<p>The Influence Industry's Voter Literacy Resources are designed for voters, community organisers, and educators around the world navigating data-driven political influence. You can find materials to run a Voter's Guide workshop as well as self-guided learning tools from around the world.</p>


The Influence Industry's Inform: Voter Literacy Resources are
designed for voters, community organisers, and educators around the world
navigating data-driven political influence. In these resources, you will find
materials for workshops and self-guided learning for voters around the world.

For Facilitators

For Voters 

Inform: Voter Literacy Resources

<p>Explore 500+ companies operating in the business of political influence through our interactive and open database or read the case studies from us and our partnerships on the influence industry, its role in specific countries and regions, and our research methodologies.</p>


In the process of researching and documenting how the Influence
Industry operates in different political contexts around the world, our
project and our partners examined over 500 companies that play a role in this
wider ecosystem — from global data brokers to local campaign consultancies. 

The Influence Industry Case Studies

The Influence Industry Explorer

<p>The Influence Industry Learning Hub is an educational guide to help you learn about the role of private firms in political influence and the collection, analysis and sales of political data. The Learning Hub is based on half a decade of research in over 20 countries, expert consultation and our curated library of resources. </p>
<p>Start from module 1 or dive into your module of choice if you already know what you’re interested in. Check out <ColouredLink href="https://influenceindustry.org/en/project/about/" theme="project">our team page</ColouredLink> if you want to get in touch with any queries, join our informational mailing list, or find out about our live workshops.</p>


These modules will help you learn about how political actors —
such as political parties, candidates or candidate-endorsing campaigns —
relate to one another. 

Digital technologies and the data-centered economies are
revolutionising how we live, interact, provide for ourselves and debate the
complexities of the human experience.

Learning Modules

Learn about the Influence Industry

<p>Researcher Tetyana Bohdanova guides readers through the process of choosing and defining a research question, scope and subject.</p>


Module III

Defining Your Research Questions

<p>Tetyana Bohdanova helps readers to find data to support their investigations</p>


Sources for Your Investigation

<p>Research Tetyana Bohdanova gives final pieces of advice for researchers, journalists and investigators. </p>


Risks and Considerations for Conducting and Publishing Research on Elections

<ul>
<li>Defining Political Influence</li>
<li>The History of Personal Data</li>
</ul>


Module I

Introduction to Personal Data and Political Influence

<ul>
<li>The Political Data Technology Framework</li>
<li>Data as a Political Asset</li>
</ul>


Module II

Technologies Used by the Influence Industry

<ul>
<li>Privacy and Data-Driven Political Campaigns</li>
<li>How Data Logic Alters Politics</li>
</ul>


