Thursday 30 August 2018

Are "Together for Labour" exploiting Data Loophole

After the Cambridge Analytica   scandal small wonder  questions have been raised about a new group founded by Welsh Labour leadership candidate Vaughan Gething called Together for Labour.
IIn March, The New York Times, working with The Observer of London and The Guardian, obtained a cache of documents from inside Cambridge Analytica, the data firm principally owned by the right-wing donor Robert Mercer. The documents proved that the firm, where the former Trump aide Stephen K. Bannon was a board member, used data improperly obtained from Facebook to build voter profiles. 
A spokesman for Mr Gething's campaign said that the intention behind the group was to "keep campaigning and engaging as a Welsh Labour family whether we win or lose".
A Welsh Labour source suggested that the group had been stablished separately to Mr Gething's leadership bid in order to retain data gathered during the course of the forthcoming campaign.
According to the Wasting Mule
The new group called Together for Labour, which as yet has no internet presence and is not registered with the Electoral Commission, is soliciting support for Mr Gething.
A Welsh Labour source said: 
“The data they gather will be held by Together for Labour rather than the campaign which would have to destroy it.
"It is not very transparent, as people signing up on Vaughan’s campaign website could reasonably expect that their data would not be owned by or shared with a third party, and to be destroyed when the campaign concludes.
“Why are they wanting to hold on to Labour membership and supporter data after the campaign ends? 
“They appear to be exploiting a loophole in GDPR [General Data Protection Regulation] which will allow them to keep hold of data after Vaughan’s campaign ends.
 A Vaughan for Leader spokesman said:

Our campaign will comply fully with both the letter and the spirit of GDPR regulations.
“Any suggestion to the contrary from anonymous sources is conspiracist nonsense and should be treated as such.
“Our campaign is about engaging meaningfully with members and trade unionists, not just trying to secure their votes.
“As Jeremy Corbyn’s campaign illustrated, carrying on these conversations after leadership elections end can help generate campaigns, policy and passion in quite astonishing ways – just look at Momentum and Welsh Labour Grassroots.
“Our campaign is no different, and our intention to keep campaigning and engaging as a Welsh Labour family whether we win or lose this leadership election is something we are extremely proud of.
Obviously  this is not the same as the  Cambridge Analytical scandal but 
the latter  was significant for inciting public discussion on ethical standards for social media companies, political consulting organizations, and politicians. Consumer advocates called for greater consumer protection in online media and right to privacy as well as curbs on misinformation and propaganda.

Many suspect that the frontrunner in Welsh Labour's leadership contest Mark Drayford could possibly only serve one term and many of the Young Turks putting their names forward are eyeing a contest  in five years time or sooner if Mark Drayford  flops in the  202 Assembly Elections.

Such in formation obtained by Together for Labour although dated would be a useful tool in any future contest.

Many who have been members or supporters of Political Party in the past find at election time they may be individually singled out for canvassing and whilst this is annoying g at times , it is part ogf modern politics.

Whether "Together for Labour" have taken this a bit to far is a question we need to ask.


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