News chronological

Latest News Print

STONEZONE (Roger Stone) - GOOGLE AND MICROSOFT’S FILTERS COST THE GOP AN ESTIMATED $117 MILLION

A study by Cameron Ellis of Iowa and Lars Powell of Alabama, using itemized FEC records, estimates that biased spam filtering from Google cost Republicans 142,126 expected first-time WinRed donations, or about $117 million, and functioned as an in-kind lift for ActBlue. From June 30 to September 15, 2025, Google’s use of a SURBL blacklist […] The post GOOGLE AND MICROSOFT’S FILTERS COST THE GOP AN ESTIMATED $117 MILLION appeared first on StoneZone .

A study by Cameron Ellis of Iowa and Lars Powell of Alabama, using itemized FEC records, estimates that biased spam filtering from Google cost Republicans 142,126 expected first-time WinRed donations, or about $117 million, and functioned as an in-kind lift for ActBlue. From June 30 to September 15, 2025, Google’s use of a SURBL blacklist that improperly flagged WinRed links cut first-time WinRed donations 75 percent across Gmail, Outlook, and Yahoo. A separate Outlook-only stretch from February through April 2025 cut them 83 percent. Placement tests pointed at the WinRed URL. After Google dropped SURBL on September 15, the flow normalized once again, and the censorship apparatus dissipated. But the damage was already done. Combined RNC, NRCC, and NRSC fundraising in 2025 ultimately amounted to $377 million. This is a reminder that Big Tech firms cannot be trusted. They may be playing nice now but it is due to their instincts of self-preservation, not because they have seen the light. A filter that eats the other party’s first-time donors is a campaign finance event the FEC would notice if a super PAC did it with a check. Google’s new verified-sender program is arriving now. This could be more of the same. Or perhaps it will be fair. At least to start, it might be. Until they think they can get away with it again. First-time donors are the hardest money in politics. A blacklist that erases three-quarters of them for ten weeks is a thumb on the scale no Senate hearing should treat as a glitch, no matter how much Google is donating to their campaign coffers. The post GOOGLE AND MICROSOFT’S FILTERS COST THE GOP AN ESTIMATED $117 MILLION appeared first on StoneZone .

How did the study describe the effect of the biased spam filtering on ActBlue?
The study states that the biased spam filtering functioned as an in-kind lift for ActBlue.
Q&A ID 0846bfd1-4496-4cfe-bddb-f1a8cd3e97b8
What was the total amount of combined RNC, NRCC, and NRSC fundraising in 2025?
The combined fundraising for the RNC, NRCC, and NRSC in 2025 ultimately amounted to $377 million.
Q&A ID 2256dd0a-e4dc-4d16-80bf-facf02e02427
During what period did an Outlook-only stretch result in an 83 percent cut in first-time WinRed donations?
The Outlook-only stretch occurred from February through April 2025.
Q&A ID fb8ae764-05c8-4012-b184-784457a9f3b3
What was the impact of Google's use of a SURBL blacklist on WinRed donations between June 30 and September 15, 2025?
Google's use of a SURBL blacklist that improperly flagged WinRed links cut first-time WinRed donations by 75 percent across Gmail, Outlook, and Yahoo.
Q&A ID 563867fb-50ca-44a0-8ae6-1e408eda0562
According to the study by Cameron Ellis of Iowa and Lars Powell of Alabama, how much did biased spam filtering from Google and Microsoft cost the GOP?
The study estimates that the biased spam filtering cost Republicans approximately $117 million, which represents 142,126 expected first-time WinRed donations.
Q&A ID c51ea1a3-8941-469e-bd42-b73e1b3bd876
Latest News