Every night, my phone buzzes. “Hello Beth, it’s time to speak up to Washington again.” Sometimes I ignore it, and sometimes I dive in. Meet my new buddy, Resistbot.
Resistbot is a free service that turns your texts into a formal letter, and then faxes it to your elected officials. You get a copy of the letter, and a notification when the fax goes through. Although it takes its name from the idea of “resisting” the current administration, it’s a straightforward tool that you can use to voice your opinions, no matter what they are.
Phone calls are still the most direct way to get a staffer’s ear, but this text-to-fax service has a few advantages on your end: you can speak up any time, the bot will keep trying if the lines are busy, and you don’t have to work up the nerve to talk to a stranger. Some members of Congress still have actual fax machines, while others will receive your message as a sort of glorified email. Either way, if your contact information is on the letter, it will be counted along with other messages from constituents.
You have to share some personal information with Resistbot to use it most effectively. When you first text “resist” to 50409, the bot asks for your full name and zip code, and it sends your first message to both of your senators. After that, if you give the bot your address, it will look up your congressional district so you can send messages to your House representative as well.
Over time, you can unlock more features. I can now direct a letter to just one of my three members of Congress. And I gave the bot an image of my signature to make my letters look even more personal. The bot’s creators promise to only use your information for the stated purpose (such as signing your letters, or looking up your district) “and for other compatible purposes.” They also promise that they will never sell your data. You can find their full terms and privacy policy on their About page.