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 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.