The new text filter feature of Apple’s spam could end up being a several million dollars headache for political campaigns.
IOS 26 includes a new feature that allows users to filter text messages from unrecognized numbers in an “unknown senior” folder without sending a notification. Users can then access this filter and hit “Mark as well known” or delete the message.
In a memo seen by BI and reported for the first time by Punchbowl News, the official campaign committee responsible for electing the GOP senators warned that the new feature could lead to a sharp drop in income.
“This change has deep implications for our ability to collect funds, mobilize voters and lead digital campaigns,” reads a service note of July 24 from the Senate National Republican Committee, or NRSC.
The memo estimated that the new feature could cost $ 25 million in the group lost in income and lead to a loss of $ 500 million for the GOP campaigns as a whole, based on the estimate that 70% of small dollar donations come from text messages and that iphones represent 60% of mobile devices in the United States.
Although some people can choose to register for text messages from a campaign, individuals often receive texts to campaigns to which they have not registered, but who bought a list of contacts elsewhere.
The campaigns in both parties are counting on these text messages sometimes not asked not only for fundraising, but for messages of electoral participation.
“Unilaterally blocking campaigns and political parties to be able to contact voters with launching or persuasion messaging is the priority of voters,” said Joanna Rodriguez, spokesperson for the NRSC, in a statement to Bi. “It is essential to delay the apple from their deployment of this functionality until these concerns were processed.”
iOS 26 is expected to be deployed in mid-September. Darin Adler, Apple principal director, said at the company’s global conference in June in June that users using functionality “would continue to see important messages sensitive to time” such as verification codes and messages related to planning.
Adler characterized the new functionality as giving users “a total control over who appears in your conversation list”.
The NRSC memo also said that lobbyists and trade groups have been “sleepy behind the wheel” with regard to new feature and that Apple “is not engaging”. A spokesperson for the company refused to comment.
“We only have a few weeks left before the public release,” reads the memo. “If we want to grow back, it must be now. We have a very narrow window to solve this problem.”
Mike Nellis, the founder of the Democratic Society for the Collection of Digital Fund Authentic, told Bi that his party members “should take this seriously, but actors in good faith will not see as much success”.
“If you panic to lose $ 500 million in income, it probably means that you scam people first,” said Nelis. “If you cannot collect funds online without misleading your supporters, you deserve what you get.”
Nelis also said that the change highlights why campaigns must have a diverse range of fundraising and communication channels.
“When there is a change in regulation, product or voter, you still need reliable means to reach people,” said Nelis.
