If you run an ecommerce store and use AI to generate product content, there's a compliance issue that's easy to overlook: some words and phrases are legally restricted depending on the product you sell and where you sell it. Using them, even by accident, can lead to regulatory penalties, platform violations, and search ranking problems that are frustrating to untangle after the fact.

The good news is that WriteText.ai can be configured to avoid restricted language from the start, so compliance is embedded in the content process rather than something you check for after the fact.

Why this matters beyond legal risk

Restricted words are usually framed as a legal issue — and they are — but the practical consequences reach further than that.

Search rankings. Product descriptions containing restricted terms, such as unsubstantiated health claims, vague environmental language, and unsupported superlatives, can be demoted in organic search or have their Google Shopping listings disapproved. This is one of the more common reasons product feeds get flagged.
Platform listing visibility. Some platforms scan listings for restricted keywords. Content containing prohibited terms can be removed from search results, flagged for review, or delisted with little notice. Resolving these issues after the fact takes time and usually requires rewriting content that should have been correct from the beginning.
Domain reputation over time. At scale, regulatory enforcement actions and consumer protection complaints can damage the trust signals associated with your domain — a slower effect, but a real one for stores operating across multiple markets.

Why the rules differ by country

Ecommerce is global, but consumer protection law is still very much local. Each country sets its own standards, and the differences between them can catch sellers off guard — particularly when content is being generated automatically and published across a large product catalogue.Here's a brief overview of the main frameworks:

EU: The Unfair Commercial Practices Directive prohibits false, deceptive, or unverifiable claims across all product types. The EU's Greenwashing Directive adds a further layer, restricting vague environmental terms — "eco-friendly," "natural," "biodegradable" — unless backed by verified evidence.
UK: The ASA CAP Code requires all marketing claims, including ecommerce product descriptions, to be truthful and substantiated. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) now has direct powers to investigate and fine businesses without going through the courts.
US: The FTC's Health Products Compliance Guidance restricts unsubstantiated health and performance claims. False urgency, misleading pricing, and unverified origin claims are also covered.

It's also worth knowing that within the EU, individual member states can layer on additional restrictions. Some member states apply stricter scrutiny to certain claims than the EU baseline requires, which means being broadly EU-compliant doesn't automatically mean you're covered in every member state.

Where to configure word exclusions in WriteText.ai

The right place to prevent specific words or phrases from appearing in your AI-generated content is the Overall Instructions field in your template.

*Note: This is not the negative keywords list. Negative keywords filter out terms from your keyword optimization pipeline — they do not act as a content filter and will not stop a word from appearing in your generated copy. Overall instructions are standing directives that apply to every piece of content generated using that template.

Overall instructions are set at the top of each template in the Templates section of your platform.writetext.ai account. Any instruction you add there applies to every product or category page generated using that template.

How to write a word exclusion instruction

Keep instructions affirmative and specific. Rather than saying what not to do in vague terms, state a clear rule the AI can follow. The example below is copy-pasteable and can be adapted to your needs.

Sample instruction:

*Never use the following words or phrases in any generated content: [term 1], [term 2], [term 3]. Do not use synonyms or close variations of these terms either.

For broader restrictions, you can describe the type of language to avoid rather than listing individual words:

*Do not use language that implies medical claims, such as "cures," "treats," "clinically proven," or "medically approved."

You can add up to 20,000 characters in the custom instructions field. If you need more than that, create multiple templates — for instance, one per product category — so each has its own tailored restriction list.

