Technology

How to reclaim your phone and block unwelcome political text messages

Published

2 hours ago

August 10, 2024

How to reclaim your phone and block unwelcome political text messages

Text messages that come to your phone as spam messages are a nuisance at best and a risk to your personal security at worst. But somewhere in between lies a unique type of spam text message that includes propaganda to convince you of whom to vote for in the upcoming election.

Of course, this is a nuisance, but is it also something more than that? Something more dangerous that you need to be aware of?

If you’re receiving those unwelcome political text messages from fundraisers, here’s what you need to know about them and how you can reclaim your phone and block those messages for good. With the upcoming election, you should be free to vote without any influence from strangers texting your phone. How did they get your number, anyway?

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A man on his phone (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

What are political text messages?

Political text messages are communications sent via SMS by political campaigns, party committees, political action committees (PACs) and interest groups. These messages aim to solicit support, funds, votes, gauge public opinion through surveys and provide information about political events and initiatives.

Due to their high open rates and direct reach, they have become a popular tool in modern campaigning. However, there is a risk that such messages can backfire because recipients may find them intrusive and choose to support a different candidate instead.

Political text message (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

How to tell if a political text message is legitimate

As election season approaches, it’s important to be vigilant about the political text messages you receive. While some may be genuine communications from campaigns or organizations, others could be scams designed to deceive you.

Here are some tips to help you determine the legitimacy of these messages:

Check for grammatical errors: Fake messages often contain poor grammar, spelling mistakes or awkward sentence structures. Legitimate organizations typically ensure their communications are free from such errors.

Verify the source: If you receive a message claiming to be from a known political campaign or organization, verify it by contacting it directly using a phone number or website you trust, not the information provided in the message.

Look for unfamiliar numbers: Legitimate political campaigns usually send texts from identified numbers. Scam texts often come from unidentified or unusually long numbers.

Understand brand communication: Familiarize yourself with how political campaigns say they will contact you. Many organizations provide guidelines on their websites about what legitimate communications will look like.

A person receiving text messages on a cell phone (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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How did they get my number?

Political organizations often obtain phone numbers from voter registration records, which include names, addresses and contact information of registered voters. These records are public and can be accessed by anyone involved in political communications.

Additionally, political groups may purchase phone numbers from data brokers who compile extensive profiles using various data points, including online activity, subscriptions and demographic information. Essentially, even if you haven’t directly given these campaigners your phone number, they’ve found it online some other way.

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Can these messages mean that they can take my information?

While the messages themselves typically do not extract personal information directly, responding to or engaging with these texts can contribute to the data profiles that political organizations maintain.

Each interaction provides additional data points that can be used to refine outreach strategies. However, be cautious of links within these messages because they could potentially lead to phishing attempts if not from a legitimate source.

What rules govern political texts

Here’s the thing. You’d think the Do Not Call Registry would help, but, sadly, it doesn’t cover political stuff. And those federal laws about phone communications? They’re not much help either.

Why? Well, it’s kind of a sticky situation. See, lawmakers are worried about stepping on First Amendment toes. Plus — let’s be honest — they need to reach voters themselves. So, they’re not exactly rushing to put up barriers.

Now, there is one rule. Political groups can’t use auto dialers to spam you with texts unless you’ve said it’s OK. But here’s the catch. The Supreme Court defined auto dialers in a way that lets a lot of texting tech off the hook.

So, what does this mean for you? Well, if you’ve ever liked a political meme, taken an online survey about democracy or donated to a cause, you might’ve put yourself on their radar. It’s like open season for political texters.

A man receiving a political text message on his smartphone (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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Best ways to stop political text messages and stay safe on your phone

1. Block the contact

If you regularly receive calls and messages from the same number, you can block it to prevent those calls and texts from reaching you. This is effective if the messages come from the same number but may be less effective if the sender uses multiple numbers.

On iPhone

Open the Messages app and locate the political text message.
Tap on the message to open it.
Tap on the phone number or contact name at the top of the screen.
Tap on the “i” information icon.
Scroll down and select “Block this Caller.”
Confirm by tapping “Block Contact.”

