Acceptable Use Policy

Last updated: April 10, 2026

1. Purpose and Commercial Scope

This Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) dictates the types of businesses, products, and digital content BLNG Agency will agree to support, design, or develop. By engaging our services, the Client guarantees that their business model, products, and marketing practices do not violate this policy at any point during our engagement.

2. Prohibited Industries and Products

To maintain strict compliance with our foundational platform partners (Shopify, Klaviyo, Meta, and Google) and global financial regulations, BLNG Agency strictly refuses to build e-commerce stores, configure payment gateways, or manage marketing campaigns for the following prohibited categories:

  • SHAFT Content: Sexually explicit materials or services, Hate speech or discriminatory organizations, Alcohol (unless heavily age-gated and strictly legal in the target jurisdiction), Firearms (including ammunition, explosives, and tactical weaponry), and Tobacco products (including e-cigarettes, vaping devices, and related paraphernalia).
  • High-Risk Financial Services: Cryptocurrency exchanges, payday loans, debt collection services, credit repair operations, multi-level marketing (MLM) schemes, pyramid schemes, and unverified "get-rich-quick" programs.
  • Regulated or Illegal Substances: Illegal drugs, unregulated psychoactive plants (e.g., Kratom), and prescription medications requiring a pharmacy license.
  • Counterfeit and Infringing Goods: Products that infringe upon third-party intellectual property, trademark, or copyright, including unauthorized replicas of designer goods or pirated digital media.
  • Deceptive Practices: Products making unsubstantiated health claims, or business models heavily reliant on predatory drop-shipping practices that obscure shipping origins or systematically mislead consumers regarding delivery times.

3. Prohibited Digital Marketing Practices

When utilizing our Email and SMS marketing services (via Klaviyo or similar platforms), the Client must adhere to strict anti-spam regulations. We will not execute, build, or manage campaigns that involve:

  • Purchased, rented, or scraped email or SMS contact lists.
  • "Cold" outreach or bulk messaging to individuals who have not explicitly opted-in to receive marketing communications (Double Opt-In strongly preferred).
  • Messaging that attempts to bypass spam filters, obscures the commercial intent of the communication, or violates Klaviyo's SMS restrictions regarding sending volume (limiting SMS to fewer than three messages per 24-hour period per recipient) and local quiet hours.

4. Ethical Design, Artificial Intelligence, and Digital Fairness

BLNG Agency complies with the UK Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act (DMCCA) and the EU Digital Services Act regarding digital fairness. We will not build "dark patterns" into website user interfaces (e.g., deceptive subscription traps, hidden "drip pricing" fees, or manipulative countdown timers). Furthermore, we will not integrate functionalities designed to generate, display, or conceal fake customer reviews. In alignment with 2026 AI compliance frameworks, if the Client requests the integration of AI-driven tools (e.g., conversational commerce agents), the Client bears the sole legal responsibility for ensuring the AI tool complies with local transparency laws and does not deceive consumers.

5. Enforcement and Immediate Termination

If BLNG Agency discovers during the course of a project that the Client's business model involves prohibited products or practices, the Agency reserves the right to immediately terminate the contract without notice. In such events of an AUP violation, no refunds will be issued for work completed, and the Agency will not deliver the final store assets or code.

6. Client Responsibility for Compliance

The Client is solely responsible for ensuring their business operations, product offerings, and marketing practices remain compliant with all applicable local, national, and international laws throughout the duration of our engagement. The Agency provides e-commerce development and marketing services — not legal compliance consulting. Clients operating in regulated industries (e.g., supplements, CBD, age-restricted products) are advised to seek independent legal counsel to confirm their compliance prior to engaging our services.

7. Reporting Concerns

If you believe a BLNG Agency client is operating in violation of this Acceptable Use Policy, or if you have concerns about content hosted on a store we have built, please contact us at agency@bling-authority.com. We take all reports seriously and will investigate promptly.

Contact: agency@bling-authority.com | Legal notice