# MSG-034 — Samples must not be framed as test, demo or machine-to-machine traffic

> Sample messages and the campaign description must describe real messages sent to real subscribers, not test traffic, demonstrations, or machine-to-machine signalling.

- **Rule ID:** MSG-034
- **Layer:** Message content (`MESSAGE_CONTENT`)
- **Checks:** `campaign.sample[] + campaign.description`
- **Severity:** BLOCKING — Breaking this rule gets the submission rejected outright.
- **When it bites:** Gates approval — get this wrong and registration is refused
- **How it is detected:** AI judgement over the submitted form
- **Fix type:** Fix the field — a better value in the form clears it
- **Required by:** AWS
- **Applies:** Applies to every 10DLC registration.
- **Canonical URL:** https://ekas.io/rules/10dlc/message-content/msg-034/

## Why this rule exists

10DLC is a production registration: the throughput and the trust that come with it are granted on the basis that a person receives each message and consented to it, so a campaign that says it is for testing is asking for a production route to carry something that is not production traffic. Developers land here honestly, registering during integration with exactly the samples their test harness sends — and reviewers cannot tell that from a sender who intends to keep the campaign in test framing indefinitely, so they refuse it.

## How to fix it

Replace the samples with the messages the campaign will send once it is live, and rewrite the description so it names the real audience and what they will receive. Done when nothing in the submission would still be true if the word "test" were the point — a reviewer should not be able to tell you registered during integration.

## Example of a compliant value

```text
Acme Coffee: your order #4471 is ready for pickup at our Mission St store until 6pm today. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help.
```

## Common mistakes

- Registering a throwaway campaign to test the integration and a real one later does not work either — the test campaign is refused on this rule, so the integration has nothing to test against.

## Provider rejection codes

| Provider | Code | Resubmission allowed |
| --- | --- | --- |
| AWS | `CAMPAIGN_NON_COMPLIANT_CONTENT_NON_SUBSCRIBER` | yes |
| AWS | `NON_COMPLIANT_USE_CASE` | yes |