Canvassing Apps - CDU’s mobile app “Connect17”

In the lead up to the German elections, the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) created a mobile app, Connect 17, which was designed to create a feedback loop between party headquarters and door-to-door volunteers (also known as canvassers).

The app drew on data from the federal statistics office and polling agencies. It let canvassers decide routes, record whether anyone was home, and whether a conversation had been successful. It also allowed canvassers to compare their performance against others in local and national league tables. The collected data is stored centrally by the party for future campaigns. The app is currently being reviewed by the Berlin Data Protection Authority.