Module IV

The Dilemmas of Using Personal Data for Political Influence

<h2>1. Define the questions you would like to answer through your research</h2>
<h3>The first step is to define what you want to find out and why.</h3>
<p>You may seek to answer such specific questions as:</p>
<ul>
<li>Which digital, data-driven campaigning methods and tools are being used by the political actors in question?</li>
<li>Are legal regulations being fulfilled?</li>
<li>Are rules/regulations being consistently applied across all digital campaigning tools used by the candidates?</li>
<li>Are voters informed about the data-driven technologies and practices being used in campaigning?</li>
<li>Is there any evidence of data-driven technology misuse by the actors in question?</li>
</ul>
<p>Choosing a specific question may depend on recent events (e.g., scandals related to data use), address a specific gap in existing research, or focus on a newly emergent data-enabled technology used by political actors.</p>
<h3>In Practice</h3>
<p>This <a href="https://ourdataourselves.tacticaltech.org/posts/overview-colombia/">Colombian country study</a> focused on how political candidates and campaigns used personal data in the 2018 elections shortly after the country passed regulations on the use and processing of personal data amidst the increased circulation of political content on digital platforms<F>'¿Cómo se usaron los datos personales de los colombianos en la pasada campaña legislativa?', José Luis Peñarredonda, 2018, <a href="https://web.karisma.org.co/como-se-usaron-los-datos-personales-de-los-colombianos-en-la-pasada-campana-legislativa/">https://web.karisma.org.co/como-se-usaron-los-datos-personales-de-los-colombianos-en-la-pasada-campana-legislativa/</a></F>.</p>
<h2>2. Select the subject(s) of your investigation</h2>
<h3>The question of which political actors you should focus on deserves special consideration.</h3>
<p>It is useful to set clear criteria for selecting the subjects of your investigation. Of course, you may choose to look into all political candidates that have been allowed to participate in an election – but be aware that this strategy may require significant resources. In order to make your investigation more focused, you may look only at the main candidates, such as those that have crossed a particular threshold of public support or stand a significant chance of winning.</p>
<TextBox text="Author's Tip: If investigating political actors, set a clear selection criteria and apply it consistently to avoid accusations of bias." />
<p>If you intend to monitor the use of personal data during elections, keep in mind that credible election observation efforts are guided by a set of internationally accepted principles, such as those outlined in the <a href="https://gndem.org/declaration-of-global-principles/">Declaration of Global Principles for Nonpartisan Election Observation and Monitoring by Citizen Organizations</a> by the Global Network of Domestic Election Monitors.</p>
<p>Before moving on, think about which other actors are important to look at in your context.</p>
<ul>
<li>Are there private companies that are in the business of providing data-driven campaign technology to political actors?</li>
<li>Are there non-governmental organisations or other influence groups that may play a role in a political campaign? If so, are there any indications of personal data sharing between them and candidates?</li>
<li>Are there state bodies that have access to personal data that may be used in a political campaign or any indication of the abuse of state resources in an electoral context?</li>
<li>Is there a "black market" for personal data? Have there been any illegal incidents in the past?</li>
</ul>
<h3>In Practice:</h3>
<Image src="/ourdataourselves.tacticaltech.org/leiseca.png" alt="Image displays map populated with open data points" caption="Lei Seca app, showing police’s sobriety checkpoints in the city of Rio de Janeiro., <a href='https://ourdataourselves.tacticaltech.org/posts/overview-brazil/'> Source: Coding Rights 2018 Brazil Country Study</>" />
<p>Read <a href="https://ourdataourselves.tacticaltech.org/posts/overview-brazil/">this Brazil country study</a> for an overview of a thriving public and private data market by large data firms and how data is utilised in the digital campaigns.<F>'Data as a tool for political influence in the Brazilian elections', Coding Rights, November 2018, <a href="https://medium.com/codingrights/data-on-the-spot-information-manipulation-and-use-of-personal-data-in-the-internet-election-154e50cf05c8">https://medium.com/codingrights/data-on-the-spot-information-manipulation-and-use-of-personal-data-in-the-internet-election-154e50cf05c8</a></F>.</p>
<h2>3. Define the scope of your research</h2>
<h3>To help guide your scope, ask yourself: What makes this political moment significant enough to investigate?</h3>
<p>It is important to define the scope of your research as precisely as possible, including:</p>
<ul>
<li>The particular time period you want to focus on. For instance, whether your investigation will only cover the official pre-election campaigning period or extend to after an election or between elections.</li>
