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First POST: Gearing Up

BY Miranda Neubauer | Monday, April 9 2012

Barack Obama's campaign headquarters in Chicago. Photo: Christopher Dilts / Obama for America

The Firm vs. The Startup

  • A traditional, probably soon-to-be-party-supported Mitt Romney campaign operation seems about to come face-to-face with an outfit Barack Obama's top staff built from the ground up to work in a different way.

    For Yahoo News on Friday, TechPresident managing editor Nick Judd wrote:

    Were you to walk into parts of the Obama reelection campaign's headquarters, you could be forgiven for thinking you were in Silicon Valley. Beginning last year, Obama's re-election effort started hiring dozens of designers and developers, engineers, and data scientists. A cross check of the Obama for America FEC filings and Twitter bios turns up at least 36 hires whose resumes could place them on a tech team, rather than a political one. A perusal of their job board turns up a slew of positions located in "HQ Digital," ranging from front end developer to senior web engineer.

    BuzzFeed's man in Chicago follows up in an item today, and fills in details by way of access to Obama Campaign Manager Jim Messina:

    There’s been experimentation—the tech team figured out a way to make the Obama website display perfectly on any device, a feat that wouldn’t have been possible even a year ago—and the entire office was designed to resemble a Silicon Valley start-up. More than half of the headquarters staff works for the campaign’s digital department.

    Meanwhile, in Boston, more details are emerging about the likely game plan for Mitt Romney in the general election, as chances for Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich grow slimmer every day. Romney's campaign structure is more traditional, but Romney is no Luddite: his tech team is just smaller, it isn't as well-funded, it exists outside of his campaign headquarters and it has until now been focused on what needs to be done in each state to win primary elections.

Filing error

  • The Federal Communications Commission plans to vote on April 27 on a proposal to require that local TV stations post information on political ads to a website, as the New York Times reported:

    Acknowledging the feedback from stations, the proposal will give smaller stations two more years to start uploading new additions to their files about political ad spending. At the outset, only the affiliates of ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox in the top 50 TV markets will be required to do so. The F.C.C. says the initial uploading will cost less than $1,000 for a typical station, and will save the stations money over time by avoiding printing and storage costs. The uploaded files will be searchable — but only inside one file at a time. At least at first, it won’t be possible to conduct searches across all the files, to determine which person or political group has spent the most money on ads across the country, for instance. Critics have said that without fully searchable files, Internet accessibility is only a slight improvement over the status quo.

Speaking out

  • Students at Brigham Young University, the institution with close ties to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, have posted an It Gets Better video. The AP notes that the students could face excommunication from the church and expulsion at BYU, where gay students are prohibited from touching or kissing. Some students come out as gay in the video. The AP reports on one message in the video:

    "In our religion, there is a lot of misunderstanding and ugliness about homosexuality," said Kendall Wilcox, a former BYU faculty member who produced the video and serves as an adviser to the school's unofficial gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender support group. "We wanted to send this message that God loves you just as you are."

     

Watching

Weekend Wars: While you were celebrating ...

  • A New York Times editorial calls on Congress to require all states to move towards online voter registration.

  • Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) was criticized Saturday after he tweeted, "Constituents askd why i am not outraged at PresO attack on supreme court independence. Bcause Am ppl r not stupid as this x prof of con law." Obama adviser David Axelrod tweeted, "Heads up, Sen. Grassley. I think a 6-year-old hijacked your account and is sending out foolish Tweets just to embarrass you!"

  • Mitt Romney's so-called "body man" Garrett Jackson has begun blogging as part of an effort to humanize the candidate, the New York Times reported. Jackson is also on Twitter as "Mitt's Body Man." From the Times piece:

    Mr. Jackson is often the first person to see Mr. Romney in the morning; the candidate is dressed and ready, waiting with his iPad, at least 15 minutes before Mr. Jackson arrives at his hotel room to fetch him.

