TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) – A new feature rolling out on Apple devices this fall could filter out unsolicited text messages from political groups asking for donations.
Both parties rely on sending out text messages to either fundraise or engage voters.
But in September, Apple will launch iOS 26 with a new text screening feature.
It will filter out text messages from numbers a user doesn’t have in their contacts and quietly put them in a separate inbox. Until a user accepts the message, they will remain silenced and won’t appear as notifications.
Apple believes the move gives users “more control over who appears in their conversation list.”
Time-sensitive messages will still show up normally, Apple said.
The fundraising arm for Senate Republicans recently sent out a memo, as first reported by Punchbowl News, raising concerns about the new feature.
The National Republican Senatorial Committee said in the memo that the change could result in a revenue hit of at least $25 million, because 70% of its small-dollar donations come via text.
“That change has profound implications for our ability to fundraise, mobilize voters, and run digital campaigns,” the memo said.
Apple will also include a call screening feature in iOS 26. When someone is an iPhone user who doesn’t have their number saved, Apple says the caller is asked to provide their name and why they’re calling. The answer shows up on the user’s iPhone and gives them a chance to decide whether to answer.
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This article was published by WTVG on 2025-07-31 18:24:00
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