On Android

Settings may vary depending on your Android phone’s manufacturer

Open the Messages app and find the political text message.
Tap and hold the message until a menu appears.
Tap on the “Block” option (this might also be labeled as “Block number” or “Add to Spam” depending on your device).
Confirm by tapping “OK” or “Block.

2. Reply and/or file a complaint

Responding to the text with “Stop,” “Unsubscribe” or “Cancel” can opt you out of future communications from that sender. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) also provides options to report unsolicited texts by forwarding them to 7726 (“SPAM”) or filing a complaint online.

Responding to a text with Stop (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

3. Delete and report junk

On both iPhone and Android, you can delete and report unwanted messages as junk. Here’s how:

On iPhone:

If a sender isn’t in your contact list and you haven’t replied, you’ll see a “Report Junk” option below the message.
Select this option to delete the message and confirm your decision by clicking Delete and Report Junk to report it to Apple and your carrier.

Android:

Settings may vary depending on your Android phone’s manufacturer

Open the Messages app and find the unwanted message.
Tap and hold the message until a menu appears.
Select “Report Spam” or “Report Junk” from the menu.
Confirm the action to delete the message and report it to your carrier.

Report junk and delete and report junk on iPhone (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

4. Filter unknown senders

Both iPhone and Android have features to filter messages from unknown senders, reducing interruptions from unwanted texts.

On iPhone:

Open the Settings app.
Scroll down and select Messages.
Scroll down again to “Filter Unknown Senders” and toggle it on.

On Android:

Settings may vary depending on your Android phone’s manufacturer

Open the Messages app.
Tap the three-dot menu icon in the top-right corner.
Select “Settings” from the dropdown menu.
Choose “Spam protection.“
Toggle on “Enable spam protection” to filter messages from unknown senders into a separate folder

5. Contact the political campaign

As a last resort, you can contact the campaign’s office to report the message. This could help prevent future communications and bring the issue to the campaign’s attention, especially if they are not following best practices.

6. Invest in personal data removal services

To further reduce the number of unwanted political text messages, consider investing in personal data removal services. While no service promises to remove all your data from the internet, having a removal service is great if you want to constantly monitor and automate the process of removing your information from hundreds of sites continuously over a longer period of time. Check out my top picks for data removal services here.

7. Never click on links in political texts

Be cautious of links, and do not click links in political texts because they may contain malware or lead to fraudulent websites. Also, be aware that some political texts may be fake, designed to mislead or defraud you. Scammers often disguise themselves as legitimate political campaigns, nonprofits or government agencies to exploit the election season’s heightened communication. These fake texts may attempt to extract personal information or solicit fraudulent donations by creating a sense of urgency or panic.

The best way to safeguard yourself from malicious links that install malware and potentially access your private information is to have strong antivirus software installed on all your devices. This protection can also alert you to phishing emails and ransomware scams, keeping your personal information and digital assets safe. Get my picks for the best 2024 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android & iOS devices.

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Kurt’s key takeaways

Political text messages may be a nuisance, but they can also pose risks to your privacy and influence your voting decisions. As the election approaches, it’s essential to take control of your phone and block these unwanted messages. Remember, your vote is your voice. Don’t let it be drowned out by unsolicited texts. By understanding how to manage these communications, you can focus on making informed choices this election season, free from outside influence.

Have you ever received a political text message? What did it say? Did they keep coming? Did you try one of these methods to try and stop it? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact

For more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Cyberguy.com/Newsletter

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Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on “FOX & Friends.” Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.

Technology

Google’s Pixel Fold one year later: I can’t wait for the sequel

Published

2 hours ago

August 10, 2024

Press Room

Google’s Pixel Fold one year later: I can’t wait for the sequel

I wasn’t sold on the era of foldable smartphones until I tried the Pixel Fold. For one, we get a fairly limited selection of folding phones to choose from in the US compared to China. And the cramped, too-narrow outer display of Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold series has never worked for my large hands. So Google grabbed my interest immediately when it introduced a squat, passport-shaped folding phone.

I’ve used Pixels for years, so I’m well acquainted with Google’s strengths and weaknesses. The software is clean, you get some genuinely handy Pixel-only features (the Recorder app is a blessing in my line of work), and the camera performance is unbeatable — at least for still photography. But on the flip side, performance never measures up to Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon chips, the devices tend to run a little warm, and there are sometimes odd hardware quirks. (Did you know that every Pixel 8 and 8 Pro has tiny bumps under the display only visible in just the right light? Now you do.)

