What Is SHAFT Content? Prohibited SMS Content Explained

SHAFT is the industry’s acronym for content categories restricted or banned on US messaging: Sex, Hate, Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco. It is not law; it is carrier policy, enforced through campaign rejection, filtering, and suspension. Some categories are absolute bans; others are permitted with strict age-gating. Knowing which is which keeps legitimate businesses out of accidental violations.

The categories, precisely

S: Sex

Adult content, sexually explicit material, and adult entertainment services are prohibited on 10DLC. This extends to suggestive imagery in MMS. Dating services sit in a gray zone: mainstream dating apps operate registered programs with strict content rules, but anything explicit is banned outright.

H: Hate

Hate speech, harassment, and discriminatory content, an absolute ban with no gating exception. This category also covers threats and content promoting violence.

A: Alcohol

Alcohol marketing is permitted with robust age-gating: the program must verify recipients are 21+ (a real age verification at opt-in; the expected standard is date-of-birth collection, not a "yes I’m 21" checkbox alone), and campaigns must declare the age-gated content flag. Wineries, breweries, and liquor retailers run compliant SMS programs every day; the gate is the price of entry.

F: Firearms

Marketing of firearms, ammunition, and accessories is heavily restricted: where permitted at all, it requires age-gating and careful review; depictions or offers that would be illegal anywhere the message might land are prohibited. Many providers apply stricter policies than the baseline, so check yours before building.

T: Tobacco (and cannabis)

Tobacco and vaping products: restricted, age-gated where allowed. Cannabis, CBD, and kratom: prohibited on 10DLC entirely, regardless of state legality, because the framework follows federal law. No amount of age-gating fixes this; dispensaries cannot run promotional 10DLC programs, period. Alternatives discussed in our restricted industries guide.

How SHAFT is enforced

• At registration: campaigns whose samples or descriptions touch these categories are rejected, often non-resubmittably.
• In transit, where carrier content filters scan live traffic; SHAFT terms are heavily weighted in the models behind error 30007 filtering.
• After the fact, through audits and complaint patterns that can suspend an approved campaign whose real traffic drifted into restricted content.

Edge cases that trip up normal businesses

• Restaurants and venues promoting "happy hour" or "wine night": light alcohol references inside a general hospitality program are generally tolerated, but alcohol-centric promotions belong in an age-gated program.
• Pharmacies mentioning regulated products. Prescription reminders are fine; promotion of controlled substances is not.
• Event promoters for 21+ events. The event being age-restricted suggests your list should be too.
• Slang and abbreviations. Filters know them. "Substituting" letters in restricted terms reads as evasion and worsens outcomes.

The test that resolves most doubts: would a carrier reviewing your message next to your declared use case see a program appropriate for all ages? If not, either the content goes or a properly age-gated program carries it.

Frequently asked questions

Is SHAFT a law?

No, it is carrier and industry policy (codified in CTIA guidelines and carrier codes of conduct). But its enforcement is more immediate than most laws: rejection, filtering, and suspension are automatic, with no court involved.

Can a brewery send SMS marketing?

Yes, with a compliant age-gated program: age verification at opt-in (DOB collection), the age-gate flag declared in campaign registration, and content appropriate to the program. Many alcohol brands operate exactly this way.

Why is CBD banned if it’s legal in my state?

Carrier policy follows federal treatment, and messaging crosses state lines by nature. Cannabis-family products (including CBD and kratom) are prohibited on 10DLC and short codes across the board, regardless of state law.