TCPA, 10DLC, consent, opt-outs, quiet hours, and state texting laws, the compliance rules every political campaign has to follow.
The "established business relationship" is a familiar telemarketing concept, but it's a weak reed for texting cell phones. Here's what EBR is, why it doesn't do the work campaigns hope, and what to rely on instead.
A single inbound message isn't blanket consent to add them to your broadcast list, but it opens a conversation you can reply to. To send them ongoing campaign texts, confirm the opt-in: reply with your disclosures and a clear way to subscribe, and log it.
It arrives on campaign letterhead's worst day. A single certified envelope, a class-action threat, and per-text math that dwarfs your budget. What a TCPA demand letter actually means, and why it's already too late to fix.
Functionally none, both mean the person has withdrawn consent and you must stop texting them. STOP is the standard keyword that triggers automatic removal, but an opt-out in any words ('remove me,' 'unsubscribe') carries the same weight and the same obligation.
The core texting rules, consent, STOP, quiet hours, 10DLC, apply to nonprofits and advocacy groups too. What differs is the surrounding law: tax-status limits on political activity (especially for 501(c)(3)s) and disclosure rules for issue advocacy. Check both layers.
Fundraising by text runs into campaign-finance rules on top of texting rules. Here's how FEC disclaimer and solicitation requirements touch text fundraising, and why the giving platform handles much of the heavy lifting.
A texting list is a database of voters' phone numbers and consent, and it deserves real protection. Here's why data security matters for a texting program, the risks of a breach, and the basic safeguards every campaign should have.
Hiring a texting vendor doesn't outsource the legal risk, campaigns can be held liable for a vendor's TCPA violations. Here's how vicarious liability works, why "the vendor did it" isn't a defense, and how to protect yourself.
An opt-in isn't a blanket permission slip. The carrier standard expects consent for each messaging program, and treating one opt-in as a pass for everything is how campaigns get flagged.
When a recipient forwards a text to 7726, they're reporting it as spam to the carriers, and enough reports can get your sender flagged. Here's what 7726 is, why complaints hurt deliverability, and how to avoid them.
TCPA claims can generally be brought for years after a violation, which is why records matter so long. Here's how the statute of limitations works, why it shapes record retention, and what it means for campaign texting risk.
501(c)(3) nonprofits can text about civic engagement but not electoral advocacy. Here's what (c)(3)s can and can't do with texting, how nonpartisan voter outreach works, and why the line matters.