Specific List Of Banned Words On Facebook In 2025 Updated
One of the biggest worries for Facebook advertisers is “forbidden words when running Facebook ads,” which can cause campaigns to be rejected or accounts to be restricted without a clear reason. Although Meta has never publicly admitted it, their system always has a list of sensitive words that can easily put an ad into the “red zone.” Context is certainly important, but some words are almost guaranteed to get an ad restricted. After deploying and testing many different campaigns, BlackHatWorld has compiled a preliminary list of words to avoid. And now, we will explore the details in this article right away!
Why does Facebook always publish a list of banned words annually?
Meta publishes banned words in advertising not only to protect users but also to standardize the experience and maintain the platform’s credibility. Below is a detailed analysis to help advertisers better understand the reasons and how the platform’s policies are implemented:
Ensure a positive user experience.
Advertisers like us understand that advertising is part of the user experience and should not be annoying or misleading. Meta bans shocking, violent, sexually suggestive, or discriminatory words to maintain a positive environment.
For example, Content with words like “kill,” “kill yourself,” or “sexy” may be rejected because they create a negative or unsettling feeling.
Avoid misleading claims and unrealistic promises.
Keywords like “guaranteed,” “get rich quick,” and “lose 10kg in a week” are typical examples of misleading or over-promising words. Meta wants to avoid ads that create unrealistic expectations or are deceptive.
For example, an ad promising that “everyone will get rich in just a few days” from businesses selling online courses can be restricted immediately.
Respecting privacy and avoiding overly personal targeting.
Meta strictly prohibits using language based on personal characteristics such as age, ethnicity, gender, or health status because it can make users feel exploited or targeted.
For example, ads like “Are you over 50?” or “Do you feel ostracized?” can be flagged for policy violations.
Algorithm improvements toward a transparent platform.
In 2025, Meta continues to improve the ad review process using AI and build a clearer list of forbidden words. Frequent announcements help advertisers update and comply more easily.
Meta has stopped its traditional fact-checking system and pivoted to Community Notes, where community users participate in adding context to content.
Attached to community standards and social responsibility
The list of forbidden words is not only for Facebook but also for many other agencies, such as the advertising bureau and legal authorities, which have similar regulations to ensure that advertising language and content comply with ethics and laws. This demonstrates Meta’s commitment to building a fair and trustworthy environment.
For example, Meta does not allow ads with discriminatory content against people with disabilities, such as using the word “disability” or images of people using wheelchairs, because the AI system may misunderstand and automatically reject them, even if the ad’s purpose is humane and well-intentioned.
Specific List Of Banned Words On Facebook In 2025 Updated
When running ads on Facebook, you all have to “walk the line” with increasingly strict review policies. Just by accidentally using the wrong keyword, an ad can be rejected and even lead to the account being disabled. Therefore, understanding and avoiding forbidden word groups is extremely important for our campaign to run smoothly.
Words with absolute commitment
Facebook does not allow ads to promise definite results in a short time, as this can easily cause misunderstandings. We need to avoid using “100% commitment” language and replace it with emphasizing solutions chosen by many people or recorded effectiveness. Forbidden words:
- Commitment 100%, money back if not effective.
- Effective after 3 days, completely cured, guaranteed to be cured.
- Guaranteed beautiful, double compensation if not effective.
Remember: We should talk about the improvement journey, rather than immediate absolute results.
Sensitive vocabulary about diseases and health conditions
This is an extremely “tricky” group of words that many advertisers of dietary supplements or medical devices often run into. Facebook does not allow content related to disease diagnosis or treatment, so you need to be extremely cautious. Words to avoid:
- Cancer, diabetes, bone and joint issues, and back pain.
- Kidney failure, insomnia, depression, and digestive disorders.
- Recover from illness, treat, eliminate, and completely reduce.
Instead of directly mentioning diseases, we can use milder expressions like “health support,” “improve physical condition,” or “enhance sleep” to be policy-compliant and easily create a good impression with customers.
