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  • Content Guidelines

Content Guidelines

StumbleUpon is offering our users the best web discovery experience and we'd like the advertising displayed to be consistent with that philosophy. Every StumbleUpon user should appreciate the advertisements as one of their stumbles. Our millions of members are looking to discov er new and interesting information, and will give you valuable feedback (thumbs up or thumbs down ratings) if you provide them with an entertaining, enlightening, or informative experience.

Here are some examples of pages that have performed very well:


vmix.com

farecast.com

vox.com

In order to offer the best discovery experience for our users, StumbleUpon provides the following guidelines to help you communicate mo re effectively with your desired audience. Please note that all advertising placed within StumbleUpon must adhere to these guidelines, and Stum bleUpon reserves the right to reject any advertising that we deem contrary to our ad philosophy. These guidelines are subject to change at any time.

Requirements of Pages / URLs submitted

  • Pages are accepted or declined based upon the entirety of the page (including advertisements). Please make sure the entirety of the page submitted adheres to all guidelines.
  • Pages that generate a pop-up (including "pop-overs" and "pop-unders") when a user enters or leaves the page are not allowed.
  • Pages cannot use "fake" close behavior (i.e. when a user clicks the 'close' icon on the page, the page should close down and no oth er behavior should result).
  • Pages cannot utilize "mouse trapping" whereby the advertiser does not allow users to use their browser "back button" and traps them on their site and/or present additional/unexpected behavior (for example: another ad or page).
  • No page may require viewers to submit personal information (cell phone numbers, physical addresses, or email addresses) on the page in order to obtain the information promoted in the advertisement.
  • No page may be a direct solicitation for personal information from StumbleUpon users
  • A secure server connection (https) must be used when collecting personal information from users.
  • Pages must load in a reasonable amount of time with a broadband connection.
  • Pages may not produce any errors including, but not limited to, 404 errors and missing images, and may not be under construction or have "coming soon" countdowns.
  • Pages must work on both Internet Explorer and Firefox browsers.
  • Pages may not have flashing, excessive animation, "fake winner" copy or fake/deceptive functionality.
  • Pages and text within must be in the English language.
  • Pages may not be materially altered after approved in a manner that violates any of the StumbleUpon guidelines.
  • Pages may be removed after being approved if they are modified to violate any guideline, or if they receive excessive negative feed back or are flagged as profane, adult or contains errors.
  • Duplicate URLs or pages going to the same content are not allowed, unless targeted to a different set of people. Changing a trackin g code in a URL that still goes to the same content does not constitute a new and unique URL and will be considered duplicate content.

Language and content

  • Pages may not contain, facilitate or promote adult content, including nudity, sexual terms and/or images of people in positions or activities that are excessively suggestive or sexual.
  • Pages may not contain, facilitate or promote offensive, profane, vulgar, obscene, or inappropriate language.
  • Pages may not contain, facilitate or promote defamatory, libelous, slanderous and/or unlawful content.
  • We do not accept advertising referencing, promoting or facilitating the following:
    • Promotion of illegal drugs or paraphernalia. Informational sites may be acceptable.
    • Tobacco products, ammunition, weapons and/or firearms.
    • Gambling, including without limitation, any online casino, sports books, bingo or poker. Informational or "how to" sites may be acc eptable.
    • Scams, illegal activity and/or illegal contests, pyramid schemes, or chain letters.
    • Alcohol, unless targeted to users 21 and above.
    • Promotion of sweepstakes.
    • Uncertified pharmaceutical products, body enhancement products, weight loss products, health or cosmetic products or services that make unrealistic or unsubstantiated claims, or miracle cures.
    • Web cams or surveillance equipment.
    • Web-based non-accredited colleges that offer degrees.
    • Inflammatory religious content.
    • Politically religious agendas and/or any known associations with hate, criminal and/or terrorist activities.
    • Political content that exploits political agendas or uses "hot button" political issues for commercial use regardless of whether the advertiser has a political agenda.
    • Hate speech, whether directed at an individual or a group, and whether based upon the race, sex, creed, national origin, religious affiliation, marital status, sexual orientation or language of such individual or group.

StumbleUpon References

  • Pages are not permitted to refer to StumbleUpon, its site or brand in any manner, including the title, body, images or URL with the only exception being StumbleUpon Tools & Buttons located at: http://www.stumbleupon.com/buttons.php
  • Pages must not use StumbleUpon logos and trademarks with the only exception being StumbleUpon Tools & Buttons located at: http://www.stumbleupon.com/buttons.php
  • Pages specifically targeting StumbleUpon users are not permitted including time sensitive offers or promotions directed at StumbleUpon users.

No incentives

  • No page may offer incentives to viewers for clicking on the ad, for submitting personal information (cell phone numbers, social security numbers, physical addresses, or email addresses), or for performing any other tasks.

Prices, discounts, and free offers

  • No page may be deceptive or fraudulent about any offer it makes.
  • If any page includes a price, discount, or 'free' offer, the URL for the ad must link to a page that clearly and accurately offers the exact deal the ad has displayed.
  • If any page includes a price, discount, or 'free' offer, the advertisement must clearly state what action or set of actions is required to qualify for the offer.

Copyrights and trademarks

  • In both ad text, video and image, you must not include any content that may be deemed as infringing upon the rights of any third party, including copyright, trademark, privacy, publicity or other personal or proprietary right, or that is deceptive or fraudulent.
  • Advertiser must have intellectual property rights to the creative and be permitted to display such creative as advertising on the StumbleUpon Site.

Spam

  • No ad may contain, facilitate or promote 'spam' or other advertising or marketing content that violates applicable laws, regulations or industry standards.

Downloads

  • No ad is permitted to facilitate or promote (or contain a link to a site that facilitates or promotes):
    • Collection of demographic and usage information from a user's computer without the user's express consent,
    • Collection or request of usernames or passwords from any user,
    • Proxying user names or passwords for the purpose of automating logins to the StumbleUpon site,
    • Containing or distributing any software that
      • "sneaks" onto a user's system and performs activities hidden to the user,
      • may alter, harm, disable or replace any hardware or software installed on user's computer without express permission from the user,
      • is bundled as a hidden component of other software whether free or for fee,
      • automatically downloads without StumbleUpon’s express prior approval,
      • presents any download dialog boxes without a user's express action, or
      • may violate or infringe upon the intellectual property rights of any third party, including copyright, trademark, patent or any other proprietary right
  • No page may contain linking to viruses, trojans, spyware, or malware.