<li>The geographic scope of your investigation (e.g., national, regional or local)</li>
<li>The depth of your investigation. For example, whether you want to examine as many digital campaigning tools used by the political contestants as possible (e.g., websites, social media accounts, mobile apps, chatbots, etc.) or only focus on a select few. </li>
</ul>
<p>When defining scope, remember to also consider the resources that you have access to and would need to complete the work.</p>
<TextBox text="Author's Tip: Whenever possible, it is best to examine the use of data-driven technologies in electoral campaigns in real-time or shortly after, as many campaign websites and other digital tools are short-lived and only used during the active campaigning period." />
<h2>4. Understanding the context of your investigation</h2>
<h3>Developing a good understanding of the investigation context before beginning will help you determine where to focus resources as you conduct your research.</h3>
<p>Specific aspects to examine ahead of time may include:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Technology:</strong> Consider the state of technological developments in a particular place, including latest changes related to techniques, equipment, as well as the skills of users.
For instance, it can be useful to know whether there is a personal data "market" in the political environment, e.g., whether data sets are sold to or purchased and used by political actors. <a href="https://influenceindustry.org/en/learn/resources/data-as-political-asset/">Read Data as a Political Asset to learn more</a>.</li>
<li><strong>Legal environment</strong>: Develop an understanding of the legal surroundings including regulations affecting technology.
Consider looking at digital campaigning and data protection regulations, freedom or access to information legislation,  and media laws to gain a relevant legal perspective. In addition, familiarise yourself with the main regulations that apply to political campaigning.</li>
<li><strong>Political context:</strong> If you decide to focus on the candidates, it is important to grasp the overall political context of the investigation. Some questions to help you define the political context include: What is the political culture in the place that you are investigating? What are the main political events that have shaped the current state of affairs? What are the current “hot” political topics of concern to society? Who are the main political actors and what do they stand to gain from the election in question?</li>
<li><strong>Campaign practices:</strong> It might also be useful to have an understanding of the most commonly used digital online campaign methods and tools – even if this is a topic that you will explore in your investigation. For examples of campaign technologies, see <a href="https://influenceindustry.org/en/learn/what-technologies-does-the-influence-industry-use/">Technologies Used by the Influence Industry</a>.</li>
</ul>
<p>Ask yourself: What are the most important aspects of the context that I need to know in order to conduct my election investigation?</p>
<TextBox text="Author's Tip: When possible, interviews with industry leaders, such as political digital marketers or campaign consultants may provide valuable insights into the overall political influence industry specific to your investigation." />
<h3>Hear for yourself:</h3>
<p>Listen to this interview with Tetyana Bohdanova in which she describes the political and electoral context that led up to her 2019 report on the Ukrainian national elections.</p>
<Audio src="https://cdn.ttc.io/src/the-influence-industry-project/learninghub/bohdanova-interview-final.mp3" title='Interview with Tetyana Bohdanova' />
<p>You can also find the complete transcript and audio <a href="https://influenceindustry.org/en/resources/full-interview-bohdanova/">here</a> or listen to the interview on <a href="https://watch.tacticaltech.org/videos/watch/b1a556a7-0eba-458a-8d41-26e727ea4ac0">PeerTube</a>, <a href="https://vimeo.com/780994942">Vimeo</a> or <a href="https://youtu.be/mAKGTmI0CMw">YouTube</a>.</p>
<h2>5. Skills and knowledge you might need</h2>
<h3>Identify which skills and knowledge bases will be necessary to cover.</h3>
<p>For instance, in order to research the way main election candidates use voter's personal data, one may need:</p>
<ul>
<li>Digital security expertise</li>
<li>Political analysis skills</li>
<li>The use of digital technologies in campaigns expertise</li>
<li>Legal expertise</li>
<li>Data analysis skills</li>
<li>etc.</li>
</ul>
<p>Consider what skills and knowledge are needed for this investigation to be successful. What do you and your team already posses? What will need to be sought externally?</p>
<TextBox text="Author's Tip: Tactical Tech's Exposing the Invisible project has a set of recommendations on how to collaborate with other investigators. <a href='https://exposingtheinvisible.org/en/articles/investigation-is-collaboration-eti-booklet/'>Find the toolkit here</a>." />


