The Obama re-election campaign will outfit its staff in the field with Square, the fast-growing system for collecting payments through Android or iOS mobile devices.
Media observers have so far focused on the move as a symbol of Obama’s embrace of tech innovation, but more important may be this: Square makes it fun to give someone money. Founded less than three years ago, more than 1 million merchants now accept payment by Square, at a rate of $11 million every day.
People marvel at the attractive little plastic card readers, which plug into the headphone ports of phones and tablets. After the first time you’ve paid with a Square, whether that’s with a taxi driver, a craftsperson or an independent provider of some other service – then the system has your email on record and the process is even more free of friction. Square’s CEO, Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey, is said by some to be the heir to the design throne of Steve Jobs.
Three things are for sure: This will expand the public awareness of mobile payments; it will lead to an increase in fundraising by Democrats; this will be emulated by Republicans and just about everyone else.
TechPresident’s Ryan Judd reports that it’s actually a custom Square app being used. Judd’s report also includes screenshots.
“in order to comply with Federal Election Commission requirements, donations need to come with information the stock Square software isn’t equipped to ask for, like the donor’s employer and occupation. That’s why a custom app, specially built for the Obama re-elect by the campaign’s own under-the-radar development team in conjunction with Square, is available to people using this setup for the re-election effort, campaign spokeswoman Katie Hogan told me.”
