Amazon Will Soon Let You Make Campaign Contributions Through Your Alexa Device (theverge.com) 47
On Thursday, you'll be able to make campaign donations to 2020 presidential candidates through your Amazon Alexa devices -- or at least to those candidates whom Amazon deems eligible to set up an account. From a report: If a campaign chooses to sign up for Alexa donations, you'll be able to donate to it by merely saying, "Alexa, I want to make a political contribution," or "Alexa, donate [amount] to [candidate name]." All donations will be processed through Amazon Pay, and users will receive email receipts for their contributions as well. Strangely, the feature is only available to 2020 presidential candidates Amazon defines as "principal campaign committees." It's not apparent who Amazon considers "principal" and for what reasons. The contribution will be limited between $5 to $200.
Trump 2020! (Score:3, Insightful)
Re: (Score:3)
But will Alexa let me contribute to the Trump campaign?
More interesting question would be if Alexa would let me make you contribute to the Trump campaign without you realizing it happened until you see your credit card bill.
Re: (Score:1)
Sounds like a lot more fun than creamed corn. [xkcd.com]
Re: (Score:2)
New fundraising idea - go around barking donation orders into other peoples' Alexa devices :P
Re: (Score:2)
...I was just thinking that.
Just have someone on TV say, "Hey, Alexa, send the Trump campaign $10,000. Confirm."
Yes (Score:2, Insightful)
They couldn't care less about Trump's politics. He gave them a multi-billion dollar tax cut. He's slashed labor regulations for them. Publicly they'll poo poo him but privately they're just fine. Trump represents the establishment just fine.
Now, Bernie Sanders? They're scared of him. Same for AOC. They won't let Amazon cut medical benefits for 2000 employees. They'll do medicare for all, which means no more for p
Re: (Score:1)
Re: (Score:2)
Wouldn't most companies be thrilled at the possibility of not having to offer health insurance to employees?
Possibly, but companies get to deduct their share of the cost as an expense on their corporate taxes, while the employees generally do NOT get to deduct their share -- only medical expenses (including premiums) that exceed 10% of an individual's/family's Adjusted Gross Income for 2019 (7.5% for previous years) are deductible.
Think in terms of the board of directors (Score:2)
So what ends up happening is a guy like Bezos either sits on the Board of Directors for major Insurance companies or he's friends/family with someone who does. As a r
Re: (Score:3)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Don't you have to be 35 years old to be president and isn't she under 30?
She doesn't need to (Score:2)
The GOP showed us that battles are won overnight. You have to spend
Re: (Score:2, Funny)
Fixed it for ya.
Re: (Score:1)
They will switch it off for one day just to watch the Fox News commentators have brain aneurysms on live TV. Get the popcorn ready!...
Re: (Score:2)
Not only that, Amazon and Alexa will let television commercials contribute your money to the Trump campaign automatically without any actions from you!
Re: (Score:2)
Alexa: I'm sorry! I can't do that Steve!
Either that or:
Alexa: Right away Steve! (And actually donates to the other camaigns.
Re: Trump 2020! (Score:1)
Excellent (Score:4, Funny)
Time to start my campaign for Elizabeth Warlen and Joe Bliden, I'm sure Alexa will be happy to throw some funds my way over mis-pronunciations as drunken people attempt to donate.
Sneaking over to my neighbors house (Score:2)
While they at work, I open the mail flap and shout "Alexa, send $50 to Elizabeth Warren" every afternoon.
I'll but it (Score:2)
when it allows me to ask for a donation.
Re: (Score:2)
Sounds like a violation of Seattle and WA law (Score:2)
But, hey, so far they're illegal hosting ads in BC and WA so we all know they don't care about laws
The government has all the answers! (Score:2)
Seriously though, there's an easy answer to the question
It's not apparent who Amazon considers "principal" and for what reasons.
If you qualify for federal funding from the FEC you should be considered a "principal" candidate.
Perfect (Score:3)
...and I'm SURE nobody will track this data, right?
I can't wait for people to donate via Alexa, to the candidate best advocating digital privacy. Alexa replies "Are you sure you want me to process this? Because if you think about it, that's pretty stupid."
Max Headroom had something like this... (Score:2)
... Voting was done with ratings, and interactive TV (devices of the time) was the mechanism for transmitting a whole host of things.
BTW that was supposed to be a Dystopia :/
Re: (Score:2)
Expect to see more frenzied hyperbole (Score:2)
If folks can give cash at the drop of the hat, then I would expect even more attempts to keep people in a state of frenzied outrage. 2 minutes of hate ever quarter hour to guarantee maximum contributions.
It'll be great for the pols raking in the bucks right up to the point that the hate and rage they generate gets so out of control that everything gets burned to the ground.
But I suppose they'll still have their private compounds and armed guards and such, so they'll be fine.
Finally! (Score:1)
Political Ads in 3..2..1.. (Score:2)
Great, now political ads on TV or the radio will try to trigger Alexa to donate on your behalf. They may as well have walked up and emptied your wallet on the street.
Re: (Score:1)
Wait until their AI gets ahold of this... (Score:3)
Alexa: Your donation of $10 has been sent to $CANDIDATE
now there will (Score:2)
now there will be political ads on tv commanding alexa to donate to them. everyone who owns an elexa better make sure to have a pin on their alexa to keep from unwanted commands to donate.
Principal Campaign Committee (Score:3)
The Principal Campaign Committee is not something that Amazon came up with - it is defined in law (2 USC 432(e)) - and it is just the Committee that the candidate has designated as the Principal committee for their campaign (Other committees can be authorized to work for the candidate or fund raise - but only one can be set as the Principal)
No, thank you (Score:2)
This is yet another reason why I refuse to use any of these assistants. The "Democrats" and "Republicans" get more than enough from their shared corporate owners.
If these jackasses want me to vote for them, THEY need to pay ME.
Principal Campaign Committee (Score:2)
It is fairly obvious that a Verge author did not bother with any research between discovering something interesting and opining on it.
Principal Campaign Committee is defined by the IRS [irs.gov]:
A principal campaign committee is the political campaign committee designated by a candidate for Congress as the candidate's principal campaign committee for purposes of the Federal Election Campaign Act (2 U.S.C. 432(e)).
It is not something Amazon arbitrarily made up.
Sounds nice if it can be anonymous (Score:2)
Cue abuse of this in 3...2...1... (Score:2)
That'll be part of every single political ad in the future.
This is so they can match donations to their own. (Score:2)
Sure Amazon wants to know who you donate to and how much. If it isn't for the candidate they want, they can use this information to help raise equal funds for the candidate they want. Why spend a lot on a candidate, when you can have inside information and donate just enough!
Listen people, STOP giving these big companies all your information, FFS!