The rules that get ad accounts banned
Every rule AdShield checks against, grouped by network and severity — including what enforcement actually looks like, which is the part the official documentation tends to leave vague.
Meta (Facebook & Instagram)
25 rules tracked
Prohibited
META-P-01Implying knowledge of a personal attribute
Ads must not assert or imply knowledge of a person's race, ethnicity, religion, beliefs, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, medical or mental-health condition, financial status, voting status, union membership, or criminal record. Second-person framing such as 'Are you diabetic?' or 'Meet other Christian singles like you' is the classic trigger.
Ad rejection. Repeat violations are one of the most common causes of ad account restriction on Meta.
Official policyMETA-P-02Deceptive, false or exaggerated claims
Ads must not contain deceptive or misleading claims, including unrealistic outcomes, fabricated statistics, or promises the product cannot deliver. Claims about results must be typical and substantiated.
Ad rejection; systematic use triggers account-level review.
Official policyMETA-P-03Get-rich-quick and income guarantees
Ads promoting get-rich-quick schemes, guaranteed income, or unrealistic earnings within a short timeframe are prohibited. Specific dollar earnings tied to a short window ('$10k in 30 days') are treated as prohibited financial claims.
Ad rejection and heightened scrutiny; frequently escalates to permanent ad account disablement.
Official policyMETA-P-04Body image, before/after and idealised outcomes
Ads must not generate negative self-perception to promote diet, weight loss or health products. Before-and-after images, close-ups of isolated body parts, and depictions of an unexpected or unlikely result are prohibited.
Ad rejection; commonly paired with a policy strike on the account.
Official policyMETA-P-05Binary options, ICOs and unregulated crypto offerings
Ads promoting binary options, initial coin offerings, penny auctions, payday loans, paycheck advances or bail bonds are prohibited. Cryptocurrency products and services require prior written permission from Meta.
Ad rejection; running these without authorisation is a leading cause of permanent account disablement.
Official policyMETA-P-06Illegal, prescription and recreational drugs
Ads must not promote the sale or use of illegal, prescription or recreational drugs, including CBD, kratom, and products marketed as psychoactive. Unsafe supplements are prohibited outright.
Ad rejection and, for controlled substances, immediate account action.
Official policyMETA-P-07Tobacco, vaping and e-cigarette products
Ads must not promote the sale or use of tobacco products, vaporisers, e-cigarettes, nicotine pouches, or associated paraphernalia — including brand-awareness ads for those products.
Ad rejection; repeat attempts lead to account disablement.
Official policyMETA-P-08Trademark, copyright and celebrity likeness misuse
Ads must not infringe third-party rights. Using another company's trademark, a celebrity's name or likeness, or implying an endorsement or partnership that does not exist is prohibited.
Ad rejection plus rights-holder takedown; repeat infringement disables the account.
Official policyMETA-P-09Cloaking and landing pages that don't match the ad
Ads must not use cloaking or route people to a destination that misrepresents what was advertised. The landing page must deliver what the ad promised and must be functional, navigable and free of pop-ups that trap the user.
Cloaking is treated as adversarial and results in permanent account disablement without appeal in most cases.
Official policyMETA-P-10Broken, unfinished or dead-end landing pages
Destinations must load, must not be under construction, must not force a file download, and must not be an unfinished page or error page.
Ad rejection until the destination is fixed.
Official policyMETA-P-11Shock value, gore and excessively graphic framing
Ads must not contain shocking, sensational, disrespectful or excessively violent content, or use fear-based framing designed purely to provoke a reaction.
Ad rejection.
Official policyMETA-P-12Discriminatory framing or exclusion
Ads must not discriminate or encourage discrimination against people based on protected characteristics, including in the wording of the offer itself.
Ad rejection and possible account-level enforcement.
Official policyMETA-P-13MLM and business-opportunity income models
Ads promoting income opportunities must fully describe the associated product or business model. Ads promoting multilevel-marketing compensation without that disclosure are prohibited.
Ad rejection; frequently escalated to account review.
Official policyMETA-P-14Bait-and-switch offers and misleading pricing
Ads must not promote products, services or offers with the intent to deceive — including fake discounts, undisclosed recurring billing, and 'free' offers that are actually paid trials.
Ad rejection plus payment-integrity review of the account.
Official policyMETA-P-15Evading review with obfuscated text or symbols
Using unicode look-alikes, deliberate misspellings, or spacing to evade automated review is treated as circumvention.
Immediate and usually permanent ad account disablement — this is the most severe class of violation.
Official policyMETA-P-16Debunked health or civic claims
Ads must not include claims debunked by third-party fact checkers or credible health authorities, including content that discourages vaccination or promotes unproven cures.
Ad rejection; repeat violations restrict the Page and the ad account.
Official policyRestricted
META-R-01Housing, employment, credit, social issues, elections and politics
Ads about housing, employment, credit, or social/political issues must be declared as a Special Ad Category. Doing so removes most demographic and detailed targeting options and, for politics, requires identity authorisation and a disclaimer.
Undeclared Special Ad Category ads are rejected and can trigger a permanent restriction on the advertising account.
Official policyMETA-R-02Weight-loss and supplement targeting restrictions
Ads for weight-loss products, supplements and cosmetic procedures may only be targeted to people 18 or older, and must avoid implying a specific outcome.
Ad rejection when age targeting is not set correctly.
Official policyMETA-R-03Undisclosed recurring billing terms
Ads for subscription and negative-option billing must clearly disclose the recurring charge, its amount, its frequency, and how to cancel — both in the ad and on the landing page.
Ad rejection; a common trigger for payment-related account holds.
