Before you text a review request, check the permission behind it.

This is general information, not legal advice. The TCPA does not treat every text the same way, and the answer can change based on whether a message is automated, promotional, informational, exempt, or covered by a state rule.

Use this guide to identify the questions your process should answer. For a real campaign, confirm the current federal and state requirements with qualified counsel and the messaging providers you use.

The TCPA generally requires prior express consent for robocalls and robotexts unless an exemption applies. Telemarketing or promotional messages can require prior express written consent. The classification of a post-service review request, and the consent standard that follows from it, depends on the facts and the technology used.

A practical risk-control step is to collect clear, documented permission that tells the customer what kinds of texts the business may send, including a post-service request if that is part of the plan. Do not treat possession of a phone number as automatic permission.

Keep the language separate and readable, avoid a pre-checked choice, and retain the date and wording the customer agreed to. Counsel can tell you whether that consent is sufficient for your specific messages and sending system.

For robocalls and robotexts that require consent, the FCC says a recipient may revoke that consent through a reasonable method. STOP and similar standard reply words are recognized methods, and the FCC's rule generally requires revocation requests to be honored within no more than ten business days.

One narrow part of the rule is currently delayed. As of July 2026, the FCC has postponed until January 31, 2027 the requirement that a revocation made in response to one type of informational message automatically apply to unrelated robocalls and robotexts from the same caller. That delay does not erase a clear opt-out from the review-message stream that received it.

The FCC also permits a one-time, non-marketing confirmation text in response to an opt-out. Keep the confirmation limited to acknowledging the request, and stop the affected messages after that.

Federal rules for telephone solicitations use an 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. local-time window, but whether a particular review request falls in that category depends on the facts. State laws, carrier rules, or the customer's consent may impose a different or stricter limit.

Use conservative daytime quiet hours and the recipient's local time. Asking soon after the completed service can also help the customer remember the experience, but timing alone does not determine legal compliance.

Identify the business clearly so the recipient can understand who sent the message. Supporting STOP and HELP also gives people an obvious way to revoke consent or ask for assistance.

Keep the message short, accurate, and connected to the real service relationship. Clear sender identification is good practice, but it does not replace whatever consent the law requires.

The TCPA permits private claims with statutory damages that can begin at $500 per violation and may be increased for willful or knowing violations. Whether a message violates the law, and what remedy applies, depends on the facts.

That is why consent records, revocation handling, and a review of the actual sending workflow matter. A checklist can reduce risk, but it is not a substitute for legal analysis.

small Talk identifies the business in its default message, includes STOP and HELP language, records opt-outs, and uses configured quiet hours for delivery. Those controls help with execution, but they do not decide whether the business had the consent required for a particular customer or message.

The business remains responsible for collecting and documenting permission. After the customer opens the request, small Talk asks short questions about the real experience, builds a draft from those answers, and lets the customer edit, copy, and decide whether to post the review themselves.