This section helps guide researchers, investigators and journalists
through the process of choosing, defining and elaborating on a research
question, scope and subject.

In this section, guest author Tetyana Bohdanova guides
readers through the process of choosing and defining a research question,
scope and subject. 

Sections for Module 3

More Learning Modules

Section I

<h2>1. Primary sources of information on political actors:</h2>
<p>Political parties/candidates’ websites and/or their <strong>official campaigning websites</strong> are the logical first information to review in the course of your investigation. For instance, check whether the websites have privacy policies or otherwise outline what the parties/candidates/campaigns claim to do with the personal data of their supporters – if anything. Are the web resources through which voters' personal data is collected secure? Do the web resources meet all of the legal requirements? And do the actual data practices of these actors coincide with their own policies/claims? This is where an understanding of digital campaigning practices, digital security knowledge, and legal expertise are important.</p>
<p>The same questions may be asked with regards to other digital campaigning tools used by the subjects of your investigation, for example: social media pages, messengers, chatbots, mobile applications, emailing software, online survey tools, etc.</p>
<p>You could also try to conduct interviews with the members of campaign headquarters, as well as consultants working for them.</p>
<TextBox text="Author's Tip: Should you discover any significant security vulnerabilities of the research subjects' digital tools, it is best to alert the entities directly and allow them the opportunity to fix the issues before making your findings public." />
<h3>See for yourself:</h3>
<p>Ukraine: During the investigation in the 2019 Ukrainian Parliamentary elections, the team reviewed the Privacy Policies found on the websites of the main political parties against the country's Personal Data Protection regulations. The team then checked whether the same Privacy Policy claims also applied to the parties' social media tools and accounts. The research team found that none of the investigated parties fulfilled the state data protection regulations in full when using digital campaigning tools.<F>'Personal Voter Data Use in the 2019
Ukrainian Parliamentary Elections: A Report on Digital Influence Outside the Scope of Disinformation', Tetyana Bohdanova, Tactical Tech and Prague Civil Society Foundation, July 2020, <a href="https://ourdataourselves.tacticaltech.org/posts/overview-ukraine/.">https://ourdataourselves.tacticaltech.org/posts/overview-ukraine/.</a></F> <a href="https://ourdataourselves.tacticaltech.org/posts/overview-ukraine/">Read the report</a>.</p>
<Image src="/the-influence-industry-project/learninghub/methods_image_1.png" alt="Image displays screenshot of a Ukrainian political party website consent form" caption="A screenshot of a registration form on the European Solidarity party’s website with a consent statement that fails to fully inform subscribers about how their data would be used., <a href='https://ourdataourselves.tacticaltech.org/posts/overview-ukraine/'> Source: Bohdanova Ukraine 2019 elections research</>" />
<Image src="/the-influence-industry-project/learninghub/methods_image_2.png" alt="Image displays mobile phone screenshot of a Ukrainian political party messaging bot" caption="A screenshot of the interaction with the Servant of the People party’s Telegram bot, which provided no information about data collection or asked for user’s permission., <a href='https://ourdataourselves.tacticaltech.org/posts/overview-ukraine/'> Source: Bohdanova Ukraine 2019 elections research</>" />
<p>France: In the 2017 Presidential elections, the French Data Protection office investigated a mobile campaigning app, which identified and geo-located Sarkozy supporters for door-to-door campaigning. The probe prompted a public debate about the app, as some voters found the technology invasive. <F>'The 2017 Presidential Election: The arrival of targeted political speech in French politics',  Judith Duportail, Tactical Tech and Judith Duportail, December 2018, <a href="https://ourdataourselves.tacticaltech.org/posts/overview-france/">https://ourdataourselves.tacticaltech.org/posts/overview-france/</a></F><a href="https://ourdataourselves.tacticaltech.org/posts/overview-france/">Read the Report</a></p>
<Image src="/the-influence-industry-project/learninghub/methods_image_3.png" alt="Image displays mobile phone screenshot Knockin app interface" caption="A screenshot of Knockin, an app developed and used by French presidential candidate Nicolas Sarkozy’s team. The mobile phone application shows a map with red spots, each of which identifies a supporter of the right-wing candidate at their address. <a href='https://www.forbes.fr/business/comment-la-donnee-revolutionne-t-elle-la-politique/'> Source: Forbes France 2018</>" />
<h2>2. Secondary sources of information</h2>
<p>While primary sources are important, they can be difficult to obtain or the individuals might be too closely intertwined with the campaign to give new insights. Therefore, secondary sources of information remain an important tool for investigations: look for <strong>media publications</strong> or any other <strong>public commentary</strong> on the topic.</p>
<p><strong>Data provided by the digital platforms</strong> themselves (e.g., transparency reports, political ad libraries, etc) are another good source of information for an investigation.</p>
<p>In addition, you may review <strong>reports and investigations by the media</strong>, as well, if available, as by <strong>watchdog organisations</strong>.</p>
<p>Finally, you may also submit <strong>official requests for information</strong> to the relevant authorities. This can usually be done within the framework of Access to Information laws that regulate access to the information held by public bodies. In the context of such investigations, relevant bodies may be the state data protection authority (if such an office is available) or other regulatory or law enforcement bodies tasked with protecting citizens' data rights.</p>
<h3>In Practice:</h3>
<p>In 2020, ProPublica and the NYU Cybersecurity for Democracy program developed a project that collected digital political advertisements that ran on Facebook around the world. <a href="https://www.propublica.org/datastore/dataset/political-advertisements-from-facebook">See for yourself</a>.</p>
<h2>3. Possible limitations</h2>
<p>Beware of potential limitations that you might face in your investigation. For instance, you may only be able to conduct a limited, external review of the websites and other digital campaigning tools used by the election candidates as campaigns are unlikely to provide back-end access.</p>
<p>Similarly, you might not be able to gain direct "insider" access to information from campaign consultants or industry representatives and should therefore not build your investigation around such expectations.</p>
<p>Bear in mind that any analysis involving extensive data collection over a period of time (i.e., monitoring digital campaigning practices of the selected actors) requires technical capabilities and knowledge. Likewise, the available tools might still be limited in their reach. Collected data would need to be systematised and analysed. Additionally, there may be time limitations on collecting data needed for your analysis as the websites and platforms could be disabled or taken down after the campaigning period. </p>
<TextBox text="Author's Tip: Decide how much data is enough for your investigation. It is a good practice to set the minimum and maximum targets for yourself ahead of collecting information." />
<p>Additionally, each digital platform's level of transparency may differ from country to country, or even from election to election. In some cases, no transparency tools may be made available at all. Existing limitations should not discourage you from conducting the investigation as reporting on the lack of information could become the story itself. </p>
<h3>See for yourself:</h3>
<p>United Kingdom: This country study from 2018 showcases how the information about the data-driven practices in the UK remain opaque.<F>'Data and Democracy in the UK', Amber Macintyre, Gary Wright and Stephanie Hankey, Tactical Tech, August 2018, <a href="https://cdn.ttc.io/s/ourdataourselves.tacticaltech.org/ttc-influence-industry-uk.pdf">https://cdn.ttc.io/s/ourdataourselves.tacticaltech.org/ttc-influence-industry-uk.pdf</a></F> <a href="https://ourdataourselves.tacticaltech.org/posts/overview-uk/">Read the report</a>.</p>