Official policyMETA-R-04Financial products require disclosure and authorisation
Ads for financial services must not request sensitive financial information, must disclose associated fees, and — for regulated products such as loans and investments — must come from an authorised advertiser.
Ad rejection; unauthorised financial advertising is a high-risk account signal.
Official policyMETA-R-05Age-gated and permission-gated verticals
Alcohol, real-money gambling, dating services and online pharmacies each require geographic and age targeting compliance, and gambling, pharmacy and dating additionally require prior written permission from Meta.
Ad rejection; running gated verticals without permission risks account action.
Official policyMETA-R-06Requesting sensitive data or unclear lead-form terms
Ads and lead forms must not request sensitive personal information (financial account numbers, government IDs, health status) and must link to a privacy policy explaining how data is used.
Ad rejection and possible lead-form access revocation.
Official policyEditorial
META-E-01Incorrect grammar, punctuation and symbol misuse
Meta's standard: ads must not contain profanity or incorrect grammar and punctuation, and symbols, numbers and letters must be used properly. Repeated punctuation, symbol substitution and blocks of capitals are the usual triggers — note Meta does not name capitalisation itself, it falls under letters not being used properly.
Ad rejection; low account risk but blocks delivery.
Official policyMETA-E-02Faking interface elements
Creative must not depict non-existent functionality such as fake play buttons, fake checkboxes, fake close buttons, or simulated notifications.
Ad rejection.
Official policyMETA-E-03Engagement bait and withheld information
Ads must not deliberately withhold information to compel a click, use engagement bait, or use sensationalised language that misrepresents the destination.
Reduced delivery and, at scale, ad rejection.
Official policyGoogle Ads
23 rules tracked
Prohibited
GOOG-P-01Unreliable claims
Ads must not make claims that are inaccurate, unrealistic or that cannot be substantiated — including guaranteed outcomes, miracle cures, and get-rich-quick promises. Google explicitly names 'unreliable claims' as a misrepresentation practice.
Ad disapproval. Misrepresentation is a suspension-level policy: egregious or repeated violations suspend the Google Ads account, sometimes without prior warning.
Official policyGOOG-P-02Omission of relevant information
Ads and destinations must disclose the information a user needs to make an informed decision: who the business is, total cost, billing frequency, cancellation terms, and any conditions attached to an offer.
Ad disapproval; systematic omission leads to account suspension.
Official policyGOOG-P-03Dishonest pricing and fake discounts
Prices, discounts and 'free' offers must be clear, accurate and actually available on the destination page. Reference prices that were never charged are treated as dishonest pricing.
Ad disapproval and account-level trust penalty.
Official policyGOOG-P-04Clickbait and manipulative framing
Ads must not use clickbait, sensationalised text or images, or manufactured urgency (fake countdowns, fake stock levels) to drive clicks.
Ad disapproval; repeated use is a suspension signal.
Official policyGOOG-P-05Cloaking, bridge pages and destination mismatch
Showing different content to Google's reviewers than to users, routing through gateway or bridge pages, or promoting a destination whose primary purpose is to send users elsewhere is prohibited.
Immediate account suspension. Circumvention is enforced without warning and is the single most common cause of permanent Google Ads suspension.
Official policyGOOG-P-06Evading policy detection
Using techniques to evade review — obfuscated text, dynamic redirects based on IP, or splitting a prohibited offer across multiple accounts — is prohibited.
Immediate and typically permanent account suspension.
Official policyGOOG-P-07Products that facilitate deception
Promotion of academic cheating services, fake documents, hacking services, tracking or surveillance software targeted at a partner or child, and similar products is prohibited.
Ad disapproval and account suspension.
Official policyGOOG-P-08Weapons, explosives, recreational drugs and tobacco
Ads must not promote firearms and parts, explosives, recreational drugs (including CBD in many markets), tobacco, vaping and related paraphernalia.
Ad disapproval; sale of restricted goods can suspend the account.
Official policyGOOG-P-09Replica and counterfeit products
Ads must not sell or promote counterfeit goods that carry a trademark identical to or substantially indistinguishable from someone else's trademark.
Immediate account suspension without warning.
Official policyGOOG-P-10Sensitive-category targeting and unsafe data collection
Advertisers must not build audiences around or reference sensitive categories — health conditions, financial hardship, race, religion, sexual orientation, criminal record — and must not collect payment or identity data over an unsecured connection.
Ad disapproval and, for personalised-advertising violations, account suspension.
Official policyGOOG-P-11Software bundling and unwanted downloads
Destinations must not offer software that is deceptive, bundled without disclosure, or that changes browser settings without consent.
Account suspension.
Official policyRestricted
GOOG-R-01Health claims and pharmacy certification
Ads for prescription drugs, pharmacies, addiction services, clinical trials and telemedicine require certification and are limited to approved countries. Unapproved health claims — treating, curing or preventing a condition — are not allowed regardless of certification.
Ad disapproval; uncertified pharmacy advertising suspends the account.
Official policyGOOG-R-02Missing APR and repayment disclosures
Ads for consumer loans must disclose representative APR, minimum and maximum repayment periods, and a representative example of total cost. Short-term personal loans repayable in 60 days or less are prohibited in many markets.
Ad disapproval; unverified financial advertisers are suspended.
Official policyGOOG-R-03Cryptocurrency and complex speculative products
Crypto exchanges, wallets and CFD/forex/binary-style products require advertiser verification and are restricted or prohibited by market. ICOs and unregulated token offerings are prohibited.
Ad disapproval; unverified crypto advertising suspends the account.
Official policyGOOG-R-04Gambling certification
Real-money gambling, social casino games and daily fantasy sports require certification, geographic limits, and a link to responsible-gambling information.
