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posted by LaminatorX on Monday November 03 2014, @08:14PM   Printer-friendly
from the approved-this-message dept.

Any software plans for blocking political spam on Tuesday election day?

Last presidential election I got more than one political text message spam per hour, which was getting incredibly annoying and distruptive. Also I got about one legacy landline phone call every 90 minutes. ALL DAY LONG.

My plan for this election is I have Mr Number on my phone and I'm hoping the spam sources will be blacklisted fast enough that I won't get spammed to death. I have no plan for the legacy landline, turn off the ringer and delete 10 voicemails on Wednesday, I guess.

I'd be interested to hear if anyone has some good technological ideas for spam blocking given whats likely to happen starting in less than 24 hours.

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  • (Score: 1) by TheCastro on Monday November 03 2014, @08:27PM

    by TheCastro (4449) on Monday November 03 2014, @08:27PM (#112733)

    from candidates really a thing? I've never gotten a single text from a politcal race ever. Very rarely do I get any spam texts except from my servicer provider.

    • (Score: 2) by VLM on Monday November 03 2014, @08:48PM

      by VLM (445) Subscriber Badge on Monday November 03 2014, @08:48PM (#112739)

      Yeah, I wasn't kidding.

      Perhaps they narrowly target. I live in a suburb that is neocon quisling central, perhaps 70% neocon and 30% sane (Don't blame me, I vote L straight ticket or don't vote at all). The state wide neo's actually have their little Nuremberg rally re-enactments at the county fairgrounds a few blocks from my house. The dark lord W himself has been just a couple blocks from my house a couple times, I felt the disturbance in the force as he passed by. So the point is if they need more -R votes they'll terrorize my polling district knowing they'll get the most -R for the least -D.

      If that theory is correct, then my hypothesis is you live in a nearly 50:50 polling district and neither side would benefit by carpet bombing you with phone calls and texts. There are of course alternative explanations, like saving money if an election is hopeless or not having the money/organization to pull it off.

      I guess we'll find out tomorrow, one way or the other.

      • (Score: 2) by Adamsjas on Monday November 03 2014, @09:25PM

        by Adamsjas (4507) on Monday November 03 2014, @09:25PM (#112754)

        NObody cares how you voted.
        The fact that you get all the spam suggests you've got yourself out there with the same kind of behavior in public as you exhibit here. I guess you reap what you sow.

        I rarely get any of that spam. Any such calls never get past the first three words before I hang up.
        They've learned not to call me.

        • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday November 03 2014, @09:56PM

          by Anonymous Coward on Monday November 03 2014, @09:56PM (#112759)

          While VLM's attitude is a bit over the top he is not kidding on the volume.

          I get 5-10 bits of snail mail per day. My wife gets about 50 emails a day (I get 0 as I never send them my email). Last I looked at her 'do not read this garbage' folder was at over 10k (for about 1 year and she is getting at least 10-15 per day that get past that filter).

          We are getting 2-3 calls per day asking for money. Usually in the 500-1000 dollar ranges. I would rather give the money to a crackhead. At least I know the money goes to some good use.

          Point of the story? Do not *ever* donate money, and I mean ever. They seem to think that 50 bucks means you have millions laying around and have unlimited amounts of time to deal with their sales pitches. If you are considering donating, dont. When you read about 'targeting' in elections that is what they mean.

          • (Score: 1) by Wrong Turn Ahead on Monday November 03 2014, @10:31PM

            by Wrong Turn Ahead (3650) on Monday November 03 2014, @10:31PM (#112778)

            THIS! Stop giving them your money. They don't care about you and you're not making a difference...

          • (Score: 2) by Adamsjas on Tuesday November 04 2014, @01:44AM

            by Adamsjas (4507) on Tuesday November 04 2014, @01:44AM (#112831)

            I have no idea how many spam emails I might be getting in a day, because between Google and Spamassassin, I just never see them. If one gets thru, I mark it spam, and either my mail server or Google's makes sure I never see that again.

            For the last 5 or 6 years, spam has just NOT been an issue.

    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday November 03 2014, @08:57PM

      by Anonymous Coward on Monday November 03 2014, @08:57PM (#112740)

      Never gotten one either.

