Eleanor Finch
Political campaigns can be a nuisance, especially during election season, with an influx of calls and texts from candidates and affiliated groups. While the National Do Not Call Registry is an effective tool to curb unwanted telemarketing, political calls and texts are exempt from these rules, allowing campaigns to contact people without their consent. This exception has led to frustration among those receiving a high volume of political communications. However, there are still some measures in place to protect consumers from excessive political robocalls and spam.
Do Not Call List for Political Campaigns
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Applicability | Does not apply to political calls and texts |
| Robocalls and Robotexts | Allowed without prior consent for landlines |
| Robocalls and Robotexts | Requires prior consent for mobile phones |
| Revoking Consent | Allowed at any time and in any reasonable manner |
| Opt-out Requests | Honored if the recipient replies "STOP" |
| Reporting | Texts can be forwarded to 7726 or "SPAM" |
| Complaints | Informal complaints can be filed with the FCC at fcc.gov/complaints |
| Penalties | Companies violating the rules can face fines of $50,000 per call |
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What You'll Learn
- Political campaign calls and texts are exempt from the National Do Not Call Registry
- Political robocalls to landlines do not require prior consent, but there is a limit of three calls within a 30-day period
- Political text messages sent to mobile phones using an autodialer require prior express consent
- Robocalls and robotexts are not allowed, even for political purposes, according to the FCC
- Legitimate companies that violate the rules can face fines of over $50,000 per call
Political campaign calls and texts are exempt from the National Do Not Call Registry
Political campaign calls and texts are indeed exempt from the National Do Not Call Registry. This means that political campaigns or affiliated groups can contact people through calls or texts without their consent. However, this does not include robocalls or robotexts, which require prior consent from the recipient. Robocalls are defined as calls made using a device called an autodialer.
The Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) outlines specific rules that political campaigns must follow when making calls or sending texts. For instance, political text messages sent to a mobile phone using an autodialer require the prior express consent of the recipient. However, if the messages are sent manually, prior consent is not necessary. In the case of robocalls to landlines, political campaigns are permitted to make up to three calls within any consecutive 30-day period without prior consent.
If you are receiving unwanted political text messages or calls, there are a few steps you can take to stop them. Firstly, you can opt out by texting "STOP" to the number. Campaigns are required to honor these opt-out requests. Additionally, you can report the sender by forwarding the texts to 7726 or "SPAM". If the unwanted messages continue, you can file an informal complaint with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) at fcc.gov/complaints.
It is important to note that legitimate companies that violate these rules can face significant fines of over $50,000 per call or text. To further reduce unwanted messages, you can also change your phone settings to filter out all unknown senders. However, this may cause you to miss legitimate text reminders for appointments or reservations.
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Political robocalls to landlines do not require prior consent, but there is a limit of three calls within a 30-day period
Political campaigns are exempt from the National Do Not Call Registry requirements. However, political robocalls to landlines are subject to specific rules.
Political robocalls to landlines are allowed without prior consent. This includes autodialed or pre-recorded voice calls, which are permitted without prior consent when made to landline phones. However, there is a limit of three calls within any consecutive 30-day period for these types of calls. If consent has not been obtained through one of the three permissible robocalls, consent must be obtained through a live caller or another method. This consent can be given orally or in writing.
For calls that require consent, the caller must honor the called party's request to revoke consent. The called party can revoke consent at any time and in any reasonable manner, such as replying "stop" to a text or asking not to be called again on a voice call.
Additionally, any political calls that feature an artificial or pre-recorded voice must include certain identification information. The identity of the individual or entity initiating the call must be clearly stated at the beginning of the message. If the caller is a corporate entity, its official business name must be stated clearly, along with its telephone number, either during or after the message.
It is important to note that political text messages sent to mobile phones using an autodialer do require the prior express consent of the recipient. However, manually sent text messages can be sent without prior consent. If you are receiving unwanted text messages, you can report the sender by forwarding the texts to 7726 ("SPAM") and blocking the number.
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Political text messages sent to mobile phones using an autodialer require prior express consent
Political campaigns are exempt from the National Do Not Call Registry requirements. However, the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) contains specific rules that they must follow. The TCPA was passed in 1991 to combat the proliferation of intrusive nuisance calls from telemarketers to businesses and consumers.
