it because they thought it would be illegal. Labor said they did do it.

So do they get investigated? Or do we let it slide?

 

[Maggie5]

Ive posted quite a few times in that thread.

But how about this one. Liberals said they didnt do it because they thought it would be illegal. Labor said they did do it.

So do they get investigated? Or do we let it slide?

Any proof of the illegality?

 

[Maggie5]

Ive posted quite a few times in that thread.

Funny, I just carried out a search and it appears you haven't really discussed it all in that thread.

 

[HairyO]

Any proof of the illegality?

Apart from Labor admitting they did it?

 

[Maggie5]

Apart from Labor admitting they did it?

Can't read? Read it in full.
How about you answer the post above?

 

[HairyO]

Can't read? Read it in full.
How about you answer the post above?

I did read it. Liberals said they didnt do it because it would be illegal. Labor said they did do it.

If the roles were reversed you'd have posted 50 times already about how evil the Liberals are and how they need to be investigated.

But because its Labor they get a free pass.

 

[Maggie5]

I did read it. Liberals said they didnt do it because it would be illegal. Labor said they did do it.

If the roles were reversed you'd have posted 50 times already about how evil the Liberals are and how they need to be investigated.

But because its Labor they get a free pass.

Trump thread?

 

[GreatBradScott]

This is only really effective in democracies without compulsory voting, where you need to motivate people to vote.

I also can't see how effective Facebook microtargeting would be in a society where we have proportional seats and preferential voting.

Thank god, eh.

 

[Ripper]

Crikey! They collect even more than I feared.

"Want To Freak Yourself Out?" Here Is All The Personal Data That Facebook/Google Collect



https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/977559925680467968.html

 

[Maggie5]

Crikey! They collect even more than I feared.

"Want To Freak Yourself Out?" Here Is All The Personal Data That Facebook/Google Collect



https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/977559925680467968.html

Easy, don't register to use Twitter, Facebook, YouTube or other social media and if you do, make sure to check settings. Delete history, click on do not track and make sure you download the app that stops Google holding info you don't want to share.