    • (Score: 2) by edIII on Monday November 03 2014, @09:10PM

      by edIII (791) on Monday November 03 2014, @09:10PM (#112748)

      It may be, if you are leaking enough information out there such that demographics identifies you as a potential voter (even worse for centrists that might be seen as swing votes).

      Such silly things, like registering to vote for instance, or donating to a political party or PAC without making it anonymous, lead to such situations.

      In short, if your information profile makes it look like you might be interested in politics, they will find your number and bother you. If they see you have never voted, and you don't have any attributes allowing you to show up in search results, you are just a regular citizen and not their target.

      I'm guessing VLM gets all the phone calls because at some point these people thought he gave a shit and he might actually vote. I'm betting he's even voted once or twice giving them the impression he may do it again.

      The people not getting the phone calls or SMS are the ones who make it very clear they are the disenfranchised and a waste of the marketers time. Also worth mentioning is how fully corrupted the databases for the phone numbers are. Mr Number offers look ups, but they are mostly rip offs anyways. The databases most businesses have access to aren't worth a dime. Only people who really know at this point if a number points to a cell phone or not, are the cellular companies who will not give you real time access to current subscribers, and information conglomerates like the credit reporting agencies and Lexus Nexus. Thankfully, many may not be getting the messages because the databases haven't been updated and well managed in over a decade. About the only thing I can think of as to why many may not be targets.

      The Man still thinks he can get something out of VLM is my other guess? ;)

      --
      Technically, lunchtime is at any moment. It's just a wave function.
      • (Score: 1) by anubi on Tuesday November 04 2014, @05:00AM

        by anubi (2828) on Tuesday November 04 2014, @05:00AM (#112863) Journal

        Today's anecdote...

        I vote in every election. Today, I find I am on someone's list. A door-to-door canvasser shows up, list in hand. I see two of my neighbors on it as well... but that's all on my block they are interested in. They have come to tell me to vote for Proposition K, a school-bond measure. The vote is tomorrow.

        I noted on the paper he had, printed from some database, had my name, address, party, number of times I voted, age, and a few more fields I did not understand what they were showing. Probably one was whether I voted absentee or not. I have always went to the polls. The vote is tomorrow.
         
        Apparently, only two besides me in my block qualified for the visit.

        They are after us again to go yet further and further into debt so they can free up money that was to go to schools to go to other pet projects.

        I show them the mailer I had just got Saturday... showed all sorts of smiling people and a big list of endorsements from politicians. I told the canvasser I was quite grateful for that mailer and especially the list of endorsees. At that time I noted how nice it was to have a list all neatly prepared on who all the tax-and-spend republicans were that needed to find other sources of employment other than political office. I was taking that list with me to the polls to make sure I did not vote for anyone on it.

        I believe all those mailers do serve a purpose - they clue us in on who is trying to buy into office. You see who is spending so much money and ask yourself if those people really have your concerns at heart, or if they just believe in marketing and make-money-now for themselves.

        At this point, I try to read between the lines, and give the little guy a chance instead of just voting the loudest guy in. These guys who have their name plastered all over town are being financed by people I do not think have my concerns at all. I think I will vote for the beastie I do not know, rather than suffer the taxes and corruption from those who have nested into the system.

        Later in the evening, I see my neighbors out and trot over for a chat. I think they see it similarly to what I see. Just another attempt of coaxing us to lay another tax on ourselves, so they can use the tax monies already authorized for something else. All three of us have had significant belt-tightening we have had to do over the past several years, and none of us thought the politicians were exempt.

        --
        "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." [KJV: I Thessalonians 5:21]
  • (Score: 4, Informative) by Random2 on Monday November 03 2014, @08:28PM

    by Random2 (669) on Monday November 03 2014, @08:28PM (#112735)
    I have my phone running through Google Voice, which can either forward texts to the phone or keep them in the inbox and treat them as e-mails. Depending on what type of phone you have, it may be easier to have all texts halted to your phone and check the email for the next few days, marking those texts as spam. I don't know if it has optional filtering, but I suspect not.

