(1)
Dark Money Political Groups Target Voters Based on 
Their Internet Habits 
by Lois Beckett
ProPublica
July 26, 2012
http://www.propublica.org/article/dark-money-political-groups-target-voters-based-on-their-internet-habits 

Lauren Berns was browsing Talking Points Memo when he
saw an ad with President Obama's face. "Stop the
Reckless Spending," the ad read, and in smaller print,
Paid for by Crossroads GPS.    Berns was surprised. Why
was Crossroads GPS, a group that powerful Republican
strategist Karl Rove helped found,advertising on a
liberal-leaning political website? Looking closely at
the ad, Berns saw a small blue triangle in the upper-
left hand corner. He knew what that meant: this ad
wasn't being shown to every person who read that page.
It was being targeted to him in particular. Tax-exempt
groups like Crossroads GPS have become among the biggest
players in this year's election.  They're often called
"dark money" groups, because they can raise accept
unlimited amounts of money and never have to disclose
their donors.

These groups are spending massively on television spots
attacking different candidates. These ads are often
highly publicized and get plenty of media attention.

But these same dark money groups are also quietly
expanding their online advertising efforts, using
sophisticated targeting tactics to send their ads to
specific kinds of people.

Who they're targeting, and what data they're using, is
secret.

Online advertising companies have amassed vast
quantities of information on what individual people
read, watch, and do on the Internet. They collect this
data using small files called cookies, which allows them
to track Internet users as they move from site to site.

These anonymous profiles of information are used to
customize advertisements-like sending casino ads to
someone who just bought a plane ticket to Vegas.

But these profiles are also increasingly used by
political groups, which can decide which people to
target with a message-and which people to avoid-based on
the kinds of articles they read and the kinds of sites
they visit.

Many Internet users who see these ads may not be aware
they're being targeted.

As we've detailed, both the Romney and Obama campaigns
are using advanced tracking and targeting tactics.
Working with our readers, we found two examples of dark
money groups using this kind of targeting, as well: one
ad from Crossroads GPS and one ad from Americans for
Prosperity, a nonprofit linked to the politically
influential Koch brothers.

How many of these ads are dark money groups sending out?
It's hard to say, because it's not easy to track exactly
how much Crossroads, Americans for Prosperity, and
similar groups are spending on different kinds of
advertising.

But these politically influential organizations are
moving more of their efforts online.

While Crossroads spokesman Jonathan Collegio said he
couldn't get into the specifics of their budget,
"Crossroads will certainly spend more in the online
space in 2012 than it did in 2010," he said.

Americans for Prosperity did not return multiple
requests for comment.

Even when Internet users are sophisticated enough to
spot a targeted ad, as Lauren Berns did, it is almost
impossible for them to find out why a certain
organization is targeting them-or what data about them
is being used.

Berns, for instance, is a registered independent from
St. Petersburg, Florida-exactly the kind of voter whose
opinion campaigns and political groups are trying to
sway before November.  He's a self-described "news
junkie," who reads both liberal and conservative news
sites and posts articles to Facebook two to ten times a
day. But it wasn't clear what part of his Internet
behavior ad triggered the Crossroads ad-or whether
information about his offline life was part of the
targeting formula. Had he been shown the Crossroads ad
because he had visited Mitt Romney's site? Because he
regularly reads the conservative sites of The Daily
Caller and The Weekly Standard? Because he lives in a
swing state? Did Berns fit the profile of a potential
Crossroads supporter because he's a 44-year-old who
travels regularly? Or because he shares things with his
friends, thus making him a potential "social
influencer?"

A popup message accompanying the ad offered information
about the targeting. But it only explained, "We select
ads we believe might be more relevant to your
interests." 

When we sent Crossroad's Collegio a copy of the ad, he
said he could not explain exactly how the ad had been
targeted, saying, "it's a matter of strategy that we
would hold close to our chests."