Ad disapproval.
Official policyGOOG-R-05Trademark use in ad text
Trademarks may generally be used as keywords, but using a trademark in ad text is restricted to authorised resellers and informational sites. Implying an affiliation you do not have is a violation.
Ad disapproval on rights-holder complaint.
Official policyGOOG-R-06Alcohol targeting and messaging limits
Alcohol ads must be age-targeted, may not target minors, and must not portray excessive consumption or imply health or social benefits.
Ad disapproval.
Official policyGOOG-R-07Election ads require verification and disclosure
Election advertising requires advertiser identity verification, an in-ad 'paid for by' disclosure, and is limited to approved regions.
Ad disapproval and campaign pause.
Official policyGOOG-R-08Sexual content restrictions
Non-family-safe and sexually suggestive content is restricted, cannot be shown to minors, and is prohibited in several ad formats entirely.
Ad disapproval.
Official policyEditorial
GOOG-E-01Gimmicky punctuation, capitalisation and symbols
Ad text must not use excessive capitalisation, repeated punctuation ('!!!'), gimmicky symbols or numbers substituted for letters, or unnecessary repetition. Exclamation marks are not permitted in headlines.
Ad disapproval until edited.
Official policyGOOG-E-02Vague or unclear relevance
Ad text must clearly relate to the product and destination. Generic calls to action with no stated offer ('Click here', 'Learn more' alone) are treated as unclear relevance.
Ad disapproval.
Official policyGOOG-E-03Destination must work and match the ad
The final URL must resolve, must work on all devices, must not be an in-progress site, must not trigger an automatic download, and must match the display URL's domain.
Ad disapproval.
Official policyGOOG-E-04Missing privacy policy or business identity
Destinations that collect user data must publish an accessible privacy policy, and the advertising business must be identifiable on the site.
Ad disapproval; missing identity is also a misrepresentation signal.
Official policyTikTok Ads
18 rules tracked
Prohibited
TT-P-01Unverifiable superlatives and absolute claims
Ad creative must not use absolute or superlative claims such as 'best', 'No.1', 'most effective', 'fastest', '100%' or 'guaranteed' unless the claim is substantiated and permitted in the target market. TikTok enforces this more strictly than other networks.
Ad rejection; repeat rejections lower the account's review standing.
Official policyTT-P-02Before/after imagery and body shaming
Ads must not include before-and-after comparisons, close-ups of body parts, or content that implies a person's body is undesirable. Weight-loss and body-shaping products face additional restrictions.
Ad rejection; repeated submissions can restrict the advertiser account.
Official policyTT-P-03Get-rich-quick and unrealistic income claims
Ads promising fast or guaranteed wealth, income from minimal effort, or specific short-term earnings are prohibited, as are pyramid schemes and MLM recruitment.
Ad rejection and advertiser account review; a leading cause of TikTok bans.
Official policyTT-P-04Political and issue advertising is banned outright
TikTok prohibits all paid political advertising, including advocacy for candidates, parties, elections and political issues — with no authorisation path.
Ad rejection and account-level enforcement.
Official policyTT-P-05Tobacco, vaping, drugs, weapons and adult products
Tobacco and vaping products, recreational drugs and CBD, weapons, adult products and services, and counterfeit goods cannot be advertised on TikTok in any market.
Ad rejection; repeat attempts permanently disable the ad account.
Official policyTT-P-06Medical claims and unapproved health outcomes
Ads must not claim to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent a disease, must not reference prescription medication, and must not promise specific health outcomes.
Ad rejection; account restriction for repeat medical claims.
Official policyTT-P-07Direct address of personal characteristics
Creative must not assert or imply knowledge of a viewer's health condition, financial situation, age, religion, sexual orientation or other protected attribute.
Ad rejection.
Official policyTT-P-08Fake urgency, fake discounts and fake engagement
Countdown timers that reset, fabricated stock counts, invented reference prices, and fake comments, likes or endorsements are prohibited.
Ad rejection and trust penalty on the advertiser account.
Official policyTT-P-09Unauthorised trademarks, music and creator likeness
Ads must not use third-party trademarks, copyrighted music, or a creator's or celebrity's likeness without authorisation, and must not imply an endorsement that does not exist.
Ad rejection plus IP takedown; repeat infringement disables the account.
Official policyTT-P-10Shocking, fear-based or distressing creative
Creative must not use disturbing imagery, fear appeals, or content designed to shock — including graphic medical footage and pest/parasite close-ups.
Ad rejection.
Official policyRestricted
TT-R-01Financial services require authorisation
Banking, lending, investment, insurance and crypto-adjacent advertisers must be authorised for the target market and must include the required risk disclosures. Cryptocurrency trading is prohibited in most markets.
Ad rejection; unauthorised financial ads escalate to account review.
Official policyTT-R-02Supplements, weight management and healthcare services
Supplements, weight-management products, and healthcare services are restricted: they require market authorisation, 18+ targeting, and must avoid outcome claims.
Ad rejection when unauthorised or mis-targeted.
Official policyTT-R-03Recurring billing must be disclosed in-creative
Subscription offers must state the recurring amount, billing frequency and cancellation method within the ad creative itself, not only on the landing page.
Ad rejection.
Official policyTT-R-04Age-gated verticals
Dating services and alcohol are restricted to approved markets, require authorisation, and must target 18+ (21+ in some markets).
Ad rejection.
Official policyEditorial
TT-E-01Low-resolution, letterboxed or text-heavy creative
Video must be full-screen 9:16, at least 720p, free of black bars, blurring, or static images held for the full duration, and must not be dominated by on-screen text.
