LTO Links #294

Assessing The Cost Of Email Filters' Political Bias

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Issue #294 |

Campaigns

‘If we do this right …’: The new Dem organizing strategy catching fire ahead of the midterms

"They’re also piloting a small paid relational program. And in partnership with PDI, a progressive technology company, they’re also launching an app that allows campaigns and committees to use relational organizing for voter registration — a tool that lets volunteers or paid organizers check whether their family and friends are registered to vote, then help them sign up for it. It’s also customized for states that require voters to physically mail in their absentee ballot requests, like Texas."

Email

Google's Gmail censorship cost GOP candidates $2B since 2019, Republicans say, citing new study

"Conservative candidates raised $737 million on Republican fundraising platform WinRed from Gmail users in 2019 and 2020. Because, according to the study, just 32% of fundraising emails were delivered, the Republicans estimate they missed out on $1.5 billion in contributions during the 2020 election cycle."

Gmail filters more likely to weed out GOP emails

"NC State researchers used more than 100 Gmail, Outlook and Yahoo accounts to collect more than 318,000 emails from May through November 2020.

"They came from both major presidential campaigns, as well as 78 Senate candidates and 156 House candidates of both parties."

Fundraising

Morris County Republican Committee sells NFTs to raise funds. Dozens sold already

"Although NFTs are stored and secured digitally using blockchain technology, buyers of the platinum and gold NFTs will receive real-world benefits including VIP seating for the MCRC convention next month. They will also receive a complimentary ticket for a preconvention event at the Grand Café. Ali expects the NFTs to sell out in the coming weeks. Those who purchase a "Take Back NJ" digital button gain membership to "Morris County’s Take Back New Jersey Club," which includes access to an online group."

International

By Any Memes Necessary: How the Far Right Took Over France’s Election

"But such efforts have done little to change the basic structure of social media, which by design rewards extreme and controversial content and which Zemmour has exploited, according to Cori Crider, co-founder of Foxglove, an organization in London that examines governments’ use of technology. “Would-be autocrats have realized that surfing the attention economy, surfing Facebook’s viral machine to power, is something that you can do basically anywhere now,” she says. In this way, Zemmour’s operation serves as both a warning about and an example for other fringe candidates, who can inject their ideas into the mainstream by drawing enough attention online."

Security

Protecting Campaigns & Vendors From Cyber Attacks – Michael Kaiser (Defending Digital Campaigns)

"Today we’re speaking with Michael Kaiser, an expert in cybersecurity and privacy. He’s the President and CEO of Defending Digital Campaigns, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that provides access to cybersecurity products, software and training to campaigns. We discuss the reasons campaigns are targets for cyber attacks, the unique arrangement that allows DDC to provide these services for free, and how to drive culture changes around technology."

Social Media

Fox News says it didn't authorize Truth Social account

"Shares of the blank-check company taking Truth Social public spiked on Tuesday afternoon, after an Axios reporter tweeted about the mere existence of the verified account.

"That tweet, which has since been deleted, was prompted not only by the verification symbol on a Truth Social account bearing Fox News' name and logo, but also by a message from Truth Social CEO Devin Nunes that read: "Great to have RSS feed for @FoxNews now LIVE here on TRUTH! This adds to @OAN and @NewsMax.""

The short and vertical election cycle

“Every campaign is in competition with every other content creator for the eyes and ears of American voters, and that competition is now largely playing out on vertical video,” strategist Stefan Smith told us this week. “To ignore vertical video in 2022 is akin to ignoring Facebook in 2012—it’s electoral negligence.”

Technology

79 Percent of Voters Polled Believe Page One Search Results Are More Powerful Than Page One News

"“You want to put out content that is effective both from a campaign-winning perspective but also from a Google perspective. Putting out press releases that don’t rank well on Google won’t help your online profile,” said Jacobs"

Are you paying too much for your campaign website?

"Here’s a good rule of thumb: Unless you have the money to hire a staff member to keep your site up to date, you probably won’t be able to keep a blog and calendar current. If you can’t take advantage of all the features, you should skip the extra cost."