How To Block Political Texts: Regaining Peace Of Mind

Political text messages are a common occurrence, especially during election season, with Americans receiving more than 15 billion political texts in 2022. While there is no one-size-fits-all solution to stop all political texts, there are several measures you can take to reduce their frequency and protect yourself from unwanted messages. Firstly, be cautious when providing your phone number online and look out for text message opt-ins. Secondly, if you're already receiving political texts, you can opt out by replying with keywords like STOP, ENDALL, or CANCEL. Additionally, you can change your phone settings to filter out unknown senders, but this may cause you to miss important messages. For illegitimate texts, you can report them as spam by forwarding them to 7726 or filing a complaint with the FCC.

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Opting out by replying with a special keyword

If you're tired of receiving endless political text messages, there is a way to opt out by replying with a special keyword. While political campaigns are exempt from the federal Do Not Call list, you can take back control of your phone by following a few simple steps.

First, it's important to understand how you ended up on these contact lists in the first place. Odds are, you probably opted in at some point without realizing it. This could have been through sharing your phone number with a company, participating in an online survey, donating to a cause, or even liking a political meme. According to cybersecurity expert Peter Tran, fine print in end-user agreements may grant permission for your phone number to be shared with third parties.

So, what can you do to stop the influx of political texts? Legitimate text campaign operators are required to remove you from their lists if you simply reply with the keyword "STOP." This is because, despite the exemption from the Do Not Call list, political campaigns must follow certain FCC restrictions. By opting out, you are exercising your right to withdraw your consent for their use of your personal information.

In addition to replying with "STOP," you can also report unsolicited messages as spam by forwarding them to 7726, which spells out the word "SPAM" on your phone keypad. This number is provided by the FCC for exactly this purpose. You can also file a complaint online if you feel the need to take further action.

While these methods won't completely stop all political texts, they will significantly reduce the number of unwanted messages clogging up your inbox. It's important to note that scammers may also send fake political texts, so be cautious of links and always prioritize your personal security.

Reporting spam messages

Political text messages can be annoying and invasive, especially when you didn't sign up for them. While political campaigns are exempt from the federal Do Not Call list, there are ways to reduce or block these unwanted messages. Here are some methods to stop political texts and report spam messages:

Opting Out:

Legitimate political text campaigns should include instructions to unsubscribe, such as texting a simple keyword like "STOP", "ENDALL", or "CANCEL". Replying with these keywords should remove you from their contact list.

Reporting Spam:

If you receive unsolicited political text messages or spam, you can report them by forwarding the message to 7726 (SPAM). This helps your wireless provider identify and block similar spam messages in the future. Additionally, you can report spam messages directly through your messaging app by looking for the option to report junk or spam.

Blocking Numbers:

If you regularly receive unwanted political texts from the same number, you can block the number to prevent future messages. This method is effective if the messages come from a single number but may be less effective if multiple numbers are used.

Filtering Unknown Senders:

On iPhone, you can enable the "Filter Unknown Senders" feature in your iMessage settings. This will filter messages from unknown contacts into a separate folder, reducing clutter in your main inbox.

Changing Phone Settings:

Another option is to change your phone settings to filter out all unknown senders. However, this may cause you to miss important text messages, such as reminders or notifications.

It's important to be cautious of links in text messages and always verify the sender's identity. Scammers often disguise themselves as legitimate political campaigns to exploit personal information or solicit fraudulent donations. Do not click on suspicious links, and ensure you have strong antivirus software installed on your devices.

Blocking the sender

If you're tired of receiving political text messages, there are a few things you can do to block the sender and opt out of future communications. Here are some methods to try on your phone:

Reply with "STOP" or Similar Keywords

Many legitimate political text campaigns will remove you from their contact list if you reply with a specific keyword. Common keywords include "STOP", "ENDALL", "CANCEL", or "UNSUBSCRIBE". Replying with these keywords is a simple and effective way to opt out of future messages from that particular sender.