Ad rejection or severely limited delivery.
Official policyTT-E-02Grammar, spelling and symbol misuse
Ad text must be grammatically correct in the target market's language, must not use excessive capitalisation or emoji strings, and must not substitute symbols for letters.
Ad rejection.
Official policyTT-E-03Landing page must load, match and be complete
The landing page must load quickly on mobile, be in the same language as the ad, match the advertised product, contain working contact information, and must not force a download or redirect off-domain.
Ad rejection; mismatched destinations are treated as deceptive.
Official policyTT-E-04Missing merchant identity, contact and refund terms
E-commerce destinations must publish the seller's legal identity, working contact details, shipping timelines and refund policy.
Ad rejection and, for e-commerce advertisers, restricted access to catalogue ads.
Official policyLinkedIn Ads
27 rules tracked
Prohibited
LI-P-01Discrimination on personal attributes
LinkedIn does not tolerate discrimination based on personal attributes such as age, gender, gender identity, disability, religion, ethnicity, race, colour, national origin or sexual orientation. Ads must also comply with laws prohibiting discrimination in education, housing, credit and employment.
Ad rejection; repeated violations can suspend or terminate the advertiser account.
Official policyLI-P-02False, deceptive or unsubstantiated claims
Ads must not contain false or deceptive claims. The product must accurately match the content of the ad, competitive claims must be factually supported, and any advertised price or offer must be easily discoverable from the link in the ad.
Ad rejection. This is the clause LinkedIn enforces against income promises, unsupported ROI figures and bait-and-switch landing pages — it has no separate 'earnings claims' rule.
Official policyLI-P-03Unrealistic or misleading health claims
Ads promoting unrealistic or misleading claims about health improvements are prohibited, as are ads promoting unhealthy behaviours. LinkedIn reserves broad discretion over health-related advertising generally.
Ad rejection.
Official policyLI-P-04Political advertising is banned outright
Political ads are prohibited, including those advocating for or against a particular candidate, party, ballot proposition, law or regulation, or otherwise intended to influence an election outcome. There is no certification path.
Ad rejection; LinkedIn treats repeat submissions as an account-level concern.
Official policyLI-P-05Third-party trademark use
Ads must not use third-party trademarks without express permission, and must not use trademarks, logos, service marks or company names in a way that would confuse the user or imply an affiliation or endorsement that does not exist.
Ad rejection; the rights holder can file a complaint that removes the ad.
Official policyLI-P-06Copyrighted material without permission
Ads must not use third-party copyrighted material without express permission from the copyright owner. This covers imagery, video, music and copied ad or landing-page text.
Ad rejection and removal on a rights-holder complaint.
Official policyLI-P-07Offensive to good taste
Ads must not be hateful, vulgar, sexually suggestive or violent. This is LinkedIn's equivalent of a shocking-content rule and is applied against the professional context of the feed.
Ad rejection.
Official policyLI-P-08Exploiting a tragedy or sensitive event
Ads that are inappropriate during the time of, or in relation to, a tragedy, disaster or similarly sensitive event are prohibited.
Ad rejection; ads already live may be pulled mid-flight.
Official policyLI-P-09Affiliate advertising is prohibited
Ads related to affiliate advertising are prohibited. LinkedIn is unusual here — Meta and Google permit affiliate promotion subject to disclosure requirements, LinkedIn does not permit it at all.
Ad rejection.
Official policyLI-P-10Gambling and sweepstakes of any kind
Ads related to gambling or sweepstakes of any kind are prohibited. Unlike the other networks, LinkedIn offers no licensed-operator or certified-advertiser exception.
Ad rejection.
Official policyLI-P-11Adult content, products and services
Ads containing adult content, including ads for adult products and services, are prohibited.
Ad rejection; likely account review.
Official policyLI-P-12Tobacco, e-cigarettes and vaporizers
Ads for tobacco products are prohibited, including cigarettes, pipes, cigars, e-cigarettes and vaporizers. Smoking-cessation advertising is permitted.
Ad rejection.
Official policyLI-P-13Weapons, fireworks and violent products
Ads promoting the use or sale of weapons, ammunition, fireworks or any other violent product or service are prohibited.
Ad rejection; repeat submissions risk account suspension.
Official policyLI-P-14Illicit or recreational drugs
Ads that promote the sale or use of illicit or recreational drugs are prohibited. LinkedIn's policy does not name cannabis or CBD separately, so those fall to be assessed under this rule and the illegal-products rule.
Ad rejection.
Official policyLI-S-01Targeting on sensitive personal data
Ads must not be targeted on the basis of political beliefs, race, health conditions, genetic or biometric information, religion, criminal history, sexual orientation, union membership or income. LinkedIn also names information about minors and students in this section.
Ad rejection and removal; a recurring pattern is an account-level matter.
Official policyLI-S-02Display URL must match the destination
The display URL must match the destination URL, every member must receive an identical landing page, the page must not open pop-ups, and the browser back button must continue to work.
Ad rejection; cloaking — serving reviewers a different page than users — is treated as a serious violation.
Official policyLI-S-03Tracking, phishing and HTTPS requirements
Advertisers must comply with privacy law and must not use cross-site tracking cookies without explicit disclosure and permission. Ads must not direct members to sites that deceptively extract personal information, and any site collecting sensitive information — financial data, government IDs, login credentials — must use HTTPS.
Ad rejection; phishing destinations are an account-termination matter.
Official policyRestricted
LI-R-01Financial products and services are restricted
Ads promoting financial products and services are restricted, including lending, mortgages, credit, investments and investment advising, financial trading and exchanges, insurance and pensions. Country-specific requirements apply, and the UK has its own additional rules.
