5 ms·

As bad as the app is, as long as it is not illegal and the users knowingly install it, I don’t see a problem with it . The Biden campaign is also free to develo

As bad as the app is, as long as it is not illegal and the users knowingly install it, I don’t see a problem with it . The Biden campaign is also free to develop such an app and target their supporters. The key to winning any election is getting your voter base excited to vote. If they targeted messaging keeps your voter base on their toes and makes them rush to the polls in November, what is the harm.

johannes1234321 6y ago
An issue is that if you target your messages you take the messages out of a general debate and leave them uncontested. The individual receiver however can't verify the message easily.
- Nextgrid 6y ago
  This is one of many reasons why I think targeted advertising should be regulated or outright outlawed. Even outside politics, it allows a malicious actor to target their ads to vulnerable targets (whether it’s kids for scammy “games” full of in-app purchases, dubious “medication” for sick & desperate people, or malware to non-tech-savvy people) while flying under the radar of those who would be able to fact-check and call out the scam.
  - dathinab 6y ago
    Yes, targeted advertisement is already massively abused. Furthermore we already know different "better" advertisement models.
- downvoteme1 6y ago
  As bad as it sounds, but in the age of 128 character twitter messages , the voters do not care about debating ideas. Most of them have already formed their opinions on whom to vote for ? The only thing left to do for both campaigns is to drive the people out to vote. That is where these apps become useful. Most of the messages pushed by these apps are not positive messages about the candidate - instead they are negative messages about the opposition . The key is to always keep your voters eager to vote. In fact, I would argue that democrats need this kind of an app much more than Republicans as their voters are much more fickle.
- m0zg 6y ago
  I'd actually pay to see a Trump/Biden debate. I doubt the DNC will allow it though, for fear of Biden forgetting where he is or what office he's running for, while on stage. Before you downvote, consider that this has already happened, several times.
  - everybodyknows 6y ago
    >already happened Links, please? DDG turns up only these among credible sources: https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2020/03/07/2020-dementia-campaign-123106 https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2020/03/07/2020-demen... https://www.washingtonpost.com/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/
    - m0zg 6y ago
      Really? You need help finding instances where Biden can't put together a sentence or forgets where he is? I'm not sure I believe this. https://www.google.com/search?q=biden+forgets https://www.google.com/search?q=biden+forgets
  - dathinab 6y ago
    > that this has already happened, several times. I'm not following US politics close enough to know anything about it. But why should the democrats try to push an person into power which might have memory problems caused by age??
    - johannes1234321 6y ago
      Why is GOP pushing a candidate who can't walk down a ramp or drink out of a glass with a single hand. Or: short video snippets with little context tell little about anything
      - m0zg 6y ago
        Trump drank a glass with a single hand specifically for you at a rally (which Biden is incapable of even drawing a crowd for, without busing people in), and said, I quote: "General, there's no way I'm going down down this ramp without falling on my ass. I have no railing." Anyone who has ever worn leather-soled dress shoes would immediately recognize who he was walking like this.

johannes1234321 6y ago

An issue is that if you target your messages you take the messages out of a general debate and leave them uncontested. The individual receiver however can't verify the message easily.

Nextgrid 6y ago
This is one of many reasons why I think targeted advertising should be regulated or outright outlawed. Even outside politics, it allows a malicious actor to target their ads to vulnerable targets (whether it’s kids for scammy “games” full of in-app purchases, dubious “medication” for sick & desperate people, or malware to non-tech-savvy people) while flying under the radar of those who would be able to fact-check and call out the scam.
- dathinab 6y ago
  Yes, targeted advertisement is already massively abused. Furthermore we already know different "better" advertisement models.
downvoteme1 6y ago
As bad as it sounds, but in the age of 128 character twitter messages , the voters do not care about debating ideas. Most of them have already formed their opinions on whom to vote for ? The only thing left to do for both campaigns is to drive the people out to vote. That is where these apps become useful. Most of the messages pushed by these apps are not positive messages about the candidate - instead they are negative messages about the opposition . The key is to always keep your voters eager to vote. In fact, I would argue that democrats need this kind of an app much more than Republicans as their voters are much more fickle.
m0zg 6y ago
I'd actually pay to see a Trump/Biden debate. I doubt the DNC will allow it though, for fear of Biden forgetting where he is or what office he's running for, while on stage. Before you downvote, consider that this has already happened, several times.
- everybodyknows 6y ago
  >already happened Links, please? DDG turns up only these among credible sources: https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2020/03/07/2020-dementia-campaign-123106 https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2020/03/07/2020-demen... https://www.washingtonpost.com/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/
  - m0zg 6y ago
    Really? You need help finding instances where Biden can't put together a sentence or forgets where he is? I'm not sure I believe this. https://www.google.com/search?q=biden+forgets https://www.google.com/search?q=biden+forgets
- dathinab 6y ago
  > that this has already happened, several times. I'm not following US politics close enough to know anything about it. But why should the democrats try to push an person into power which might have memory problems caused by age??
  - johannes1234321 6y ago
    Why is GOP pushing a candidate who can't walk down a ramp or drink out of a glass with a single hand. Or: short video snippets with little context tell little about anything
    - m0zg 6y ago
      Trump drank a glass with a single hand specifically for you at a rally (which Biden is incapable of even drawing a crowd for, without busing people in), and said, I quote: "General, there's no way I'm going down down this ramp without falling on my ass. I have no railing." Anyone who has ever worn leather-soled dress shoes would immediately recognize who he was walking like this.