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On this week’s Research Assistant Peer Group call, we tackled a surprisingly tricky topic: what words should automatically trigger an opt-out when a consumer replies to a text.
The discussion centered around the list of revocation terms outlined by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in FCC- 24-24A1. Most of the words on the list—like stop, quit, revoke, and opt out are obvious and easy to handle. But one word in particular caused quite a stir: end.
Words such as “stop,” “quit,” “revoke,” “opt out” are all obvious, and even “end” if sent by itself as a response to a text with an opt-out is understandable. The challenge, though, lies in automation. Manually tracking opt-outs isn’t scalable, especially as messaging volumes grow. But automating the process brings its own set of issues, particularly when words like “end” show up in everyday conversations that have nothing to do with opting out.
Some peer group members tried to audit their systems to see how often these trigger words appear. They found end used in a wide range of non-revocation contexts, like “I’m all good on my end” or “When will my payment plan end?” You can imagine how confusing it would be for an automated system to interpret these as revocation requests.
When we asked the group what they’re currently doing about this, responses were split. Some members, erring on the side of caution, do treat end as an opt-out word and automatically suppress future messages. Others feel their opt-out volume isn’t high enough to warrant the risk of misinterpretation. A few still rely on human review of all inbound texts, though even they admit that won’t be sustainable for long.
One idea that came up (and that a few members have already implemented) is to send a confirmation message when a questionable opt-out word is received. For example:
“We received the word ‘end’ and have opted you out of future text messages to this number. If this was a mistake and you wish to continue receiving messages, please contact us at…”
This type of response aligns with Regulation F, which allows a confirmation message acknowledging the opt-out. It also provides a path to opt back in, reducing the risk of miscommunication.
As more agencies adopt digital communication strategies, this is a space that deserves continuous auditing, risk assessment, and monitoring. The FCC’s guidance is evolving, and so should our practices.
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