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How To Avoid Promoting Prohibited Products

Captured: TikTok page date: Hash: 78881a8fb057

Creator TL;DR

AI-generated from the captured TikTok policy text. Verify against the TikTok source before acting.

Creators must not promote prohibited products in TikTok Shop content. The page says to avoid violations by checking TikTok Shop’s Prohibited Products Policy, reviewing notifications, and making sure no prohibited items appear in videos, images, or LIVEs.

Key points

  • Do not promote prohibited products in TikTok Shop content.
  • Prohibited items cannot appear in still images, videos, or LIVEs.
  • Review the Prohibited Products Policy before posting or going live.
  • Check creator notifications in the TikTok app for new requirements.
  • Keep high-risk regulated goods out of content, even if you are not selling them.

Say / show

  • Use TikTok Shop’s Prohibited Products Policy to verify what is prohibited.
  • Review content carefully before posting or going live.
  • Promote only safe, compliant products.
  • Check creator notifications regularly.

Do not say / show

  • Promote prohibited products in content.
  • Show or use drugs, drug paraphernalia, tobacco, nicotine products, or smoking-related tools/accessories in videos or LIVEs.
  • Use slang for drug use.
  • Show smoke or vapor linked to a person on screen.
  • Use misleading weight management claims or before-and-after photos.
  • Include prohibited products in still images, videos, or LIVEs.

Violation risks

  • Content can be actioned even when the creator is not selling the product.
  • Showing the product or someone using it can trigger enforcement.
  • Encouraging or praising use can trigger enforcement.
  • Slang, on-screen behavior, or visible smoke/vapor linked to a person can trigger enforcement.
  • Drugs and drug paraphernalia carry the most serious penalties.
  • Tobacco, nicotine, and smoking-related products can trigger penalties when they are the main focus or take up most of the video or LIVE.

Who it affects

  • Creators
  • Sellers
  • TikTok Shop content creators posting still images, videos, or LIVEs

Source notes

  • This summary is based only on the provided TikTok source text; verify the current TikTok Shop Prohibited Products Policy before acting.
  • The source says to check back regularly for new prohibited products and review creator notifications in the TikTok app.

Confidence: high · Model: gpt-5.4-mini · Prompt: creator-policy-summary-v1

Readable Policy Copy

Captured policy content rendered without TikTok navigation, scripts, tracking markup, or page chrome. Source: article-html.

Key Points:

Prohibited Products on TikTok Shop

TikTok Shop is all about creating a safe and positive shopping experience. To achieve this, we prohibit specific products on our platform because they are illegal or unsafe for our customers.
Sellers are not allowed to sell these prohibited products on TikTok Shop, and creators are not allowed to promote them in their content, including still images, videos, and LIVEs.

Examples of Prohibited Product

You can find a complete list of prohibited products in TikTok Shop's Prohibited Products Policy. Here are some examples that may result in content violations:

Drugs, tobacco, and smoking-related products in your content

TikTok Shop treats high-risk regulated goods as two separate groups:
  • Drugs and drug paraphernalia. This includes cannabis, THC, and products infused with CBD, along with the tools and accessories used with them.
  • Tobacco, nicotine products, and smoking-related tools and accessories. This includes vapes, e-cigarettes, cigars, and similar items.
You must not show, use, or promote these products in your videos or LIVEs. Enforcement can apply even when you are not selling the product. Your content can be actioned when it does any of the following:
  • Shows the product or a person using it.
  • Promotes the product, such as encouraging or praising its use.
  • Suggests use through slang, on-screen behavior, or visible smoke or vapor that is linked to a person on screen.
Drugs and drug paraphernalia carry the most serious penalties. Tobacco, nicotine, and smoking-related products also lead to penalties when the product is the main focus of your content, when it appears for more than half of your video or LIVE, or when the person holding it fills more than half of the screen.

Best Practices

Creators can take proactive steps to ensure they are not promoting prohibited products in their content. Here are some best practices:
  • Promote high-quality, safe products that are in line with our listing policies.
  • Review your creator notifications on the TikTok app.
    • We'll alert you when there are new requirements for prohibited content.
  • Double-check your content.
    • Make sure there are no prohibited products being promoted in your content before you post or go live.
  • Keep drugs, drug paraphernalia, tobacco, nicotine products, and smoking-related tools out of your videos and LIVEs, even when you are not selling them.
    • Do not use slang for drug use, and do not show smoke or vapor that is linked to a person on screen.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How do I know if the product I'm promoting is prohibited?Creators are responsible for ensuring their content complies with the TikTok Shop's Prohibited Products Policy. Get to know the list of prohibited products in the policy and check it regularly for updates!
What about restricted products? Can I promote them in my content?Sellers need to get approval from TikTok Shop before listing and selling restricted products on our platform. Creators should be aware that they can only promote restricted products in their content if the seller has submitted the appropriate documentation and gotten approval. You can find a complete list of restricted products in TikTok's Restricted Products Policy.
What happens if I promote a prohibited product?Creators who promote prohibited products in their content may receive violation points and have enforcement actions taken against them. These actions are described in the TikTok Shop Creator Performance Evaluation Policy. Enforcement actions may include: removal of e-commerce access, permanent account deactivation. However, creators can avoid prohibited product violations by reviewing the types of products that are not allowed on the platform.
When your content violates the high-risk regulated goods rules, TikTok Shop can remove your product links, show your content to fewer people, freeze your commissions, and lower your creator performance score. Drugs and drug paraphernalia lead to the most serious penalties, including a longer commission freeze. In a LIVE, your stream can also be stopped. You can appeal these actions, and you do not need to submit any supporting materials with your appeal.
Can I show tobacco, vapes, or drugs in my videos or LIVEs if I am not selling them?No. TikTok Shop governs high-risk regulated goods in Creator's content separately from what you sell. Your content can be actioned when you show, use, or promote these items or when you suggest their use, even when there is no selling and no product link involved. This applies to both videos and LIVEs.
Can I appeal violations for prohibited product promotion?Creators can appeal violations through Seller Center (the portal for managing your TikTok Shop) or the TikTok app by raising a ticket. TikTok Shop will investigate the appeal and make the necessary corrections if the violation was issued in error.

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