The ‘No’ campaign has released a new app called Freedom Team that directs doorknockers to the homes of undecided gay marriage voters.
Produced by the Coalition for Marriage by a US company, the app uses publicly available data to supply addresses to campaigners anywhere in Australia.
Users can view a list of nearby voters, get directions to their locations, and then use ‘No’ campaign talking points to try and convince them to fill out their postal surveys.
The ‘No’ campaign has released a new app called Freedom Team that directs doorknockers to the homes of undecided gay marriage voters (pictured)
Produced by the Coalition for Marriage (pictured is managing director Lyle Shelton) by a US company, the app uses publicly available data to supply addresses to campaigners anywhere in Australia
The app provides a number of actions that can be completed once a voter has been reached, such as ‘Not home’, Refused’, Bad info’, and ‘Survey!’
It displays the locations of ‘neighbours’ and ‘voters’ on an app and provides directions on how to reach them.
Daily Mail Australia tested the app, but found users needed to be within 18 yards (16 metres – the app is in yards and miles) to select some of the options.
The app functions as a social network and allows users to build up ‘action points’ for completing tasks such as doorknocking and sending information to friends.
Users can view a list of nearby voters, get directions to their locations, and then use ‘No’ campaign talking points to try and convince them to fill out their postal surveys (pictured)
The Coalition for Marriage said the address information came from the Geocoded National Address File, which is publicly available, and the Australian census, Fairfax Media reported.
‘Our campaign uses publicly available, open source data to map out our field campaign so our army of Freedom Team volunteers can speak to as many as people in the short time we have,’ spokeswoman Monica Doumit said.
‘With so many fundamental freedoms on the line, we have no alternative but to run the most technologically sophisticated campaign in Australian history to ensure those freedoms are protected.’
The company behind the app, uCampaign, was involved with the Brexit campaign, Donald Trump’s presidential campaign, and the National Rifle Association.
The app provides a number of actions that can be completed once a voter has been reached, such as ‘Not home’, Refused’, Bad info’, and ‘Survey!’ (pictured left, right)
Daily Mail Australia tested the app, but found users needed to be within 18 yards (16 metres – the app is in yards and miles) to select some of the options (pictured)
Other clients include the Australian Christian Lobby, which is involved with the Coalition for Marriage, and the Republican National Committee.
With recent polls suggesting a majority of those who have participated in the same-sex postal survey so far have voted yes, the ‘No’ campaign is pushing for more votes.
Australian Conservatives leader Cory Bernardi has funded about 1 million robocalls, and the Coalition for Marriage have produced a series of TV ads.
The ‘Yes’ campaign has conducted a marketing drive of its own, sending out a mass text message telling people to vote ‘yes’.
With recent polls suggesting a majority of those who have participated in the same-sex postal survey so far have voted yes, the ‘No’ campaign (pictured) is pushing for more votes