Policy
Political texts surge before the midterms, fueled by data brokers and weak safeguards
Political campaigns and groups are sending large volumes of texts before the US midterm elections, including messages to people who never donated or knowingly joined a campaign list. Estimates range from 15 billion texts in 2022 to an informal 25 billion to 30 billion this year. Consumer advocates say data brokers supply voter, behavioral, and inferred political information, often inaccurately, while political messages remain exempt from do-not-call rules. Blocking, reporting, and avoiding unknown links may help, but broader relief likely requires enforcement and new regulation.
Editorial summary · Publisher article
What matters
- Political texts can reach people through data brokers, not only through prior donations or direct campaign contact.
- The ecosystem can contain scams mixed with legitimate campaign messages.
- Consumers can block or report messages, avoid unfamiliar links, and use official campaign websites for donations.
- Advocates say enforcement and congressional or regulatory action are needed for broader change.
Context & caveats
- The higher estimate of 25 billion to 30 billion messages is described as an informal approximation, not a verified count.
Why this made the edition
The report provides extensive evidence about the scale, sources, consumer risks, data-broker practices, and regulatory gaps behind political text messages. It includes attributed estimates and practical safeguards while clearly labeling the larger volume estimate as informal.
Source material