Industry Insights For P2P Texting: 2025 TCPA Compliance Ruling, Apple’s iOS 26, Google’s Political Content Policy Update and Rising USPS Rates

How will the McLaughlin Chiropractic Associates Inc. v. McKesson Corporation ruling, Apple iOS 26’s new call and text filtering, new Google Political Content policies, and USPS’s increased rates shape texting compliance and strategy?

Headlines in the political tech industry have been loud this summer: the McLaughlin Chiropractic Associates Inc. v. McKesson Corporation Supreme Court decision shaking up agency deference, Apple planning to provide the option to move texts from “unknown senders” to a separate Inbox, Google tweaking its rules for political ads, and the U.S. Postal Service hiking postage for all first-class mail (yet again). 

At RumbleUp, we have done the legwork, consulting with lawyers, engineers, and strategists across the industry. While sensational coverage can spark alarm among political professionals, when you strip away the click bait, the reality is straightforward:

P2P texting that follows best practices remains legal, deliverable, and highly effective - especially in a season where many other outreach channels face volatility. It remains the most flexible, direct and cost-effective channel for voter contact.

Below, we unpack each development in plain‑English summaries to incorporate into your current strategies.

1. The 2025 TCPA Compliance Ruling (McLaughlin Chiropractic v. McKesson Corporation)

What Happened?

On June 20, 2025, the Supreme Court ruled that district courts are no longer required to defer to the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) interpretations of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) under the Hobbs Act. Instead, judges must independently determine the statute’s meaning while giving agency views only “appropriate respect” rather than deference, which means that judges have greater freedom to reach their own conclusions.

This ruling builds on last year’s Loper Bright decision, which overturned 40 years of “Chevron deference” to federal agencies.

Why It Matters for P2P Texting

Despite headlines suggesting a seismic shift, the ruling does not redefine an automated dialer (ATDS), which Facebook v. Duguid (2021) addressed and solidified the legitimacy of the texting use case in politics and other industries.

It simply means future TCPA cases may turn on a judge’s reading, not a decades‑old FCC footnote.

As Greg Pfundstein, RumbleUp’s President & COO, explains:

Our platform sends messages one by one, maintain robust opt-in/opt-out logs, and throttle traffic in line with carrier rate limits.

Strategic Recommendations

• Stay calm: The decision reinforces how we operate; it doesn’t outlaw P2P texting.

• Maintain Robust Compliance: Ensure that your internal policies and texting vendor adhere to FCC guidelines on opt-in, opt-out, and 10DLC requirements.

2. Apple iOS 26: Call Screening & Unknown Senders Filter

Source: 9to5Mac.com

What Happened?

At WWDC 2025, Apple previewed two new privacy features in iOS 26 that will be released in mid-September this year, mirroring an Android feature that has existed since 2020: Call Screening and the Unknown Senders section in Messages.

Users can choose to turn these features on or off in their settings if they have an iPhone 11 or later; however, by default, text message filtering is not enabled in the latest beta version (as of July 15, 2025).

Why It Matters for P2P Texting

Many in our sector worry that filtered texts will erode delivery. However, it is lack of engagement from bad texting practices, not failling delivery or reduced visibility for all, that will likely degrade texting outcomes.

Our team has been testing with the iOS 26 beta and has noted the following observations (as of July 15, 2025) if the Apple subscriber chooses to enable unknown sender message filtering:

1. The text still arrives - instead of displaying the lock screen notification, a blue notification bubble will appear on the new Unknown Senders section of Messages navigation when a text has arrived from any unknown number.
2. Helpfully, there are “Unread” and “Draft” sections, which are great for organizing the inbox and ensuring the subscriber stays up-to-date and has replied to messages.
3. There is also a "spam" section, separate from the unknown numbers section. Like the Google Android spam inbox, which proactive texting vendors like us have been navigating for years.
4. Apple’s algorithm does not push a message into the Unknown Senders section after the recipient replies - a built-in reward for those who value genuine back‑and‑forth and send texts designed to solicit a response (already a texting best practice).

RumbleUp’s Founder and CEO, Thomas Peters, brings up an excellent observation:

In addition, the multi inbox for filtering unknown senders has been an option since iOS 14, and iOS 14 itself had 72% adoption by December 2020, so one can conclude that a majority of users do not run the latest software or have older iPhones.

Inboxing and message filtering at the phone's operating system level is tricky because delivery receipts and error codes from the messaging ecosystem, that sophisticated texting providers like us can track, do not reflect OS-level filtering. On some devices, filtering is even customizable and adapts to user behavior over time. We have seen this for years on Android, and now Apple is introducing a similar feature. Fortunately, Apple’s version appears to be more lightweight, and as mentioned, is not enabled by default.

Bonus: Industry Reactions from Doomscroll Readers

We love the insights that readers of Doomscroll, one of the premier newsletters covering all things digital on the right and authored by Amanda Elliott of Anchor City Strategies, shared in response to the question, “Are you getting worried about the future of political text messaging?”

