Documents

Acceptable Use Policy (AUP)

Last Updated 12/19/2025

Welcome to beehiiv. This Acceptable Use Policy ("AUP") explains how beehiiv's Services may be used and outlines the standards we expect all users to follow. The purpose of this policy is to ensure compliance with applicable laws, prevent abuse, and protect the integrity of the platform for creators, readers, and partners. By using any beehiiv Service, you agree to comply with this policy.

Universal Platform Requirements

These requirements apply to all users and all beehiiv Services. They establish baseline expectations for how the platform may be used, regardless of the type of content published or features accessed.

Use of beehiiv is not permitted where it creates legal, security, reputational, or deliverability risk to the platform, other users, or recipients.

Prohibited Behaviors

The behaviors outlined below are not allowed on beehiiv. These restrictions apply to how the platform is used, independent of the specific content being published or services being accessed.

Network and System Abuse

Any activity that harms beehiiv's infrastructure, its services, or the experience of other users is strictly prohibited. This includes both attacks on our technical systems and misuse of platform features in ways that degrade performance, security, or reliability.

Prohibited behaviors include:

Security Scanning and Breaches — Probing, scanning, or testing the vulnerability of any beehiiv system, network, or service. Unauthorized access to any part of the platform, including another user's account, is forbidden.
Resource Misuse — Any action that places an unreasonable or disproportionate load on our servers, such as operating anonymous proxy servers, running file-sharing sites, hosting unrelated large files, or launching denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks.
Circumventing Security — Any attempt to disable, bypass, or circumvent the security measures we have in place to protect the platform, its users, or data. This includes but is not limited to manipulating user authentication or access controls.
Malware and Harmful Code — The distribution, promotion, or hosting of malicious software of any kind is strictly prohibited. This includes viruses, worms, trojans, ransomware, spyware, or any other code designed to disrupt, damage, or gain unauthorized access to computers, networks, or personal data. Content that forces unwanted downloads, injects harmful scripts, or redirects users without their consent is not allowed on beehiiv.
Unauthorized Security Testing — Conducting penetration testing, vulnerability scanning, or other security research on beehiiv's infrastructure without prior written authorization is prohibited. While we value responsible disclosure, all testing activity must be explicitly approved by beehiiv's Security team as outlined in: https://www.beehiiv.com/security.txt and/or submitted to [email protected]. Unapproved testing, even if performed in good faith, is treated as unauthorized access.

Fraud, Deception, and Unauthorized Access

We require all users to operate honestly and transparently. Using the platform for any unlawful, fraudulent, or deceptive purpose is forbidden and can result in immediate termination of your account. This includes:

Fraud, Impersonation, Phishing: Falsifying information to hide a message's origin, creating fake accounts to mislead others, or using any beehiiv service to run scams, such as phishing sites, deceptive landing pages, or fraudulent solicitations.
Unauthorized Access: Using any account that has been compromised or to which you are not the authorized owner. You are responsible for the security of your account credentials, and their unauthorized use is in strict violation.
Unauthorized Data Collection: The use of any automated means, such as bots or scrapers, to collect information from our platform. This also includes the collection of personal information from other users without their explicit consent.
Sanctions and Restricted Entities: beehiiv may not be used by individuals or organizations subject to sanctions under U.S., EU, UK, UN, or other applicable trade restrictions. Users are prohibited from conducting business, directly or indirectly, with any sanctioned entities through our platform. Compliance with international sanctions laws is a condition of using beehiiv.
Payment and Chargeback Fraud — Using beehiiv's services to manipulate, dispute, or reverse legitimate transactions; submit false refund or chargeback claims; or otherwise engage in payment fraud is prohibited. This applies to all transactions facilitated through beehiiv's systems, including paid subscriptions or other monetized features.

Spamming

While our service-specific policies will cover detailed Newsletter Publishing rules, we universally prohibit any form of unsolicited bulk or abusive messaging across all services. This applies to email, hosted forms, contact tools, comments, or any other feature used to communicate through or with beehiiv.