Political text messages sent to a mobile phone using an autodialer require the called party's prior express consent. This means that the recipient of the message has given permission to be called at the number they have provided. If the recipient has not given this consent, they can report the sender by forwarding the text to 7726 or "SPAM". They can also revoke their consent at any time by replying "STOP" to the text.
The definition of an autodialer is equipment with the capacity to store or produce telephone numbers to be called, using a random or sequential number generator. This definition has been narrowed by the Supreme Court, which ruled that equipment must have the capacity to produce or store numbers using a random or sequential number generator to constitute an autodialer. This means that companies may not need prior express consent when using automated systems that do not use a random or sequential number generator.
It is important to note that political campaign-related autodialed or prerecorded voice calls are permitted when made to landline telephones, even without prior express consent. However, artificial or rerecorded voice messages must include certain identification information, such as the identity of the individual or entity initiating the call.
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Robocalls and robotexts are not allowed, even for political purposes, according to the FCC
While political organizations are exempt from the National Do Not Call Registry requirements, robocalls and robotexts are not allowed without prior consent, even for political purposes, according to the FCC. This means that if you are receiving political robocalls or robotexts, you have likely given consent for them, either orally or in writing. Consent for commercial texts must be given in writing, while non-commercial, informational texts require only oral consent.
During an election season, it is likely that there will be an increase in calls and texts from political campaigns. However, political campaigns are still required to follow the rules set out by the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). This includes the requirement to obtain prior consent for robocalls and robotexts to mobile phones. Political robocalls to landlines are generally allowed without prior consent, with the exception that they are limited to no more than three calls within any consecutive 30-day period.
If you are receiving political robocalls or robotexts that you believe are not compliant with FCC rules, you can file an informal complaint with the FCC at fcc.gov/complaints. You can also report the sender by forwarding the texts to 7726 (or "SPAM"), or by contacting your mobile service provider to see if they offer a blocking option. Additionally, you can revoke your consent at any time and in any reasonable manner, such as replying "stop" to a text or asking not to be called again on a voice call.
It is important to note that FCC rules specifically require telemarketers to provide a way for consumers to opt out of receiving additional robocalls or robotexts immediately during a call or text. This opt-out mechanism must be announced at the outset of the message and must be available throughout the duration of the call or text.
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Legitimate companies that violate the rules can face fines of over $50,000 per call
While political campaigns are exempt from the National Do Not Call Registry requirements, the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) contains specific rules that they must follow. For instance, political campaigns are not allowed to send text messages to mobile phones using an autodialer without the recipient's prior express consent. Messages sent manually can be sent without prior consent. If you are receiving texts that you didn't ask for, you can report the sender by forwarding the texts to 7726 or "SPAM".
Campaigns must also honor opt-out requests if you reply "STOP". If you think you've received a political robocall or text that does not comply with the FCC's rules, you can file an informal complaint with the FCC at fcc.gov/complaints. The FCC can issue warning citations and impose fines against companies violating or suspected of violating the do-not-call rules. Legitimate companies that violate the rules can face fines of over $50,000 per call.
The FCC also provides the following contact information for filing complaints by mail:
Federal Communications Commission
Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau
45 L Street NE
Washington, DC 20554
Please include your name, address, contact information, and as much detail about your complaint as possible.
In addition to filing a complaint with the FCC, you can also adjust your phone settings to block unwanted calls. Many phone companies enable their customers to block additional unwanted calls by enrolling in a service or installing an app. Consumers can also adjust certain settings on their phones, sign up with a third-party service, or download a third-party app to block suspected unwanted calls.
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Frequently asked questions
Political campaign calls and texts are exempt from the National Do Not Call Registry requirements. However, you can opt out of receiving them by replying "STOP". Campaigns must honor this request.
If you continue to receive unwanted political calls and texts, you can report the sender by forwarding the texts to 7726 or "SPAM". You can also file an informal complaint with the FCC at fcc.gov/complaints.
Political text messages sent to a mobile phone using an autodialer require your prior express consent. Messages sent manually can be sent without prior consent. Political robocalls to landlines are allowed without prior consent, but there are exceptions.
