What words Cannot be used in Facebook ads?

Facebook has strict policies regarding the words and language that can be used in ads on their platform. There are many words and phrases that are completely banned from Facebook ads. Using these prohibited terms can lead to your ads being disapproved or your ad account being disabled.

Why does Facebook ban certain words?

Facebook bans certain words and language in order to:

Maintain a positive and safe environment on their platform

Prevent false, misleading, dangerous or illegal claims in ads
Protect users from offensive, abusive, or inappropriate content
Comply with legal regulations and industry standards

Facebook’s ad policies prohibit profanity, hate speech, sensational content, and promotions of illegal or harmful products or services. Their restrictions are constantly updated to deal with new attempts to circumvent the rules.

Banned Words Related to Profanity and Obscenity

Facebook does not allow any kind of profanity or obscenity in ads. This includes, but is not limited to:

Sexual or suggestive words like penis, vagina, fuck, cunt, dick, cock

Racial slurs like nigger, wetback, chink, kike
Homophobic terms like fag, dyke, shemale
Swear and curse words like shit, piss, damn, hell

Vulgar or offensive slang like coochie, trenches, clit, asshole

Even slang versions or creative spellings of these banned words are prohibited. For example, using a$$hole instead of asshole would still get rejected. The ban applies in any language, not just English. Foreign profanity will also get flagged.

Banned Words Related to Violence and Harm

Advertising any violent, dangerous, or criminal behaviors, products, or services is prohibited on Facebook. Banned terms include:

Words implying physical harm like kill, torture, crush
Threatening or violent language like destroy, annihilate, obliterate
References to weapons like gun, knife, rifle, pistol

Criminal activities like murder, arson, robbery, assault

Even implied or humorous references to violence are forbidden. For example, an ad saying “This deal will crush the competition” would likely get rejected.

Banned Words Related to Hate Speech

Facebook strictly prohibits hate speech, bullying, and discrimination in all ads. Banned terms include:

Racist, sexist, homophobic, or other abusive terms
References to hate groups like neo-Nazi, KKK, skinhead
Demeaning language like retard, moron, idiot, imbecile

Body-shaming terms like fat, ugly, skinny, anorexic

Ads cannot target or exclude people based on race, ethnicity, gender, or other protected identities. Facebook also bans coded language intended to convey prohibited messages indirectly.

Banned Words Related to Sensitive Issues

Facebook takes extra precautions around certain sensitive subjects often targeted by false or misleading claims. Restricted terms include:

Words implying miracle cures like miraculous, cure-all, panacea
Dubious health claims like melt fat, eliminate wrinkles, stop hair loss
References to epidemics like coronavirus, Ebola, H1N1, measles

Contentious political issues like pro-life, pro-choice, immigration, gun control

Ads on these topics require special precautions like proper citations and may still be prohibited in some cases. For example, ads implying cures for serious diseases are always banned.

Special Rules for Dating and Adult Products

Facebook has special rules for ads promoting dating, intimacy, or adult-related products and services:

Must use clean, socially acceptable language
No sexual references or imagery allowed

18+ age-gating required for dating services
No ads promoting transactional sexual services

So words like sexy, naked, one night stand, and fuck buddy would not be allowed in dating service ads. Overtly sexual services like prostitution or pornography are prohibited entirely.

Financial Products and Services

Ads for financial products and services like loans, insurance, and investments have additional restrictions:

Require proper licensing and authorization where applicable
Cannot imply urgent deadlines or limited availability

Must disclose associated risks and fees
No unsubstantiated performance claims
Certain products banned entirely based on legal regulations

So words like risk-free, guaranteed profits, and get-rich-quick would violate policies for financial ads.

Supplements and Health Products

Advertising dietary supplements, cosmetics, and other health products brings further limitations:

No disease treatment claims without regulatory approval

No dangerous ingredients like ephedra, human growth hormone
No misleading claims of “miraculous” results
Supported claims must be backed by credible scientific evidence

Words like prevents cancer, cures impotence, or scientifically proven would need proper substantiation to be allowed.