In this section, guest author and researcher Tetyana Bohdanova
details types of information and gives helpful tips about best practices for
gathering research evidence.

In this section, guest author and researcher Tetyana
Bohdanova details types of information and gives helpful tips about best
practices for gathering research evidence.

Section II

<h2>1. Impact of the investigation</h2>
<p>Think carefully about how to best publicise the findings of your investigation, particularly if they concern an ongoing or recent election as the publication could impact the election outcome or the reaction to the election (e.g., when or if wrongdoings are uncovered).</p>
<p>Questions to ask:</p>
<ul>
<li>What could be the impact of this investigation on the election?</li>
<li>Who stands to benefit or be harmed by the findings?</li>
<li>When is the best time and what is the best method to publicise the findings?</li>
</ul>
<TextBox text="Author's Tip: In an electoral context, the timing of the publication might be limited by legal regulations. Verify whether there are any 'silent' periods during which campaigning is prohibited and be careful about disclosing information about election candidates during those periods. In some cases, it might be considered illegal by the regulators. If significant violations are uncovered, remember that in most places there is a regulated time period during which election results may be legally challenged. " />
<h2>2. Target audience(s) and channels</h2>
<p>Think about the target audience of your investigation. The audience might also impact the format and method for sharing your findings (e.g., a written report, press conference, media article, etc).</p>
<p>Although highly dependent on the context, journalists might be used to receiving a brief press release, while rights defenders might be more accustomed to reading the report and citizens might like to read about the findings in their traditional or social media channels. </p>
<TextBox text="Author's Tip:  In many contexts, it can be best practice to alert the subject of your investigation about your work and provide them with a copy of your findings ahead of time. You might even allocate a set period of time for them to respond before the findings are published. If some of your findings are too sensitive for open publication, consider presenting them to a limited circle of actors in a closed setting or sharing the findings through a secure channel." />
<h2>3. Legal implications and personal safety</h2>
<p>In some cases, the subject and the findings of your investigation may be sensitive and pose legal or security risks for the investigators. It is important to carefully consider potential repercussions of conducting such research in advance and to seek legal counsel and other necessary guidance.</p>
<p>Some questions that may help you to understand whether you are dealing with sensitive information:</p>
<ul>
<li>Have you discovered any evidence that a breach of law or other serious wrongdoing has taken place?</li>
<li>Did your investigation uncover a risk to the security or integrity of someone's personal data?</li>
<li>Could your findings influence the outcome of an election process?</li>
</ul>
<TextBox text="Author's Tip: If you intend to monitor the use of personal voters' data in an election, remember that credible non-partisan election observation is guided by a set of internationally accepted principles. <a href='https://gndem.org/declaration-of-global-principles/'>Read more from the Global Network of Domestic Election Monitors here</a>" />


