# MSG-ILLEGAL — No content promoting illegal activity

> Campaign content must not promote illegal goods, services, or activity.

- **Rule ID:** MSG-ILLEGAL
- **Layer:** Message content (`MESSAGE_CONTENT`)
- **Checks:** `campaign.description + campaign.sample[] + campaign.message_flow`
- **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:** Hard stop — not remediable, resubmission will not help
- **Required by:** Twilio, TCR, T-Mobile, AT&T, CTIA
- **Applies:** Applies to every 10DLC registration.
- **Canonical URL:** https://ekas.io/rules/10dlc/message-content/msg-illegal/

## Why this rule exists

Promotion of illegal activity is a Severity-0 finding carrying "cease all messaging" rather than a rejection, and it is assessed against federal law even where a state permits the activity. The scope includes the landing page and any downloadable artifact, not only the message body.

## How to fix it

This cannot be registered on any channel. Where the activity is state-legal but federally prohibited, federal law is the standard applied.