Rejection where the advertiser does not meet the country's conditions; approved advertisers run with disclosure requirements.
Official policyLI-R-02Cryptocurrency and related products are restricted
Ads promoting cryptocurrency and related products are restricted. LinkedIn states the restriction on the policy page and holds the qualifying conditions in its country-specific help documentation, so eligibility must be confirmed per market before running.
Ad rejection where the advertiser is not eligible in the targeted market.
Official policyLI-R-03Prescription drugs, OTC drugs and pharmacy services
Prescription drugs, over-the-counter drugs and pharmacy or telehealth services all require prior authorisation from LinkedIn. Prescription and OTC advertising is permitted only in the United States and Canada; pharmacy and telehealth services are United States only. None may target under-18s.
Ad rejection without prior authorisation, regardless of content quality.
Official policyLI-R-04Medical devices and medical treatments
Ads for medical devices and medical treatments are restricted, permitted only where legal in the targeted market, and must not target under-18s.
Ad rejection in markets where the device or treatment is not lawfully advertisable.
Official policyLI-R-05Alcohol advertising is country-restricted
Alcohol ads are available only in certain countries and must not target individuals below the legal drinking age in the relevant market.
Ad rejection in restricted markets or where age targeting is set too low.
Official policyLI-R-06Dating services
Dating ads must never target under-18s, must be legal in the targeted market, and must not promote escort-type services.
Ad rejection.
Official policyEditorial
LI-E-01Spelling, grammar, capitalisation, emoji and hashtags
LinkedIn rejects ads containing incorrect spelling, grammar or punctuation, excessive emojis, excessive capitalisation, or unrelated hashtags. This is an explicit named rejection ground, not a style suggestion.
Ad rejection. The most common surprise rejection on LinkedIn, because the same creative passes review on Meta and TikTok.
Official policyLI-E-02Language appropriate for a professional audience
Ads must use language appropriate for professionals and aspiring professionals. Ads must also be written in a LinkedIn-supported language.
Ad rejection.
Official policyLI-E-03Referencing LinkedIn in your ad
Ads may say 'find me on LinkedIn' in line with LinkedIn's trademark guidelines, but may not otherwise use the LinkedIn name or reference the corporation, brand or site, and must not imply affiliation with or endorsement by LinkedIn.
Ad rejection; LinkedIn's brand guidelines state that misuse can lead to account suspension or termination.
Official policyLI-E-04Incomplete ads are rejected
Incomplete ads will be rejected and must be finalised and resubmitted. LinkedIn reviews new ads and edits before they go live, and aims to review within 24 hours.
Ad rejection; the ad can be edited in Campaign Manager, which resubmits it.
Official policyX (Twitter) Ads
24 rules tracked
Prohibited
X-P-01Clickbait, get-rich-quick and impractical outcomes
X prohibits deceptive content globally. This covers clickbait tactics whose primary purpose is to drive users to a landing page, misleading price or availability claims, fraudulent schemes that trick users into sending money or sharing personal information — get-rich-quick offers, MLM and pyramid schemes, penny stocks, NFTs, altcoins and binary options — and claims of impractical outcomes.
Post disapproval; the post cannot be included in any campaign. Repeat or severe cases remove the advertiser from X Ads entirely.
Official policyX-P-02Cloaking and review circumvention
Cloaking tactics used to evade ad review are prohibited, as are ads promoting features that do not exist and destinations that use excessive redirects.
Treated as a deliberate circumvention of review — grounds for removing the advertiser from the platform, not just the ad.
Official policyX-P-03Derogatory, violent, vulgar or shocking content
X prohibits content that is disrespectful, discriminatory or harmful towards an individual, group or organisation — including on race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion and disability — as well as content promoting violence, vulgar and profane content, and shocking or distasteful content.
Post disapproval; advertiser-level action for repeat violations.
Official policyX-P-04Body shaming and unsafe eating behaviour
Weight-loss content that body-shames, or that encourages, glamorises or promotes unhealthy or unsafe eating behaviours, is prohibited. Ads that profit from or exploit a sensitive event or controversial issue are prohibited in the same section.
Post disapproval.
Official policyX-P-05Weapons and weapon accessories
X prohibits the promotion of weapons and weapon accessories globally: firearms, airsoft, air, paintball and replica guns, stun guns, tasers, pepper spray, edged weapons, fireworks and flamethrowers. The only carve-out is gun rental from shooting ranges.
Post disapproval; no certification path exists.
Official policyX-P-06Trademark infringement
X prohibits trademark-infringing advertising globally, including content that misleads users about brand affiliation and misleading third-party names in Trend Takeover names. X's policy page states no nominative fair-use or authorised-reseller exception.
Post disapproval and removal on a rights-holder complaint.
Official policyX-P-07Copyright infringement and DRM circumvention
X prohibits unauthorised distribution of copyrighted content, software that bypasses digital rights management for media, and tools used to facilitate illegal copying of media.
Post disapproval; DMCA process applies.
Official policyX-P-08Products or services illegal in the targeted market
X prohibits advertising or promoting products, services or activities considered illegal in a given jurisdiction, and names country-specific cases including infant formula, pork products in Muslim-majority markets, and certain regulated professional services in Japan.
Post disapproval in the affected markets.
Official policyX-P-09Age-restricted products must not be marketed to minors
X prohibits knowingly marketing or advertising to minors across sixteen categories including alcohol, weapons and ammunition, tobacco and e-cigarettes, controlled substances and paraphernalia, gambling and lottery, sexual and adult products, weight-loss products and supplements, and body modification such as tattooing and piercing.