  • Some campaigns sign fundraising emails with their candidate's name. Others list top campaign staff in the "From:" field. But Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) has opened up a whole new field with a campaign email sent Friday by "Woman Picking Out Fruit In Supermarket," the co-chair of People in Stock Photos for Franken (PSPF). The Huffington Post quotes the e-mail:

    Hello, I'm Woman Picking Out Fruit In Supermarket, and I'm writing to you today on behalf of Al Franken -- a Senator who stands up for real people (including those of us who make a living posing for stock photos). There's a reason I'm standing with Al. You see, I'm not just Woman Picking Out Fruit In Supermarket. I am also an actual woman worried about the right-wing attacks on my access to health care ... And whether you're a Tattooed Guitar Player, a Guy Wearing Hard Hat, or an Elderly Couple Sitting At Kitchen Table, there's no better way to show your support than by making a contribution today.

Why's nobody doing this for Second Life?

People for shared viewing histories

People for private viewing histories?

  • The video site Jest.com cooperated with Vivid Entertainment, a porn production company, to create a video Porn Stars Against Santorum, with an R-rated final message.

Copyright news

  • In spite of recent reports, SOPA sponsor Rep. Lamar Smith denied that discussions about resurrecting the legislation are ongoing.

  • Techdirt highlighted a recent comparison of ACTA with the Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership Agreement, a trade agreement that also focuses on technological and copyright issues, and has also received some criticism.

  • Internet activists are also beginning to target the cybersecurity bill Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act.

  • A former senior vice president for the MPAA, who has taken a job with the Internet Society, said his opinion about SOPA and similar bills has evolved. "Did my position on this issue evolve over the last 12 months? I am not ashamed to admit that it certainly did," the official, Paul Brigner, wrote on CNET.com. "The more I became educated on the realities of these issues, the more I came to the realization that a mandated technical solution just isn't mutually compatible with the health of the Internet."

But will Google Suggest know if the chicken's better than the steak?

  • Some media executives are irritated that Google is hosting a Washington D.C. party the night before the Correspondents Dinner, co-sponsored with the Hollywood Reporter.

  • ICYMI: Politico noted that that Republicans are increasingly looking for support among technology companies, especially when it comes to issues such as taxes and regulation.

International: British surveillance technology; increased transparency; you can't dance if you want to

  • UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon will be participating in live Google Hangout tomorrow.

  • The British Chancellor said he would be open to "U.S. style transparency" in which ministers would publish their tax returns, the Daily Telegraph reported. ""We are very happy to consider publishing tax returns for people seeking the highest offices in the land. Of course, they do it in America," he said in a Telegraph interview.

  • Britain has been exporting surveillance technology to countries with repressive governments, a human rights groups says.The Guardian reported:

    Privacy International said it had visited international arms and security fairs and identified at least 30 UK companies that it believes have exported surveillance technology to countries including Syria, Iran, Yemen and Bahrain. A further 50 companies exporting similar technology from the US were also identified. Germany and Israel were also identified as big exporters of surveillance technology, in what is reportedly a £3bn a year industry.

     

  • The German Pirate Party failed in an attempt to overturn a long-standing ban on public dancing on Good Friday when a court did not allow a demonstration to go forward. The Youth Wing of the Green Party encouraged supporters to protest online by dancing in their homes and posting videos on Facebook.

  • Anonymous says it has published 2,700 emails between Tunisian Prime Minister Hamadi Jebali and other officials in his government.

  • Supporters of a potential Egyptian presidential candidate who is facing disqualification because his mother is an American citizen have been responding by mass-posting negative comments on President Obama's Facebook page.

  • Yemeni separatists hacked Yemen's official news agency.

