Why you receive political campaign texts – and what to do about them

Are you drowning in political campaign texts? You are not alone.

As the November 2024 elections approach, Americans across the country are experiencing a rise in the number of text messages from political campaigns vying for their attention, donations and votes. According to Alex Quilici, CEO of call blocking company YouMail, there have already been more political texts in 2024 than in all of 2023.

For some, the incessant buzz of political campaign texts has become a daily annoyance, clogging phones with unwanted notifications and creating the challenge of distinguishing legitimate reporting from potential fraud. However, there’s a reason you keep getting them: Political campaigns have increasingly turned to text messaging as their preferred means of communication, surpassing traditional methods like direct mail or phone calls due to the relatively low cost and to high engagement rates. “If you see more of something, it means it’s working,” says Quilici.

Even some of the researchers who pioneered the campaign texts are frustrated by the volume. “Texting is an important tool, but of course, like many people, I am bothered by how many messages I receive and how often I have to send a STOP message,” says Melissa Michelson, dean of Menlo College who conducted an experiment decades ago to see if text messaging could be used to increase voter turnout in San Mateo County, California. Her research, in part, contributed to the widespread adoption of text messaging in today’s political campaigns. “I’m sorry about that,” she says.

Why do you receive so many campaign texts

In the digital age, political campaigns have adopted text messaging as a central component of their outreach strategies. Unlike emails that often go unread or phone calls that go unanswered, text messages offer a sense of immediacy and are readily seen by recipients.

Quilici, whose company tracks and analyzes the volume of political text, says this hotline to voters’ personal devices allows campaigns to deliver targeted messages, solicit donations, mobilize volunteers and provide crucial updates on campaign events – all with just a few clicks. touches on a smartphone screen. “Political campaigns know that sending text messages is almost free and enough people respond to make them valuable,” he says, adding that younger generations are more likely to interact with text messages than with telephone calls from unknown numbers.

According to a survey conducted by YouMail, Republicans are outpacing Democrats in political texting in 2024 by at least a 2-to-1 ratio (except for one week in early March).

The process of acquiring phone numbers for texting is simple. Campaigns can obtain these numbers by leveraging extensive databases and digital tools designed to collect and use voter contact information. In the US, political parties and campaigns have access to voter records, which typically include voters’ phone numbers along with other demographic data. These records are typically maintained by state and local governments and are considered public information, allowing campaigns to access them for their outreach efforts.

Some campaigns also use data brokers who specialize in collecting and selling consumer data, including voter information. These brokers compile vast databases that aggregate publicly available data such as voter registration lists, consumer purchases, social media activity and other sources, allowing campaigns to create detailed voter profiles that can be used to target specific demographics. .

But before political campaigns can send mass text messages, they are required to register with a relevant text messaging registry to verify campaign legitimacy and ensure compliance with industry standards for opt-in and opt-out procedures. required by CTIA, a U.S. wireless communications and carrier trade association. Once a campaign receives registration approval, they can use a bulk text messaging service provider to deliver messages on the campaign’s behalf from a dedicated phone number.

As text messaging has become a mainstream communication tool for campaigns, Michelson says its effectiveness has evolved and campaigns now need to carefully consider how to target their efforts effectively. “The reason texting was so effective 15 years ago is because it was uncommon,” says Michelson. “When it stops being uncommon, it becomes easier to ignore and then it becomes less effective. And so campaigns need to think: who will text messages be effective for? And how should I focus my efforts?”

How to make them stop

Those who want to stop campaigns from sending text messages can typically opt out by replying “STOP” or blocking the sender’s phone number.

Political campaigns are required to obtain your consent before sending automated messages and must honor your opt-out requests when you respond with “STOP,” as outlined by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Once you cancel, you should no longer receive messages from that campaign, not just from the specific number you responded to. Failure to comply with these regulations may result in campaign messages being blocked by telephone operators in the future.

Bad actors sometimes exploit political texts to trick recipients into clicking malicious links or disclosing personal information, often posing as legitimate campaigns or candidates and urging recipients to take immediate action without verifying the sender’s authenticity. If you don’t think a campaign text is legitimate, the FCC advises recipients to report suspicious text messages as spam by forwarding the message to 7726, which could prompt the wireless carrier to investigate the sender and block future messages. Most smartphones have a built-in spam blocker that allows users to silence messages from unknown senders. There are also many filtering apps that users can install to flag actual potential spam texts.

Quilici says Americans should always treat political texts as alerts and never click on them or interact with them unless they can verify that they are legitimate. “If you get a message saying President Biden needs your help, go the extra mile and find out how to donate online,” he says. “Don’t just click on a link that was sent to you.”