Words related to the body and appearance
Meta is particularly sensitive to words related to the human body. Even when we are promoting beauty products or health care services, directly mentioning appearance is often considered “body shaming” or physical discrimination. Words to avoid include:
- Weight loss, fat, chubby, skinny, fat reduction, belly fat
- Skin whitening, melasma treatment, acne-free, smooth skin, beautiful skin
- Wrinkle removal, anti-aging, perfect figure
Instead of focusing on flaws, let’s concentrate on conveying benefits and positive experiences to both persuade customers and comply with policies.
Keywords for finance, investment, and loans
This is a field that Facebook controls extremely strictly. Even if you are not in the financial business, just accidentally using the phrase “high profits” is enough to get the ad flagged. Keywords to avoid:
- Lending money, no collateral needed, black credit.
- High-profit investment, making money fast, and virtual currency.
- Token, blockchain, forex, stocks.
If promoting related services, we should choose an indirect, neutral approach and focus on sustainable value instead of promising attractive profits. If you need to run Black or Gray niches on Facebook, you can contact BlackHatWorld for A-Z support.
BHW Agency is proud to be a leading provider of ad account rental services for sensitive industries on Facebook, with a proven reputation and quality. We own a rich and diverse repository of accounts regarding time zones, currencies, and countries, which helps businesses easily choose according to their specific needs and business sectors.
With over 10 years of experience providing advertising resources, BHW Agency has a team of experts who have a deep understanding of Facebook’s algorithms, and they are also rich in hands-on experience through a variety of different-scale projects. We are committed to providing optimal, safe, and effective solutions for all your advertising campaigns.
Cases where Facebook implicitly restricts your ad visibility. You might not know!
When we run ad campaigns for businesses, many are surprised to see their campaigns rejected or have their visibility restricted without knowing why. In reality, Facebook does not publish an official list, but they have “implicit rules” surrounding certain words and expressions. If we are not careful, just one wrong word can cause an ad to lose reach or even get the account locked.
Commonly restricted words/phrases
The word “Facebook” sounds normal, but it is their own brand. Meta does not want you to use this name arbitrarily in ads.
Words related to COVID-19, for example: Pandemic, Corona, Coronavirus, infection, anxious, disease… These words are easily labeled as “causing public panic.”
Swearing or alternative characters and any variations with offensive meanings are also restricted.
Words related to sales/promotions, such as buy, marked down, coupon, discount, sale, % off, order, deals, giveaways, win, contest, free… are considered “spammy” by Facebook if used repeatedly.
Time-limit words such as limited time, today only, ending soon, while supplies last… can easily make the system interpret the ad as “pushy” or stressful for users.
The words “you / to you / your” may sound normal, but Facebook often considers this as “overly personalized” language that can make users feel spied on.
Some additional notes we have concluded
ALL CAPS → Facebook considers it too “aggressive” and unnatural.
Avoid directly mentioning personal pain points:
- Don’t: Would you like to lose 30 pounds?
- Do: Learn about weight loss tips.
- Don’t: Would you like to avoid foreclosure?
- Do: Make your monthly mortgage payments easily.
Do not mention personal characteristics such as personality, race, religion, age, etc. This is an absolute no-go area.
“Get rich quick” spam content (“Make $10,000 in one month”) will be blocked almost immediately.
Negative language: Threats, violence, harassment, sexism, homophobia, racism, disabled shaming, etc., are all on the blacklist.
Toxic stereotypes or offensive words → Facebook is very sensitive to phrases that can harm the community.
Any content that violates Community Standards → will not be accepted, no matter how cleverly you write it.
We believe that understanding these “implied forbidden words” will help you avoid a lot of unnecessary trouble. If you know how to properly optimize your ad content, your campaign will run more smoothly, have a more stable reach, and rarely encounter unexpected restrictions.
Knowing the list of banned words on Facebook not only helps you limit the risk of ad rejection but also contributes to optimizing campaign effectiveness in 2025. Always be careful with your word choices, ensuring the content complies with policies so that your ads are approved quickly and reach customers sustainably.
Frequently asked questions
Usually, your ad will be rejected immediately. In some serious cases, the ad account may be restricted or locked. Therefore, we recommend that you carefully review your content before running to avoid risks.
Yes. Advertisers can use synonyms, indirect phrasing, or focus on value and benefits rather than direct emphasis. For example, instead of writing “free shipping”, you can replace it with “fast delivery with a special offer”.
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