The Code of Conduct contains five straightforward requirements for message senders:
1. Only companies in good standing may engage in high-throughput traffic. To protect the integrity of text messaging networks and services, including the business operations of legitimate service providers, message senders of high-throughput text messaging must pass a basic validation during onboarding with the service provider and maintain good standing.
2. The consumer must give appropriate consent for the given message type.
3. Consumer opt-in and opt-out must work correctly. Consumer opt-in and opt-out functionality is enforced at the network level via the STOP and UNSTOP keywords. This functionality cannot be disabled for service providers or message senders. Message senders have additional obligations for processing of opt-out messages that must be honored.
4. Phishing, spam, and unwanted illicit content is prohibited. Message content that deceives or threatens consumers, including phishing, is not permitted. Even if a consumer consents to receive messages, the messages must not be deceptive; TCPA compliance alone does not satisfy this condition.
5. Creative methods to evade these requirements is prohibited. The spirit of these requirements is straightforward; to protect both consumers and networks. Message senders acting in bad faith to thwart or undermine the spirit of these requirements are addressed on a case-by-case basis.