Sending unsolicited messages through our comments sections, contact forms, or forum posts.
Mass messaging or contacting users who have not affirmatively opted in to communication from you, whether through our service or by using our service as a means of distribution.

Illegal, Violent, and Exploitative Activity

Using the beehiiv platform to promote, facilitate, or enable illegal acts, violence, or hate crimes is strictly prohibited. This is a foundational rule that goes beyond the content of your publication and applies to your behavior and actions on the platform, whether by email, hosted content, or other services. This includes:

Abuse of Minors: Any behavior that exploits, harms, or endangers minors. This is a zero-tolerance issue, and any such activity will be reported to law enforcement.
Soliciting Illegal Acts: Using our services to arrange or solicit illegal activities, whether through direct communication or public facing content.
Terrorism and Human Exploitation: beehiiv prohibits the use of its services to promote, support, or glorify terrorism, extremist organizations, or any sanctioned groups. This also includes any material that facilitates human trafficking, sexual exploitation, or forced labor. Content that aids, recruits, or coordinates activity on behalf of such organizations will result in immediate account termination and may be reported to the appropriate authorities.

Privacy Violations

Respecting the privacy and personal data of others is a core requirement for using beehiiv. Any misuse of personal information, whether obtained through email, hosted content, or elsewhere, undermines trust and exposes individuals to harm. Users must handle data responsibly and comply with all applicable privacy and data protection laws.

Misusing or sharing private user data, regardless of how it was obtained.
Any behavior that violates the privacy rights of individuals as protected by laws such as GDPR, CCPA, and others.

Harassment and Personal Harm

beehiiv is committed to fostering a respectful community where creators and readers can engage without fear of intimidation or abuse. Behaviors that target individuals with hostility, cause emotional harm, or undermine personal safety are not tolerated on our platform.

Harassment and Bullying: Content or activity that targets individuals or groups with harassment, intimidation, or bullying is not permitted. This includes coordinated campaigns, abusive messages, or sustained personal attacks. beehiiv supports open dialogue but does not tolerate behavior intended to silence, demean, or harm others.
Threats and Doxxing: Threatening physical harm, releasing personal information, or coordinating attacks against individuals is prohibited.

Enforcement and Discretion

beehiiv may investigate, restrict, or terminate access to any service (including suspension, content removal, feature revocation, or account closure) for violations of this AUP or behavior that creates legal, security, reputational, or deliverability risk, even if not explicitly listed.

Prohibited Content

beehiiv is built for creators, people with something to say, share, or teach. While we support a wide range of voices and publishing styles, we also recognize the need to maintain a high-quality ecosystem for both senders and readers. That means setting clear boundaries around harmful, misleading, or low-quality content that jeopardizes trust or contributes to a poor inbox experience. In many cases, this kind of content also leads to poor deliverability, harming both the sender's reputation and our broader platform. The following outlines the types of content that are not allowed on beehiiv due to legal or reputational risk.

Content That Incites - beehiiv strictly prohibits content that promotes or encourages violence, discrimination, or harassment based on race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or any other protected characteristic. This includes content that incites violence, spreads hate speech, or uses dehumanizing language to target individuals or groups. Material advocating for genocide, engaging in doxxing, or recruiting for hate groups is not allowed on our platform. While we support freedom of expression, beehiiv draws a clear line when content crosses into incitement of harm. We do not tolerate content that encourages violence or harassment, or any actions that could lead to significant harm or disruption. Additionally, any content that negatively affects email deliverability, such as causing ISP blocks, elevated spam complaints, or inclusion on blocklists will be addressed to maintain the health and integrity of our platform;
Adult Content and Services - Content that promotes explicit sexual content, including images, videos, or written material that graphically describes sexual acts. This includes links to pornographic websites or adult subscription platforms (e.g., OnlyFans), as well, the promotion of escort services, adult webcam streams, sexually explicit chat services, or "swinger" events. Sexually explicit AI-generated or manipulated imagery, such as deepfakes, as well, non-consensual or exploitative sexual content is strictly prohibited. The foregoing prohibition shall not apply to established retail home-based party businesses;