In this section, guest author Tetyana Bohdanova guides readers
through risks and questions of concern when conducting and publishing research
on elections. 

In this section, guest author Tetyana Bohdanova guides
readers through risks and questions of concern of conducting and publishing
research on elections. 

Section IV

<p>In this module, you will be guided through definitions of key terms and concepts that will provide a foundational base as you continue through the Learning Hub. You will first define what political influence is, in order to better understand why the influence industry exists. You will learn about the history of political communications and mediators, and you will concretely define personal data. In each section, you will find reflections and activities that accompany the text. </p>
<p>Learning about the intricacies of the influence industry is important because only with details about its methods, an international perspective and an examination of the spectrum of companies involved can we understand how our political processes take place and how they can be regulated to ensure transparency. In this module, learn about the history and current environment of data-driven influence, how to define political data and the key concerns that should motivate us to be informed on this topic.</p>


An introduction into the industry that influences voters and elections.

The influence industry is not tied to one party, politician or even country. It is a global - and ever-expanding - network of data brokers, communication consultants and campaign technologists who advise political parties and carry out communications in the political sphere.

This module aims to introduce key concepts that are core to understanding this industry, including: key features that identify the international scope of the influence industry; the history of political communications and the role of mediating third parties from press to PR; and defining personal data and its transformation into political data for influence campaigns.

Sections in Module 1

Identify the features of the influence industry

Understand the history of political communications and mediators

Introduction to Personal Data and the Influence Industry

<p>In this module, you will be presented with <em>The Political Data Technologies Framework</em> developed by our Data and Politics team. The framework demonstrates how data-driven technologies used by the influence industry allow political actors to use personal data in three main categories: as an asset, as intelligence, and as influence. In each section, you will learn about a selection of technologies from each category and see how they have been applied around the world. You will also find reflections and activities to accompany the text.</p>
<p>Examining and understanding the tools and the mechanisms of the influence industry is critical for unpacking the ethics surrounding each tool - focusing too much on Facebook, for example, doesn't allow the conversation to include if the same concerns and regulations should be applied to the use of WhatsApp groups or A/B testing. </p>
<p>By expanding their knowledge of the industry, regulators and policy-makers can ensure their work is not overly limited to well-known scandals or tech platforms that have been in the spotlight. Investigators, researchers and election monitors can observe and scrutinise the full range of tools and tactics applied by political groups. Voters can understand better where and how influence might appear to them, to take more agency over how they form their political opinions. </p>


What technologies are used in digital political campaigning and how
does the Influence Industry use voter data to drive political communication?

Political influence campaigns engage a variety of tools
during election cycles. ‘Traditional’ political campaigning methods include
printed billboard and poster campaigns, radio and television political ads,
in-person rallies or door-to-door canvassing orchestrated by political
mediators. These methods were designed and implemented over time with changes
happening incrementally. By contrast, technologies used in digital
campaigning, sometimes called "campaign-tech" or "political ad-tech", have
accelerated in the past decade and are largely unregulated and nontransparent.
This chapter outlines a framework for understanding the different ways
data-driven tools can be understood (as an asset, as intelligence, or as
influence) with demonstrative examples from across the world. 

