Method and apparatus for obtaining and reporting response data

In a communication system comprising a publicly-accessible communication network, a plurality of devices operatively connected to the communication network and supporting communication between a corresponding plurality of users, and a data manager operatively connected to the communication network, the data manager implementing a data store comprising data corresponding to included users of the plurality of users and further comprising information concerning a plurality of action requests presented to at least some of the plurality of users, a method for obtaining responses from at least a portion of the plurality of users, the method comprising:

• receiving a new action request by the data manager, where the data manager receives the new action request via the communication network from a device of the plurality of devices corresponding to any of the plurality of users;
• storing the new action request, by the data manager, in the data store;
• providing the new action request, by the data manager, to at least some of the plurality of users, where the data manager provides the new action request via the communication network to devices of the plurality of devices corresponding to the at least some of the plurality of users;
• receiving, by the data manager, from responsive users of the at least some of the plurality of users, responses to the new action request, where the data manager receives the responses via the communication network from devices of the plurality of devices corresponding to the responsive users;
• storing, by the data manager in the data store, the responses received from the responsive users, where each of the responses is associated in the data store with a corresponding one of the responsive users;
• receiving, by the data manager, a request for information according to geographic boundaries and regarding responses received from the responsive users, where the data manager receives the request via the communication network from a device of the plurality of devices corresponding to a requesting user of the plurality of users;
• generating, by the data manager, the information regarding responses received from the responsive users based on the geographic boundaries;
• and
• providing, by the data manager via the communication network to the device corresponding to the requesting user, the information regarding the responses received from the responsive users.