Post disapproval. X specifies no verification mechanism — responsibility sits with the advertiser's targeting.
Official policyX-P-10Adult and sexual products and services
Adult sexual content is prohibited globally, including pornographic material, full or partial nudity, penis enlargement and breast enhancement, catalogue-style dating services, sexual entertainment venues, and sexual innuendo or implied sexual content. Narrow exceptions exist for STD and STI awareness, lingerie modelling, erotic novels, fine-art nudity, breastfeeding and sex-addiction treatment, and some markets permit sexual merchandise with restrictions.
Post disapproval; account-level action for repeated submissions.
Official policyX-P-11Drugs and drug paraphernalia
X prohibits the promotion of drugs and drug paraphernalia, including herbal drugs, accessories, dispensaries and depictions of hard drug use. Narrow licensed exceptions exist in Canada and Thailand, and in the US for topical hemp-derived CBD at or below 0.3% THC with age verification and no depiction of product use.
Post disapproval outside the licensed exceptions.
Official policyX-S-01Asserting knowledge of sensitive personal information
X applies a concept of sensitive categories of personal data across all products. Advertisers cannot target on health, religious or philosophical affiliation or beliefs, or sexual orientation. X also prohibits ad copy that asserts or implies knowledge of personally identifiable or sensitive information, even when the ad was created and targeted without using such information.
X states it will examine reported violations and may remove the offending advertisements and the advertiser from the X Ads platform.
Official policyX-S-02Anti-discriminatory targeting
Advertisers must not wrongfully discriminate against legally protected categories of customers. The policy applies to all X ad products globally.
Removal of the ads and suspension of the advertiser from the platform.
Official policyRestricted
X-R-01Financial products require certification
Financial advertising is permitted with restrictions by offering and region, and requires prior authorisation through X's certification process. Binary options, penny stocks, financial spread betting, cryptocurrency ICOs and crypto mining are prohibited outright. Exchanges, wallets, staking and DeFi products are permitted where the advertiser holds the relevant local licence, and are unavailable in several markets.
Post disapproval without certification. Certification is per-category — a new request is required for each category of financial content.
Official policyX-R-02Gambling requires pre-approval and is country-gated
Gambling content is prohibited globally except in listed countries, and advertisers targeting those countries must obtain pre-approval by getting certified. Online casinos, sports betting, fantasy sports, bonus codes, lotteries and games played for money are banned by default. Affiliates cannot link directly to operators.
Post disapproval without certification; market-specific rules apply on top.
Official policyX-R-03Alcohol is country-restricted with creative conditions
X restricts promotion of alcohol sales and general brand awareness, and bans it entirely in a list of markets. Where permitted, ads must not target minors, depict underage drinking, use celebrity endorsement or youth-appeal imagery, claim health or performance benefits, associate alcohol with dangerous activities, or emphasise alcoholic strength.
Post disapproval; several markets add mandatory warning text.
Official policyX-R-04Tobacco and smoking alternatives
X prohibits global promotion of tobacco content with limited exceptions where local law allows. Vapes and e-cigarettes fall under 'smoking alternatives' and are permitted only in a short country list, with mandatory warnings and no targeting of under-21 audiences.
Post disapproval outside permitted markets.
Official policyX-R-05Healthcare, pharmaceuticals and supplements require certification
Healthcare advertising is generally prohibited with country exceptions, covering pharmacies, pharmaceutical products, controlled and non-prescription drugs, medical devices, clinical trials, supplements, and services implying disease treatment or prevention. Prescription drugs are largely prohibited globally. Supplements are restricted, particularly those marketed with references to steroid or steroid-like substances.
Post disapproval without certification; certification is required for pharma manufacturers, FDA-regulated devices, telemedicine and online pharmacies in named markets.
Official policyX-R-06Political advertising is permitted with certification
X permits political advertising in a defined country list and splits it into political content ads, which reference candidates, officials, elections or legislation, and political campaigning ads, which advocate for or against a candidate, party or ballot measure. Advertisers must obtain pre-approval by getting certified — required for campaigning ads in every permitted country. Campaigning ads must originate from citizens or entities of the targeted country, and targeting and formats are restricted.
Post disapproval without certification. Note this policy is the opposite of LinkedIn's, which bans political advertising outright.
Official policyX-R-07Housing, lending and credit opportunities
Applying to the US and Canada only, ads for housing rental, sale or purchase, realtor services, home insurance, mortgage brokerage and credit offers require certification. Certified advertisers are prohibited from targeting on age, language, disability, familial status, civil or marital status, sex, race, colour, national origin or religion, and cannot use zip-code-level location targeting.
Post disapproval; discriminatory targeting is an advertiser-removal matter.
Official policyX-R-08Dating services are country-restricted
Dating advertising is restricted by country. In Japan, offline dating is permitted while online dating and marriage services require pre-approval by certification. Catalogue-style dating services are prohibited under the adult content policy.
Post disapproval in restricted markets or without required certification.
Official policyEditorial
X-E-01Grammar, capitalisation, symbols, hashtags and URLs
Ads must use proper grammar and spelling and avoid punctuation mistakes, excessive capitalisation and excessive symbols. Ads must not include hashtags or URLs in the ad text. X generally allows one emoji per ad, with exceptions for boosted posts and campaigns targeting Japan and Korea.
Post disapproval. X maintains a public policy update log, which is the right place to check before assuming a country rule still holds.
Official policyX-E-02Landing page relevance and behaviour
The landing page's primary purpose cannot itself be advertising, and it must be directly relevant to what is being advertised. Ads must link to a working page without disruptive pop-ups or automatic downloads. Gimmicky, excessively cropped or indecipherable creative is also disallowed.
