---
title: "What is the blacklist/whitelist rule?"
slug: "what-is-the-blacklist-whitelist-rule"
updated: 2026-10-01T12:14:34Z
published: 2026-10-01T12:14:34Z
canonical: "docs.scaleinsights.com/what-is-the-blacklist-whitelist-rule"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.scaleinsights.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# What is the blacklist/whitelist rule?

As we run ads, we often find irrelevant and poor-performing search terms.

For example, if we sell spatula, we do not want "**spatula toys**" to be triggered in our existing and future ads.

With the blacklist algorithm, you can create a list of irrelevant keywords and have the system automatically create them as negative exact/phrase keywords in assigned ad groups.

**Navigation:** Automation > Blacklist/Whitelist Rule

![blacklist-algo.png](https://cdn.document360.io/f0238742-849b-4f29-9812-9b4fe8e273b6/Images/Documentation/blacklist-algo.png)

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#### Steps to blacklist/whitelist keywords

**Step 1:** Go to Blacklist/Whitelist Rule.

**Step 2:** Click the **Blacklist/Whitelist Rules** tab and select the product to customize.

![](https://cdn.document360.io/f0238742-849b-4f29-9812-9b4fe8e273b6/Images/Documentation/Blk-wht%20fin.png)

**Step 3:** Add keywords to the lists. ![](https://cdn.document360.io/f0238742-849b-4f29-9812-9b4fe8e273b6/Images/Documentation/blk-white%202nd%20f.png)

**Step 4:** Select your ads and enable the Blacklist/Whitelist Rule

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#### Blacklisting keywords

**Negative Exact List**: The algorithm will add the blacklisted keywords as **negative-exact** keywords to the assigned ad groups.

**Negative Phrase List**: The algorithm will add the blacklisted keywords as **negative-phrase** keywords to the assigned ad groups.

#### Whitelisting keywords

**Exact Whitelist:** The system will prevent Blacklist, Negative, and Negative Word algorithms from negating the whitelisted keywords as **negative-****exact**.

**Phrase Whitelist:** The system will prevent Blacklist, Negative, and Negative Word algorithms from negating the whitelisted keywords as **negative-phrase**.

Phrase Whitelist does not prevent keywords that include the phrase from being negated.

For example, whitelisting "spatula" in **Phrase Whitelist** will not prevent "spatula turner" from being negated.

**Nullifying blacklisted keywords**

The keywords in **Exact Whitelist** will nullify the same keywords in the **Negative Exact List**.

The keywords in **Phrase Whitelist** will nullify the same keywords in the **Negative Phrase List**.

The keywords in **Exact Whitelist** will **not** nullify the same keywords in the **Negative Phrase List**.

The keywords in **Phrase Whitelist** will **not** nullify the same keywords in the **Negative Exact List**.