Political Campaigns: How They Get Your Phone Number

Political campaigns have a variety of ways to obtain your phone number. In the US, political parties and campaigns have access to voter registration records, which often include phone numbers and other demographic details. These records are maintained by state and local governments and are considered public information. Campaigns can also use data brokers who collect and sell consumer data, including voter information, to create detailed voter profiles. Additionally, they can leverage extensive databases and digital tools to gather and utilize voter contact information. While campaigns are required to obtain your consent before sending automated messages, they don't need your consent to send manually typed messages. This means that somewhere along the line, you may have given them permission to contact you, perhaps hidden in the fine print of an end-user agreement.

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Voter registration records: Campaigns can access phone numbers from voter registration records, which are public information

In the US, political parties and campaigns can access voter registration records, which are considered public information. These records are usually maintained by state and local governments and include voters' phone numbers and other demographic details. This enables campaigns to utilise these records for their outreach efforts.

Voter registration lists are a source of public data that data brokers can legally access and sell to political campaigns. These brokers compile large databases of publicly available data, including consumer purchases, social media activity, and other sources. This allows campaigns to create detailed voter profiles and target specific demographics.

Campaigns can also obtain phone numbers by leveraging extensive databases and digital tools designed to gather and utilise voter contact information. While campaigns need prior consent to send automated text messages, this is not required for manually typed messages.

During an election season, it is common to experience an increase in calls and texts from political campaigns. While these are exempt from the National Do Not Call Registry requirements, they must follow specific rules outlined by the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). For instance, political robocalls to landlines are permitted without prior consent, but they are limited to no more than three calls within any consecutive 30-day period.

If you are receiving unwanted political texts, you can opt out by replying "STOP" or blocking the sender's phone number. You can also report the sender by forwarding the texts to 7726 ("SPAM").

Data brokers: Companies that collect and sell consumer data, including phone numbers, to political campaigns

Political campaigns have a variety of avenues to obtain your phone number. In the US, political parties and campaigns can access voter registration records, which often include phone numbers and other demographic details. These records are maintained by state and local governments and are considered public information. Campaigns can also obtain phone numbers by leveraging extensive databases and digital tools designed to gather and utilize voter contact information.

One way they do this is by employing data brokers, companies that collect and sell consumer data, including phone numbers and other personal information, to political campaigns. These data brokers compile vast databases that aggregate publicly available data, such as voter registration lists, consumer purchases, and social media activity. This allows campaigns to create detailed voter profiles that can be used to target specific demographics.

For example, if you have used your phone number for online ordering, marketing, or social media platforms, you may have unknowingly given consent for your number to be shared with other service providers or sold to data brokers. This is often buried in the fine print of end-user agreements. As a result, your phone number can end up in the hands of political campaigns that purchase this data.

It's important to note that, in general, campaigns are required to obtain your prior consent before sending automated text or voice messages, and they must respect your opt-out requests. However, this does not apply to manually sent messages, which can be sent without prior consent. To stop receiving unwanted political messages, you can typically reply "STOP" or block the sender's phone number.

Online activity: Phone numbers can be obtained from online ordering, marketing, or social media platforms

Political campaigns can obtain your phone number through online activity, including online ordering, marketing, or social media platforms. This can happen when you agree to share your phone number through end-user agreements or when your information is shared by other service providers.

For example, when you sign up for a service or product online, you may be asked to provide your phone number as part of the registration or checkout process. This information can then be used for marketing purposes, including political campaigns, if you have given your consent. Your consent may be obtained through the fine print or terms and conditions that you agree to when signing up.

Additionally, if you have previously subscribed to email marketing from a company, they may use your email address to collect your mobile number. This can be done through email newsletters or promotional emails that encourage you to reply with your cell phone number.

Political campaigns can also acquire phone numbers through industry events, competitions, giveaways, or value exchanges. They may collect attendees' details, including phone numbers, and use them for marketing purposes. It is important to note that in many jurisdictions, businesses or campaigns need your consent to collect and use your phone number for marketing purposes.

Furthermore, your phone number can be obtained through social media platforms. These platforms often have built-in search tools that allow users to find others using basic details such as phone numbers. While some platforms may not allow searching by phone number directly, your phone number may be visible on your profile, especially if it is required for registration or account verification. This information can then be used by political campaigns to target their messaging.

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Fine print: When you agree to terms and conditions, you may unknowingly give consent for your data to be shared

Political campaigns are exempt from the National Do Not Call Registry requirements, but they must follow specific rules outlined by the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). In general, campaigns need your prior consent to send text messages, unless they are typed manually by a real person. Most political text messages are sent using "'auto-dial'" technology, which can send messages to thousands of phone numbers at once.

So, how did they get your number? Cyber security expert Peter Tran says that, somewhere along the line, you probably gave consent for your data to be shared. When you agree to terms and conditions, you may unknowingly consent to your data being shared with third parties. This is often found in the fine print of end-user agreements. For example, if you have used your phone number for online ordering, marketing, or social media, you may have agreed to share your phone number with other service providers.

According to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), consent must be freely given, specific, informed, and unambiguous. It should be given through an opt-in, a declaration, or an active motion, and it cannot be implied. Consent should not be bundled with other terms and conditions and must be presented in a clear and easily understandable way. It should be as easy to withdraw consent as it is to give it, and the withdrawal of consent does not affect the lawfulness of processing data before its withdrawal.

If you are receiving unwanted text messages from political campaigns, you can report the sender by forwarding the texts to 7726 ("SPAM"). You can also file an informal complaint with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

Text-messaging registry: Campaigns must register with a relevant text-messaging registry to ensure compliance with industry standards

Political campaigns are exempt from the National Do Not Call Registry requirements. However, they must still comply with the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) and obtain prior consent from the recipient for robocalls and robotexts to mobile phones. Text messages sent manually by a real person are exempt from this rule.

To ensure compliance with industry standards, campaigns must register with a relevant text-messaging registry, such as The Campaign Registry (TCR). TCR is a centralized place for registering 10-digit long code phone numbers for application-to-person messaging. It was created by some of the largest mobile network operators in the US, including AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile, to curb spam and protect SMS messaging.

Registering with TCR offers several benefits. It helps legitimize a campaign and increases trust and security around its text messaging activities. It also ensures that campaigns have an opt-in procedure, a key component of SMS compliance. Registered campaigns gain higher messaging throughput, meaning they can send more messages per second.

To register with TCR, campaigns must provide information such as their texting use case, message content attributes, example messages, and opt-in information. This information helps TCR ensure that the campaign is legitimate and not abusing the throughput of 10DLC by sending fraudulent messages.

In summary, by registering with a relevant text-messaging registry like TCR, political campaigns can ensure compliance with industry standards, increase the likelihood of their messages being delivered, and protect their reputation.

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