Topic: Campaign Data

The Brexit campaign integrated digital data with traditional ground operations, directing activists to specific neighborhoods based on data science. Despite initial skepticism from veteran campaigners, the "boffins" (scientists) proved their models worked by delivering high engagement on the doorsteps.

Facebook is facing a major privacy scandal following reports that Cambridge Analytica harvested data from 30 million users to assist the Trump campaign. While the media describes the data as "stolen," Facebook maintains that the information was obtained through an external app that violated developer guidelines. The incident has renewed calls for government regulation of social media platforms and their handling of user data.

A review of the 2016 election suggests that negative advertising against Donald Trump was ineffective compared to his "Make America Great Again" messaging. Meanwhile, Russian regulator Alexander Zarov threatened to ban Facebook for failing to comply with laws requiring the storage of citizen data on Russian soil.

At the People's Summit in Chicago, Van Jones delivers a scathing critique of the Hillary Clinton campaign, alleging they "set a billion dollars on fire." He criticizes the campaign's over-reliance on data and its failure to organize workers in states like Michigan. The hosts joke about Jones potentially ending up on a "hit list" for turning on the Clintons.