PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) — Political text messages seem to come in just as you need to return a long awaited phone call from your hair stylist, or you need to read a text message from your daughter traveling with friends in a foreign country. Cell phone users are complaining about about incessant political text messages that leave citizens asking, ‘how did they get my phone number?’
Here’s are some samples:
“It’s Trump: I can’t win without YOU”
“It’s Kamala: Can I count on you to chip in $40?“
The text messages that flood your phone sound oh-so-personal and offer an illusion that phone owners are on a first-name basis with national and local figures.
“Hi, it’s Laura from the Portsmouth Education Association.”
It appears political text messaging will survive every precious minute of Election Day.
“So the day after election, I think you’ll probably get some a few text messages and I think it’ll taper off at that time,” said Dr. Eric Claville, a political scientist at Norfolk State University. “So look for 12:01 a.m., the day after the election.”
The Federal Communications Commission cleared the way for politicians to call your landline, even if you are on the do not call list. For text and cell phone calls, unapproved contacts are limited to no more than three contacts in 30 days. In 2010, the Supreme Court, in the “Citizens United” ruling, ripped off the ceiling for campaign spending.
“We’re seeing the impact of Citizens United even now,” Claville said. “It was a decision that was decided 15 years ago. But we’re seeing the impact of that decision, and we will continue to see the impact of it as money, which is in many cases increased in campaigns and not just money, but also technology and the ability to meet their voters, to meet funders, and to meet potential voters where they are.”
Regina Mobley: What about foreign players? Are they are they also sending us messages?
Dr. Eric Claville: That’s a very good question. However, we do know that based upon the Supreme Court ruling in 2009 that allowed for basically foreign actors to provide funding to campaigns.
The FCC has also ruled that artificial intelligence generated voice calls are illegal but the calls are approved if they include certain identification information.
