Quick Definition
Prohibited Keywords are specific words and phrases that TikTok Shop's automated systems flag as policy violations. Using these terms in your product titles, descriptions, images, or videos can trigger immediate listing suspension and add violation points to your account.
Important: TikTok scans ALL text—including text embedded in images and spoken words in videos.
Related: Prohibited keywords are a type of policy violation. Health claims have their own specific prohibited terms.
Categories of Prohibited Keywords
1. Medical & Health Terms
These trigger violations because they imply unverified medical benefits:
Absolutely Prohibited:
| Term |
Why It's Banned |
| Cure/cures |
Medical claim |
| Treat/treats |
Medical claim |
| Heal/heals |
Medical claim |
| Remedy |
Medical claim |
| Prescription |
Regulated term |
| Diagnose |
Medical claim |
| FDA approved |
Usually false |
| Clinically proven |
Requires evidence |
| Doctor recommended |
Requires verification |
| Pharmaceutical grade |
Regulated term |
Context-Dependent (often flagged):
| Term |
Risk Level |
| Therapeutic |
High |
| Medicinal |
High |
| Anti-inflammatory |
Medium-High |
| Antibacterial |
Medium |
| Pain relief |
High |
| Symptom |
Medium |
2. Disease & Condition Names
Mentioning specific conditions implies treatment:
Never Use:
- Cancer, tumor, carcinoma
- Diabetes, diabetic
- Heart disease, cardiovascular
- Alzheimer's, dementia
- Depression, anxiety (as treatable conditions)
- Arthritis, joint disease
- Eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis
- Insomnia (as a condition)
- Obesity (as a condition to treat)
- Any specific disease name
3. Body Claims
Claims about changing the body trigger violations:
| Banned Phrase |
Safer Alternative |
| Weight loss |
Supports fitness goals |
| Fat burning |
For active lifestyles |
| Muscle building |
Workout support |
| Breast enhancement |
(Don't sell these) |
| Penis enlargement |
(Don't sell these) |
| Anti-aging |
Skincare routine |
| Wrinkle removal |
Appearance of fine lines |
| Hair regrowth |
Hair care |
4. Regulatory & Certification Terms
Don't claim unless absolutely verified:
| Term |
Issue |
| FDA approved |
Rarely true for most products |
| EPA registered |
Requires actual registration |
| Organic |
Requires USDA certification |
| Non-GMO |
Requires verification |
| Lab tested |
Must have proof |
| Certified |
Must specify by whom |
5. Superlative & Absolute Claims
Avoid unverifiable absolutes:
| Banned |
Acceptable |
| Best |
Popular |
| #1 |
Highly rated |
| Guaranteed results |
Satisfaction guarantee |
| 100% effective |
Designed for effectiveness |
| Proven |
Trusted |
| Miracle |
Quality |
6. Safety & Drug Terms
Always prohibited:
- Drug, drugs
- Narcotic
- Controlled substance
- Pharmaceutical
- Prescription-strength
- Medical device (unless registered)
- Sterile (for non-sterile products)
7. Adult & Restricted Content
Trigger immediate flags:
- Explicit sexual terms
- Drug paraphernalia terms
- Weapon-related terms
- Tobacco/nicotine (most contexts)
- Alcohol (in restricted categories)
8. Counterfeit Indicators
Suggest fake products:
| Term |
Issue |
| Replica |
Implies counterfeit |
| Inspired by [brand] |
Trademark issue |
| Designer quality |
Implies fake designer |
| Like [brand name] |
Trademark issue |
| Alternative to [brand] |
Trademark issue |
Where Keywords Are Scanned
TikTok's systems scan:
| Location |
Scan Method |
| Product title |
Direct text matching |
| Product description |
NLP analysis |
| Bullet points |
Direct text matching |
| Image text |
OCR (optical character recognition) |
| Video audio |
Speech-to-text transcription |
| Video text overlays |
OCR |
| Backend keywords |
Direct matching |
| Brand names |
Brand verification |
Image Scanning Example
┌─────────────────────────────┐
│ Product Image │
│ │
│ ┌───────────────────────┐ │
│ │ "CLINICALLY PROVEN │ │◄── OCR detects this text
│ │ WEIGHT LOSS" │ │
│ └───────────────────────┘ │
│ │
│ [Product Photo] │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────┘
Result: Listing suspended for health claims
Keyword Violation Penalties
| Keyword Type |
Typical Points |
Consequence |
| Minor health term |
2-4 |
Listing removed |
| Major health claim |
6-12 |
Listing removed + warning |
| Prohibited product term |
12-24 |
Possible account action |
| Counterfeit indicator |
24-48 |
Potential permanent ban |
Safe Alternative Phrasing
Health-Adjacent Products
| Instead of |
Use |
| "Treats acne" |
"Designed for blemish-prone skin" |
| "Cures insomnia" |
"Supports restful sleep" |
| "Relieves pain" |
"For comfort and relaxation" |
| "Heals wounds" |
"First aid supplies" |
| "Anti-aging serum" |
"Skincare for mature skin" |
Supplement Products
| Instead of |
Use |
| "Burns fat fast" |
"Supports active lifestyle" |
| "Builds muscle" |
"Workout nutrition" |
| "Boosts immunity" |
"Supports overall wellness" |
| "Cures deficiency" |
"Dietary supplement" |
Beauty Products
| Instead of |
Use |
| "Removes wrinkles" |
"Smooths appearance of fine lines" |
| "Eliminates dark spots" |
"Brightening formula" |
| "Whitens skin" |
"Radiance-enhancing" |
| "Permanent results" |
"With continued use" |
Detection and Prevention
How TikTok Detects Keywords
- Exact matching — Direct keyword lookups
- Fuzzy matching — Catches misspellings ("w3ight l0ss")
- Synonym detection — Catches alternatives
- Context analysis — Evaluates surrounding text
- Pattern recognition — Identifies circumvention attempts
What Doesn't Work
| Evasion Technique |
Detection Status |
| Misspellings |
❌ Detected |
| Special characters (cu®e) |
❌ Detected |
| Spaces (c u r e) |
❌ Detected |
| Emojis replacing letters |
❌ Detected |
| Different languages |
❌ Detected |
| Code words |
⚠️ Often detected |
What Does Work
| Strategy |
Effectiveness |
| Use genuinely safe alternatives |
✅ Effective |
| Focus on product features, not outcomes |
✅ Effective |
| Describe use cases, not medical benefits |
✅ Effective |
| Let customers infer benefits |
✅ Effective |
Scanning Your Listings
Manual Review Process
- Copy your listing text
- Check against prohibited keyword lists
- Review images for embedded text
- Check video audio transcripts
- Replace any flagged terms
Automated Scanning
| Tool Type |
Coverage |
Speed |
| Manual review |
Varies |
Slow |
| Word processor search |
Basic |
Medium |
| Dedicated compliance tool |
Comprehensive |
Fast |
Key Takeaways
- Scans are everywhere — Title, description, images, video
- Context matters — Some terms only flagged in certain contexts
- Evasion doesn't work — TikTok catches creative spellings
- Alternatives exist — Almost every banned phrase has safe rewording
- Prevention beats correction — Scan before listing
- Points accumulate — Each keyword violation adds to your total
Related Resources
Scan for Prohibited Keywords with ShopGuard
Don't guess which keywords are safe. ShopGuard scans your listings for:
- 500+ prohibited keywords — Comprehensive detection
- Image text scanning — OCR for embedded text
- Context analysis — Understands keyword usage
- Safe alternatives — Suggestions for rewording
Scan your listings now →