In addition, any material that exploits children under eighteen (18) years of age including non-consensual sex acts, child sexual abuse material (CSAM), or content that is harmful to minors will be terminated immediately without notice. CSAM will be reported to law enforcement and/or the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children;
Self-Harm and Suicide Content - Content that promotes, encourages, or instructs others in self-harm, suicide, eating disorders, or other forms of intentional self-injury is prohibited. While discussions about mental health are supported, material must be educational, supportive, or resource-based in nature. Any content that glamorizes or facilitates harmful behaviors is prohibited.
AI-Generated and Manipulated Media - AI-generated or manipulated content that is deceptive, misleading, or harmful is prohibited. This includes non-consensual deepfakes, synthetic media designed to impersonate individuals or mislead recipients, and generative content used to spread misinformation. Clearly labeled, educational, or artistic uses of AI-generated content may be permitted if they do not violate other restrictions or mislead readers into believing the content is human-authored when it is not;
Pharmaceuticals and Nutraceuticals - The promotion or sale of prescription medications, counterfeit drugs, or unapproved dietary supplements is strictly prohibited. This includes any content that makes claims to prevent, treat, or cure health conditions without prior authorization from the appropriate regulatory authorities. The distribution of experimental substances (such as peptides or SARMs), the use of misleading health related language (including unsubstantiated "natural" or "organic" claims), and participation in affiliate or referral programs that direct users to non-compliant or unlawful products are also not permitted;
Cannabis and CBD Content - Promotion of hemp-derived CBD products may be permitted where lawful and must comply with all applicable local, state, and federal laws and regulations, including accurate disclosure of THC content within federally permitted limits and any applicable geographic restrictions. Promotion or facilitation of the sale of THC-dominant cannabis products, marijuana, or other illegal cannabis substances is not permitted.

