Obama campaign rolls out Square mobile fundraising platform

[zeitgeist]

And there are some interesting comments to this article:

http://www.politico.com/politico44/2012/01/obama-campaign-rolls-out-square-mobile-fundraising-112798.html

The Obama reelection campaign is providing headquarters staff, field organizers and volunteers the ability to take campaign donations with their mobile phones.

Campaign personnel are being issued Square mobile credit card readers, allowing them to process donations with their iPhone or Android phones, a campaign official tells POLITICO. The rollout will happen nationwide, and involve staff at all levels.

The technology is a boon for canvassers and other field staff — potentially saving the campaign hundreds of hours of time processing donations, and giving field staff enormous flexibility. Moreover, it's another good example of the power of mobile technology to streamline and automate otherwise mundane — but nevertheless important — campaign tasks.

Square has been used by a handful of local political campaigns, but the Obama campaign's adoption is the first national political adoption of the technology.

And then there is this:

http://www.appolicious.com/tech/articles/9019-researchers-reveal-two-security-gaps-in-square-mobile-credit-card-reader

Two software security researchers explained last week at the Black Hat security conference in Las Vegas two ways they’ve discovered that mobile credit card payment service Square can be used for credit card fraud.

Square (also on Android) provides mobile payments by allowing users to purchase a small credit card reader to plug into their iPhones, iPads, iPod Touches or Android mobile devices, turning those devices basically into a credit card reader in order to process point-of-sale transactions. The technology allows for anyone to become a credit card-accepting merchant instantly.
{snip}

Let me see, lots of campaign supporters going door to door using these card readers.  What could possibly go wrong?

[JohnnyReb]

Let me see, lots of campaign supporters going door to door using these card readers.  What could possibly go wrong?

Nothing. It's the perfect DUmmie business. The "Will Work for Food" wino standing at the stoplight will change his sign to "Donate to Obama Campaign Here".

[DumbAss Tanker]

Not happy with ripping off the entire country, Obama and his supporters will now be financing his re-election campaign with stolen credit cards.

 

[NHSparky]

Can't wait to see someone rolling up to my house asking for a donation for Obama.

This should be good.

[zeitgeist]

Not happy with ripping off the entire country, Obama and his supporters will now be financing his re-election campaign with stolen credit cards.

 

Again.  (FIFY)


It's the Chicago Way.

I am with JR.  Before you know it every street corner will be manned with a Wino's For Obumer Kiosk© .   Priceless.  Or how about Welfare Baby Mama's Barebackin for Barry © .  Yo, Rodney, we got this crack, that crack, an the other crack.   

[thundley4]

I wonder how many of these pan handlers will use this scam and have the money go to their own accounts instead of Obama's.  Hopefully a whole lot of them.   

[NHSparky]

Maybe that's what the leeches and moochers were talking about "Obama Money" or "from his stash."

[zeitgeist]

Maybe that's what the leeches and moochers were talking about "Obama Money" or "from his stash."

Deja vue all over again.



http://www.nationaljournal.com/njonline/fec-rules-leave-loopholes-for-online-donation-data-20081024?mrefid=site_search

FEC Rules Leave Loopholes For Online Donation Data
Reports Of Irregularities In Donations Under $200 Raise Questions Of Who Bears The Burden Of Filtering Out Improper Money
By Neil Munro

Updated: January 10, 2011 | 1:06 p.m.
October 24, 2008
The increasing use of online financial tools, debit cards and prepaid credit cards to make political contributions has created technological loopholes in federal and public oversight of campaign donations.

The result has been a recent spate of news stories raising questions about apparently implausible or suspicious donations to the presidential campaigns. Right-of-center activists also claim that Barack Obama's campaign has collected tens of millions of dollars from suspect overseas donors. Their complaints spurred the Republican National Committee on Oct. 6 to ask the Federal Election Commission for an investigation of the Obama donations.

To test the campaigns' practices, this author bought two pre-paid American Express gift cards worth $25 each to donate to the Obama and McCain campaigns online. As required by law, the campaigns' Web sites asked for, and National Journal provided, the donor's correct name, location and employment. The cards were purchased with cash at a Washington, D.C., drugstore, and the campaigns' Web sites were accessed through a public computer at a library in Fairfax County, Virginia.

The Obama campaign's Web site accepted the $25 donation, but the McCain campaign's Web site rejected it.

{snip}

If you get a chance check out "Media Malpractice" (available on Netflix)   But only if you want to get real Pi$$ed off all over again.