Eleanor Finch
During election season, it is common for people to receive an influx of calls and texts from political campaigns. While these communications are exempt from the National Do Not Call Registry, there are still rules in place to protect consumers from spam. For instance, political campaigns must follow certain FCC restrictions, and consumers can block the transmission of their phone number when making calls. In this day and age, political campaigns are more likely to send text messages than to go door-knocking, and many people are fed up with the bombardment of unwanted messages.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Campaign calls and texts exemption from National Do Not Call Registry | Yes |
| Need for prior consent | Yes, for robocalls and robotexts to mobile phones; not required for manual messages or calls to landlines |
| Opt-out option | Yes, by replying "STOP" |
| Reporting spam | Forward the text to "7726" or "SPAM" |
| Filing a complaint | File an informal complaint with the FCC at fcc.gov/complaints |
Explore related products
$41.98 $49.95
What You'll Learn
- Political campaign calls and texts are exempt from the Do Not Call list
- Political robocalls and robotexts to mobile phones require prior consent
- Report spam by forwarding messages to 7726
- Campaigns must honour opt-out requests if you reply STOP
- File an informal complaint with the FCC if rules are broken
Political campaign calls and texts are exempt from the Do Not Call list
For example, political campaigns generally need to have your prior consent to send text messages or make calls using autodialer or prerecorded voice technology. This consent is usually given unknowingly when you use your phone number for online ordering, marketing, or social media platforms. However, if you did not give consent, you can report the sender by forwarding the text to 7726 or "SPAM". You can also block the number after which the campaign is required to honor your request to revoke consent.
It is important to note that manually sent text messages or calls made by a real person do not require prior consent. Additionally, political robocalls made to landline phones are allowed without prior consent but are limited to no more than three calls within any consecutive 30-day period. These calls and texts must also include certain identification information, such as the identity of the individual or entity initiating the call or text.
While it may be challenging to completely stop all unwanted political calls and texts, you can take steps to reduce their frequency. For example, you can change your phone settings to filter out unknown senders or block specific numbers. Additionally, legitimate text campaign operators should remove you from their list if you reply with "STOP". By following these steps and being vigilant about the information you share online, you can better manage the number of political calls and texts you receive during election seasons.
Kamala's Michigan Win: What are the Chances?
You may want to see also
Political robocalls and robotexts to mobile phones require prior consent
During election seasons, consumers often experience an increase in calls and texts from political campaigns. While these campaign calls and texts are exempt from the National Do Not Call Registry requirements, the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) contains specific rules that campaigns must follow.
Political campaigns are permitted to make autodialed or pre-recorded voice calls to landline telephones without prior express consent. This is allowed under the TCPA, which considers artificial voices in these calls to be "artificial". However, such calls must include specific identification information, clearly stating the identity of the individual or entity initiating the call at the beginning of the message.
On the other hand, political robocalls and robotexts to mobile phones generally require prior consent. This means that campaigns need to have the called party's prior express consent to send text messages to a mobile phone using an autodialer. It's important to note that manually sent messages do not require prior consent. For commercial texts, consent must be provided in writing, while non-commercial, informational texts, such as those sent for political purposes, do not have the same requirement.
If you are receiving unwanted political robocalls or robotexts on your mobile phone, you can take several steps to stop them. First, you can reply "STOP" to the message, and legitimate text campaign operators should remove you from their list. Additionally, you can report the sender by forwarding the texts to 7726 or "SPAM". If you believe you have 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. You can also explore call-blocking tools and resources provided by your phone company or third-party analytics companies to prevent unwanted calls from reaching your phone.
The Long Road: Presidential Campaigns and Their Durations
You may want to see also
Report spam by forwarding messages to 7726
Political text messages sent to a mobile phone using an autodialer require the recipient's prior express consent. However, during election seasons, consumers are likely to experience an increase in calls and texts from political campaigns. While these campaign calls and texts are exempt from the National Do Not Call Registry requirements, they must follow specific rules under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA).
If you receive unsolicited text messages, you can report them by forwarding the messages to 7726 ("SPAM" on most keypads). This number is a dedicated shortcode for the GSMA's Spam Reporting Service. Forwarding spam messages to this number will alert your cellular provider to investigate the content of the message. It is important to note that you should never reply to spam messages or click on any links within them.
The process of forwarding spam messages to 7726 may vary slightly depending on your phone and messaging app. Here's a general guide:
- Open the conversation containing the spam message.
- Press and hold the specific message you want to forward.
- From the menu prompt, select "Forward" or an arrow icon, which will create a new message draft.
- Type 7726 as the recipient in the "To" field.
- Send the message.
- Your phone carrier may respond and ask for the number associated with the spam message. Reply with the sender's number.
By reporting spam messages to 7726, you can help identify new types of smishing and block spam messages for all users. It is a simple yet effective way to protect yourself and others from unwanted and potentially dangerous messages.
Stop Political Mailers: Your Privacy, Your Choice
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Campaigns must honour opt-out requests if you reply STOP
Political campaigns are exempt from the National Do Not Call Registry requirements. However, if you are tired of receiving endless calls and texts from political campaigns, there is an easy way to stop them.
If you are receiving texts that you did not ask for, you can report the sender by forwarding the texts to 7726 (or "SPAM"). If you think you have 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. You can also block the transmission of your phone number when you make calls, so your number will appear as "unknown".
It is important to note that this only applies to legitimate text campaigns. Scammers are harder to stop, as they do not follow the same rules as legitimate companies. However, legitimate companies that violate the rules can face a fine of more than $50,000 per call, according to the FTC.
Strategizing a Political Career: A Guide to Success
You may want to see also
File an informal complaint with the FCC if rules are broken
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. The informal complaint process requires no complicated legal procedures, has no filing charge, and does not require the complaining party to appear before the FCC.
You can file an informal consumer complaint from the Consumer Complaint Center home page. To file a complaint from the home page, choose the category that best describes your issue, fill in the required information, including a description of your issue and your contact information, and then hit submit. Once your complaint has been submitted, you will receive a notification from the FCC acknowledging your receipt.
If your complaint is about a telecom billing or service issue with your provider, the FCC will review your complaint and, in many instances, serve your complaint on your provider. Your provider has up to 30 days to send you and the FCC a response to your complaint. The FCC cannot resolve all individual complaints, but they can provide information about your possible next steps.
If you are not satisfied with the response to your informal complaint, you can file a "formal" complaint within six months of the date of the response. The current fee for filing a formal complaint is $605.00, but it is subject to change. Formal complaint proceedings are similar to court proceedings, and each party must comply with specific procedural rules and appear before the FCC.
Contribute to Harris' Campaign: Ways to Donate
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
Yes, campaign phone calls and text messages are exempt from the Do Not Call list. However, political campaigns must follow certain FCC restrictions.
You can reply "STOP" to the number sending you the messages. You can also go to your phone's message settings and filter out messages from those not in your contact list.
You can report it by forwarding the text to 7726, which spells out the word "SPAM".
In most cases, yes. Political text messages sent to a mobile phone using an autodialer require the recipient's prior express consent. However, messages sent manually by a real person can be sent without prior consent.
You may have given consent without realizing it. According to cyber security expert Peter Tran, fine print in end-user agreements for online ordering, marketing, or social media platforms may include permission to share your phone number with other service providers.