Content must not include misleading or unverified health or therapeutic claims, target minors, misrepresent product legality or composition, combine CBD promotion with other high-risk substances (e.g., nootropics, kratom), or use deceptive affiliate or undisclosed commercial practices.
Cryptocurrency and Blockchain Content - Cryptocurrency and blockchain related content often involve high-risk financial products, speculative investments, and unregulated services. Due to the prevalence of scams, misleading claims, and compliance risks, beehiiv has established clear boundaries around prohibited content. This includes:
- Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs) and token presales that promise guaranteed returns or unverified financial gains.
- Unlicensed exchanges, wallets, or trading platforms that do not meet regulatory standards.
- Crypto airdrops or other mechanics that send tokens directly to users' wallets.
- Crypto-based multi-level marketing (MLM) schemes, Ponzi schemes, or referral-based earning programs.
- Promotions of high-risk decentralized finance (DeFi) projects, yield farming, and staking programs with misleading or unsubstantiated financial claims.
- Unregulated financial services, such as crypto lending or borrowing platforms, that do not comply with applicable laws.
Educational and informational content regarding cryptocurrency, blockchain technology, and decentralized finance (DeFi) is allowed, provided it does not promote unregulated financial services or deceptive investment schemes and adheres to applicable laws and regulations. Users must ensure their content aligns with local regulations and refrains from deceptive, misleading, or fraudulent practices;
High-Risk Financial Products and Services - beehiiv prohibits the following financially based products and services which include but are not limited to payday loans, payday advances, or other loan products offered under usurious terms; debt collection and forgiveness; credit repair and debt relief offerings; lottery promotions; and "get rich quick" schemes, including investment opportunities or other services that promise high rewards for little effort;
Unregulated Payment Services - The promotion or facilitation of unlicensed financial services is not permitted. This includes unregulated money services businesses (MSBs), remittance providers, and payment platforms lacking proper authorization. All financial services promoted through beehiiv must comply with relevant laws and licensing requirements;
Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco, or Other Adult Content - The promotion or sale of alcohol, firearms, tobacco, and other adult oriented products is subject to strict regulation, with varying legal requirements based on age and geography. Users must implement age and/or geographic gating at the point of address collection to ensure recipients are of legal age to receive such content. Additionally, users may be required to provide proof of these mechanisms upon request, and must ensure that all content complies with the laws of the recipient's jurisdiction;
Gambling and Sports Betting Content - Gambling related content may be permitted where lawful, provided it complies with all applicable local, state, and federal laws and does not target restricted audiences or encourage irresponsible behavior. Content must meet all age and geographic gating requirements and include any legally required responsible gambling disclosures. The following are not permitted:
- Promotion or referral to unlicensed, offshore, or illegal gambling operators
- Exaggerated or misleading claims about guaranteed winnings or risk-free betting
- Content that glamorizes reckless gambling behavior or minimizes financial risk
- Direct calls to action that pressure readers to place bets in violation of applicable regulations
- Affiliate or sponsored content that lacks required disclosures or responsible gaming measures
Editorial content focused on sports betting analysis, commentary, odds breakdowns, or informational insights (including expert picks or strategy discussion) may be permitted where lawful, provided it remains informational in nature and does not cross into unregulated or deceptive promotion. Affiliate links or sponsored partnerships with licensed gambling operators may be permitted if they comply with regional advertising laws, include clear disclosures, and promote lawful and responsible participation.
Illegal Goods and Services - The sale or promotion of counterfeit or unlawful products is prohibited. This includes goods manufactured or distributed without proper authorization, products that imitate genuine brands, and any services that facilitate their creation or sale. beehiiv does not allow the use of our platform to market, distribute, or enable access to illegal goods of any kind.
Intellectual Property Rights - Content that infringes on the intellectual property rights of others is not permitted. This includes the unauthorized reproduction or distribution of copyrighted works (such as movies, music, books, or software), misuse of trademarks, violations of patents, or disclosure of trade secrets. beehiiv complies with applicable intellectual property laws and will respond to valid DMCA takedown notices or equivalent processes in other jurisdictions.
Problematic Products and Services - Content or activity that promotes pyramid schemes, multi-level marketing (MLM) businesses focused on recruitment or prospecting, email list brokering, sales, or exchange, deceptive lead generation schemes, or false employment opportunities intended to harvest personal data is prohibited. While the occasional use of affiliate links is allowed, newsletters created primarily for affiliate marketing or lead generation purposes are not permitted on beehiiv. This includes excessive or manipulative use of affiliate links solely for revenue generation, without adding genuine value to the content.

Platform Risk and Discretion

beehiiv reserves the right to remove any content or suspend accounts that, in our sole discretion, pose reputational, legal, or deliverability risks to the platform. This applies even if the specific content or behavior is not explicitly listed in this policy.

Newsletter Publishing

beehiiv was created to empower creators to share their work, ideas, and communities through email. To maintain trust with readers and ensure strong deliverability across our network, all newsletters published on beehiiv must follow clear standards for how email lists are built, how subscribers are treated, and how content is presented. The following rules outline the requirements for using beehiiv's email services responsibly, with a focus on consent-based sending, transparency, and high-quality publishing practices.

Address Collection and Contact Lists

To safeguard the integrity of our email services and respect the privacy of recipients, beehiiv requires all users to obtain affirmative consent before sending any emails. Consent must be freely given, specific, informed, unambiguous, and provided through a clear affirmative action, in line with applicable privacy and data protection laws.

