Another election, another wave of unsolicited political texts.

As election time rolls around in Australia, citizens are once again inundated with unsolicited political text messages, a phenomenon that has become all too familiar. The recently established party, Trumpet of Patriots, backed by Clive Palmer, is among the top offenders this election cycle, sending out a series of political appeals that clutter digital mailboxes. This practice isn’t new and is entirely legal, stemming from the entrenched political exemptions within Australian law that allow parties to freely communicate with potential voters without the consent stipulations typically required for marketing. Several pieces of legislation regulate spam and data collection in Australia, notably the Spam Act, the Do Not Call Register (DNCR) Act, and the Privacy Act; however, there are carve-outs for political communication, ultimately making political spam immune to these protective measures. Under existing laws, political campaigns are free to spam voters at will, with only the need to disclose who authorized the message. While this practice allows for seemingly unhindered political communication, it leads to higher instances of misleading information being shared through these messages. Reports have surfaced this election cycle of push polling texts—surveys designed more to persuade rather than gauge opinion—alongside misleading postal vote applications distributed via SMS. The role of generative AI in producing content at scale adds another layer of urgency to the discourse surrounding political text campaigns, as the capacity for both genuine engagement and manipulation increases significantly. As election cycles progress, it appears that the loopholes allowing such political spam continue to frustrate constituents across the country, highlighting a need for regulatory reform. In 2022, proposals were put forth to amend the Privacy Act and reduce the exemptions that currently exist, which would require greater transparency and options for voters, such as the ability to unsubscribe from unwanted political communications. Despite this, a lack of bipartisan support still trails these proposals, maintaining the status quo. This issue speaks to a broader concern about privacy, consent, and the ethical use of personal information during election campaigns. As political operations become increasingly sophisticated with access to vast data from various sources, including electoral rolls and data brokers, the implications for voter privacy and informed decision-making remain critical. It raises essential questions about how data is used and whether citizens can truly reclaim their autonomy within a densely populated political landscape. The forthcoming elections may elevate the call for changes in how political communications are regulated, reflecting the growing frustration and desire for improved privacy protections among voters.