Post disapproval.
Official policyX-E-03How disapproval escalates
X enforces at three levels. A disapproved post cannot be included in any X Ads campaign. A disapproved advertiser can no longer participate in X Ads and all campaigns are halted. An account violating the Terms of Service may be suspended from X itself in addition to being removed from X Ads.
There is no published formal appeals process — the remedy is a support ticket from the ads dashboard. Advertisers frequently assume otherwise.
Official policySnapchat Ads
27 rules tracked
Prohibited
SNAP-P-01False or misleading claims, offers and functionality
Snap prohibits ads that are false or misleading, including deceptive claims, offers, functionality or business practices, and content manipulated for false or misleading purposes — whether through generative AI or deceptive editing. Undisclosed sponsored content, fraudulent or counterfeit goods, non-delivery of goods, misrepresented shipping or inventory, and subliminal techniques are prohibited in the same section.
Ad rejection. Snap reserves the right to reject or remove any ad in its sole discretion and to suspend or terminate accounts that violate its policies.
Official policySNAP-P-02Imitating Snapchat's interface or features
Creating or sharing content that mimics the appearance or function of Snapchat features or formats is prohibited. Snap's ad specifications repeat this, naming imitation of native creative tools, UI features and organic snaps — doodles, stickers, Bitmoji and the native text bar.
Ad rejection. This is one of Snap's most frequently hit rules because the same 'native-looking' creative is a deliberate tactic on other platforms.
Official policySNAP-P-03Deceptive calls to action and cloaking
Ads containing deceiving calls to action, or leading to landing pages unrelated to the brand or content being advertised, are prohibited. So is cloaking, restricting landing-page access, or modifying URL content after submission in an attempt to circumvent review. Ads encouraging dishonest behaviour — fake IDs, plagiarism, essay-writing services — are prohibited in the same section.
Ad rejection; circumvention of review is an account-level matter.
Official policySNAP-P-04Graphic violence, gore and glorification of harm
Snap prohibits depiction of real-life graphic violence in creative, and glorification of violence including self-harm, war, murder, abuse or animal abuse. Graphic depictions of gore, physical afflictions, bodily fluids and certain medical or cosmetic procedures are prohibited. Scary ads are permitted but must avoid intense jump scares and audio of prolonged screaming or crying.
Ad rejection.
Official policySNAP-P-05Body shaming, bullying and profanity
Ads must not promote harassment, bullying or shaming — Snap's own example is that fitness ads must not belittle anyone on the basis of body shape or size. Profanity, obscenity and obscene gestures are prohibited.
Ad rejection. Enforced jointly with the diet and weight-loss rule, so body-shaming creative usually trips two rules at once.
Official policySNAP-P-06Hate speech, hate groups, terrorism and violent extremism
Snap prohibits content that demeans, defames or promotes discrimination or violence on the basis of race, colour, caste, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, veteran status, immigration status, socio-economic status, age, weight or pregnancy status. Perpetuating stereotypes and inappropriate use of culturally sensitive imagery are also prohibited.
Ad rejection; account suspension or termination for violations.
Official policySNAP-P-07Facilitating illegal or dangerous behaviour
Snap prohibits ads that facilitate or encourage illegal activity, conduct, products or enterprises, including depiction of illegal drug use and promotion of the illegal wildlife trade or products derived from endangered or threatened species. Ads must not encourage harmful behaviour — Snap's named example is Snapping while driving.
Ad rejection.
Official policySNAP-P-08Sexual solicitation and explicit material
Sexual solicitation of any kind, graphic depiction of genitalia, exposed nipples or buttocks, pornography, adult entertainment, non-consensual sexual material and sexual violence are prohibited. Sexually suggestive material intended to provoke arousal without explicit imagery is restricted to 18+ targeting, and references to sexual anatomy are conditionally allowed in health, grooming or educational contexts.
Ad rejection.
Official policySNAP-P-09Ads appealing to children under 13
Snapchat is a 13+ app, and Snap rejects ads that are addressed to, or intended to appeal to, children under 13. Ads must also comply with applicable laws and the cultural norms of every region targeted.
Ad rejection.
Official policySNAP-P-10Smoking, vaping and vape sales
Snap does not allow the depiction of smoking or vaping except in the context of public health messaging or smoking cessation. Vape sales of any kind are prohibited.
Ad rejection.
Official policySNAP-P-11Weapons, explosives and accessories
Ads for the sale of weapons and explosives and related accessories are prohibited, including firearms, ammunition, fireworks, combat knives and pepper spray. Weapon imagery on merchandise is prohibited; safe-usage advocacy is permitted.
Ad rejection.
Official policySNAP-P-12IP, likeness rights and imitating the Snap brand
Ads must not infringe intellectual property, privacy, publicity or other legal rights, and must not feature the name, likeness including look-alikes, voice including sound-alikes, or other identifying features of an individual without consent. False celebrity testimonials or usage are named explicitly. Ads must not suggest affiliation with or endorsement by Snap, or use Snap trademarks, Bitmoji artwork or representations of the Snapchat interface.
Ad rejection; rights-holder complaints trigger removal.
Official policySNAP-S-01Implying knowledge of personal or sensitive data
Ads may not collect sensitive information or special category data — health, financial status, racial or ethnic origin, religious beliefs, sexual preferences, political opinions. Ads must not deceive users into providing personal information under false pretenses, and must not state or imply knowledge of personal data, sensitive information, online activity or the user's location. The advertiser's privacy policy must be readily accessible wherever personal information is collected.
Ad rejection; deceptive data collection is an account-termination matter.
