Trump Campaign Paid $5M to 'Disturbing' Offshore Data Firm

[FreeStateDemocrat]

Source: NBC News

LONDON — Big data crunched in a nondescript office more than 3,000 miles from the U.S. might just convince you to cast a ballot for Donald Trump.
In September alone, the Trump campaign paid British firm Cambridge Analytica $5 million to help target voters.
The company says it holds data on 230 million adults across the U.S. — and around 4,000 "data points" on each of them.

Using transaction information from loyalty cards, club and gym memberships and charity donations, it seeks to understand which way an individual might lean politically — and how to potentially change their mind.
"The more you know about someone, the better you can engage with them and the more relevant you can make the communications that you send to them, so our job is to use data to understand audiences," chief executive officer Alexander Nix told NBC News.

None of the data the company collects is, on its own, very intrusive or sensitive, he said.
"This is not health data or financial data or anything that people might feel nervous about, but when you look at the data as a whole, when you aggregate it all, it paints a very interesting picture about the individuals," Nix added.

The information "certainly allows you to begin to understand what interests them, what issues they care about, what ideologies they may have, if it's politics, or what goods and services may be important to them."
In other words, grabbing a sandwich from a preferred café chain, subscribing to a favorite magazine, signing up to a newsletter or even becoming a pet owner are all used to create a profile.

Campaign messaging can then be micro-targeted to a voter.

Read more: http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/trump-campaign-paid-dollar5m-to-disturbing-offshore-data-firm/ar-AAjSM5U?li=BBnb7Kz&ocid=mailsignout

[Lucky Luciano]

1. Robert Mercer is the primary backer of this firm - and backer of orangefuck.

Donate money to orangefuck who then has to use it for data research at Mercer's company! I would not underestimate this firm. Mercer is one of the world's top experts in data science and machine learning - long before those terms were coined. He is s big part of why Renaissance Technologies can earn 35-40% returns each year (totally uncorrelated yo stock market returns!!!!!) AFTER fees. If he can do that, this data firm used for elections could be dangerous.

[secondwind]

2. tRump himself has said he tells people what they want to hear... not surprised.

[Historic NY]

4. But he isn't telling them he is using their private data for his own gains.

[wishstar]

3. Mercer and Trump Inc. want to use data to set up their new media empire too

[salin]

7. bingo.

[Delmette]

5. I bet they use information from the free apps downloaded on your phone, too.

Free loyalty card, free phone app is all BS. Nothing is free and companies are making a ton of money selling this information.

[leftyladyfrommo]

6. Trump was right. It's rigged.

By him.

[Coyotl]

8. K & R

[lindysalsagal]

9. Anyone know if this is illegal?

Is offshore illegal? Not trolling. I hope it is. I just don't know.

[TexasBushwhacker]

10. He couldn't even use an American company for this

I'm sure the Brits were cheaper.