Tired of ROBO Calls?
Robo Calls and Texts: Why Can’t We Escape Them, Especially During Election Season?
Let’s be honest: robo calls and spam text messages are the worst, and nothing turns the annoyance dial up to 11 like election season. Every couple of years, our phones become battlegrounds for political campaigns, bombarding us with calls and texts asking for donations, reminding us to vote, or pushing their latest attack ad. It feels invasive, relentless, and like there’s no escape.
But how did we get here? Why is this even legal? And more importantly, how do we make it stop?
A Quick History: How Did We Get Here?
Once upon a time, phone calls were personal. You answered your landline (remember those?) and spoke to an actual person—someone you wanted to talk to. But then came telemarketing in the 1980s, when companies realized they could mass-dial homes and push products. By the 1990s, we were dealing with a flood of calls, prompting Congress to pass the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) in 1991. The TCPA restricted telemarketing calls, requiring companies to get your consent before bombarding you.
But fast forward to the 2000s and beyond, and things started getting murky. With the rise of cell phones, text messages, and voice-over-IP (VoIP) calls, the rules started to blur. Robo callers found loopholes in the system, and thanks to advanced dialing technology, they could blast out thousands of calls or texts in seconds. Then came election season, where it seems the usual rules of decency completely vanish.
Politicians, by the way, exempted themselves from some of these rules. Yep, political calls are largely immune from the Do Not Call Registry, meaning that while businesses can get fined for unsolicited robo calls, politicians can hit you up as much as they want. They’ve been allowed to do this thanks to exceptions in laws like the TCPA, and boy, do they use it to their advantage.
Why It Feels Like You’re Getting More Robo Calls Than Ever
You’re not imagining things—robo calls and spam texts are worse than ever. In 2022 alone, Americans received over 50 billion robo calls. Campaigns and companies alike use auto-dialing software to blast messages to millions of people in a single click. While the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has tried to crack down on the worst offenders with STIR/SHAKEN (a technology that verifies caller IDs), it’s far from perfect. Scammers have found ways around it, and political campaigns continue to dodge the law thanks to their exemptions.
And the texts? Even worse. Political campaigns have shifted tactics—text messages feel more personal, like they’re directly targeting you (even though they’re not). During the 2020 elections, voters were flooded with texts asking for donations or urging them to vote, with many people receiving dozens in a single week.
Your Privacy? LOL, What Privacy?
The biggest frustration with robo calls and texts during election season is the sense of lost privacy. You’re sitting there, minding your own business, and suddenly your phone lights up with yet another unsolicited message. It feels like an invasion, because it is.
The truth is, most of your contact information is already out there—whether you’ve given it to a company, a political campaign, or through public records. Voter data is often public, meaning political campaigns have access to your phone number, address, and voting history (yep, they know if you’ve voted before, though not who you voted for). And with advanced targeting software, they can bombard you based on your demographic, political leanings, or past donations.
How to Avoid Robo Calls and Texts (Is It Even Possible?)
While you can’t stop them entirely, there are a few steps you can take to minimize the onslaught:
1. Join the National Do Not Call Registry: While this won’t stop political calls or scammers, it can help reduce calls from legitimate telemarketers. Visit donotcall.gov to register your number.
2. Use Call-Blocking Apps: Apps like Hiya, Nomorobo, and RoboKiller can help filter out known spam numbers and give you a little peace. Many phone carriers also offer free services to block suspected spam calls.
3. Block and Report Spam Texts: Most phones allow you to block a number once you’ve received a spam text. You can also forward spam texts to 7726 (SPAM), which reports the number to your phone carrier for investigation.
4. Use Third-Party Messaging Apps: Consider using apps like Signal or WhatsApp for your messaging. These apps tend to have better privacy settings and don’t rely on your standard phone number.
5. Opt Out of Political Texts: Some political texts will have an option to reply STOP to opt out, though this isn’t always the case. It can help in some cases, but you’ll likely have to repeat this for each campaign.
Why Is This Even Legal?
So, here’s the real kicker: much of this is legal thanks to loopholes and exceptions in U.S. law. The Federal Election Commission (FEC) has given political campaigns wide latitude in how they can contact voters. Unlike businesses, political campaigns don’t need explicit consent to send you calls or texts.
And while laws like the TCPA have restricted some telemarketing practices, political campaigns and nonprofits are largely exempt. They’ve also been taking full advantage of peer-to-peer texting, which allows them to send messages without violating automated texting rules, skirting around the system.
What Can We Do to Change This?
Honestly, we’re all fed up. It’s time for Congress to step up and close the loopholes. Political campaigns shouldn’t get a free pass to invade our phones. It’s not just annoying—it’s a violation of privacy. We need stronger protections against robo calls and texts, and we need enforcement of the laws that already exist.
Here’s how you can help:
• Contact your representatives: Let them know that you’re sick of robo calls and political spam. Push for tighter regulations on campaign communication.
• Support candidates who respect privacy: Vote for candidates who prioritize consumer privacy and pledge to rein in invasive campaign tactics.
• Stay informed: Keep up with ongoing developments in tech and privacy laws. Support organizations pushing for stronger protections against robo calls and spam.
Enough Is Enough
Election season shouldn’t feel like an attack on your phone. We have the right to vote and participate in democracy without being harassed by endless texts and calls. It’s time for Congress and the FCC to stop playing around and start protecting our privacy. Until then, keep your phone on Do Not Disturb, use your spam-blocking apps, and demand better from the leaders who are supposed to represent you.
Let’s put an end to the robo call madness once and for all.