Going into the Pixel Fold, I knew there would be additional tradeoffs. Foldable phones are heavy. Their cameras don’t measure up to the best traditional phones. And several years into this form factor, they often remain wildly expensive. Samsung and Motorola offer lower-priced flip versions, but no such luck if you’re a Pixel fan.

The Fold’s short and squat outer display has been easy to use.

But it’s a very heavy phone.

Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge

However, it took practically no time at all for the Pixel Fold to overcome those collective downsides. It’s far from a perfect gadget, but this is a case where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. I’ve grown to like a lot about the first-gen Pixel Fold, but there are also some nagging frustrations that I hope to see rectified in the upcoming Pixel 9 Pro Fold.

It’s easy to ignore the bigger screen

The first thing I learned was that when you’ve got an adequate phone on the outside, you won’t open the inner display as frequently as you might expect — at least once the honeymoon phase wears off. The Fold’s exterior screen is perfectly usable for most of what I do with a smartphone. I usually unfold it when I want to watch YouTube, Netflix, or check the news with The New York Times app. Sure, I’ve multitasked with two apps at once on occasion — and Google has made that workflow easier with software updates — but it’s not a common scenario. I’m still mostly using the large canvas to focus on one thing a a time, albeit with far greater immersion.

Reading The New York Times (or anything else) on this inner screen is a joy.

This thing desperately needs a brightness boost

From day one, my primary gripe with the Pixel Fold has always been its display brightness — or lack thereof. Only a few months after its release last year, the $1,700 device was outshined by the significantly more affordable Pixel 8 series and Google’s new Actua / Super Actua displays. They get extremely bright and are no trouble to use outdoors. With the Fold, I’ve constantly got the brightness slider up over 80 percent, which doesn’t do its battery life any favors. It can be a struggle to see this phone when the sun is shining, and the very reflective inner screen only makes things worse.

If there’s one weakness I’m relatively confident Google is going to fix the second time around, it’s this lack of pop. All indications are that the company will bring its latest (and brightest) display tech to its second-gen foldable.

The other key improvement I hope to see is a lighter frame. The Pixel Fold is one seriously hefty phone, even for me — a 6’1” man with big hands — and can get taxing to hold over time.

The battery life has gotten me by

I wasn’t expecting miracles from the Pixel Fold’s battery endurance. Is it fair to want that from any foldable? Plus, Google’s Tensor chips have never been known for efficiency. But even on days when the large display barely got any use, the Fold did… fine. It wasn’t always a lock that there would be much juice remaining when I got home after a long day, but the phone almost always made it. Like other Pixels, the Fold can sometimes charge at a snail’s pace when you’re actively using it while plugged in. Overall, its stamina is trounced by the more conventional Pixel 8 Pro, but that’s to be expected when you’re pitting two screens against one.

I’m partial to the porcelain version, myself.

The phone has held up well, though the glossy camera bar is prone to scratches and scuffs.

Many apps aren’t optimized for the wide display

The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is rumored to be going in the direction of the OnePlus Open, with a taller design. You’ll basically be getting a regular phone on the outside. That means the aspect ratio of the inner display will also be changing, which is a good thing since I found that many apps had black bars on both sides when I held the Fold open. This is Android, so you really can’t count on developers quickly embracing an individual device. Google eventually added an option to force apps to go full-screen in software, but the new dimensions of the 9 Pro Fold should theoretically mean that more apps will do that by default.

Plenty of apps do play nice with the Fold. Editing photos from my mirrorless camera in Adobe Lightroom has been a great experience from the jump — even if the device sometimes gets a little warm while doing so. If I’m not traveling with my iPad, this is the next best thing for making some adjustments on the move.

This is way better than editing photos on a regular phone.

Durability, camera, speakers, etc.

I’ve used two Fold review units over the last year, and neither of them has broken or had any catastrophic screen problems. But not everyone has been so lucky, and having any foldable repaired or replaced under warranty can be an ordeal. The glossy camera bar inevitably shows wear and tear, and scratches on the soft inner display are unavoidable. But they’re also easy to forget about when the screen is lit up — as is the crease.