But he did offer one potential targeting factor. "We are
looking for viewers who are more likely to engage their
lawmakers in an issue advocacy campaign, and those are
generally viewers who visit news and current affairs
websites," Collegio said. If Crossroads GPS was looking
to target news junkies, then Berns was the kind of
person they were trying to reach-although, of course,
that didn't necessarily mean he was sympathetic to the
ad's message. Berns regularly reads conservative sites
and says he is skeptical of both parties, but on policy
issues, he says, he lines up more closely with the
Democrats.

Because Crossroads wouldn't disclose their targeting
strategy, we can't know how many other factors may have
been involved. Collegio would not say whether the online
ad was only sent to viewers in certain states.

Television ads from dark money groups often get
significant media scrutiny.  When Crossroads GPS
launched a television ad in early June attacking
President Obama's "reckless spending," the group's $7
million ad buy made headlines in papers across the
country. The Washington Post fact-checked the ad's
claims, and concluded that the ad contained both
exaggerations and omissions.

What didn't get mentioned, by newspapers or by
Crossroads' own press release, was that an online
version of the same ad-the ad Berns saw-would appear on
the computer screens of select individuals, based on
their Internet habits. Collegio said it was "likely an
oversight" that the Crossroads press release didn't
include a description of the online part of the ad
campaign.   But, he noted, "When we announce online
buys, the media rarely report on it."

By their nature, targeted online ads are harder for news
organizations to track, since they are only shown to
some users, and will never appear to others.

This makes targeted ads much less transparent than TV
ads, and makes it harder to tell if politicians or
political groups are using targeting to pander to
certain groups of voters, or whether they're sending out
ads that are misleading, hypocritical, or just plain
false.

As part of our campaign coverage, we've been asking
readers to send in screenshots of any targeted political
ads they see. Berns was one of the first to send in
screenshots of a targeted ad.

Another targeted dark money ad came from a woman in
Wisconsin, who asked that her name not be used. She sent
screenshots of a targeted ad from the Koch-linked
Americans for Prosperity attacking Wisconsin Democratic
congresswoman Tammy Baldwin, who is now running for
Senate.

The ad, which reads, "Tell Tammy Baldwin: Wisconsin
can't afford Washington's wasteful spending!" asks
viewers to "Click here to sign the petition." The ad
appeared on multiple sites the woman visited, including
in a prominent place on the home page of the Washington
Post. While Americans for Prosperity did not return
requests for comment, a Washington Post spokeswoman said
a broader Americans for Prosperity ad campaign had been
taken down because it had not been approved by the
Post's advertising team. While many critics of targeting
have been concerned that political groups might use
targeting to send out controversial ads without
attracting attention, that wasn't the case with the two
ads our readers spotted. The targeted ads from both
groups sent the same message as their spots shown on TV.

Recent surveys suggest many American aren't enthusiastic
about political targeting online.

A survey of 1,503 adult Internet users released this
week by the Annenberg School for Communications found
that 86 percent of the respondents did not want "web
sites to show you political ads tailored to your
interests." Most respondents also said they want to know
what the campaigns know about them.

In general, Berns said, "I'm fine with targeted
advertising. If I'm going to see ads on the Internet,
I'd rather they be something I'm interested in." But, he
said, he draws the line at politics.

"I'd much prefer a world where candidates tried to
equally hard to reach everyone, present their policies
rationally, and let the chips fall where they may," he
wrote in an e-mail.

"Targeting by political viewpoint is `creepy,'" he
wrote. "A little too close to propaganda techniques for
my comfort." Have you seen a targeted political ad?

Help us find out how politicians are targeting you
online.

    If you spot a small blue triangle icon on any online
    political ad, or the words "Ad Choices," take a
    screenshot of the ad. Then click on the blue
    triangle or the words "Ad Choices" to find out which
    company showed you the ad. Take a screenshot of
    that, too. E-mail the screenshots to us at
    [log in to unmask] Please include the
    full URL of the page where you saw the ad.

If the ad asks you to "learn more," visit a website,
donate, or sign a petition, please send us a screenshot
of that site or petition, as well. (The page where the
ad sends you may also be targeted to what advertisers
know about you.)

