Stop Political Texts: Keep Your Phone Number Private

If you're tired of receiving endless political text messages, you're not alone. In 2022, Americans received a record 15 billion political texts, and with election season in full swing, that number is expected to rise. The good news is that there are ways to reduce the clutter and protect yourself from unwanted messages. While political campaigns are exempt from the Do Not Call list, they are required to follow certain FCC restrictions, and you can take steps to block and report these messages. So, if you're looking to reclaim your phone and put an end to the bombardment of political texts, read on for some helpful tips and tricks.

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Report spam texts by forwarding them to 7726

If you are receiving political text messages, you can report them as spam by forwarding them to 7726. This number is a spam reporting service that is available in Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom. Forwarding the message to this number will alert your cellular provider to open an investigation on the contents of the message. This will help them identify new types of smishing and block spam messages for all users.

To forward a spam text message on an iPhone, first, tap and hold the body of the message. Be sure not to reply or tap any of the links in the message. Then, tap "More" in the pop-up menu that appears at the bottom of the screen. You can select multiple messages to forward at once if you need to. Next, tap the forward icon, which looks like a curved arrow. This will copy the text into a new message. Enter 7726 as the recipient and tap "Send".

If you are using an Android device, the process is similar. First, tap the message to open the conversation view. Then, press and hold the message you want to forward until a menu prompt appears. From the menu, select "Forward" or the arrow icon, which will create a new message draft. Enter 7726 in the "To" field and press "Send".

After forwarding the spam message to 7726, you will receive a text back asking for the number that the spam message came from. Reply with that number, and it will be marked as spam and blocked from sending you further messages.

Reply 'STOP' to the sender

If you're tired of receiving endless political text messages, you're not alone. Fortunately, there is a straightforward solution: replying "STOP" to the sender. This is an effective way to opt out of unwanted political text messages and is recommended by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

By replying "STOP," you are exercising your right to revoke consent for receiving such messages. It is important to note that political campaigns generally need your prior consent to send text messages, unless they are manually typed and sent by a real person. In the case of autodialed or prerecorded messages, campaigns must have your express consent, as outlined by the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) and FCC regulations.

When you reply "STOP," legitimate text campaign operators should promptly remove you from their list. However, keep in mind that political organizations often use multiple phone numbers to send these messages, so you may need to reply "STOP" to each unique number. Additionally, you can report unwanted political text messages by forwarding them to 7726 (which spells out "SPAM") and even file an informal complaint with the FCC if you believe the messages violate their rules.

To further reduce the influx of political texts, you can adjust your phone settings to filter out unknown senders or block specific numbers. However, this may not be a perfect solution, as it can also block desired messages, such as appointment reminders. Alternatively, you can use call-and-text-blocking apps, but be cautious as they may request sensitive information.

While replying "STOP" is a powerful tool, it may not completely stop all political texts. Political organizations often purchase thousands of phone numbers, and your information may be publicly available as a registered voter. Nonetheless, taking control of your privacy by replying "STOP" is a crucial step toward reducing the clutter of unwanted political messages in your inbox.

Block the number

If you're tired of receiving political text messages, you can block the numbers sending them. Here's how you can do it:

Blocking the Number on iPhone:

• Navigate to the Messages app.
• Open the text from the number you want to block.
• Tap the sender's name or number at the top of the message.
• Tap the "Info" button.
• Scroll down and tap "Block this Caller".
• Tap "Block Contact" to confirm.

Blocking the Number on Android:

• Open the Messages app.
• Tap the three-dot menu icon in the upper-right corner.
• Tap "Spam & Blocked Numbers".
• Tap "Add Phone Number".
• Enter the number you want to block and tap "Block".

Alternatively, you can change your phone settings to filter out all unknown senders. On iPhone, go to "Messages" in your settings and turn on "Filter Unknown Senders". On Android, open the Messages app, go to the settings menu, and enable "Spam Protection". However, filtering unknown senders may cause you to miss important text reminders from senders not in your contacts.

If you believe the political texts are scam or spam messages, you can report them by forwarding the messages to 7726 (SPAM). Your carrier will then investigate the sender to determine if they are a known spammer.

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Use a call-and-text-blocking app

If you're tired of receiving endless political text messages, you can use a call-and-text-blocking app to put a stop to them. Here are some detailed instructions on how to use this method effectively:

Firstly, it's important to understand how political campaigns got your number in the first place. All states allow access to voter data for election purposes, so if you're a registered voter, your information is readily available. This explains why you may be receiving texts from candidates or causes you didn't give your number to directly.

Now, let's talk about the apps. There are several call-and-text-blocking apps available, such as Should I Answer?, Hiya, and Truecaller. These apps can help you block unwanted political texts. However, before using these apps, it's essential to review their privacy policies, as they may ask for sensitive information.

Once you've chosen an app and reviewed its privacy policy, go ahead and install it on your device. Follow the app's instructions to set it up and customize the blocking settings according to your preferences.

Keep in mind that blocking apps may not catch every unwanted political text, especially if the senders are using multiple numbers or spoofing their numbers. In such cases, you may need to employ additional strategies, such as replying with "STOP" or using your phone's built-in blocking features.

Additionally, if you receive political texts that seem scammy or sketchy, you can take it a step further by reporting them. You can forward the messages to 7726 ("SPAM") or file a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) at fcc.gov/complaints. This helps the FCC enforce regulations and protect consumers from unwanted messages.

By using a combination of call-and-text-blocking apps, replying with "STOP," and reporting scammy messages, you can significantly reduce the number of unwanted political texts you receive. Remember to review the privacy policies of any apps you use and stay vigilant against potential scams.

Change your phone settings to filter out unknown senders

If you're tired of receiving political text messages, you can change your phone settings to filter out unknown senders. Here's how you can do it:

IPhone

On your iPhone, go to Settings > Apps > Messages. Tap Blocked Contacts, and you will see several options:

• To unblock a number, swipe left on a number in the list and tap "Unblock".
• To add a number to the block list, scroll down and tap "Add New".
• To turn off business updates, go to Settings > Apps > Messages, tap Business Messages, and turn off Business Updates.

Additionally, you can enable "Filter Unknown Senders" by going to Settings > Messages, scrolling down, and toggling on Filter Unknown Senders. This will move messages from unknown senders to a separate folder. You can also enable "Enable Spam Protection" to filter these messages into a separate folder. However, note that this might cause you to miss important messages from unknown numbers, such as text reminders for doctor's appointments or restaurant reservations.

If you want to block a specific number, open the Messages app, tap the name or number at the top of the conversation, tap Info, scroll down, and then tap Block this Caller.

Android

On Android devices, you can block specific numbers or filter messages by words or phrases. You can install apps like Bouncer, which allow you to filter messages by specific words or phrases.

General Tips

If you receive a message from an unknown sender, you can report it as spam or junk. On iPhones, swipe left on the message, tap the three dots, then tap "Delete and Report Junk". If you've already opened the message, you can find the "Report Junk" link at the bottom of the message.

Frequently asked questions