The speakers on this $1,700 phone are decidedly mid. They’re blown away by Apple’s iPhone 15 Pro Max, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, and Google’s own Pixel 8 Pro. Give me something with a little more oomph, Google. Please!

The cameras are reliable (like any Pixel) but not as advanced as Google’s more conventional phones.

Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge

The Pixel Fold’s camera(s) do the job. They’re reliable, as Allison wrote in her review. But they’re nothing to write home about, either. Google’s computational photography magic can help pretty up your shots, but you’re dealing with a smaller sensor than what’s in ordinary flagship phones, and software can’t fully compensate for that.

Google is set to announce the Pixel 9 Pro Fold (and a lot more) at its August 13th event. The first Pixel Fold got enough right to make me a believer in foldables. Now the company just needs to prove that it can take that potential and versatility to the next level — and hopefully the screen brightness, too.

Photography by Chris Welch / The Verge

Technology

Long-time Google exec Susan Wojcicki has died at 56

Published

9 hours ago

August 10, 2024

Press Room

Long-time Google exec Susan Wojcicki has died at 56

Googlers,

By now you may have heard the news that Susan Wojcicki has passed away after two years of living with lung cancer. Even as I write this it feels impossible to me that it’s true. Susan was one of the most active and vibrant people I have ever met. Her loss is devastating for all of us who know and love her, for the thousands of Googlers she led over the years, and for millions of people all over the world who looked up to her, benefited from her advocacy and leadership, and felt the impact of the incredible things she created at Google, YouTube, and beyond.

Susan’s journey, from the garage she rented to Larry and Sergey … to leading teams across consumer products and building our Ads business … to becoming the CEO of YouTube, one of the world’s most significant platforms, is inspiring by any measure. But she didn’t stop there. As one of the earliest Googlers — and the first to take maternity leave — Susan used her position to build a better workplace for everyone. And in the years that followed, her advocacy around parental leave set a new standard for businesses everywhere. Susan was also deeply passionate about education. She realized early on that YouTube could be a learning platform for the world and championed “edutubers” — especially those who extended the reach of STEM education to underserved communities.

Over the last two years, even as she dealt with great personal difficulties, Susan devoted herself to making the world better through her philanthropy, including supporting research for the disease that ultimately took her life. I know that was very meaningful to her and I’m so glad she took the time to do it.

Susan always put others first, both in her values and in the day to day. I’ll never forget her kindness to me as a prospective “Noogler” 20 years ago. During my Google interview she took me out for an ice cream and a walk around campus. I was sold – on Google and Susan.

I feel so fortunate to have spent so many years working with Susan closely, as I’m sure many of you do — she was absolutely loved by her teams here. Her time on earth was far too short, but she made every minute count.

We’re in close touch with Susan’s family, including her husband and fellow Googler, Dennis. We will share more soon about how we’re going to celebrate her incredible life. In the meantime, let’s honor Susan’s memory by continuing to build a Google she would be proud of.

-Sundar

Technology

Sony’s adorable Astro Bot controller is now available for preorder

Published

17 hours ago

August 9, 2024

Press Room

Sony’s adorable Astro Bot controller is now available for preorder

This isn’t the first time Sony Interactive Entertainment has released a special edition controller to commemorate an upcoming exclusive — it launched a symbiote-themed controller alongside Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 last year — but its latest collaboration with developer Team Asobi is far cuter. The new PS5 controller features shiny blue grips and buttons inspired by Astro’s signature blue accents, along with a pair of gawking blue eyes on the touch pad. It also sports some subtle, carved lines on both handles, giving the controller a bit of a sci-fi vibe.

The distinctions stop there, though. The limited edition Astro Bot model touts the same robust compatibility and battery life as your standard DualSense Wireless Controller, along with the same adaptive triggers, motion controls, and haptics. That being said, Team Asobi has supposedly added a ton of new interactions between the controller and the next Astro Bot game, allowing you to feel a wider variety of textures and surfaces while giving power-ups a more distinct feel. The original Astro’s Playroom felt like a glorified tech demo, and if our hands-on time with Astro Bot is any indication, the sequel will follow suit.