Political campaigns turn to text message harassment

In at least 10 states this election cycle, organizations supporting Republican campaigns used text messaging to try to reduce Democratic turnout, says progressive political consulting firm, Revolution Messaging, calling on state attorneys general to investigate “the improper use of mobile technology by Republicans in the midterm elections.”
Election text message spam was reported in California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Virginia, aiming to snag undecided voters in the 11th hour. .
“Mobile technology is a new frontier for most political campaigns,” said Revolution Messaging founder Scott Goodstein. Using text messaging to get out the vote was proven when President Barak Obama successfully used the venue to keep in contact with potential voters.
“We must be vigilant about making sure [mobile technology] isn’t abused, throwing a wrench into our democratic process. We saw some of these abuses in the 2008 elections, but nothing like what we saw this year. If we don’t nip it in the bud, imagine what could happen in the 2012 elections,” he exclaimed.
Political attorney Joe Sandler, who serves as counsel to Revolution Messaging, confirmed that text message abuses from the 2010 elections were already well documented in Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Virginia. An RCR editor can confirm text harassment in California also.
“We know this happened in at least 10 states and it may’ve occurred in more,” said Sandler. “If folks received a text message on their cell phone from a group that had no permission to call their cell, a complaint can be filed with their state’s attorney general, who can investigate and take legal action against the spammers.”
The federal Telephone Consumer Protection Act makes it illegal for anyone to autocall a cell phone without the recipient’s expressed prior consent. The Mobile Marketing Association, which represents all the players in the mobile technology space, and the CTIA-The Wireless Association, which represents the wireless communications industry, also have established guidelines requiring explicit opt-ins for any type of SMS message.
Goodstein says anyone who got these types of messages should get in touch with their attorney general and file a complaint by calling 866-529-7620, a hotline setup by Revolution Messaging.