Block the Number

After replying with "STOP", you can further ensure that you no longer receive messages from that sender by blocking their number. The process for blocking a number may vary depending on your device, but typically, you can open the message, tap and hold it, and select the "Block" option or "Block number" from the menu.

Filter Unknown Senders

If you're using an iPhone or Android device, you can enable the "Filter Unknown Senders" feature in your message settings. This feature filters messages from unknown senders into a separate folder, reducing interruptions from unwanted texts. However, be aware that this may also affect messages from senders who are not in your contacts but that you do want to receive, such as prospective clients or business contacts.

Use Third-Party Apps

If built-in phone settings don't provide enough protection, you can try using third-party apps designed to block spam messages. For example, iPhone users can try "Sifter" from the Apple Store, which allows you to create blacklists of specific keywords associated with political messages.

Change Your Phone Settings

As a more drastic measure, you can change your phone settings to filter out all unknown senders. This option will block all messages from numbers not in your contacts. However, this may cause you to miss important text reminders for appointments or reservations.

By using these methods, you can effectively block political text message senders and reduce the clutter in your text inbox. Remember that some of these methods may also apply to other types of spam or unwanted messages, not just political texts.

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Filtering out unknown senders

If you're tired of receiving political text messages from unknown senders, there are a few things you can do to filter them out. Here are some methods to help you reduce the clutter in your text inbox:

Filtering Unknown Senders

On an iPhone, you have the option to filter unknown senders. This feature sends texts from unknown numbers to a separate tab called "Unknown Sender". To enable this, go to Settings > Messages > toggle on "Filter Unknown Senders". While this won't block the texts, it will organize your inbox by separating messages from saved contacts and unknown numbers. However, be aware that this might not be ideal if you want to receive texts from certain unknown senders, as all unknown numbers will be filtered out.

Blocking on Android

If you're using an Android device, you have the option to block specific numbers. Open your Messages app, choose the text from the number you want to block, and then tap the option to block the number. You can also report the text as spam.

Carrier Options

Your mobile carrier might offer additional options to filter or block unknown senders. For example, AT&T users can request to turn off text messaging or iMessage to stop receiving all texts. Contact your carrier to inquire about any available features or settings they provide to manage unknown senders.

Third-Party Apps

There are third-party apps available that offer text message filtering. For instance, Trend Micro is mentioned as an app that provides good filtering options. Explore app stores or online forums for recommendations and reviews of text-filtering apps.

Contacting the PACs

If you're receiving texts from specific political action committees (PACs), you can reach out to them directly and request to be removed from their contact list. Provide them with your phone number and ask them to delete it from their database.

It's important to note that while these methods can help reduce the number of political texts from unknown senders, they might not completely eliminate them. Additionally, be cautious of links in unknown texts, as they may contain malware or lead to fraudulent websites.

Requesting removal from contact lists

If you are receiving political text messages that you no longer wish to receive, there are a few steps you can take to request removal from these contact lists. Firstly, it is important to note that political campaigns are required to adhere to certain FCC restrictions when reaching out to individuals. One such restriction is that they must obtain prior express consent from the recipient before sending text messages using autodialers. If you have not provided consent, you can report the sender by forwarding the text to 7726 or "SPAM". You can also file an informal complaint with the FCC on their website or by mail if you believe you have received a political text that does not comply with their rules.

Additionally, legitimate political text campaign operators should honour opt-out requests. Most organizations will include instructions on how to opt out within their messages, such as replying with a simple keyword like "STOP", "ENDALL", or "CANCEL". Replying with these keywords should result in your removal from their contact list. You can also try blocking the number after replying "STOP" to prevent further messages from that specific number.

To reduce the number of unwanted political texts, you can also adjust your phone settings to filter out unknown senders. This can be done by going to your "Messages" settings and enabling the option to filter out text messages from numbers that are not in your contact list. However, this method may cause you to miss important text messages, such as reminders for appointments or reservations.

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