What are some common methods for filtering out bad words in PHP scripts, and how can they be implemented effectively?

To filter out bad words in PHP scripts, common methods include using regular expressions, creating a list of prohibited words, and utilizing third-party libraries or APIs for profanity filtering. These methods can be implemented effectively by creating a function that checks for the presence of bad words in a given string and either replacing them with asterisks or blocking the input altogether. 

function filterBadWords($input) {
    $badWords = array("badword1", "badword2", "badword3");
    $filteredInput = preg_replace('/\b' . implode('\b|\b', $badWords) . '\b/i', '***', $input);
    
    return $filteredInput;
}

$input = "This is a badword1 example sentence.";
$filteredInput = filterBadWords($input);
echo $filteredInput;

Keywords

profanity filter PHP functions regular expressions word blacklist sanitization techniques

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