The following methods of list collection do not meet beehiiv's requirements for affirmative consent:

Purchased Lists — where email addresses are obtained from data brokers or vendors, even if marketed as "opt-in" or "consented." Consent is not transferable, and recipients must provide their own explicit, affirmative consent directly to your publication.
Rented or Co-Registration Lists — where consent is bundled or shared with multiple parties, making it unclear who the recipient is agreeing to hear from.
Scraped or Harvested Addresses — where email addresses are gathered from websites, social platforms, or other public sources without permission or affirmative consent.
Third–Party-Provided Lists — where lists are shared by partners, affiliates, or lead-generation networks, where recipients did not directly opt in to your publication.
Blanket or Bundled Consents — where recipients agree to receive communications from multiple parties without clear identification of each sender.

Proof of Consent — beehiiv may request documentation showing affirmative consent (e.g., log files, signup source, timestamp, method). Proof of consent should be maintained and provided to beehiiv if requested.

Unsubscribing and User Choice

Recipients must always have a clear and reliable way to withdraw consent to receive emails. All messages sent through beehiiv must include beehiiv's native unsubscribe link, which is provided in the footer of each email and enables a one-click opt-out from all communications. This unsubscribe mechanism is mandatory and must not be removed, replaced, hidden, delayed, or altered in any way.

Publishers may offer additional opt-down options or preference centers (such as selecting content categories or reducing frequency), provided these options do not replace or interfere with the standard unsubscribe functionality. Any preference center must include a clear option to fully unsubscribe from all emails.

External unsubscribe links or custom unsubscribe mechanisms are not permitted. All emails must use beehiiv's native unsubscribe system to provide a clear, reliable, and immediate opt-out for recipients.

Sender Identification and Transparency

All newsletters and emails sent through beehiiv must be transparent about who is sending them and must provide accurate information to recipients. To maintain trust and comply with applicable regulations:

Physical Address — Every email must include a valid physical postal address. This may be your current street address, a registered post office box, or a private mailbox obtained through a commercial mail-receiving agency authorized under Postal Service regulations.
Subject Lines — Subject lines must be clear and non-deceptive, accurately reflecting the content and purpose of the message. Misleading or manipulative subject lines designed solely to increase open rates are prohibited.
Header Information — All header fields (including "From," "To," "Reply-To," and routing information such as the originating domain name and email address) must be accurate and must clearly identify the person or organization that initiated the message. beehiiv prohibits sending messages with materially false or misleading header information.

Email Marketing Purpose and Content Quality

beehiiv was built as a platform for creators to share ideas, insights, and original work, not as a traditional bulk email marketing service. While newsletters may include affiliate links, product mentions, or sponsored placements, their primary purpose must be to deliver meaningful editorial content. While promotional content is allowed in moderation, newsletters that are purely marketing products or services or lead-generation vehicles aren't aligned with the type of content beehiiv is designed to support.

Specifically, the following are not allowed on beehiiv:

Newsletters created solely to advertise or sell products and services without substantive editorial content.
High-frequency promotional blasts focused primarily on discounts, offers, or sales events.
Campaigns designed to cold-pitch services or harvest user data.
AI-driven "content farms" that mass-produce templated marketing material with little or no human input.
Use of automated marketing workflows with little to no newsletter or editorial content.

Editorially driven newsletters are permitted, including those that occasionally send standalone marketing emails, feature product recommendations, sponsorships, or AI-assisted writing, provided these elements are secondary to the creator's original voice and value-driven content. All promotional mentions should align with the publication's theme, be clearly disclosed, and avoid disrupting the reader experience.

Use of AI

beehiiv supports the responsible use of AI tools to assist in content creation, but newsletters must remain authentic, editorially driven, and valuable to readers. Publications that rely entirely on AI-generated material without meaningful human input are not permitted.

The following practices are prohibited:

Using AI to mass-produce repetitive or low-value material, such as templated listicles, daily trivia, or generic "thought of the day" content designed solely to fill inboxes or drive clicks.
Generating multiple newsletters with slightly reworded AI content for the purpose of flooding inboxes, acquiring subscribers, or gaming the platform.
Employing AI to create misleading narratives, impersonate individuals, or otherwise deceive readers.

