Our policies play an important role in maintaining a positive experience for our users. After we are notified of a potential policy violation, we may review the content and take action, including restricting access to the content or limiting future access to Google products. Note that we may make exceptions to these policies based on artistic, educational, or documentary considerations.
We occasionally modify these policies, so please check back here for any updates.
Adult Content
We don't allow messages that facilitate or promote sexual gratification or sexually explicit content. This includes:
- Pornographic, sexually explicit, or erotic content.
- Content that describes sexual acts or sex toys.
- Escort services or other services that may be interpreted as providing sexual acts in exchange for compensation.
- Content that describes or encourages bestiality.
Child Safety
We have a zero tolerance policy towards content that exploits children. We will remove and report such content as required by law, and may take other appropriate action, such as disabling accounts and terminating access to all contents within an account.
Dangerous and Widely Illegal Content
Do not use our service to engage in illegal activities or promote goods, services, or information that facilitate or cause serious and immediate harm to other people or animals. While we permit general information for educational purposes about this content, we draw the line when the content directly facilitates harm.
Editorial Standards
We only allow content that is clear, professional in appearance, and that is useful for recipients. Examples of notifications that don't meet these editorial and professional requirements:
- Overly generic content that contain vague phrases such as "Buy products here".
- Gimmicky use of words, numbers, letters, punctuation, or symbols such as FREE, f-r-e-e, and F₹€€!!
- Nonsensical text phrases or gibberish.
In addition, once users click on a notification, it should take them to a destination (URL or app) that must be secure, functional, useful, and easy to navigate. Be sure that your site is in HTTPS format. Examples of promotions that don't meet destination requirements:
- Sites or apps that are under construction, parked domains, or are just not working.
- Sites that are not viewable in commonly used browsers.
- Sites that have disabled the browser's back button.
Harassment
Do not engage in harassing, bullying, or threatening behavior, and do not incite others to engage in these activities. Anyone using Nearby Notifications to single someone out for malicious abuse, threaten someone with serious harm, sexualize someone in an unwanted way, expose private information of someone else that could be used to carry out threats, or harass in other ways may have the offending content removed or be permanently banned from using the service.
In emergency situations, we may escalate imminent threats of serious harm to law enforcement. Keep in mind that online harassment is also illegal in many places and can have serious offline consequences for both the harasser and the victim.
Hate Speech
Our products are platforms for free expression. But we do not support content that promotes discrimination or hatred, or that incites violence against individuals or groups based on based on race, ethnic origin, nationality, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, disability, age, veteran status, or any other characteristic that is associated with systemic discrimination or marginalization.
Malicious Content Distribution
Do not transmit viruses, malware, or any other malicious or destructive code. Do not distribute content that harms or interferes with the operation of the networks, servers, or other infrastructure of Google or others. Do not use our Services for phishing scams.
Mature Text / Profanity
Do not publish content that includes profanity, slang terms that are sexually graphic and offensive, terms that are common signals for pedophilia, bestiality, or sexual violence.
Personally Identifiable Information
We do not allow the publication of other people's sensitive and confidential personal information, such as credit card or bank account numbers, national ID numbers, account passwords, images of signatures, or personal health documents without their permission.
Regulated Goods & Services
Do not use our service to promote or facilitate the sale of regulated goods and services such as alcohol, gambling, pharmaceuticals and unapproved supplements, tobacco, fireworks, weapons, or health/medical devices.
Spam
We do not allow spam, including unwanted promotional or commercial content, content that is created by an automated program, repetitive content, or anything that appears to be a mass solicitation. We also don’t allow content that has no relevance to the specific location where the user receives the message.
Terrorist Content
We do not permit terrorist organizations to use Nearby Notifications for any purpose, including recruitment. We also strictly prohibits content related to terrorism, such as content that promotes terrorist acts, incites violence, or celebrates terrorist attacks.
If there is content related to terrorism for an educational, documentary, scientific, or artistic purpose, be mindful to provide enough information so viewers understand the context.
Violence & Shocking Content
It's not okay to post violent or gory content that's primarily intended to be shocking, sensational, or gratuitous. If posting graphic content in a news, documentary, scientific, or artistic context, be mindful to provide enough information to help people understand what's going on. In some cases, content may be so violent or shocking that no amount of context will allow that content to remain on our platforms. Lastly, don't encourage others to commit specific acts of violence.