Disclosing Disclosure

Lessons from a “Failed” Field Experiment

Dados Bibliográficos

ID13057772
AutoresDick M Carpenter (University of Colorado Colorado Springs, autor correspondente), David Primo (0000-0002-1888-6888, University of Rochester), Pavel Tendetnik (University of Colorado Colorado Springs), Sandy Ho (University of Colorado Colorado Springs)
Ano2014
Volume12
Fascículo2
Páginas343-356
Data de publicação2014-07-01
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoThe Forum (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 2194-6183 • E-ISSN: 1540-8884
EditoraDe Gruyter (PUBLISHER • DE)
DOI10.1515/for-2014-5008
OpenAlexW2000945049
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas2
Referências citadas6

In a recent issue of The Forum , Fortier and Malbin call for more research into the effects of disclosure requirements for campaign finance. In this paper, we report the results of a field experiment designed to assess whether such rules dissuade potential contributors due to privacy concerns. The paper is unique in that we explain why the field experiment never happened, and what we can learn from its “failure.” Specifically, we show that 2012 Congressional candidates were fearful about letting potential contributors know that their donations would be made available on the Internet, along with their address, employer, and other personal information. In trying to learn directly about whether contributors would be spooked by this knowledge, we ended up learning indirectly, through the actions of candidates, that privacy concerns may in fact limit participation in the political process, including among small donors

Campaign finance · Field (mathematics · Internet privacy · Political science · Politics · Process (computing · Public relations · The Internet · World Wide Web · Computer Science · Electoral Systems and Political Participation · Law · Social Media and Politics