Blocking Political Ads: Regaining Control Over Your Phone

Political ads on social media and text messages from political campaigns can be annoying and overwhelming, especially during an election year. While it may not be possible to stop all political ads and texts, there are ways to significantly reduce the number you receive. This article will provide an overview of the different methods to stop receiving political ads on your phone, including blocking numbers, adjusting social media settings, and utilizing call-blocking services. We will also discuss the relevant regulations and how to report political ads that violate your privacy.

How to stop political ads on my phone:

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How to stop political text messages on your phone

Political text messages can be a nuisance, especially during election season. While campaign calls and texts are usually exempt from the National Do Not Call Registry requirements, there are still some ways to reduce the number of political text messages you receive. Here are some methods to help you stop political text messages on your phone:

Reply "STOP"

According to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), political text messages sent to a mobile phone using an autodialer require the prior express consent of the recipient. If you didn't give consent, you can revoke it at any time by simply replying "STOP" to the text message. Legitimate text campaign operators should remove you from their list upon receiving this request.

Block the Number

In addition to replying "STOP", you can also block the phone number from which you received the text message. This can be done by navigating to your phone's message settings and choosing the option to block the sender.

Filter Unknown Senders

You can adjust your phone settings to filter out text messages from unknown senders or anyone not in your contact list. This method may not be ideal if you rely on text messages for important reminders, as you might miss texts for doctor's appointments or reservations.

Report Spam

If you receive unsolicited political text messages, you can report them as spam. Forward the text message to 7726 (which spells out "SPAM" on a standard alphanumeric keyboard). This will help to reduce unwanted political text messages.

File a Complaint

If you believe you have received a political text that does not comply with FCC rules, you can take it a step further and file an informal complaint with the FCC. This can be done online at fcc.gov/complaints, or you can submit a complaint by mail.

Be Mindful of Consent

When registering to vote or signing up for voting-related organizations, be cautious about providing your phone number. Your voter information may become accessible to various campaigns, resulting in an influx of political text messages.

By following these steps, you can significantly reduce the number of unwanted political text messages on your phone.

How to turn off political ads on social media

As the election cycle amps up, political ads are more likely to infiltrate your social media feeds. Here's how to turn them off on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Facebook

To turn off all political ads on Facebook, tap your profile image and go to Settings & Privacy > Settings. In the section for the Meta Accounts Center, tap Ad preferences. At the Accounts Center screen, select Ad preferences. Swipe down the screen and tap See All next to Ad topics. Next, tap View and manage topics. Swipe down the list until you see a political topic. Select that topic and then tap See less.

You can also hide an individual ad as well as all future political ads on Facebook. Click the ellipsis icon in the upper right of the ad. From the list of options, tap Hide ad. You will then be asked to identify why you want to hide the ad.

Instagram

Instagram will no longer recommend political posts, but you may still want to turn off political ads. To hide an individual ad, tap the ellipsis icon in the top right of the ad and select Hide Ad. The next screen asks why you don’t want to see this ad; choose a reason and the ad is hidden. You can turn off all political ads if you tap the ellipsis icon, choose Why you're seeing this ad, and then pick Hide all ads from this advertiser.

Twitter

To limit all political ads, you can follow the same steps as for Facebook. Tap your profile icon to access your account settings. Tap the hamburger icon and go to Accounts Center > Ad preferences. Swipe down the Ad preferences screen and tap See all next to Ad topics. Next, tap View and manage topics, then swipe down the list until you see a political topic. Select that topic and tap See less.

To block an individual ad, tap the ellipsis icon and select Block followed by the name of the account. At the warning prompt, tap Block again. To block any such future ads, tap the Not interested in this ad option.

Text Messages

If you're receiving unwanted political text messages, you can forward the text messages to SPAM, or 7726. You can also block the number and filter messages from unknown senders.