Only the strongest text vendors who really understand direct marketing will survive this. Fly-by-night spammers are going to be screwed. Good. It’s a win for smart campaigns.

Campaigns will need to adjust their texting approach - make a personal connection with the voter, not just treat them like a piggy bank. Apple’s algorithm stops filtering the unknown texts after a couple instances of responding to the number. Use that opportunity to engage the audience in an easy response survey as soon as someone registers to receive messages. They’ll be more likely to interact if their interest is fresh, giving digital fundraisers the ability to come in later asking for money.

Strategic Recommendations

• Promote Contact Saves: In your first message, ask supporters to add your number to their address book - this is a breeze if your texting vendor supports vCards or .VCF files.

• Open with Value: The first 50 characters of your text messages are your opportunity to engage your audience and grab their attention.

• Leverage Responses: Use easy interactive prompts on day one to spark engagement, such as asking a yes/no question. Once a user replies, subsequent messages qualify to enter the primary inbox.

• Test and Iterate in Off-Peak Periods: Conduct A/B tests now to identify which scripts and CTAs drive saves and responses before high-volume messaging begins.

3. Google’s Political Content Policy Update (June 2025)

What Happened?

Beginning in July 2025, Google revised its Political Content policy and Election Ads verification program. Key tweaks include stricter disclosure wording, new document options for verification, and a clarified format eligibility for ads. Geo‑targeting restrictions and ad archive disclosures remain intact.

Why It Matters for P2P Texting

Smart digital strategists utilize their channels to test and enhance performance in other channels. We have many clients who use texting to boost their digital performance and vice versa.

For example - Google Ads, especially YouTube Bumper and in-search units, remain a prime list-building source for text programs. Verification delays and paused campaigns due to non-compliance will stall voter file growth if you aren’t prepared.

Digital strategists should note the following:

1. New document requirements may lengthen the timeline to launch Google Ads.
2. Ads must clearly label the advertiser and funding source as outlined by Google’s templates; otherwise, Google can pause the campaigns, leaving less margin for error in creative.
3. Google can suspend campaigns swiftly if documentation is incomplete or outdated.

Strategic Recommendations

• Complete Verification Early: Submit verification materials well in advance of launch dates to avoid delays and keep legal entity documents handy for re-verification requests.

• Audit Creatives for Compliance: Review every ad unit to ensure sponsor disclosures and disclaimers meet Google’s updated criteria before the August 1st auto-enforcement deadline.

• Mirror Disclosures Everywhere: Use the same “Paid for by ___” copy in your first text message to reinforce transparency.

• Diversify Channels: While Google remains important, reinforce other channels (like your P2P texting program) so you’re not overly reliant on any single platform’s policy environment.

4. Rising USPS Rates (July 2025)

What Happened?

As of July 13, 2025, the U.S. Postal Service announced an average 7.4 % increase in price across all First‑Class products, with twice‑yearly hikes planned through 2027. Here is the breakdown of price increases across all products relevant to political professionals:

1. Letters (Forever Stamps): $0.73 → $0.78
2. Metered letters: $0.69 → $0.74
3. Domestic postcards: $0.56 → $0.62
4. Flats: $1.50 → $1.65

Why It Matters for P2P Texting

Paper and labor costs have already pinched direct-mail budgets. A medium-sized congressional campaign mailing 500,000 pieces now pays $25,000 more in postage alone.

Consultants still love mail (and 84% of voters recall receiving it), but higher costs push campaigns to rebalance toward digital outreach and direct texting for targeted touches and seamless integration.

Strategic Recommendations

• Integrate, Don’t Cannibalize: Use P2P texting to announce when mail is hitting boxes (“Look for our plan in your mailbox tomorrow”) and capture opt‑ins off the printed piece. Take a look at how one of our clients achieved this.

• Position Texting as the Fastest Lift: For the price of one extra mail drop, you can fund an entire SMS persuasion campaign with real‑time analytics.

• Budget Early: Lock in postage now for must‑have mailings and allocate savings from eliminated drops straight into your texting reserve

Bottom Line

Rather than being intimidated by headlines, forward-thinking campaigns will view these developments as an opportunity to sharpen their compliance and deepen voter relationships through channels and strategies that promote one-on-one engagement.

P2P texting, with its inherently personal, human-powered approach, remains a stalwart channel. Campaigns and organizations that double down on permission‑based lists, high‑value content, and prompt two‑way interaction on highly compliant texting platforms will thrive, while bad actors and spray‑and‑pray vendors will face an uphill battle.

Stick with these principles and P2P texting will continue outperforming every other voter contact tool on value, speed, and measurable impact.

Questions about implementing any of the strategies above? Reach out to our team at any time. 

Let’s keep raising the bar for excellence in texting, together.