HOUSTON – You’re probably already sick of the messages bombarding your phone as Election Day nears. Whether it’s phone calls or texts ringing or dinging at all hours of the day, we’re here to tell you how to get those messages to stop. Seriously.
Thought the Federal Communications Commission, or FCC as it is commonly known, has systems for stopping phone calls and texting, we have a few other methods that could help get the messages to cease -- or at least stop your phone from going off all the time.
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But wait -- how did they get my information in the first place?
You might be wondering -- how do the political campaigners know your information? If you’re a registered voter, your information is publicly available.
In Texas, any person may request voter registration lists. The lists, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures, contain people’s name, date of birth, registration number, residence address or a concise description of the voter’s residence if the voter has no address. It’s not allowed in Texas to post online a person’s Social Security number, driver’s license number, personal identification card number or interest in working as an election judge. It’s also prohibited to post online a person’s phone number, Social Security number, date of birth or residential address of certain protected people, such as victims of some crimes like trafficking or other designations.
How to stop unwanted political phone calls
You can block numbers from your phone. Here’s how to do it on iPhone:
Block voice calls, FaceTime calls, and messages from certain people - In the Phone app, do any of the following: Tap Favorites, Recents, or Voicemail. Tap the information button (an I with a circle around it) next to the number or contact you want to block, scroll down, then tap Block this Caller. You can also tap Contacts, tap the contact you want to block, scroll down, then tap Block this Caller. Here’s more, including how to send unwanted callers to voicemail.
Here’s how to block a number on an Android device: Open your phone app. Tap More. Go to call history. Tap a call from the number you want to block. Tap Block/report spam. You can also block unknown numbers by opening your phone app. Tap More. Tap Settings and then blocked numbers. Turn on Unknown. This will block calls from private or unidentified numbers. You will still receive calls from phone numbers that are not stored in your contacts. Here’s more information.
If you’re fed up and want action from authorities, report the numbers to the FCC. Find out how to file a complaint here with the FCC. Here’s the actual form to fill out.
Political campaign-related autodialed or prerecorded voice calls, including autodialed live calls, autodialed texts, and prerecorded voice messages, are prohibited to cell phones, pagers or other mobile devices without the called party’s prior express consent, according to the FCC. The same restrictions apply to protected phone lines such as emergency or toll-free lines, or lines serving hospitals or similar facilities.
There is a caveat for landline folks (yep, people still have those): Political campaign-related autodialed or prerecorded voice calls are permitted when made to landline telephones, even without prior express consent, according to the FCC. But you can still file a complaint. Again, here’s the actual form to fill out.
How to stop unwanted political texts on your phone
Take a minute and think. Consider whether to respond.
If you are receiving texts that you didn’t ask for, you can report the sender by forwarding the texts to 7726 (or “SPAM”).
If you think the sender is questionable, the FCC recommends that you don’t respond. However, the FCC explains here that political campaigns should also honor opt-out requests if you reply “STOP.” You may have to respond multiple times to multiple numbers to get all of the messages to stop, especially if a political campaign is using several numbers. If it persists, contact the political campaign to get them to remove you from its lists. Also feel empowered to file a complaint with the FCC, particularly if you’ve already tried contacting the campaign.
Here’s how to do file a complaint to stop political texts on your phone
If you think you’ve 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.
Filter out the junk on your own
You don’t have to accept texts or calls from unknown senders on your phone. Here’s some great guidance specific to your particular phone type from CNET.
“If you’re an iPhone user, open the Settings app and tap Messages. From here, scroll down and select Filter Unknown Senders and swipe the toggle setting on. This will sort messages from people who aren’t in your contact list into a separate list.
“If you’re an Android user, open the Messages app Settings on your phone and select Spam protection. Then, select Enable spam protection. Note that the steps to get there may vary based on which Android phone you’re using.”