News Briefs

RSS Feed today >

Anthony Weiner Launches NYC Mayoral Campaign Online With An Image of Pittsburgh

Former Congressman Anthony Weiner waxed lyrical about New York City in a YouTube video as he launched his bid to be the city's next mayor on Wednesday, but he did it against a backdrop that turned out to be the skyline for Pittsburgh, as a sharp-eyed observer on Twitter first noted Wednesday afternoon. GO

Revamped Data.gov Includes API Catalog

Federal officials are now offering a list of all APIs that have been released across the federal government as part of the Digital Government Strategy and a new data catalog that allows users to more easily search, sort and tag datasets, according to a post by Hyon Kim, deputy program director at the U.S. General Services Administration. With the announcements, the team behind Data.gov, a central public repository of machine-readable federal government data, is marking its fourth anniversary and the one year anniversary of the release of the Digital Government Strategy. GO

French Authorities Want to Tap (and Tax) Skype Calls

In spite of repeated requests from the French telecommunications authorities ARCEP, Skype has refused to classify itself as an electronic communications operator in France, which would require them to route emergency calls and allow the French police to intercept conversations. ARCEP has informed the Paris public prosecutor of Skype's refusal, and criminal charges might be brought against the company for failing to comply. This is yet another instance in recent months of France making things difficult for tech companies. Some worry that the overzealous government is discouraging technological progress in France, hindering business and economic growth.

GO

New Online Platform for Crowdsourced Videos About Human Rights Issues

Anyone with a phone and an Internet connection can be a citizen journalist, as was made clear in the hours and days after the Boston Marathon Bombings. Citizen journalism has its pros and cons, but it has popped up where most needed: after natural disasters or in war torn regions where career journalists might be barred. A new human rights initiative seeks to link citizen reporting in the form of online videos with mainstream media, governments and other policy makers. The online platform, called Irrepressible Voices, will both document human rights issues and work on solutions as a community.

GO

wednesday >

Facebook Becomes Full Member of Global Network Initiative

Facebook announced today that it has opted to become a full member of the Global Network Initiative, a group founded by Google, Microsoft and Yahoo to address the challenges technology companies face when dealing with governments about issues like freedom of expression and data privacy. GO

Russia's OGP Concerns Show That Transparency Matters

Last week, Russian officials announced they have withdrawn their letter of intent to join the Open Government Partnership. The Moscow Times has a statement to the Russian paper Kommersant from a presidential spokesman, saying, "We are not talking about winding up plans to join, but corrections in timing and the scale of participation are possible." So Russia may still be in. Just not soon. And maybe never. Confused? You're not alone. I actually find it fascinating that the Kremlin acts like "openness" and transparency matter. Here's why. GO

In Denmark, Online Tracking of Citizens is an Unwieldy Failure

Six years after Denmark passed a law mandating that telecommunication companies retain and store their customers' personal data for up to two years, local advocacy groups and the telecom industry are pushing for immediate changes to the legislation. The practice of keeping records of private citizens' Internet use is an unjustifiable invasion of privacy, they say. The police, meanwhile, have concluded that requiring telecoms to store subscriber data has not helped them track criminals, which was the the ostensible purpose of the practice. But the Danish government still wants to postpone an evaluation of the law for another two years. GO

"Accidental" Blocking of Australian Websites Raises Concerns About Government Censorship

An Australian government agency admitted last week to unintentionally blocking more than 1,200 perfectly legal websites in the process of shutting down one allegedly fraudulent site. In their defense, they pointed out that they have successfully blocked a number of websites in the past nine months without such digital collateral. This assertion came as no consolation to Australian netizens concerned about Internet censorship, especially opaque and hazily legal censorship.

GO

tuesday >

Honda Campaign Rolls Out Endorsements From Asian American Stars

Rep. Mike Honda (D-Calif.) rolled out several additional endorsements from Asian American leaders and celebrities Tuesday, with one of them vouching for his high-tech bona fides. GO

Here Are The People President Obama Hopes Will Repair American Elections

The Presidential Commission on Election Administration established by President Obama after problematic 2012 elections now has a web presence at SupporttheVoter.gov. Obama established the commission by executive order on March 28 "to identify best practices in election administration and to make recommendations to improve the voting experience." GO

After Oklahoma Disaster, Neighbors Look Online for Ways To Help

In echoes of the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy in the Northeast, social media sites and small business websites in and around tornado-wracked Moore, Okla., are full of offers of help, questions about missing pets and loved ones, and evidence that neighbors are willing to reach out to help one another in a disaster. On a single Facebook group, there's a Mexican restaurant in Oklahoma City promising free meals to first responders or people hit by the tornado; a mother a few hours' drive from Moore offering to open her door for children who might need a place to stay; a resident sharing a picture of a found dog and contact information for the owner to get in touch. GO