Not sure how to take a screenshot? Here are the
instructions if you're using a PC, 
[http://graphicssoft.about.com/cs/general/ht/winscreenshot.htm]
using a Mac,
[http://graphicssoft.about.com/od/screencapturemac/ht/macscreenshot.htm]
or using
a smartphone.
[http://www.zimbio.com/New+Mobile+Phones/articles/W6feySmlyiB/How+Take+Screenshot+Smartphone]

You can also check out our "Message Machine" project,
which analyzes how campaigns are targeting voters with
different e-mail messages.
[http://projects.propublica.org/emails/]

(2)
A Guide To Consumer Brands Helping Bankroll Right-Wing Attack Ads
By Scott Keyes and Adam Peck
Think Progress
July 19, 2012
http://thinkprogress.org/election/2012/07/19/543801/consumer-brands-conservative-attack-ads

Have you eaten at White Castle recently? Or caught a
movie at Regal Cinemas?

If so, you may be unwittingly helping finance right-wing
attack ads.

That's because many of the country's most common brands
are run by rich conservatives who are using their
personal wealth to bankroll outside spending groups that
are running attack ads smearing progressives. From
Marriott Hotels to Brawny paper towels, and from the Los
Angeles Lakers to the Coachella music festival,
corporate executives at these organizations have given
millions of dollars to groups like Mitt Romney's Super
PAC Restore Our Future.

Some corporations, like Waffle House, give direct
donations to conservative attack ad groups like Karl
Rove's American Crossroads.

The following list of consumer brands either have
leaders who wrote checks to outside right-wing attack ad
groups or gave money directly from the corporation. Only
entities that gave $25,000 or more were included in this
guide.

Hotels

Marriott Hotels is a subsidiary of Marriott
International, whose chairman J.W. "Bill" Marriott, Jr.
has contributed $1,000,000 to Mitt Romney's Super PAC
Restore Our Future. [Source]

Omni Hotels is a subsidiary of TRT Holdings, a private
corporation whose co-founder Robert Rowling has given
more than $1,000,000 in total to American Crossroads and
Mitt Romney's Super PAC Restore Our Future. [Source]

Palazzo Hotel in Las Vegas is owned by Sheldon Adelson,
who along with his wife have pledged $71 million to
right-wing attack groups, including Newt Gingrich's
Super PAC Winning Our Future, Mitt Romney's Super PAC
Restore Our Future, Crossroads GPS, a group set up by
former Eric Cantor aides named the Young Guns Network,
and a group tied to John Boehner named the Congressional
Leadership Fund. [Source]

Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company is a subsidiary of Marriott
International, whose chairman J.W. "Bill" Marriott, Jr.
has contributed $1,000,000 to Mitt Romney's Super PAC
Restore Our Future. [Source]

Venetian Resort Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas is owned
by Sheldon Adelson, who along with his wife have pledged
$71 million to right-wing attack groups, including Newt
Gingrich's Super PAC Winning Our Future, Mitt Romney's
Super PAC Restore Our Future, Crossroads GPS, a group
set up by former Eric Cantor aides named the Young Guns
Network, and a group tied to John Boehner named the
Congressional Leadership Fund. [Source]

Household items

Angel Soft toilet paper is a subsidiary of Koch
Industries, headed by Charles and David Koch who are
planning to funnel approximately $400 million to groups
like the National Rifle Association, Grover Norquist's
Americans for Tax Reform, the National Right to Life
Committee, Ralph Reed's Faith and Freedom Coalition, the
60 Plus Association and the American Future Fund.
[Source]

Brawny paper towels is a subsidiary of Koch Industries,
headed by Charles and David Koch who are planning to
funnel approximately $400 million to groups like the
National Rifle Association, Grover Norquist's Americans
for Tax Reform, the National Right to Life Committee,
Ralph Reed's Faith and Freedom Coalition, the 60 Plus
Association and the American Future Fund. [Source]