    Other than that, not having TV, avoiding giving my phone number or email unless absolutely necessary (or using a junk e-mail address), and being on the do-not-call list seem to be the most effective so far. The most 'advertising' I've seen is when someone showed up at my house trying to solicit for one of the parties.
    --
    If only I registered 3 users earlier....
    • (Score: 2) by VLM on Monday November 03 2014, @09:00PM

      by VLM (445) Subscriber Badge on Monday November 03 2014, @09:00PM (#112743)

      Yes good point I have the same architecture and you can block in google voice but mr number does a lookup. So once enough people block, I don't have to hear it. Pretty nice. I'm not sure if bare plain google voice can social block like that.

      I don't have a landline/asterisk solution similar to that, so shut off the ringer I guess.

      someone showed up at my house trying to solicit for one of the parties

      The best way to waste their time is to agree with them, I sign every petition put in front of me. I can't imagine what my NSA file looks like after a few decades of that (and everything else I've done). Wait what he's both pro choice and anti abortion at the same time? I get really cool stuff in the mail this way, you know those petitions are just dumped into mailing lists. I've been invited by junk mail to participate on both sides of an anti-abortion rally more than once, which is hilarious. I've been invited to political fundraisers as both a participant/donor and as a protestor.

      • (Score: 2) by cafebabe on Monday November 03 2014, @09:35PM

        by cafebabe (894) on Monday November 03 2014, @09:35PM (#112757) Journal

        I think your problem is right there. If you give your contact details to any idiot then don't be surprised when they use it.

        --
        1702845791×2
      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday November 03 2014, @10:13PM

        by Anonymous Coward on Monday November 03 2014, @10:13PM (#112770)

        The best way to waste their time is to agree with them, I sign every petition put in front of me.

        Okay you brought that on yourself ... This is pretty much like filling in every email address for every bit of form/online survey/mailing list/whatever. Then bitching about the volume of email you get.

        I get 0 political emails. My wife gets 50 a day. Guess who put their email into a political email lists? Hint: It wasnt me. She is better now once I explained to her that filling out those online petitions does not help you at all.

        The proper response is 'no thank you'. If they persist just stick to the same thing 'no thank you'. They move on and find easier prey. You are not wasting their time. It is *all* automated now. You have managed to waste your own time.

  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday November 03 2014, @09:09PM

    by Anonymous Coward on Monday November 03 2014, @09:09PM (#112747)

    Anyone have plans to change the current but fucked political system?
    Start from there and maybe just maybe, you might get to a society that has no need to trick everyone into a vote.

    • (Score: 2) by cafebabe on Monday November 03 2014, @09:39PM

      by cafebabe (894) on Monday November 03 2014, @09:39PM (#112758) Journal

      I've previously suggested that representative democracy should run like jury service [soylentnews.org]. Think it through because it has some interesting implications.

      --
      1702845791×2
      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday November 04 2014, @03:01AM

        by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday November 04 2014, @03:01AM (#112845)

        I think this would quickly result in an industry of advisors to the representative. People who's "job" is to help new representatives adjust to the system, find their way around the capitol, and advise them on the issues of the day. I suspect most people would be happy to accept such help and advice (who really wants the responsibility of running a city/state/country?), with the result that these advisors would de facto run the government.

        • (Score: 2) by cafebabe on Tuesday November 04 2014, @08:58PM

          by cafebabe (894) on Tuesday November 04 2014, @08:58PM (#113057) Journal

          Does that differ significantly from lobbyists who draft laws? Actually, without electioneering, representatives would be more able to judge and act on their intuition.

          --
          1702845791×2
    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday November 04 2014, @12:08AM

      by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday November 04 2014, @12:08AM (#112810)

      That is a fantastic idea.
      Forcing anyone to do something, now that is going to be hard.

      How can that be made so that people are inspired to do their duty?

    • (Score: 2) by rts008 on Tuesday November 04 2014, @07:26AM

      by rts008 (3001) on Tuesday November 04 2014, @07:26AM (#112885)

      Anyone have plans to change the current but fucked political system?

