Understanding Meta's advertising policies is essential for running successful campaigns without disruption. In 2026, Meta has significantly tightened AI enforcement, moving from reactive content moderation to proactive risk assessment. Accounts are now disabled not just for obvious policy violations, but for operational behaviors that AI flags as high-risk.
This guide covers Meta's current policy landscape, the most common violations causing ad rejections, restricted content categories, and exactly how to appeal when things go wrong.
Meta's advertising policies govern what you can and cannot promote across Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and the Audience Network. These policies exist to protect users from harmful content while maintaining advertiser trust in the platform.
Prohibited Content: Never allowed under any circumstances—includes illegal products, discrimination, weapons, and adult content.
Restricted Content: Allowed with additional requirements—includes alcohol, gambling, financial services, and health products. These require special authorization or targeting restrictions.
Advertising Standards: Rules about how ads must be presented—no misleading claims, no fake functionality, and accurate representations of products and services.
Meta's AI now monitors far more than ad content. The system evaluates:
This means advertisers can face restrictions without changing any content—simply logging in from a new device or scaling budget too aggressively can trigger AI intervention.
Most ad rejections fall into predictable categories. Understanding these helps you avoid problems before they happen.
According to industry experts tracking Facebook ad rejections, these items are never allowed:
| Prohibited Category | Examples |
|---|---|
| Illegal products/services | Unlicensed drugs, counterfeit goods |
| Tobacco and vaping | E-cigarettes, vape products, tobacco accessories |
| Weapons | Firearms, ammunition, explosives |
| Discriminatory practices | Targeting or excluding based on protected characteristics |
| Adult content | Sexual products or services, nudity |
| Misleading claims | Fake news, unverified health claims |
One of the most frequently violated policies. Ads cannot state or imply personal attributes about race, ethnicity, religion, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, health conditions, or financial status.
Violation example: "Are you in your 70s and need mobility help?" Compliant alternative: "Mobility solutions for comfortable living."
Ads cannot feature fake functionality. This includes:
Making promises your product can't deliver leads to immediate rejection. Common issues include:
Example: A collagen brand was disabled for the phrase "Helps improve skin in just 7 days"—AI classified this as an unverified medical claim despite the brand having FDA certification.
Beyond content, Meta now penalizes operational behaviors:
These categories can be advertised but require additional compliance steps or targeting restrictions.
2026 brought stricter gambling advertising rules. Meta now maintains a blacklist of prohibited countries, and advertisers bear full responsibility for local law compliance. Requirements include:
Strict requirements apply to ads promoting:
Finance and investment categories see 78% of accounts face restrictions according to agency data, making this one of the highest-risk sectors.
Health-related ads face intense scrutiny. To stay compliant:
Supplements see 64% of accounts reviewed at least once in Q1 2026—a 41% increase from the previous quarter.
Require prior approval and must:
Ads about elections, social issues, or political figures require:
When ads are rejected or accounts are restricted, you have options—but success depends on following the right approach.
Start in Account Quality within Ads Manager. This dashboard shows:
Before appealing, identify exactly what triggered the rejection. Common categories include:
According to Facebook ad recovery specialists, effective appeals should:
Do not:
Appeals typically take 7-10 business days. During this time:
If your appeal is denied:
For account-level restrictions, you may need to:
Given Meta's AI enforcement strictness in 2026, focus on prevention:
Meta's AI may flag ads based on operational patterns rather than specific content. Aggressive budget scaling, new device logins, or associations with previously restricted accounts can trigger rejections. Check Account Quality for specific violations, and consider your recent account activity beyond just ad content.
Most appeals are reviewed within 7-10 business days. Complex cases involving account-level restrictions may take longer. Avoid submitting multiple appeals or making account changes during this period.
Yes, but with restrictions. Avoid making specific health claims, don't promise disease treatment or prevention, and ensure products comply with local regulations. Supplements face increased scrutiny in 2026, with over 64% of accounts in this category undergoing review.
Struggling with Meta ad policy compliance? Get compliant ad help from our team of Meta advertising specialists who navigate policy requirements daily.
By submitting this form, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions.