Dixie cups is a subsidiary of Koch Industries, headed by
Charles and David Koch who are planning to funnel
approximately $400 million to groups like the National
Rifle Association, Grover Norquist's Americans for Tax
Reform, the National Right to Life Committee, Ralph
Reed's Faith and Freedom Coalition, the 60 Plus
Association and the American Future Fund. [Source]

Georgia Pacific is a subsidiary of Koch Industries,
headed by Charles and David Koch who are planning to
funnel approximately $400 million to groups like the
National Rifle Association, Grover Norquist's Americans
for Tax Reform, the National Right to Life Committee,
Ralph Reed's Faith and Freedom Coalition, the 60 Plus
Association and the American Future Fund. [Source]

Entertainment

Coachella Music & Arts Festival is an affiliate of AEG,
whose parent company Anschutz Corporation is run by
Philip Anschutz. He has made many political donations,
including a $50,000 to the Boehner-linked Congressional
Leadership Fund Super PAC. [Source]

Regal Cinemas is an affiliate of AEG, whose parent
company Anschutz Corporation is run by Philip Anschutz.
He has made many political donations, including a
$50,000 to the Boehner-linked Congressional Leadership
Fund Super PAC. [Source]

Food

Blue Bell Creameries, the ice cream manufacturer, gave
$40,000 to the Boehner-linked Congressional Leadership
Fund Super PAC. [Source]

Waffle House, the 24-hour breakfast food restaurant,
gave Karl Rove's group American Crossroads $100,000 from
its corporate fund. [Source]

White Castle, the Ohio-based burger chain, gave $25,000
to the Boehner-linked Congressional Leadership Fund
Super PAC. [Source]

Athletics

New Balance, the shoe company, is headed by Jim Davis
who has donated $1,000,000 to Mitt Romney's Super PAC
Restore Our Future. [Source]

Gold's Gym is a subsidiary of TRT Hodlings, a private
corporation whose co-founder Robert Rowling has given
more than $1,000,000 in total to American Crossroads and
Mitt Romney's Super PAC Restore Our Future. [Source]

Sports franchises

Houston Dynamo, the MLS team, is an affiliate of AEG,
whose parent company Anschutz Corporation is run by
Philip Anschutz. He has made many political donations,
including a $50,000 to the Boehner-linked Congressional
Leadership Fund Super PAC. [Source]

Los Angeles Galaxy the MLS team, is an affiliate of AEG,
whose parent company Anschutz Corporation is run by
Philip Anschutz. He has made many political donations,
including a $50,000 to the Boehner-linked Congressional
Leadership Fund Super PAC. [Source]

Los Angeles Kings, the NHL team, is an affiliate of AEG,
whose parent company Anschutz Corporation is run by
Philip Anschutz. He has made many political donations,
including a $50,000 to the Boehner-linked Congressional
Leadership Fund Super PAC. [Source]

Los Angeles Lakers the NBA team, is an affiliate of AEG,
whose parent company Anschutz Corporation is run by
Philip Anschutz. He has made many political donations,
including a $50,000 to the Boehner-linked Congressional
Leadership Fund Super PAC. [Source]

Orlando Magic, the NBA team, is owned by Richard DeVos,
a Michigan billionaire who has given more than
$1,000,000 to the Koch Brothers' 2012 anti-Obama
efforts. [Source]

Miscellaneous

Charles Schwab Corporation, an investment company
founded and run by Charles Schwab, who along with his
wife has given $250,000 to Mitt Romney's Super PAC
Restore Our Future. [Source]

Menards, the Midwestern home improvement chain, whose
founder and owner John Menard pledged more than
$1,000,000 to the Koch Brothers' 2012 anti-Obama
efforts. [Source]

Nina Liss-Schultz and Christina Lewis contributed to
this report.

___________________________________________

Portside aims to provide material of interest to people
on the left that will help them to interpret the world
and to change it.

Submit via email: [log in to unmask]

Submit via the Web: http://portside.org/submittous3

Frequently asked questions: http://portside.org/faq

Sub/Unsub: http://portside.org/subscribe-and-unsubscribe

Search Portside archives: http://portside.org/archive

Contribute to Portside: https://portside.org/donate