Building your restricted words list

The setup in WriteText.ai is only as good as the list you put into it. Here's a practical process for building one:

Start with your markets. List every country you sell into. That determines which regulatory frameworks are relevant.
Factor in your product category. Health, food, cosmetics, and products making environmental claims carry more specific restrictions than general merchandise. Know where your products sit.
Use primary sources. Go to official regulatory references rather than secondhand summaries. The EU unfair commercial practices guidance, the ASA CAP Code, the FTC marketing guidelines, and the relevant national consumer authority for each of your markets are the most reliable starting points. For high-risk categories, it's worth getting a regulatory professional involved.
Add platform policies. Pull the restricted keyword lists from Google Merchant Center and any marketplaces you sell through. These affect page ranking and listing visibility directly and are just as important as the legal restrictions.
Organize by claim type. Group your terms into categories — health claims, environmental claims, origin claims, performance claims, platform-specific terms. This makes the list easier to maintain and update over time.
Enter everything into WriteText.ai's Overall Instructions with a clear directive not to use any of these terms.
Review it regularly. EU green claims regulation is still evolving, and platform policies update periodically. A quarterly review is a reasonable cadence for most stores.

Common scenarios and what to include

Regulated or restricted terminology — Health, wellness, supplements, and medical device categories have strict rules around terms like "cures," "treats," or "clinically proven."
Age-restricted categories — Alcohol, tobacco, and similar categories may require avoiding language implying suitability for minors or making unsubstantiated claims.
Competitor brand names — An instruction in your template ensures competitor names won't appear in copy even if they weren't caught at the keyword level.
Brand voice restrictions — A premium brand may want to avoid words like "cheap," "budget," or "affordable." A professional services brand might restrict casual language.
Overused filler phrases — Terms like "best in class," "cutting edge," or "state of the art" can dilute content quality. A standing instruction keeps output sharper across the board.
Discontinued products or retired brand names — Prevent these from surfacing through contextual association in new content.
Regionally sensitive language — For stores operating across multiple markets, some terms that are neutral in one region carry unintended connotations in another.

Using word exclusions alongside negative keywords

These two features solve different problems and work best together.

Use negative keywords to keep your keyword pipeline clean — if a term would attract irrelevant traffic or undermine your ranking strategy, exclude it at the keyword level. As a bonus, if a restricted term happens to have search volume, excluding it from your keyword pipeline also means WriteText.ai won't surface it as a recommended target, keeping your SEO strategy clean.

Use overall instructions to set content boundaries — if a term must never appear in your published copy, add it as a standing instruction in your template.

For more on what negative keywords do and don't control, see What are negative keywords in WriteText.ai?

What to expect once this is set up

When WriteText.ai is working within a well-defined restricted words list, the content it produces tends to be more specific and accurate by default. Rather than reaching for "eco-friendly," it describes what the product is actually made from. Rather than "clinically proven," it references the relevant ingredient or certification. Rather than "best in class," it describes what the product actually does.

That specificity isn't just safer from a compliance standpoint — it tends to make for better content overall. It's more useful to the reader, more credible to search engines, and less likely to trigger a review on any platform you sell through.

If WriteText.ai occasionally produces a restricted term despite your instructions, revisit the wording of your custom prompt. Being more explicit — "never use the word 'natural' in any context" rather than simply listing it — usually tightens the output.

Disclaimers

General information disclaimer

This guide is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. It is not intended to create an attorney-client relationship, nor should it be relied upon as a substitute for professional legal counsel tailored to your specific circumstances. The information contained herein may not reflect the most current legal developments, may not apply to your particular situation, and may contain errors or omissions. You should consult a qualified attorney or other appropriate licensed professional in your jurisdiction before taking or refraining from any action based on this guide.

AI-generated content disclaimer

AI systems, including generative language models, are probabilistic in nature and may produce outputs that deviate from instructions — including language that could be interpreted as non-compliant, restricted, or legally problematic — even when provided with clear and detailed guidance. All content generated or suggested by AI must be treated as a draft only. It remains the sole and exclusive responsibility of the user, publisher, or brand owner to perform a human review before any publication, distribution, or commercial use. This review should include verification of factual accuracy, compliance with all applicable laws and platform policies, alignment with brand voice and legal positioning, and elimination of any potentially misleading or risky language. No party should rely on AI-generated content without independent human validation by qualified personnel. By using any AI-generated output, you acknowledge and accept the limitations and risks described above.

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How do I exclude certain words from generated content?