Quick Answer
What SMS and MMS content should you avoid?
The source guide identifies categories such as high-risk financial services, third-party lead generation, debt relief, get-rich-quick schemes, cannabis and CBD, prescription drugs, gambling, and S.H.A.F.T. content as prohibited for SMS/MMS use in the United States and Canada. It also warns against indirect consent and shared public URL shorteners.
Why These Restrictions Matter
SMS and MMS can be useful communication channels, but carriers apply restrictions to the types of content and businesses allowed to use those channels.
The source guide warns that prohibited content can result in blocked messages, service disruption, fines, or account suspension.
Restrictions can apply not only to what a message says, but also to how the contact opted in and what type of link is included in the message.
Reviewing your business category, message content, consent source, and links before sending can help reduce avoidable messaging problems.
Review both what you send and what your business offers
The source page recommends checking both the message content and the underlying product, service, or business category before using SMS or MMS.
SMS/MMS Compliance at a Glance
Before You Begin
Review the business, audience, consent source, and message content before using SMS or MMS.
- Identify what product, service, or offer the message promotes.
- Confirm the business category is appropriate for SMS/MMS messaging.
- Verify that the contact opted in directly.
- Avoid shared lists, scraped contacts, or third-party lead databases.
- Review every URL included in the message.
- Avoid shared or free public URL shorteners.
- If a topic appears restricted, consider another appropriate communication channel instead.
Forbidden SMS and MMS Categories
The source page identifies the following categories as commonly treated as strictly prohibited for SMS/MMS in the United States and Canada.
High-Risk Financial Services
The source includes payday loans, student loans, crypto investments, and third-party loans in this category.
Third-Party Lead Generation and Marketing
The guide identifies sharing, selling, or collecting opt-ins indirectly through third parties as prohibited.
Debt Collection and Credit Repair
The source lists debt relief, credit repair, and third-party debt collectors among the prohibited use cases.
Get-Rich-Quick Schemes
The source includes work-from-home scams, MLMs, and pyramid schemes in this category.
Cannabis, CBD, and Other Listed Substances or Products
The source page identifies cannabis, CBD, Kratom, vape products, and fireworks as prohibited categories.
It specifically states that cannabis and CBD SMS/MMS content is treated as prohibited regardless of state-level legality.
Prescription Drugs
The source identifies non-over-the-counter medications and related paraphernalia as prohibited.
Gambling
Sweepstakes, sports picks, casino promotions, and similar gambling-related messaging are listed as prohibited.
S.H.A.F.T. Content
The source identifies sex, hate, alcohol, firearms, tobacco, and vaping content under its S.H.A.F.T. restriction.
Use Direct and Verifiable Consent
The source guide states that SMS/MMS opt-in should be direct and verifiable.
It warns against indirect consent obtained through shared lists, scraped leads, purchased data, or third-party databases.
Consent does not make a prohibited category acceptable
Based on the source page's framing, having an opt-in does not override restrictions on prohibited business categories or prohibited message content.
Avoid Shared Public URL Shorteners
The source guide states that shared or free public URL shorteners are commonly filtered in SMS and MMS messages.
It recommends using branded short URLs or branded domains instead.
Review links before sending
A message can encounter filtering problems even when its text is otherwise appropriate if it includes a link practice identified as restricted.
Message Blocks, Fines, and Suspension Risk
The source page warns that prohibited messaging can lead to immediate blocking and suspension of SMS/MMS services.
Messaging Suspension
The FAQ states that a sub-account's SMS/MMS service can be suspended for policy violations.
T-Mobile Fine Example
The source states that beginning February 15, 2024, T-Mobile fines can range from $500 to $2,000 when prohibited content is detected.
Sev-0 Violations
The source describes a Sev-0 violation as a severe non-compliance event that can result in message blocking, fines, and increased suspension risk.
When SMS or MMS Is Not Appropriate
The source recommends considering another appropriate communication channel when a topic is restricted for SMS or MMS.
Its example is to use a channel such as email until you have confirmed that the communication is appropriate for SMS/MMS.
SMS Compliance Best Practices
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if I violate the SMS/MMS messaging policy?
Are there any fines for sending prohibited content over T-Mobile's network?
Can I send messages related to cannabis or CBD?
What is a Sev-0 violation?
Can I use public URL shorteners in SMS/MMS?
Continue Learning
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