Meta ad rejected · Discriminatory Practices
Why was my Meta ad rejected for discriminatory practices?
This rejection means Meta thinks your ad, or the way it is targeted, excludes or favours people based on attributes such as race, religion, age, sex, family status or disability. Rewrite the ad to describe the offer and its real requirements, remove discriminatory audience exclusions, use a Special Ad Category where required, then resubmit or request another review.
What usually triggers it
- Copy that turns people away, or says who is preferred, based on a personal attribute such as family status, age, sex, religion or disability.“Flat to rent. No families with children.”
- Job ads that ask for an age range or a particular sex instead of the skills needed.“Hiring energetic team members under 30.”
- Using audience selection to wrongfully target or exclude specific groups of people.
- Housing, employment, or financial products and services ads that reach the US, Canada or certain parts of Europe without the matching Special Ad Category.
- Not certifying compliance with Meta's non-discrimination policy when Meta asks you to.
- Content that attacks people on the basis of protected characteristics, which Meta's Hateful Conduct policy also prohibits.
How to fix the ad
- Describe the offer and its genuine requirements, such as rent, location, start date or skills, and leave out who you would prefer.
- For housing, jobs and financial products, make sure the opportunity reads as open to everyone. Meta says these offers must be inclusive and extended to all groups.
- Review the audience in Meta Ads Manager and remove exclusions that shut out groups based on personal attributes.
- If the ad is about financial products and services, housing or employment and reaches the US, Canada or certain parts of Europe, select the Special Ad Category and use only the targeting options it allows.
- If Meta asks you to certify compliance with its non-discrimination policy, do so. Ads may be rejected until you do.
- Check local anti-discrimination law for your sector. Meta's own guidance says it is not a substitute for legal advice.
Risky wording, and safer wording
Illustrative examples to show the difference. Always check the full ad, image and landing page too.
| Risky | Safer |
|---|---|
| Room to rent, ideal for a young professional. | Room to rent near the station, £650 a month, bills included. |
| Two-bed flat. No families with children. | Two-bed flat available from March. Viewings this weekend. |
| Hiring energetic recent graduates under 30. | Hiring a sales assistant. Full training given. Apply by 30 November. |
| Mortgage advice for men starting out. | Mortgage advice for first-time buyers. (Ads from US advertisers, or reaching the US, Canada or certain parts of Europe, also need the Financial products and services Special Ad Category.) |
If your ad is already rejected
- Open the rejection email or Meta Business Support Home and read the reason. Check whether Meta is asking you to certify compliance with its non-discrimination policy, and certify it there if so.
- Edit the ad in Meta Ads Manager to fix the wording, the audience or the ad category. An edited ad is automatically sent for review again. Avoid deleting it if you might want a review, because Meta says a deleted ad may lose the option to request one.
- If you believe the ad did not break the policy, request another review in Business Support Home: select the account, select the ad, click Request review, then Submit. Meta aims to decide within 48 hours, and if the ad is rejected again you cannot request another review for it.
- Do not move the same offer into a different campaign type or account to avoid the Special Ad Category. Editing or deleting a rejected ad does not remove the violation, and repeated violations can get the account restricted.
- Keep records: a screenshot of the rejected ad and audience, the reason Meta gave, the date and what you changed.
Check your next ad before you upload it
Paste the copy and add the image or video. The free checker scores the rejection risk, points to the exact words at fault and the Meta policy behind each one, and suggests a safer version. It estimates risk; it isn't a decision from Meta.
Likely to be rejected. Fix the flagged lines before you upload.
This supplement ad combines a personal-attribute callout, a specific weight-loss result, guaranteed results, clickbait and a URL shortener, so it is very likely to be rejected.
Are you struggling with belly fat? Our gummies helped Maria lose 12 kg in 3 weeks!!! See the before and after pics. Doctors hate this one trick.
GUARANTEED RESULTS
https://bit.ly/slim-offer
6 issues found · tap a highlight to jump to it
“Are you struggling with belly fat?” · primary text
The ad asserts a personal characteristic about the viewer by addressing them directly about a body condition.
Fix: Our gummies are designed to support a healthy metabolism.
“helped Maria lose 12 kg in 3 weeks!!!” · primary text
A specific weight-loss amount within a short timeframe is an exaggerated, unrealistic result, and supplement ads must target 18+.
Fix: Remove the specific result; use a general statement such as 'Part of a balanced routine for healthy weight management.'
“GUARANTEED RESULTS” · headline
Guaranteed results are a prohibited claim for health and weight-loss products.
Fix: Use 'Start your wellness routine today' or remove the claim entirely.
“Doctors hate this one trick.” · primary text
This is classic clickbait, and the triple exclamation marks add to the sensational tone.
Fix: Replace with 'Learn how our gummies fit into a healthy routine.'
“See the before and after pics.” · primary text
Before-and-after comparisons for weight loss are high risk and draw rejection.
Fix: Remove the before-and-after reference and focus on the product's ingredients.
“https://bit.ly/slim-offer” · landing page
URL shorteners hide the true destination and are high risk, and can lead to account-level enforcement.
Fix: Use the full, direct landing page URL on the brand's own domain.
Safer version
Are you struggling with belly fat? Our gummies helped Maria lose 12 kg in 3 weeks!!! See the before and after pics. Doctors hate this one trick.
GUARANTEED RESULTS
Meet our gummies, designed to support a healthy metabolism. Easy to add to your day and made to fit into a balanced routine for healthy weight management. Learn how they fit into a healthy routine.
Start your wellness routine today
Also change: Link: replace the bit.ly shortener with the full, direct URL on your own brand domain, and make sure the landing page has no before-and-after photos, guaranteed-result claims or specific weight-loss numbers. Creative: remove any before-and-after images and any overlay text about kilos lost. Show the product or lifestyle shots instead, with overlay text like "Support your healthy routine". Set ad targeting to 18+.
Questions
Is this the same as a Personal Attributes rejection?
No. Personal Attributes is about an ad implying something personal about the viewer. Discriminatory Practices is about an ad, or its targeting, excluding or favouring groups of people based on attributes like race, age, sex or family status.
Why did Meta ask me to certify compliance?
Meta may periodically ask advertisers to review and certify its non-discrimination policy. If you don't, your ads may be rejected; you can certify when you receive the rejection notification.
Does this only apply to US advertisers?
No. The ban on discriminatory content and targeting applies to all ads. The Special Ad Category requirement covers housing, employment and financial products and services ads run by US advertisers or targeting the US, Canada or certain parts of Europe.
Can I still choose who sees my ads?
Yes, but you must not use audience tools to wrongfully target or exclude groups based on personal attributes. Special Ad Category campaigns can only use the targeting options Meta approves for them.
Can a discriminatory practices rejection get my ad account restricted?
One rejection is not a ban, but Meta can restrict ad accounts, Pages and businesses for severe or repeated violations. Editing or deleting the ad does not remove the violation.
Meta's official pages
- Discriminatory Practices (Meta Transparency Center)
- About Meta's advertising policy on discriminatory practices (Meta Business Help Center)
- Introduction to the Advertising Standards (Meta Transparency Center)
- How to troubleshoot a rejected ad (Meta Business Help Center)
Ad Account Shield is an independent tool. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by Meta.
Related guides
- Special Ad CategoriesFinancial products and services, employment, housing, and social issues or politics: when you must declare the category and how.
- Personal AttributesWhy “you” copy about a viewer’s health, age, finances or identity gets Meta ads rejected, and how to rewrite it.
- Misleading claimsPricing, endorsements or promises in the ad could mislead people for money.