Sections for Module 2

Categorise uses of collected personal data within the Political Data
Technologies Framework

Learn about a sample of technologies used by the Influence Industry

Explore global examples and tools of the Influence Industry

<p>The current political and economic systems that collect, process and sell data away from the public eye exploit individuals by misrepresenting the true cost of the exchange. Beyond that, when consumers don't have a viable alternative to the status quo, consent is less meaningful.</p>
<p>Understanding the impact of using personal data to create or enrich political influence requires a deeper comprehension of several already complex fields. There are many concerns about data-driven practices that require attention, including an inequality in access to the tools, which leads to increased gaps within society; as well as the accuracy and effectiveness of relying on computerised and quantified data to produce knowledge.</p>
<p>In this module, you will become familiar with several of the issues surrounding the current data-driven political campaigning model. This module is by no means exhaustive but can provide a basis to inform your work. The module will first examine the right to privacy and possible impacts of privacy disintegration. It introduces the concept of data logic and dissects the underlying assumptions of data logic. It also examines the effect of “permanent” campaigns, which are constantly enriching their databases, as well as what happens to the data during transfers of power or as leaders in tech become leaders in government or vice-versa.</p>


Data collected by individual’s browsing habits and connected
devices has become linked to decision-making across industry. In this module,
you will be presented several of issues with the current data-driven political
campaigning model.

As data-driven decision making becomes increasingly embedded
in our lives, so do ethical questions about the same practices. Technology has
proven to develop, iterate and change faster than laws, regulations and
education systems, often leaving individuals exposed and their information at
risk. In the excitement of imagining the new possibilities that technology
offers, questions of security and lasting impact can be overlooked. This
chapter examines multiple reasons to interrogate the use of personal data in
political campaigns, many of which pertain to the security and capacity of
citizens to participate in politics.  

Sections for Module 4 

Identify several issues surrounding the use of personal data in political
campaigns

Connect the right to privacy to political identity

Contextualise concerns about the effectiveness of data analytics within
political influence

<h2>1. Systematize Information</h2>
<p>There are multiple ways to systematize the information that you are collecting while still conducting research, from a simple spreadsheet with links and notes to a more comprehensive online database. A data structure for investigations lists recorded incidents in a particular order, categorises them, contains a basic description of each incident and links to the collected evidence. If you are storing screenshots or any multimedia files, find a secure shared cloud storage for you and your team members to use.</p>
<p>While it is important to stay flexible as your research evolves, it is best to decide on at least some instruments ahead of time. Find examples of online tools and databases from <a href="https://exposingtheinvisible.org/en/explore/">the Exposing the Invisible project here</a>.</p>
<h2>2. Keep your research questions in focus</h2>
<p>The subject of personal data and politics is vast and overlaps with numerous issues, such as campaign finance, digital ad transparency, mis- and dis-information, among other. While different pieces of information might seem relevant for your investigation, stay focused on your original research question and scope.</p>
<p>For instance, if you research the data practices of main election contestants, keep the focus on their methods an tools involving data and analyse those against existing legal frameworks, election officials own claims and other publicly available information.</p>
<TextBox text="Author's Tip: If you come across an important discovery that seems pertinent yet falls somewhat outside of the scope of your research, ask yourself how much if could impact the process that you are working on. For example, the evidence of a personal data leak in an election campaign may constitute a breach of a law, embarrass election contestants and even sway voters in favor or against a particular choice." />
<h2>3. Analyze the findings</h2>
<p>Trying to make sense of the information that you collected may seem daunting at first. In order to analyze it, look back at your original research questions. Have you collected enough information to answer the questions? What were you able to find out? Then, examine what your answers mean for election candidates themselves. And how about voters? In addition, do your findings bear any implications for the regulators?</p>
<TextBox text="Author's Tip: Ask yourself: What do your findings mean? What do I think is important for a healthy political culture?" />


In this section, guest author Tetyana Bohdanova guides readers
through the steps one might take in a research or investigation process.

In this section, guest author Tetyana Bohdanova guides
readers through the steps one might take in a research or investigation
process.

The Steps for Conducting Your Investigation

1. Systematize Information

2. Keep your research questions in focus

3. Analyze the findings