In m early days of JWism, I studied with a young man who “made his stand” and when he first started in the FS, he referred to it as “canvassing”. Interesting, I thought.
The work of JWs is indeed looked upon as a kind of canvassing. However, canvassing, or blanketing the area is not what is really going on. What is really going on is “targeting”.
When politicians come around seeking your vote, they canvass. If they find you, then they ask for your vote. But whether they do or don’t find you, they move on.
Canvas is a sheet and you lay it over top of something in a universal way. You cover...
But what JWs are instrumental in doing is not that.
JWs target.
1) They write down your address, whether you are there or not. If you are there and you take literature, then a record is made and you have been targeted. Your anonymity is gone.
2) If you are not there, then your address is recorded and you have been targeted for a return, to be later the subject of further targeting. (See 1)
If you are home and answer and tell them to go to hell, they will only return to try again, as your address is listed on the broader target of the territory map. (See 1,2, then 1)
Data protection is important.