Decode a 10DLC rejection · Critical
Your rejection said something like this
“Campaign content is prohibited or restricted (SHAFT / high-risk)”
This means the content maps to a barred or gated category — sex, hate, alcohol, firearms, tobacco, cannabis, gambling, or loans/debt. Sometimes it is a genuine vertical problem; sometimes incidental wording (a health claim, an alcohol promo) tripped the filter.
What this maps to
A rejection worded like that is the known 10DLC reason Prohibited or restricted content (SHAFT / high-risk). Sex, Hate, Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco, cannabis, gambling, loans/debt, and other restricted categories are barred or heavily gated.
The fix
Remove restricted content, or pursue the specific carrier-approved special-use-case path if the business is in a gated vertical.
Other ways this rejection is worded
Providers, TCR and the carriers phrase the same reason differently. If yours read more like one of these, it still maps to Prohibited or restricted content (SHAFT / high-risk):
- “Content falls under a restricted category”
- “Use case is not permitted on 10DLC”
Common questions
What does the 10DLC rejection "Campaign content is prohibited or restricted (SHAFT / high-risk)" mean?
This means the content maps to a barred or gated category — sex, hate, alcohol, firearms, tobacco, cannabis, gambling, or loans/debt. Sometimes it is a genuine vertical problem; sometimes incidental wording (a health claim, an alcohol promo) tripped the filter. It maps to the known rejection reason "Prohibited or restricted content (SHAFT / high-risk)". The fix: Remove restricted content, or pursue the specific carrier-approved special-use-case path if the business is in a gated vertical.
What is SHAFT content in 10DLC?
Sex, Hate, Alcohol, Firearms, and Tobacco, usually extended to cannabis, gambling, and loans or debt. These categories are prohibited or heavily gated, and messages in them get campaigns rejected unless you use an approved special-use-case path.