Key Metrics
12.98
Heat Index-
Impact LevelMedium
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Scope LevelNational
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Last Update2025-08-27
Key Impacts
Negative Impacts (2)
Event Overview
This event exemplifies tensions at the intersection of technology regulation and political campaigning, where platform changes by a major technology company raise concerns about communication barriers for partisan fundraising and voter mobilization. It highlights growing anxieties about the influence of software updates on electoral processes, the dependence of modern campaigns on digital outreach, and the broader debate around technological gatekeeping in democratic activities.
Collect Records
Republican Fundraisers Warn Apple iOS Update Could Impact GOP Text Messaging Ahead of Midterms
Republican fundraisers in the United States have raised concerns that an upcoming iPhone software update could block key voter outreach and fundraising messages, potentially impacting their efforts ahead of the midterm elections. The new filtration system, which is scheduled for rollout in September, is expected to affect Republican campaigns that rely heavily on text-based outreach, according to Fox News Digital.
Sean Dollman, founding partner of American Made Media Company—which was the parent firm of Launchpad Strategies and acted as the exclusive digital agency for Donald Trump's 2024 campaign—stated that this move was not surprising. Dollman commented, "Big Tech has suppressed him, suspended him, and banned him outright. And now they’re trying to make it so he can’t text anybody either. But MAGA won’t be stopped, and MAGA will always find a way."
Data from the 2024 election cycle cited by Fox News Digital shows that Republicans used text messaging for campaign outreach at twice the rate of Democrats, making them particularly vulnerable if Apple’s new text filter is implemented as planned. Launchpad Strategies reportedly raised $509 million for Donald Trump and an additional $18 million from 40 other clients during the election year.
Screenshots of recent fundraising texts reviewed by the news outlet reflect strategies centering on Donald Trump’s name, urging supporters to save contact numbers or reply to messages to build a history, with messages made to feel personal and interactive. Apple's iOS 26 update is set to introduce this upgraded text filtration feature in September.