sboghossian Messaging — Compliance Checker
When this applies
Every piece of customer-facing copy — written by a human, drafted by an AI, or generated by a contractor or agency — must pass this compliance check before publication. "Customer-facing" includes:
- All digital advertising (search, display, social)
- Website copy (homepage, product pages, landing pages, pricing)
- Email campaigns (waitlist, onboarding, product, retention)
- In-app notifications, tooltips, and system messages
- Press releases and media statements
- Influencer briefs and sponsored content scripts
- Sales decks, product one-pagers, and partnership proposals
- Conference presentations and booth materials
This checker is blocking: any copy that fails a hard-rule check cannot ship until revised and re-reviewed.
Inputs
| Input | Description |
|---|---|
| Copy text | The full text, headline, CTA, and any disclaimers of the asset being reviewed |
| Surface / channel | Which surface the copy will appear on (homepage, Instagram ad, sales deck, press release, etc.) |
| Primary audience | Consumer (B2C), lawyer (B2B), or mixed |
| New claim flag | Whether any claim in the copy is being used for the first time (triggers bible signoff requirement) |
Review Methodology — Four-Pass Check
Pass 1 — Hard Rules
Check against [[messaging-hard-rule-bible-signoff-required]] and [[messaging-hard-rule-preapproved-press-quotes-only]].
| Rule | Check question |
|---|---|
| Bible signoff | Does the copy contain any claim not previously approved in the messaging bible? If yes → block until signoff obtained |
| Press quotes | Does the copy contain a quote from a third party (media, client, influencer)? If yes → verify pre-approval on file; if not on file → block |
Pass 2 — Banned Outcome Claims
Check against [[messaging-outcome-claims-banned]].
Scan for any of the following or their semantic equivalents:
- "Will win your case" or any case-outcome guarantee
- "Guaranteed to save money"
- "Replaces your lawyer" (in any form)
- Any specific dollar amount recovered or damages claimed
- Any outcome expressed as a certainty rather than a possibility
Action on fail: Flag exact phrase → require replacement with [[messaging-outcome-claims-allowed]] equivalent.
Pass 3 — Audience-Specific Banned Claims
If consumer audience: Check against [[messaging-banned-claims-consumer]]. If lawyer audience: Check against [[messaging-banned-claims-lawyer]]. If mixed: Apply both.
Scan for:
- UPL-triggering language (consumer surfaces)
- Displacement / commodification framing (lawyer surfaces)
- Consumer framing on professional surfaces
- Professional jargon on consumer surfaces (accessibility failure, not compliance failure)
Action on fail: Flag exact phrase → reference allowed alternative from the corresponding allowed-claims skill.
Pass 4 — Bridge Line Test
Is the overall copy consistent with the bridge line ("legal understanding accessible to everyone; legal work faster for professionals")?
Ask:
- Does it stay within the "understanding / accessibility / faster / professional primacy" frame?
- Does it imply replacement, disruption, or commodification of the legal profession?
- Does it make any claim the bridge line rules out?
Action on fail: Flag the conflicting claim → require rewrite to bring within bridge line territory.
Output Format
Return a structured compliance verdict for each piece of copy reviewed:
COMPLIANCE REVIEW — [Asset name / surface]
Audience: [Consumer / Lawyer / Mixed]
Reviewer: [Name / AI]
Date: [YYYY-MM-DD]
VERDICT: [PASS / FAIL / CONDITIONAL PASS]
---
PASS 1 — Hard Rules
[ ] Bible signoff: [PASS / BLOCK — reason]
[ ] Press quotes: [PASS / BLOCK — reason]
PASS 2 — Outcome Claims
[ ] Banned outcomes: [PASS / FLAG — quote the flagged phrase]
Required edit: [replacement suggestion]
PASS 3 — Audience Claims
[ ] Banned consumer claims: [PASS / FLAG — quote]
[ ] Banned lawyer claims: [PASS / FLAG — quote]
Required edit: [replacement suggestion]
PASS 4 — Bridge Line
[ ] Bridge line consistency: [PASS / FAIL — explain]
Required edit: [rewrite direction]
---
SUMMARY
Flagged items: [N]
Blocked items: [N]
Next step: [Revise and resubmit / Obtain signoff / Ready to publish]
A CONDITIONAL PASS means no hard blocks exist but minor revisions are recommended before publication.
Escalation
| Situation | Action |
|---|---|
| New claim type not in the bible | Block → refer to legal/brand for bible signoff per [[messaging-hard-rule-bible-signoff-required]] |
| Jurisdiction-specific claim (e.g., KSA bar advertising rules) | Block → refer to local bar compliance review |
| Influencer or partner copy using banned phrasing | Block → return to influencer for revision per [[messaging-surface-rule-influencer-brief]] |
| Crisis communication copy | Fast-track review — still apply all four passes but same-day turnaround |
| AI-generated copy | Same process; AI authorship does not reduce the compliance bar |
Automation
This checker is designed to run as an automated pre-publish gate in the content workflow. Implementation steps:
- Copywriter submits draft to the compliance system (CMS field, Slack workflow, or review tool)
- System runs the four-pass check against the current versions of the linked skills
- Output verdict is returned to copywriter with flagged items
- Blocked items cannot be scheduled for publication until re-checked and passed
- Conditional passes may be published after copywriter acknowledges recommendations
Related skills
- [[messaging-hard-rule-bible-signoff-required]]
- [[messaging-hard-rule-preapproved-press-quotes-only]]
- [[messaging-outcome-claims-banned]]
- [[messaging-outcome-claims-allowed]]
- [[messaging-banned-claims-consumer]]
- [[messaging-banned-claims-lawyer]]
- [[messaging-bridge-line]]