The Democratic National Committee is objecting to a plan by Google to ease up on its Gmail filtering, which Republicans claim sends their fundraising mail to spam while greenlighting liberal appeals straight into users’ inboxes.
In commenting on the Google mail plan to the Federal Election Commission, the DNC said it would open up Gmail users to “abusive fundraising tactics” by Republicans.
In a three-page memo to the FEC, Democratic National Committee Executive Director Sam Cornale made no mention of DNC mail getting caught in Gmail’s filters, raising red flags in GOP circles, where complaints have been loud about Big Tech’s anti-conservative bias.
Republicans have been complaining for months about Gmail spam-filtering their email appeals to potential donors. Recently, Google proposed a free “pilot program” that allows campaign and advocacy fundraising emails to bypass Gmail spam filters.
That was welcomed in Republican circles as a good start to reducing bias.
But first, Google said it would seek the OK from the Federal Election Commission. The online giant said that while “free,” it wanted to make sure that its program was not considered an “in-kind” contribution in violation of federal laws.
In a draft statement, the FEC indicated that it is OK with Google’s plan and may take it up at its next meeting.
There have been studies of political fundraising appeals that show conservative emails are filtered into spam mailboxes by Big Tech services — but not similar mail from Democratic and liberal sources. Republicans have introduced legislation addressing the issue.
The FEC has been collecting comments, and many have been against the Google plan due to concerns about inboxes getting blasted with solicitations. The DNC memo raised similar concerns and even suggested that democracy is “undermined” by Republican emails.
“With Google’s spam filter removed, participating committees will be incentivized to employ the abusive fundraising tactics that Google’s spam filters would have otherwise caught, with the knowledge that this behavior will not be curtailed, but rather rewarded. Donors will be harmed, and confidence in our democracy and its leaders will be undermined,” said the DNC.
Two right-leaning election lawyers told Secrets that if the FEC approves Google’s plan, it will just be a small step in fixing the bias conservatives see with Big Tech.
“I would look at it as a limited step toward addressing concerns that Google’s current spam filters disproportionately flag Republican emails,” said one.
