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FEC Permits Anonymous SMS Spam

crm114 writes "The Washington Post is running a story about the Federal Election Commission's decision today to waive the requirement that SMS broadcast messages indicate their origin..." And it'll only cost you ten cents to read each one. For what it's worth, you can read the agenda item which describes the issue before the FEC. It's rather interesting because it includes drafts of two possible responses by the FEC, depending on which way the commissioners actually voted at today's meeting. Although the company seeking the opinion suggested alternatives like providing a toll-free phone number in the message (preserving the spirit of the campaign finance disclosure rules), the FEC doesn't appear to have taken them up on it.

3 of 240 comments (clear)

  1. Dear Senator by deathinc · · Score: 5, Funny

    Dear Senator Jacka$$,

    Thank you for your recent communication to my cellphone. While I appreciate your message, "WNT2BYurVOTE", especially it's efforts at minimizing my time, I would like to refer you to the enclosed copy of my the bill I received from my wireless carrier.

    Also enclosed you will find an invoice charging you the $.10 I was charged for the reception of this unsolicited message. While I understand [Insert Political Party Here]'s fundraising isn't what it used to be, I still think this is reprehensible behavior.

    Lastly, you'll notice the bill includes a $30,000 handling fee for the disposal of your message.

    Thank you for your time, and if you really need to buy votes, please try Florida.

  2. Become your own politcal party. by Target+Drone · · Score: 5, Funny
    Can't spammers just start their own political party now and send SMS spam without fear of reprisals.

    I can hardy wait to start receiving spam from the penis enlargement party.

  3. Re:Solutution by Jippy_ · · Score: 5, Funny

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    Oh yeah.. gonna be great...