Change.org Lands $15 Million From Omidyar

Change.org capped an extraordinary few years of growth Tuesday with the announcement that it has landed a $15 million investment led by the Omidyar Network. GO

What German Politicians Think of Google Glass

The German government led by Chancellor Angela Merkel has not had the easiest relationship with Google. The company launched a public campaign against a law backed by her coalition that would require search engines to pay to show news articles in search results, with mixed results. What's more, Google has long had to navigate the privacy waters in Germany and throughout the European Union. But that has not stopped her federal minister for economics and technology, Philipp Rösler, from giving Google Glass an enthusiastic test run as he leads a delegation of German technology companies and politicians on a trip to Silicon Valley this week as part of German Valley Week. GO

Crowdsourcing Waste Management Solutions in Montenegro

For once we aren't talking about the worldwide scarcity of toilets, just good old-fashioned household waste. Montenegro has a garbage problem so bad even the tourists are complaining about it. A new mobile app sponsored by the Agency for Environmental Protection, NGO Ozon and United Nations Development Programme in Montenegro will hopefully get citizens involved in reporting illegal garbage dumps. GO

monday >

Her Majesty's Government Wants to Monetize Open Data

A new paper from the chair of the U.K. government's Open Strategy Board outlines the best practices for the government's open data policies. The government-commissioned Shakespeare Review – after author Stephan Shakespeare – looks into ways to monetize open data, and recommends an all-encompassing National Data Strategy.

GO

Will Silicon Valley "Disrupt" Politics With a Candidate for Congress?

Sean Parker, of Napster fame and now executive general partner at venture capital firm Founders Fund, has invested in political startups before. But last week, he went a step further — co-hosting a fundraising event for a candidate for Congress. Parker and SV Angel co-founder Ron Conway organized a crowd of Internet industry luminaries to support Ro Khanna, a former assistant deputy secretary in Barack Obama's Commerce Department. Khanna is preparing a challenge to Rep. Mike Honda (D-Calif.), whose newly redrawn congressional district encompasses Silicon Valley. GO

Burma's Upcoming Telecom Revolution Will Probably Not Bring Internet Freedom

Burma (Myanmar) is on the threshold of an Internet revolution, but Human Rights Watch has warned companies to proceed with caution or risk trampling Burmese citizens' rights. GO

friday >

Chilean Anti-Corruption Resource: A Crowdsourced Database of Social and Political Connections

In countries where a small minority of social circles have a majority of the political and economic power, personal relationships can affect major decision-making, a serious concern of anti-corruption activists. A new web platform stores personal profiles of key players in Chilean business and politics, complete with biographies and personal and professional connections through family, education, social circles, employers and coworkers, to make tracking social relationships and conflict-of-interest easier. Called Poderopedia (from the Spanish word for power), the project sounds kind of like LinkedIn, but the creation and management of profiles is being crowdsourced out to journalists, activists and concerned citizens.

GO

Middle Eastern Telecom Accused of Working With Saudi Arabia to Spy on Citizens

Mobily, an arm of the state-owned Middle Eastern telecom giant Etihad Etisalat, has been accused of working with Saudi Arabia to develop software that would allow the government to bypass protections for social media users. The exposé comes from Moxie Marlinspike (neé Matthew Rosenfield), an expert in a certain type of malicious Internet attack called MITM (man-in-the-middle), whereby attackers intercept and secretly alter private messages exchanged via email and other social media platforms. GO

Saudi Religious Leader Warns Twitter Users of Consequences in the Afterlife

In late March, Saudi Arabia's top religious cleric said Twitter was for clowns and corrupters. Earlier this week, he said anyone using social media, in particular Twitter, “has lost this world and the afterlife.” His comments might be laughable, if they did not come at a time when the Saudi government is looking into monitoring or blocking social media sites and eliminating user anonymity.

GO

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