      Yes.http://wolf-pac.com/ [wolf-pac.com]

    • (Score: 3, Interesting) by jbWolf on Tuesday November 04 2014, @08:30AM

      by jbWolf (2774) <jbNO@SPAMjb-wolf.com> on Tuesday November 04 2014, @08:30AM (#112896) Homepage

      Yes. Get people to laugh at themselves [jb-wolf.com] no matter what side of the political spectrum they are on. As soon as you say "Republican" or "Democrat" or "3rd Party", the defensive shields go up, everyone starts yelling, and no one is listening. Comedy, if done properly, is a good way to start lowering those shields and puts people more in a talkative mood without the yelling and fingers-in-ears problems. If the tone of the comedy is carefully made neutral, there is a chance actual dialogue can happen.

      I have given a link to my personal solution, but it will take more than one voice and one script. There is a lot of clutter to cut through.

      --
      www.jb-wolf.com [jb-wolf.com]
  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday November 03 2014, @09:12PM

    by Anonymous Coward on Monday November 03 2014, @09:12PM (#112749)

    maybe tell people that are important to email instead of phone just for that day, and turn your phone off for the day

    phones are important for businesses don't get me wrong, but for production office workers (such as engineers), phones can be very disruptive particularly when repeatedly from sources other than paying clients.

    if you can afford one, hire a secretary to handle the phone (one with big tits of course). i'm pretty sure its the sole reason for hiring them anywhere.

    • (Score: 1) by anubi on Tuesday November 04 2014, @08:58AM

      by anubi (2828) on Tuesday November 04 2014, @08:58AM (#112904) Journal

      Answering machine.

      Even if you are right there, have an answering machine take the call.

      One thing I would like to have is a little mini PBX so I can do business like a business and treat telemarketers just like business treats customers...

      Present unwanted callers with a lot of twisty turny little passages that go nowhere until they finally get frustrated and hang up.

      That way, its their fault for not figuring out how to contact me, not my fault for not answering the phone.

      --
      "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." [KJV: I Thessalonians 5:21]
  • (Score: 2) by cafebabe on Monday November 03 2014, @09:32PM

    by cafebabe (894) on Monday November 03 2014, @09:32PM (#112755) Journal

    Could you take your local news elsewhere?

    --
    1702845791×2
  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday November 03 2014, @11:06PM

    by Anonymous Coward on Monday November 03 2014, @11:06PM (#112786)

    Try voting, that makes the calls stop for me :)

    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday November 04 2014, @01:33AM

      by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday November 04 2014, @01:33AM (#112828)

      The number one way to stop all the calls and mail is to vote as early as possible. They won't waste the money to contact you when it will literally do them no good.

  • (Score: 2) by SGT CAPSLOCK on Monday November 03 2014, @11:38PM

    by SGT CAPSLOCK (118) on Monday November 03 2014, @11:38PM (#112795) Journal

    Dear VLM,

    I'm sorry that I've caused you so much trouble in the past. Hopefully it won't be the same in the future.

    But it all depends on you.

    You can end all of this. All you need to do is vote for my guys. Just do it. Let's put this all behind us. All it will take is a simple oath to vote for my dude beforehand, and then I'll need you to mail me proof that you did it afterward so that I don't have to focus the entire fucking wrath of my call centers upon you again when the next voting date approaches.

    VLM, it's all up to you. This is all on you, bro. Do the right thing. Vote man. Just do it. Vote with my party, bro. Let's put an end to this.

    Sincurly,
    Prezident Barack H. Obama

  • (Score: 2) by pixeldyne on Tuesday November 04 2014, @12:52AM

    by pixeldyne (2637) on Tuesday November 04 2014, @12:52AM (#112817)

    Perhaps making voting mandatory would be part of a solution. It was made compulsory in Australia so that parties would not have to spend any time and money to encourage voting (at all). This would help minor parties get a foot in the door.

    • (Score: 2) by etherscythe on Tuesday November 04 2014, @06:55PM

      by etherscythe (937) on Tuesday November 04 2014, @06:55PM (#113017) Journal

      ...parties such as the "stop mandatory voting, let the people who consider themselves educated vote and quit wasting everyone's time" party? Really, that policy's just a band-aid; it may work in Australia but I don't see it working here, as much of a flap as we've put up about "mandatory health care" taxes. Maybe we need to make voting into more of a community event, where there is food and music. Declare it a national holiday, too. Democracy Day. Eh, the short form has name collision with a historical event, but we can figure something out.

      --
      "Fake News: anything reported outside of my own personally chosen echo chamber"