Alcohol

Ads promoting alcohol must:

Not target underage users

Not promote drunk driving or other misuse
Comply with all applicable laws and regulations
Use only responsible and appropriate messaging

So youth-oriented terms, irresponsible consumption, and excessive drinking would all be prohibited.

Gambling and Lotteries

Gambling and lottery ads have limitations including:

Proof of licensure in targeted regions

No targeting minors
Responsible gaming messages required
Not falsely implying better odds or guaranteed wins

Full disclosure of terms, odds, and age restrictions

Words like easy winnings, big score, and can’t lose would mislead users and violate policies.

Tobacco and E-Cigarettes

Most tobacco promotions are completely prohibited on Facebook. However, ads for tobacco alternatives like vaping may be allowed with restrictions including:

No health or therapeutic benefit claims
No targeting teens or minors
Responsible usage messaging required

Age-gating where required by law

So terms like safe, harmless, and healthier would not be permitted without proper substantiation. And promotions cannot appeal directly to youth.

Political and Election-Related Ads

Facebook places several restrictions on ads about political figures, issues, or elections:

Must comply with all applicable election laws
Cannot contain false or misleading claims
Must disclose who paid for the ad

Cannot target based on political affiliations alone
Must be authorized to run in Facebook’s political ad archive

So terms like defeat opponent X or vote for candidate Y would only be permitted for authorized advertisers following all required protocols.

Prohibited Practices

In addition to banning specific words and language, Facebook prohibits a number of general advertising practices, including:

Misrepresentation – Falsely implying affiliation, endorsements, benefits, etc.
Fraud – Running scams, “get-rich-quick” schemes, or other deceptive promotions

Coordinated Inauthentic Behavior – Using networks of fake accounts and misrepresentation to influence outcomes
Circumventing Systems – Attempting to work around ad review algorithms, restrictions, etc.
Manipulating Engagement – Artificially inflating ad metrics like clicks, reactions, comments, etc.

Trying to find loopholes or trick users is prohibited even if specific words are not banned.

What happens if prohibited words are used?

Using banned words or violating other Facebook ad policies can lead to the following consequences:

Ad Disapproval – The ad will be rejected and unable to run until fixed

Publishing Blocks – Blocks may be placed temporarily preventing any ad creation
Account Disabling – Repeated or severe violations can result in accounts being disabled
Loss of Partnerships – Facebook Marketing Partner status can be revoked

Legal Action – Lawsuits, criminal charges, or other legal action in some cases

So advertisers must take care to understand and comply with all applicable policies and restrictions.

Appealing Rejected Ads

If your Facebook ad gets rejected, you can appeal the decision by:

Reading the rejection reason carefully and fix any direct violations
Ensuring your ad complies with all applicable policies, even if not directly referenced
Appealing the rejection and explaining how your ad is compliant, if you still believe the ad meets requirements

Being cooperative, not adversarial, in appeal explanations
Waiting for a ruling and not attempting to run the ad again until a final decision

However, appeals are not always successful. Facebook’s decision on prohibited content or practices is generally final.

Creating Compliant Ads

The best way to ensure your Facebook ads run smoothly is to be proactive about compliance:

Avoid any words or phrases that could potentially violate a policy
Stick to clear, concrete factual statements about your product or service

Have a risk compliance team review ads prior to launch
Educate team members on Facebook’s detailed advertising policies
Consult Facebook’s free Ad Review tools prior to publishing ads

Staying well within the rules is smarter than pushing boundaries and risking rejections or account suspensions.

Conclusion

Facebook’s extensive restrictions on prohibited content may seem intimidating, but they exist primarily to maintain a safe, secure ad experience for users. By taking time to understand and comply with Facebook’s Advertising Policies, marketers can effectively reach their target audiences and build their brands while avoiding frustrating rejections or penalties.

The key is to be cautious with your wording, back up any claims properly, and get advance review of any potentially sensitive ads. With a compliance-first approach, advertisers can unlock Facebook’s extensive reach while also staying on the right side of their rules.