Omar Bennett
Political text messages can be invasive, especially when you never signed up for them. With the 2024 presidential election approaching, Americans are likely to receive a ton of political texts. Fortunately, there are ways to reduce the clutter in your text inbox.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Political campaign phone calls and texts are exempt from the federal Do Not Call list | Registering on the Do Not Call list won't help |
| Political campaigns need to follow certain FCC restrictions when reaching out | FCC rules include the need for prior consent for robocalls and robotexts to mobile phones |
| Legitimate text campaign operators should remove you from the list if you reply "STOP" | FCC rules allow opting out |
| Report messages that you didn't sign up to receive as spam by forwarding them to 7726 | FCC asks you to forward them to 7726 |
| File a complaint online | File a complaint with the FCC |
| Change phone settings to filter out all unknown senders | CNET suggests changing phone settings |
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What You'll Learn
Report spam texts by forwarding them to 7726
If you're tired of receiving unwanted political text messages, there's an easy way to stop them. You can report spam texts by forwarding them to 7726 (which spells out "SPAM" on a standard mobile phone keypad). This number was created by mobile service providers to allow users to report and block spam texts.
When you receive a political text message, you can simply forward the entire message, including the sender's phone number, to 7726. Your mobile service provider will then block the sender, preventing them from sending further texts to your phone. This method is an effective way to reduce the number of unwanted political texts you receive.
It's important to note that this method works for legitimate political text campaigns that follow FCC regulations. If you receive a text that doesn't comply with FCC rules, you have the option to file an informal complaint with the FCC. You can do this by visiting fcc.gov/complaints and providing your name, address, contact information, and as many details about the complaint as possible.
Additionally, you can take proactive measures to reduce the number of unwanted political texts. One option is to change your phone settings to filter out unknown senders. However, this may cause you to miss important text messages, such as appointment reminders or reservation confirmations. Another option is to use call-screening and blocking features offered by your phone's operating system or third-party apps. For example, Google offers the Phone by Google app, which helps users avoid unwanted calls from spammers, telemarketers, and scammers. Similarly, Samsung provides a call-blocking solution called Smart Call.
By using a combination of reporting spam texts to 7726, requesting to opt out of legitimate campaigns, and utilizing call-blocking features, you can significantly reduce the number of unwanted political text messages you receive.
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Reply STOP to unsubscribe
Political text messages can be extremely invasive, especially when you didn't sign up for them. With elections around the corner, it is likely that you will receive a ton of political texts. These unwanted texts can fill up your inbox, making it harder to find messages from friends and family members.
The good news is that you can take action to stop these messages. If the political organization sending you texts is using texting software, they should have asked you to opt in before sending you a text. They must remove you from their contact list once you send them a special keyword like "STOP", "ENDALL", or "CANCEL". Legitimate text campaign operators should remove you from their list if you reply with the keyword.
Additionally, you can change your phone settings to filter out all unknown senders, although you might miss text reminders for appointments or reservations. You can also report messages that you didn't sign up for as spam by forwarding them to 7726 or filing a complaint with the FCC.
Remember, political campaigns are exempt from the federal Do Not Call list, so registering on that list won't help. However, political campaigns are required to follow certain FCC restrictions when reaching out. By taking control of your text inbox, you can ensure that you only receive the messages you want to see.
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Block the number
Blocking the number
Blocking the number is an effective way to stop receiving unwanted political text messages. However, it may be less effective if the sender is using multiple numbers. Here are the steps you can take to block a number on your device:
For iPhone users:
- Navigate to "Settings".
- Select "Messages" from the menu.
- Toggle on the "Filter Unknown Senders" option. This will send texts from unknown or private numbers to a new tab called "Unknown Sender".
- Unfortunately, you cannot block texts from unknown numbers on iPhones.
For Android users:
- Open the Messages app.
- Choose the text from the number you want to block.
- Tap the option to block the number.
- On the next screen, decide whether to report the text as spam.
For other devices:
Check your device's settings or help centre for instructions on blocking numbers.
In addition to blocking the number, you can also try replying "STOP", “STOPALL”, “ENDALL”, or “CANCEL” to the message. By law, political organisations must remove you from their contact list upon receiving these keywords. If this does not work, you can try blocking and reporting the number. However, if you suspect the number is from a scammer, it is generally better to block and report the number without replying, as replying indicates that your number is real.
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Change phone settings to filter out unknown senders
If you're tired of receiving unwanted political texts from unknown senders, changing your phone settings to filter them out is a great option. Here's a detailed guide to help you do that:
For iPhone Users:
To filter out unknown senders on your iPhone, follow these steps:
- Go to your phone's Settings.
- Navigate to Apps > Messages, or Settings > Messages, depending on your iPhone model.
- Scroll down and look for the "Message Filtering" or similar option.
- Enable the "Filter Unknown Senders" option.
- You may also activate "Silence Unknown Callers" to block calls and enable "Silence Junk Callers" if available.
Once these settings are enabled, messages from unknown senders will be filtered out, and you won't receive notifications for them. You can still access these messages in a separate inbox if needed.
For Android Users:
On Android devices, you can also filter out unknown senders:
- Open the Messages app.
- Go to the menu by tapping the three lines or the appropriate option.
- Navigate to "Spam & Blocked" or "Settings."
- Select "Blocked Contacts" or a similar option.
- Enable the "Block Unknown Senders" or "Block calls from unknown numbers" option.
By enabling these settings, you will effectively filter out text messages from unknown senders, ensuring that only people in your contacts can reach you.
Additionally, you can explore third-party apps like Google Voice, which offers spam call/text filtering and calling number blocking.
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File a complaint with the FCC
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. The FCC's rules ban text messages sent to a mobile phone using an autodialer unless you previously gave consent to receive the message or the message is sent for emergency purposes. For commercial texts, your consent must be in writing. For non-commercial, informational texts (such as those sent by or on behalf of tax-exempt non-profit organizations, those for political purposes, and other non-commercial purposes, such as school closings), your consent may be oral.
You can file a complaint with the FCC on issues about phone equipment and services, internet service, and TV and radio services. The types of complaints include access and billing concerns, issues with service speeds, number porting, equipment, unwanted calls and texts, and much more. Complaints can be filed online at fcc.gov/complaints. Filing online is the quickest and most effective way to file a complaint.
Other options for filing a complaint with the FCC include:
- Phone: 1-888-CALL-FCC (1-888-225-5322)
- ASL Video Call: 1-844-432-2275
- Mail (please include your name, address, contact information, and as much detail about your complaint as possible): Federal Communications Commission Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau, 45 L Street NE Washington, DC 20554
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. In some cases, the FCC does not have the authority to resolve an individual complaint. However, by submitting a detailed complaint, the Commission can provide additional resources to guide you through possible next steps, including directions to other agencies that may have jurisdiction over your issue.
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Frequently asked questions
There are several ways to stop getting unwanted political texts. You can forward the text to "SPAM", or 7726. You can also reply "STOP" or "unsubscribe" to the text. Additionally, you can change your phone settings to filter out unknown senders, or contact the campaign and ask them to remove you from their list.
Political campaigns use text messages because people are more likely to engage with texts than emails or calls. All states allow access to voter data for election purposes, so if you are a registered voter, your information is on file.
Yes, political campaigns do need to follow certain Federal Communications Commission (FCC) restrictions when sending texts. For example, campaigns need to have your prior consent to send text messages, unless they are typed by hand by a real person.
If you receive a text that breaks FCC rules, you can report it by forwarding the text to 7726 ("SPAM") and file a complaint with the FCC.
