How can I block spam political text messages?

This works 🎯. PERFECTLY. Thank you @bjorn129

Fact: The app is close to zero instructions. But I figured it out as I had used other blockers (that did not work).

1. Download the Sifter App from the App Store. No in-app purchases in the current version
2. Launch app. https://apps.apple.com/us/app/sifter-spam-sms-filter/id1265348258
3. In the main screen in the top left there is a paper looking icon. Tap it.
4. Create a "New Empty Profile", give it a name, tap "OK"
5. You will then see your profile on the screen. In the screenshots below mine are MAGA Block. The file extension .sifter is added by the app.
6. Tap on "Done"
7. In the main screen of the app tap on "Blacklists"
8. On the next screen in the bottom select "ADD RULE"
9. Enter the rules you want. It can be a single work, or a combination. On mine you can see one says Ted+Cruz. This approach avoids you blocking your friend Ted.
10. Create as many rules as you want, in single words or combinations using "+"
11. Got to Settings > Messages > Unknown & Spam on your phone
12. Activate Sifter by A) selecting Filter Unknown Senders and B) clicking on sifter

You are DONE.

Extra positives: the filters you create are stored in Apples iCloud, which gives me an added sense of security. Furthermore, because they are saved, if you have more than one phone (like I do), then setting up on the second phone is even easier as the filters are all downloaded from the cloud into the app.

However, this does not Block forwarded texts to you MacBook or iMac. I have not tired on the iPad, but I am fairly certain the app will be compatible.

Good luck.

This works 🎯. PERFECTLY. Thank you @bjorn129

Fact: The app is close to zero instructions. But I figured it out as I had used other blockers (that did not work).

1. Download the Sifter App from the App Store. No in-app purchases in the current version
2. Launch app. https://apps.apple.com/us/app/sifter-spam-sms-filter/id1265348258
3. In the main screen in the top left there is a paper looking icon. Tap it.
4. Create a "New Empty Profile", give it a name, tap "OK"
5. You will then see your profile on the screen. In the screenshots below mine are MAGA Block. The file extension .sifter is added by the app.
6. Tap on "Done"
7. In the main screen of the app tap on "Blacklists"
8. On the next screen in the bottom select "ADD RULE"
9. Enter the rules you want. It can be a single work, or a combination. On mine you can see one says Ted+Cruz. This approach avoids you blocking your friend Ted.
10. Create as many rules as you want, in single words or combinations using "+"
11. Got to Settings > Messages > Unknown & Spam on your phone
12. Activate Sifter by A) selecting Filter Unknown Senders and B) clicking on sifter

You are DONE.

Extra positives: the filters you create are stored in Apples iCloud, which gives me an added sense of security. Furthermore, because they are saved, if you have more than one phone (like I do), then setting up on the second phone is even easier as the filters are all downloaded from the cloud into the app.

However, this does not Block forwarded texts to you MacBook or iMac. I have not tired on the iPad, but I am fairly certain the app will be compatible.

Good luck.

(1)

Reply

[Edited by Moderator]

You can block individuals who are messaging you, but there’s no system or network setting to prevent this from happening, unfortunately.

Best solution I can offer is for you to go into Settings > Messages > Message Filtering, Filter Unknown Senders.

Enabling this will separate the texts and messages you get from saved contacts vs contacts you do not know.

Check with your cell provider. Many have a Spam blocker option that just needs to be turned on. You are correct that they spoof numbers so blocking on the device will have no effect as you are likely not to get the same message from the same number.

Congress has toyed with the idea of requiring calls to be verified as legitimate first, but it has gained little traction. There is the Do Not Call registry, but again without enforcement or being able to know who the caller is, it may not work either. For political calls, the lawmakers have specifically excluded those from any Do Not Call registry as they claim that is Free Speech.

There are apps that prevent messages when you choose key words that you want to exclude, but that comes with the risk of excluding messages you want that may still contain that word used in a different context. There does not seem to be a single answer to the problem, but I would start with your cell provider and even then, it may come down to changing your number, even though that is a tremendous hassle and no guarantee if you are given a reused number that is already out there.

If you are looking for a solution, get "Sifter" from the apple store. It's very poorly documented, but easy to configure. I am getting 40-50 maga texts every day and this helps. Just go through the spam texts you already got, and look for keywords and add those to Blacklists and that's it. You then have to setup the filtering through iPhone.

Lifesaver, I rarely get any spam. Added a screenshot, but it goes like this "trump", "vote", "maga", "republican", etc.

If now somebody can tell us how to do this on a mac, that would be great because unfortunately i get them there.

domingo172 wrote:

Getting political spam messages 15-20 times a day. It’s umbearable. Any way to block them?

Very difficult to do, especially if you ever responded to any of the Messages. They are supposed to honor to request to stop sending the message by replying "STOP". It may also help to contact the political organization directly to remove your number from their call list. Here are the rules about political campaign Robocalls and Robotexts. More information is available using the link.

Robotexts – text messages generated through autodialing – are also considered a type of call and must comply with the same rules as robocalls. 

