SMS S.H.A.F.T. Policy Compliance in Bravo

updated 7/8/2025

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What is S.H.A.F.T.?

S.H.A.F.T. stands for Sex, Hate, Alcohol, Firearms, and Tobacco. These are content categories that mobile carriers restrict in SMS messages to protect consumers from inappropriate or harmful content.

These guidelines are enforced by wireless carriers and CTIA (Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association) standards. While S.H.A.F.T. is not a law, non-compliance may lead to message blocks or suspension from sending SMS campaigns.

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What happens when a violation occurs?

If your message content violates S.H.A.F.T. guidelines:

• Your message may be blocked by the carrier.

• Your business may be banned from sending future SMS campaigns.

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What firearm-related terms are considered violations?

Carriers prohibit the use of any firearm-related terms, but CTIA does not publish a definitive banned word list. This prevents businesses from trying to “game the system.” However, many common terms associated with firearms are known to trigger violations.

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What is Bravo doing to help me stay compliant?

Bravo automatically checks all SMS messages for known high-risk words.

• If a prohibited word is detected, a pop-up alert will appear with a warning and guidance for revision.

• This helps prevent accidental violations before a message is sent.

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What if my business name contains a restricted word?

If your store name includes firearm-related terms like “gun” or “firearm”, Bravo recommends abbreviating or altering the name in your SMS templates.

Examples:

• Instead of Sunny’s Gun Shop, use Sunny’s G.S. or simply Sunny’s.

To support this, Bravo has removed the {Store.Name} auto-template field from new SMS message templates.

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Does this apply if my business is outside the U.S. or Canada?

Yes. Bravo uses Twilio as its SMS platform, and Twilio enforces S.H.A.F.T. restrictions globally—regardless of your business’s location.

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What should I do next?

Audit all of your SMS templates, including:

• Recurring loan reminders

• Layaway reminders

• Scheduled Mobile Events

Ensure none of them contain prohibited words. For help, check out the four short "How-To" videos linked [HERE].

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I need help crafting compliant SMS messages!

Our team is happy to help. Submit a ZenDesk ticket describing your messaging needs, and we’ll work with you to create content that complies with S.H.A.F.T. guidelines.

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Words Bravo is Currently Blocking

Bravo’s validation tool automatically flags SMS messages containing the following terms (case-insensitive).

Update in July 2025: "Pawn" and "Pawns" have been removed from this list.

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If you’re unsure about whether a word may cause a violation, reach out to Bravo Support for guidance.