Official policyRestricted
SNAP-R-01Get-rich-quick, guaranteed returns and predatory lending
Snap prohibits get-rich-quick offers, pyramid schemes and other deceptive or too-good-to-be-true financial offers, promises of guaranteed financial returns on speculative investments, ads promoting particular securities or alleging insider tips, and payday or predatory lending. Lending ads must clearly and prominently disclose APR, repayment period, fees, costs, penalties and lender contact information before an application is submitted.
Ad rejection. Complex financial products, which may include cryptocurrency wallets and trading platforms, require prior approval from Snap.
Official policySNAP-R-02Weight loss requires 18+ targeting and bans before/after imagery
Any weight-loss reference requires 18+ targeting. Snap prohibits over-exaggerated claims and before-and-after images, and content that demeans the user or shames anyone on the basis of body shape or size. Weight-loss supplements are not permitted at all, and weight-loss injectables are treated as prescription medications.
Ad rejection. Snap's highest-yield rejection area, and stricter than Meta or Google on the same creative.
Official policySNAP-R-03Health and wellness supplements require pre-approval
Supplement advertisers must be pre-approved and provide proof of regulatory authorisation. Ads must not contain exaggerated or unrealistic claims, must not promote weight-loss supplements, and must not include before-and-after pictures. Several markets require 18+ targeting.
Ad rejection without pre-approval, irrespective of creative quality.
Official policySNAP-R-04Prescription, OTC medicines and online pharmacy
All advertisers of prescription medicines must be pre-approved by Snap and may run only in a closed list of markets. Over-the-counter medicine also requires pre-approval, must not carry over-exaggerated claims or imply prescription-strength efficacy, is banned in several markets, and carries per-country age gates. Online pharmacies must be registered with the relevant authorities.
Ad rejection without pre-approval.
Official policySNAP-R-05Cosmetic products and procedures
Skin-lightening products and procedures are not permitted. Ads must not show shocking imagery of blood, needles or graphic procedures. Plastic surgery requires 18+ targeting and is banned in a list of markets; non-surgical procedures such as fillers and botox require 18+.
Ad rejection.
Official policySNAP-R-06Gambling requires pre-approval and proof of licence
All gaming and gambling advertisers must be pre-approved by Snap and provide proof of current licence or registration. Ads must not glorify gambling or misrepresent the benefits of participation, must not target or be likely to appeal particularly to people under the legal gambling age, and must not encourage individuals to play beyond their means. Tipster services are prohibited.
Ad rejection without pre-approval; separate allowlists apply per sub-category.
Official policySNAP-R-07Alcohol age-gating and creative conditions
Minimum age varies by market, from 18 up to 25 in Sweden. Ads must not depict excessive consumption, glamorise effects, associate alcohol with driving or illegal behaviour, or show anyone who appears under 25 drinking. A prominent responsible-drinking warning is mandatory. Alcohol advertising is wholly prohibited in a list of markets.
Ad rejection.
Official policySNAP-R-08CBD is conditionally permitted; illegal drugs are not
Snap prohibits the depiction of illegal drug use or recreational use of pharmaceuticals. CBD is permitted only where legal, with appropriate targeting, after completing Snap's health-product advertiser application, and may not depict consumption or make efficacy claims.
Ad rejection.
Official policySNAP-R-09Dating services require 18+ targeting
Dating ads must be age-targeted to 18+, or the legal age of majority in the location targeted. Ads must not be overtly sexual, reference transactional companionship, depict people who appear underage, or promote or glamorise infidelity. Dating advertising is banned in a list of markets.
Ad rejection.
Official policySNAP-R-10Political advertising is permitted with disclosure
Snap permits political advertising subject to an advertiser application. Every political ad requires a 'paid for by' message naming the paying person or entity, and US electoral ads must state whether the ad is authorised by a candidate. Snap reserves the right to require substantiation of factual claims, and prohibits harassment, misleading content, impersonation, synthetic avatars and manipulated likenesses, and attacks on candidates' personal lives. Market limits apply, including the EU, Canada and Washington State.
Ad rejection without the application and disclosure. All political ads are published in Snap's Political Ads Library.
Official policySNAP-R-11Entertainment must match its content rating
Ads for movies, video games and television shows must be age-targeted to the intended audience of the content they promote. Where fictional content contains illegal, regulated, dangerous or violent elements, Snap reviews whether the fictional nature is sufficiently apparent.
Ad rejection or a forced change to age targeting.
Official policySNAP-E-03Calling, SMS and VPN services
Ads for calling, SMS and VPN services must contain clear pricing and terms, and must not reference using the service illegally or in a classroom setting.
Ad rejection.
Official policyEditorial
SNAP-E-01Landing page quality, relevance and safety
Snap rejects ads whose landing pages are low quality — dead links, non-functional, or not formatted for mobile; disruptive — unexpected experiences, sudden loud noises, aggressive flashing; irrelevant — pages that do not match the product advertised, or that draw out the purchase process to expose the user to more ads; or unsafe — automatic downloads or phishing.
Ad rejection.
Official policySNAP-E-02Creative and technical standards
All ads must meet Snap's quality and editorial standards and its technical specifications: full-screen 9:16 vertical, with the top and bottom of the frame kept clear and text not dominating the screen. Letterboxing or borders of any kind and full-screen static collages are prohibited, as is imitation of Snapchat's native creative tools.
Ad rejection; specs are enforced at upload as well as in review.
Official policyThese are AdShield's curated summaries of publicly published advertising policies, written for working advertisers. They are not the policies themselves and are not legal advice — always read the linked official documentation, which each network updates without notice. AdShield is not affiliated with Meta Platforms, Google or TikTok.