How to block political robocalls

Political robocalls and text messages can be extremely frustrating, especially when they are unsolicited. While political campaign calls and texts are exempt from the National Do Not Call Registry, there are still rules that campaigns must follow. In the US, political robocalls and robotexts to mobile phones require prior consent. However, political robocalls to landlines are allowed without prior consent, but there is a limit of three calls within any consecutive 30-day period.

If you are receiving unwanted political robocalls, there are several steps you can take to block them. First, you can try to revoke your consent. According to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), called parties 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. You can also block the number after replying "stop". Additionally, you can go to your phone's message settings and filter out text messages from anyone not in your contact list.

Another option is to use call-blocking software or devices. These can stop unwanted calls before they reach you, including scam calls and illegal robocalls. There are call-blocking apps available that act as a filter, using call data and reports to predict which calls are likely scams. Some devices also use databases of known scam numbers, while others allow you to create and update your own list of numbers to block. Call-blocking services may, however, block some calls that you want to receive, and some services charge a fee.

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 report unwanted calls to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at ftc.gov/robocalls. For company-specific information about blocking calls, the FCC provides links to Call Blocking Resources on their website.

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How to prevent political ads from popping up on your feed

With the election cycle heating up, political ads are bound to infiltrate your social media feeds and text message inboxes. Here are some ways to prevent political ads from popping up on your feed and messaging services:

Social Media

Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter all allow you to turn off political ads, either by blocking them as they appear or from your account's ad settings. On Facebook, you can hide an individual ad as well as all future political ads. To do this, click the ellipsis icon in the upper right corner of the ad and select "Hide ad". You can also turn off all political ads through the Ad settings menu. Go to Settings & Privacy > Settings > Meta Accounts Center > Ad preferences > See all > View and manage topics. From there, swipe down the list until you see a political topic, select it, and tap "See less". On Instagram, you can hide an individual political ad by tapping the ellipsis icon in the top right corner of the ad and selecting "Hide Ad". You can also turn off all political ads by following the same steps and then choosing "Hide all ads from this advertiser". On Twitter, tap the ellipsis icon and select "Block" followed by the name of the account. Confirm by tapping "Block" again.

Text Messages

If you are receiving unwanted political text messages, you can forward the text to "7726" or "SPAM". You can also reply with "STOP" and then block the number. Additionally, you can go to your phone's message settings and filter out text messages from people who are not in your contact list. On iPhones, open the Settings app, tap Messages, scroll down, and toggle "Filter Unknown Senders" on. For Android phones, open the Messages app Settings, select Spam protection, and then enable spam protection. Note that the steps may vary depending on your Android device. You can also use third-party apps such as NoMoRobo, Robokiller, and YouMail, which serve as an additional line of defense by filtering out spam calls and texts.

How to stop political ads on Google

Google supports responsible political advertising and expects all political ads and destinations to comply with local legal requirements. This includes mandated election "silence periods" for any geographic areas they target. Google has different requirements for political and election advertising based on region. In some regions, election ads may run only if the advertiser is verified by Google.

Google's main formats for political advertising are search ads, YouTube ads, and display ads. Search ads appear on Google in response to a search for a particular topic or candidate. YouTube ads appear on YouTube videos and generate revenue for those creators. Display ads appear on websites and generate revenue for Google's publishing partners.

Google provides a publicly accessible, searchable, and downloadable transparency report of election ad content and spending on its platforms. This includes in-ad disclosures that show who paid for the ads, how much they spent, how many people saw them, and how they were targeted.

Google does not allow granular microtargeting of political ads on its platforms. In many countries, the targeting of political advertising is regulated, and Google complies with those laws. In the U.S., Google has offered basic political targeting capabilities to verified advertisers, such as serving ads based on public voter records and general political affiliations.

To stop seeing political ads on Google, you can try adjusting your Ad settings. In the Google app, tap your profile image and go to Settings & Privacy > Settings. In the section for Meta Accounts Center, tap Ad preferences. At the Accounts Center screen, select Ad preferences. Swipe down the screen and tap See all next to Ad topics. Next, tap View and manage topics. Swipe down the list until you see a political topic. Select that topic and then tap See less.

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