SMS Opt-Out Compliance

Solidarity Tech provides two layers of SMS opt-out compliance: automatic opt-out detection for inbound messages and opt-out language enforcement for outbound messages.

Opt-Out Language Enforcement (Outbound)

Organizations can require opt-out instructions in text blasts and textbank initial messages. A text blast or an 'Anyone' textbank without them cannot send.

Enabling the Setting

This feature is off by default and must be explicitly enabled by an administrator at the root organization level.

1. Go to Settings → Chapter Structure
2. Click on your root organization
3. Scroll to the SMS Opt-Out Compliance section
4. Check "Require opt-out language in text blasts and text banks"
5. Click Save Organization Details

Once enabled, this applies to all text blasts and textbank initial messages across the entire organization, including all chapters.

How It Works

When the setting is enabled, the text editor shows an Includes opt-out language item in its analysis panel. The system checks whether your message contains the required combination of opt-out keywords. Specifically, an English message must include:

1. At least one action keyword: STOP, END, QUIT, UNSUBSCRIBE, or CANCEL
2. AND at least one outcome keyword or phrase: END, QUIT, UNSUBSCRIBE, CANCEL, OPT OUT, or OPT-OUT

Words like UNSUBSCRIBE, END, QUIT, and CANCEL satisfy both requirements on their own, since they appear in both groups.

Common compliant formats include:

• "Reply STOP to opt out"
• "Text STOP to unsubscribe"
• "STOP = end"
• "Reply QUIT to opt-out"
• "Reply CANCEL to end"
• "Text UNSUBSCRIBE"

Formats that are not sufficient on their own:

• "Reply STOP" (missing an outcome keyword like "opt out", "end", or "unsubscribe")
• "STOP = no more" (missing an outcome keyword)

If the message does not contain the required keywords, the system will:

1. Show a warning in the analysis panel while composing
2. Display a "Missing Opt-Out Language" error on the blast summary page
3. Disable the Schedule and Send Now buttons until the content is corrected

For multilingual messages, each language version is validated independently. Spanish messages can use Spanish opt-out keywords such as cancelar, baja, parar, or detener.

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Automatic Opt-Out Detection (Inbound)

Beyond the carrier-level keywords, Solidarity Tech includes an expanded automatic opt-out detection system. When someone replies to your chapter's phone number with a clear opt-out message, the system automatically turns off their SMS Blast and SMS P2P permissions. This applies to every chapter that uses that phone number.

Carrier-Level Keywords

These keywords are enforced by our texting provider. When someone texts one of these as their entire message, the provider automatically sends a confirmation response and blocks future messages to that number. The message also reaches Solidarity Tech, where internal SMS permissions are revoked:

These are case insensitive. "stop", "Stop", and "STOP" all work.

Common Opt-Out Phrases

Solidarity Tech also recognizes some other opt-out keywords, common misspellings, and messages that clearly ask to be removed. Examples include:

• "Stop texting me"
• "Remove me from your list"
• "Don't text me"

If the system is not confident that a message is a clear opt-out request, it passes the message to the Text Inbox for a team member to review and handle manually.

What Happens When an Opt-Out Is Detected

When the system detects an opt-out, the following occurs:

1. SMS Blast and SMS P2P permissions turn off for every chapter that uses the texted phone number. Chapters with other numbers keep their permissions. Call permission does not change.
2. An activity is logged on their profile for each of those chapters that they belong to
3. The message is visible in the Text Inbox for reference

Solidarity Tech sends no reply of its own. For opt-outs that are not carrier keywords, no automatic confirmation is sent, but the permissions are still revoked internally.

To re-enable permissions, the person can text START or UNSTOP at any time.

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Best Practices

1. Enable opt-out language enforcement if your organization sends initial outreach via text blasts or textbanks.
2. Include opt-out language in the first message of any new text conversation.
3. Do not manually re-enable permissions for someone who opted out. If they want to resubscribe, they can text START.
4. Monitor your Text Inbox for messages that may be opt-out requests but were not automatically detected. When in doubt, respect the person's wishes and manually revoke permissions.

For more details on how permissions work at the global and chapter level, see Communication Permissions.