Political text messages sent to a mobile phone using an autodialer require the called party's prior express consent. Messages sent manually can be sent without prior consent. 

If you are receiving texts that you didn't ask for, report the sender by forwarding the texts to 7726 (or "SPAM"). 

Campaigns should also honor opt-out requests if you reply "STOP."

https://www.fcc.gov/rules-political-campaign-calls-and-texts

IdrisSeabright wrote:

If you want to expend the effort, call the office of the politician doing the spamming and tell them that. If enough people tell them that these ads are affecting their bottom line and the numbers of votes they can expect, they might reconsider.

If the calls or texts are truthful.

Or an opponent calls you and lies, claiming to be the candidate or candidate-aligned, and works to annoy or enrage you against their opponent.

Apply caution with who you might blame, as brigading / swarming and ilk is most definitely a thing.

If you have previously donated, expect to become widely known as a qualified lead willing to $💱฿💸 money too, and expect the donor info will get resold to ~everybody, and expect increasing efforts to solicit more. This just as if you respond to any other sort of spam.

Block. Report as spam. Send spam-filtering feedback to Apple, too.

I'm not certain that complaints to regulators or to representatives are likely to have the desired outcome, in this case.

As suggested by someone in the forum, I got the Sifter app. It's a little complicated, but it's working.

I created a list in Blacklists of all the words and names that would block the adds which had them included.

It's a work in progress, but my political adds are almost down to nothing.

One combo that is working fine is question+#.

Best $3 I have spent lately!

TeresaNewport wrote:

40-50 political spam text per day. 1 week ago i started blocking each one but it's a 9 STEP Process!!! I am so overwhelmed, I run a business and have tried everything, it seemed when i replied "Stop" over 3 days a month ago to try to unsub that's when the floodgates really. Last week i re-sub to opt out (thought i had already)... I read all these threads and it seems nothing i can do :(

Slide all the way to the left in the iPhone message view and junk block and report from the pop-up.

Then pending legal or technical changes, filter unknown numbers, and send some feedback to Apple.

Block, filter, and report messages on iPhone - Apple Support

How to send feedback: Product Feedback - Apple

Dozer8 wrote:

How on iPhone 13 can I block political text? Receive up to 25 per day!!

See these instructions:

Block, filter, and report messages on iPhone - Apple Support

Note that, in the U.S., reporting political messages as junk will probably not accomplish anything. In many cases, political campaigns are exempt from spam regulations.

Send your request to add message filtering to Apple.

Here is how to send your request: Product Feedback - Apple

Your carrier might have some options available here, as well.

I have all unrecognized numbers filtered, which means the SMS spam piles up in its own area.

heinrichfromrichardson wrote:

How do I protect from countless political messages

iPhone (and iPad, and Mac via Continuity) do not have a SMS filter.

Please send your request to add message filtering to Apple. They may or may not read postings here.

Here is how to send your request: Product Feedback - Apple

Your cellular carrier might have other options available.

I have all unrecognized numbers filtered, which means the SMS spam piles up in its own area for less noise and easier deletion.

Y’all can complain to the applicable regulators too, though I’m fairly sure US regulators will treat this incessant spam as protected political spam.

Dawnaru wrote:

So, there is NO WAY to stop these emails? Bottom line? I haven’t seen any answers. I did the settings, messages and all the things everyone has said. Nothing has worked. Just wondering if I should give up or is there a real answer?

No way.

iPhone (and iPad, and Mac via Continuity) do not have a filter for SMS spam.

Please send your request to add SMS message filtering to Apple. They may or may not read postings here.

Here is how to send your request: Product Feedback - Apple

Your cellular carrier might have other spam-filtering options available.

I have all unrecognized numbers filtered, which means the SMS spam piles up in its own area for less noise and easier deletion. But the spam still arrives.

Y’all can complain to the applicable communications regulators too, though I’m fairly sure US regulators will treat this incessant spam as protected political spam.

Yes it is frustrating. I am getting about 20 political spam requests per day. Apple tools do nothing to prevent this and are completely inadequate. The filter unknown users does nothing but create two lists. Deleting individual texts in Messages on phone (desktop version is much worse) requires a tedious multistep process to confirm deletion that is unnecessary because they retain deleted texts for 40 days so not risky to delete a conversation.

Most frustrating is the Delete and Report as Spam does nothing. I have never seen this block a user.

I am trying to block and replying with the stop message but this does not work. The messages come from a rotation of phone numbers and the political campaigns distribute your information freely. They are not limited by the same regulations that hold businesses liable.

Until the FCC steps in or Apple adds some effective tools, I think we are stuck. Here are the steps I have taken:

1. Register on the national don not call list: https://www.donotcall.gov/
2. Filter Unknown Users from Settings/messages then switch your messages view to Known users.
3. Reply back to each message with their unique stop message to unsubscribe.
4. Report even friendly campaigns as spam if you do not want to receive the messages

Beyond that, support legislation to limit this kind of political speech and possibly reach out to the individual PACs on a call to see if they can stop the outreach.

There are some apps that filter text messages. believe Trend Micro has a good app. You can provide key words for the app you use to filter text messages and rules on what to do with the messages.