Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/61364
10A Daily News – Tuesday, April 10, 2012 both new opportunities and dangers for America's political campaigns. NEW YORK (AP) — Text messaging is posing The most widely used form of mobile communi- cation, it has become one of the most effective ways for campaigns to reach supporters, using 160-character messages to encourage last-minute donations or provide information such as where to vote. And strict federal rules prohibit such texts from going to anyone who does not ''opt in'' to receive them. Texting offers promise but also peril to campaigns ''They've taken a tool and technology we used to help people get voter infor- mation and turned it into a very sophisticated way to do voter suppression tactics and annoy people with false and misleading information. Worse yet, people are being charged to receive these messages.'' —Scott Goodstein of Revolution Messaging But some groups have found their way around that requirement, using email — rather than the SMS ''short code'' that telemarketers normally use — to send unsolicited, anonymous and often nega- tive messages to cellphone lists they purchase through brokers. That texting practice has angered voters, who are forced to pay if they don't have flat-rate mes- saging plans. And it's alarmed campaign strate- gists, who fear political texting will be weakened by the introduction of what amounts to spam tex- ting. ''They've taken a tool and technology we used to help people get voter information and turned it into a very sophisticated way to do voter suppres- sion tactics and annoy people with false and mis- leading information,'' said Scott Goodstein of Rev- olution Messaging, a Democratic-leaning mobile communications firm. ''Worse yet, people are being charged to receive these messages.'' Goodstein has filed a complaint about the prac- tice with the Federal Communications Commis- sion, whose Telephone Consumer Protection Act prohibits telemarketers from texting ''to any tele- phone number ... or any service for which the called party is charged.'' criticizing the former Massachusetts governor. Spam texts have popped up in congressional campaigns in states including Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Missouri and Minneso- ta. They've also appeared in several state legisla- tive races. Some of the texts have been followed back to Americans in Contact PAC, a Republican-leaning group whose mission is ''to identify social and fis- cal conservatives throughout America and engage them at the grassroots level in the political process.'' Several voters in Wisconsin received messages from txt(at)aicpac.org during Gov. Scott Walker's clash with public employee unions last year, asking, ''Do you agree government unions are being too greedy?'' A spokesman for the group did not respond to emails and phone calls seeking comment. The emergence of such unsolicited texting comes as campaigns have redoubled their efforts to incorporate text messaging into their broader com- munication strategy. Unsolicited messages hit the presidential cam- paign this year, when texts targeting Republican Mitt Romney surfaced in Colorado, South Carolina and Michigan. Voters received texts urging them to call a number where they heard a recorded message MON.-FRI. 8AM-6PM SAT. 8AM-5PM largely pioneered the use of political text messag- ing. That's the way supporters were alerted that Obama had selected then-Delaware Sen. Joe Biden to be his running mate, for example. This year, with social media outlets like Twitter President Barack Obama's 2008 campaign spokeswoman Katie Hogan said, suggesting that supporters would receive a text letting them know the location of a volunteer phone bank or a local campaign appearance by the president. ''It has to be relevant to the user of that plat- form. And you can't abuse the platform,' Hogan said. and Facebook a much greater political communica- tions tool than they were in 2008, the Obama re- election campaign is using texts more selectively. ''Texts should be action oriented,'' campaign Strategists for Romney, the favorite to be the Republican presidential nominee, have been build- ing up the campaign's texting program in hopes of competing with Obama for the number of support- ers it reaches. ''Texting is the cleanest channel available to engage with supporters,'' Romney digital director Zac Moffatt said, adding that the proliferation of third-party groups spam-texting voters was ''a real problem for us. People blame the campaign.'' Political text spamming has also created chal- lenges for the mobile telephone industry, which reaps significant profits through text messaging and so is eager to halt any mischief that under- mines consumers' use and confidence in texting. Greg Stuart, the CEO the Mobile Marketing Association, the industry group representing mobile carriers, said the group may file its own FCC complaint against unsolicited political texts. ''Any mistrust created in a communications channel is absolutely unacceptable. It destroys consumer's trust in other valid legitimate commu- nication,'' Stuart said. ALL NEW FACILITY Your One Stop Convenience Store ONE STOP Fast, High Quality Repairs with 100% Satisfaction MORE BOB!!! Bob's Tire Center RED BLUFF 614 WALNUT ST. 530-529-1612 CORNING 1723 SOLANO ST. EASY CREDIT! 530-824-4929 AUTO TIRES • WHEELS • BRAKES • ALIGNMENT • A/C • AUTO REPAIR • & AND MORE CENTER CARE 915 Madison St., Red Bluff 530.527.6160 Swisher Sweets (Grape or Regular) Buy 1, Get 1 FREE Thank You for Voting Us Best Gas Station in Tehama County Copenhagen $ Tobacco/Cigarette Specials Always 714 Walnut St., Red Bluff FINAL DAYS! EVERYTHING MUST GO 1921 ~ 2012 APRIL 20, 21, 22, 2012 visit us at: www.redbluffroundup.com also on facebook (530) 527-1000 • 1-800-545-3500 SATURDAY ROUND- UP EVENTS NEW START TIME FOR 2:30 PM 60%off Retail While supplies last THIS IS THE SALE YOU'VE BEEN WAITING FOR! Photo by Larry Smith AMERICA'S ORIGINAL EXTREME SPORT! RODEO GREAT SEATS STILL AVAILABLE CALL NOW!!! FRIDAY FAMILY 4 PACK $30 632 MAIN ST., RED BLUFF • (530) 527-5837 Hours: Monday thru Friday 9 am - 5:30 pm • Saturday 9 am - 5 pm • Closed Sunday MATTRESS NORTH VALLEY Savings up to 5am to 11pm 2 cans899 LESS SCHWAB.... 91ST