Prohibited Content (SHAFT-C)

Mobile carriers and regulatory bodies strictly enforce content policies for business messaging (A2P - Application to Person). Understanding what content is prohibited helps you avoid message blocking and account suspension.

SHAFT-C Prohibited Categories

The industry uses SHAFT-C as a mnemonic for prohibited content categories:

S - Sex (Adult Content)

Adult or sexually explicit content is always blocked.

Examples of blocked content:

Adult entertainment services
Dating services with explicit content
Sexual products or services
Suggestive or explicit imagery descriptions

Note: Legitimate dating apps and services may apply for special registration but require carrier approval.

H - Hate Speech

Discriminatory or hateful content is always blocked.

Examples of blocked content:

Racial slurs or discrimination
Religious intolerance
Gender-based discrimination
Content promoting violence against groups

A - Alcohol

Alcohol-related content is restricted and requires:

Age verification (21+ in US, varies by province in Canada)
Special campaign registration
Cannot target minors

Examples that require special registration:

Beer, wine, and spirits promotions
Bar/restaurant drink specials
Alcohol delivery services

F - Firearms

Firearms content is restricted or blocked.

Examples of blocked/restricted content:

Gun sales and promotions
Ammunition advertising
Firearms accessories
Gun shows and events

T - Tobacco/Vaping

Tobacco and vaping content is restricted and requires:

Age verification (21+ in US)
Special campaign registration
Cannot target minors

Examples that require special registration:

Cigarette or cigar promotions
Vaping products
Nicotine products

C - Cannabis/CBD

Cannabis content is always blocked regardless of local legality.

Examples of blocked content:

Cannabis dispensary promotions
CBD product advertising
Hemp products
THC products
“420” references
Kratom products

Why is legal cannabis blocked? Cannabis remains federally illegal in the US and carriers operate across all states. Even in jurisdictions where cannabis is legal, carriers block all cannabis-related messaging.

Additional Prohibited Categories

Beyond SHAFT-C, carriers also block:

Illegal Substances

Any reference to controlled or illegal substances:

Drug sales or promotion
Prescription drug abuse
Unregulated supplements with drug-like claims

High-Risk Financial

Content that may indicate fraud or predatory lending:

Payday loans
Debt collection harassment
Get-rich-quick schemes
Pyramid schemes / MLM
Cryptocurrency scams
Phishing attempts

Spam Indicators

Common spam patterns trigger filtering:

ALL CAPS messaging
Excessive punctuation (!!!, ???)
URL shorteners (bit.ly, tinyurl)
“FREE!!!” offers
“Act now” urgency language
“You’ve won” prize claims

Gambling

Gambling-related content is restricted:

Online casino promotions
Sports betting
Lottery services
Sweepstakes with monetary prizes

Blocked Keywords

TextFlow automatically scans messages for prohibited keywords. Here are examples by category:

Cannabis (Always Blocked)

cannabis, marijuana, weed, thc, cbd, hemp, dispensary,
edibles, pre-rolls, flower (in cannabis context), vape,
kratom, 420, dab, kush, gummies, tincture

Spam Triggers (Warning)

free, winner, prize, cash, urgent, act now, limited time,
congratulations, claim your, exclusive offer

High-Risk Financial (Warning)

loan, payday, crypto, bitcoin, invest, debt, credit repair,
mortgage, refinance, consolidation

How TextFlow Helps

Real-Time Compliance Checking

As you compose messages in TextFlow, the compliance checker:

Scans for prohibited keywords
Identifies the violation category
Provides severity (blocked vs. warning)
Suggests compliant alternatives

Blocking Levels

Severity	Meaning
Blocked	Message will not send - must be edited
Warning	Message may have reduced deliverability
Allowed	No compliance issues detected

Example Violations

Blocked (Cannabis):

"Check out our new CBD gummies! Get 20% off today."
→ Keywords: CBD, gummies
→ Category: Cannabis
→ Action: Cannot send

Warning (Spam Triggers):

"You're a WINNER! Claim your FREE prize now!"
→ Keywords: WINNER, FREE, prize
→ Category: Spam indicators
→ Action: May send but reduced deliverability

Allowed:

"Thank you for your order! Your package ships tomorrow."
→ No violations detected
→ Action: Ready to send

Best Practices

Do:

Use clear, professional language
Include your business name
Provide opt-out instructions
Use full URLs (not shorteners)
Be specific about offers

Don’t:

Use ALL CAPS
Include excessive punctuation
Use URL shorteners
Make false urgency claims
Promise unrealistic rewards
Reference prohibited products

Compliance by Industry

Industry	Status	Notes
Retail	Allowed	Follow general guidelines
Restaurants	Allowed	Alcohol promos need registration
Healthcare	Allowed	Avoid medical claims
Real Estate	Allowed	Follow TCPA for cold outreach
Cannabis	Blocked	No exceptions
Alcohol	Restricted	Requires age verification
Finance	Restricted	Avoid high-risk language

What Happens When Content is Blocked?

When TextFlow detects prohibited content:

Campaigns: The campaign will not start until content is fixed
Direct Messages: The message will not send
Audit Log: The attempt is logged for compliance tracking
User Notification: You’ll see which keywords triggered the block

Need an Exception?

Some restricted categories allow special registration for legitimate businesses:

Alcohol producers with proper licensing
Tobacco companies with age verification
Gambling companies with proper licensing

Contact support to discuss special registration requirements.

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