Legal
Acceptable Use Policy
Last updated: August 25, 2026
This policy is enforced. Every message is screened by automated content moderation before sending. Messages that violate this policy are blocked. Repeat violations result in account suspension.
1. The Short Version
Use ZestyText to send useful, friendly, opted-in event updates. Don't use it to harass, threaten, scam, or send anything that would embarrass you in court.
What's encouraged: wedding updates, birthday party invites, rent reminders, service announcements, school closures, religious community notices, fitness class changes, salon appointment confirmations, HOA notices, and similar event-based communications to people who signed up.
2. Strictly Prohibited Content
You may not use ZestyText to send messages that contain or promote:
- Threats, harassment, intimidation, or stalking — including direct or implied
- Sexual or sexually explicit content — including suggestive content, dating/escort solicitation, or anything sexual involving minors (this is reported immediately to authorities)
- Hate speech, discrimination, or slurs — based on race, religion, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or any protected characteristic
- Violence or incitement to violence
- Scams, phishing, or fraud — including fake prizes, fake account alerts, or impersonation of banks/government/family
- Illegal activity — including drug sales, weapons trafficking, human trafficking, or anything else prohibited by US law
- Cannabis, CBD, kratom, or controlled substances — even if legal in some jurisdictions, these are restricted by carrier rules
- Alcohol promotion — only allowed for licensed businesses with proof of license
- Tobacco, vaping, or e-cigarette promotion
- Firearms, explosives, or fireworks promotion
- Gambling or sports betting — including lottery and sweepstakes solicitation
- Payday loans, debt forgiveness, debt collection, or "no credit check" financial offers
- Cryptocurrency promotion or solicitation
- Multi-level marketing or pyramid schemes
- Pornography, adult services, or escort services
- Prescription drug promotion — except by licensed pharmacies for legitimate appointment reminders
- Misleading content — including false urgency, fake winnings, or false identification
- Impersonation — pretending to be another person, brand, business, or government entity
- Political solicitation — fundraising, voter pressure, or partisan campaigning is restricted under our current carrier registration
- Religious solicitation directed at non-consenting recipients — religious communities sending updates to their own opted-in members is allowed
- Anything that would cause our SMS provider to suspend our account
3. SHAFT Categories
Carriers (the phone networks that deliver our messages) prohibit "SHAFT" content: Sex, Hate, Alcohol, Firearms, and Tobacco. ZestyText complies with these rules and blocks SHAFT content automatically. Even if you create an event for a legitimate purpose, you may not include SHAFT content in messages.
4. Subscriber Misuse
Sharing your sign-up link and QR code widely is exactly how ZestyText is meant to work. Put it on a flyer, a noticeboard, a receipt, a wedding website, or a card at your front desk. Anyone who chooses to scan it and enter their number has given their consent, and that is the whole point.
What you may not do is get people onto your list without them meaning to join it, or use the list for something other than what they signed up for. That includes:
- Coercing, pressuring, or tricking someone into signing up
- Describing your event as one thing at sign-up and then sending something unrelated
- Entering somebody else's phone number on their behalf
- Offering something in exchange for signing up that you do not intend to provide
In short: share the link as widely as you like, but every number on your list must have been typed in by the person it belongs to, who understood what they were joining.
5. Enforcement
Every message is automatically screened before payment is taken. Blocked messages do not result in any charge. We log all blocked attempts.
We may also:
- Suspend a specific event for violations
- Suspend or terminate an account for repeated or severe violations
- Permanently block specific phone numbers from receiving any ZestyText message
- Report illegal content to law enforcement (especially content involving minors)
- Cooperate with carrier or regulatory investigations
6. Reporting Abuse
If you received a ZestyText message that violates this policy, please email abuse@zestytext.com with the message details. We investigate all reports and take action against violators.
7. Contact
Questions about acceptable use? Email support@zestytext.com.