Acceptable use.

In short: don't use Penguina, or a website we look after, for anything illegal, harmful, deceptive or abusive. We'll also always refuse a short list of requests, such as fake reviews or messaging people who opted out, even when they're asked for politely.

Who and what does this cover?

These rules apply to every client, on every plan and add-on. They cover our services, the websites, listings and accounts we look after for you, and anything we send or publish on your behalf. They form part of our terms of service.

What can't our services be used for?

Anything illegal

• Selling or promoting goods or services that are illegal where you or your customers are.
• Running a regulated business, such as a clinic or a financial service, without the licences or registrations the law requires.
• Publishing content that breaks someone else's copyright, trademark or other rights, such as photos you don't have permission to use.

Deceiving people

• Scams, fraud, fake shops or pages that pretend to be another business or person.
• Pages that try to trick people into giving passwords, payment details or other private information.
• False or misleading claims, such as health claims you can't support, or prices and offers that aren't real.
• Fake reviews, paid reviews or reviews written by staff, family or friends posing as customers.

Harming people

• Content that threatens, harasses or encourages violence or hatred against anyone.
• Content that sexually exploits anyone, or any content involving the abuse of children.
• Sharing anyone's private information without a lawful reason.

Misusing messages and personal details

• Sending messages to people who haven't agreed to hear from you where the law requires it, or who have asked you to stop.
• Buying, selling or uploading contact lists you don't have the right to use.
• Hidden tracking, or collecting more personal details than your own privacy notice tells people about.

Attacking or overloading systems

• Hosting harmful software, or using a website we look after to attack, scan or break into other systems.
• Trying to get into another client's website, or into parts of our systems you haven't been given access to.
• Deliberately overloading a website or service, or trying to get around the security measures that protect it.

Which requests will you always refuse?

Some things may be legal in some places, but they go against how we work. We'll say no, explain why, and where we can, suggest an honest alternative:

• Review gating. Asking only happy customers for reviews, or filtering unhappy ones away. We ask every customer, or no one.
• Fake, paid or staff reviews, and replies that make claims you haven't approved.
• Accessibility overlay widgets. We make real fixes in your website's code instead. See accessibility fixes.
• Cash referral rewards for healthcare clients, such as paying patients for sending friends.
• Messaging people who opted out, or using fake names or personas in outreach.
• Registering your domain, hosting or accounts in our name, even to make things easier. Everything stays in yours.

What happens if a rule is broken?

We'll always try to talk first. Most problems are honest mistakes, such as a photo used without permission or an old offer still on the website.

1. We tell you what we found, by email and in simple words, and how to fix it.
2. We help you fix it, where it's part of your plan, or remove the content with your OK.
3. We may pause the affected part of our work, such as sending review requests, until it's sorted.
4. In serious cases, such as illegal activity or a risk to people's safety or data, we may take the content offline or stop our services straight away, and we'll report it where the law requires us to.

Even if we stop working together, everything is already in your name, and we still hand everything back, free, unless the law prevents it.

How do I report misuse?

If you think a website we look after is being used in a way this page doesn't allow, email hello@penguina.website with the website address and what you saw. We look into every report and act on it.

Can these rules change?

Yes, if the law changes or we find a new kind of misuse. We'll update this page and the date at the top, and tell clients by email before a change applies to them.