AI-assisted writing is allowed when used to support a creator's original voice, provided the content is substantive, editorially relevant, and avoids manipulative or low-value practices.

Legal and Privacy Compliance

All use of beehiiv's email services must comply with all applicable laws and regulations, including but not limited to the CAN-SPAM Act (U.S.), CASL (Canada), GDPR and ePrivacy (EU), and CCPA (California). Users are responsible for understanding and following these requirements.

The following are strictly prohibited:

Sending emails that violate anti-spam, privacy, or data protection laws in any jurisdiction where recipients are located.
Sending practices that result in excessive spam complaints, high bounce rates, or blocklisting, even if the messages themselves are not malicious in nature.
Using beehiiv to send email that violates the legal rights of others, including rights of privacy, publicity, or intellectual property.
Behavior that violates any applicable federal, state, local, or international law or regulation, including export restrictions and data transfer laws.

beehiiv reserves the right to review and suspend accounts that fail to comply with these obligations in order to protect the integrity of the platform and maintain strong deliverability across the network.

Account and Platform Misuse

beehiiv accounts and publications must be used in good faith and in line with the platform's intended purpose. Any activity designed to manipulate, exploit, or misrepresent beehiiv's services is prohibited.

The following behaviors are not allowed:

Account Creation Abuse — Creating multiple publications with materially similar subject lines or content, or creating accounts with the sole intent of monetizing through platform features rather than building authentic, editorially driven content.
Re-Adding Unsubscribed Users — Adding back email addresses that have unsubscribed, reported spam, or otherwise withdrawn consent, whether within beehiiv or across other platforms, including attempting to re-permission the same recipient through another publication or list without a new, specific, affirmative opt-in.
Deletion of Subscribers to Circumvent Billing — Removing, merging, exporting, or otherwise manipulating subscriber lists (including repeatedly adding and deleting addresses) for the purpose of avoiding subscription fees, staying below billing thresholds, or evading platform limits.
List Validation or "List Washing" Abuse — Using beehiiv to test, verify, validate, or clean email addresses. This includes sending messages primarily to identify bounces or undeliverable addresses, adding and removing subscribers based on delivery results, or incrementally adding addresses (including through automated or scripted mechanisms) to trigger welcome or other automated emails for the purpose of assessing list quality or deliverability.
Account Security Failures — Failing to secure your account in a way that results in compromise or account takeover (ATO) that negatively impacts beehiiv or other customers.
Click/Traffic Arbitrage — Using newsletters solely to drive subscribers to external websites for monetization (clicks, referrals, affiliate conversions) without delivering original, valuable, or engaging content.
Deliverability Evasion (Snowshoeing) — Creating or using multiple accounts, domains, or publications to circumvent reputation limits, blocklisting, or sending restrictions is prohibited.

Content Integrity and Attribution

beehiiv publications must be built on original, authentic content that provides value to readers. Misrepresenting authorship, publishing misleading information, or manipulating content to deceive readers undermines trust in both your publication and the broader platform.

The following practices are prohibited:

Plagiarism — Publishing material created by others and presenting it as your own.
False or Misleading Content — Sharing materially false, inaccurate, or misleading information in a way that could deceive or confuse readers about important events, topics, or circumstances.
Unethical SEO Practices — Using tactics such as keyword stuffing, hidden text, or cloaking designed to manipulate search engines or mislead readers.

beehiiv expects all publications to prioritize accuracy, originality, and transparency in their content. These requirements ensure that newsletters published on beehiiv remain high-quality, consent-based, and trusted by both readers and mailbox providers.

Web Hosting

beehiiv provides hosting services to help creators build websites, landing pages, and online experiences connected to their publications. All universal platform requirements apply equally to hosted content. In addition, hosting must be used in ways that reflect beehiiv's purpose as a creator-first platform, not as a general file storage, spam site, or arbitrage network. Hosted content is expected to be lawful, safe, and high-quality, and beehiiv may restrict or remove material that creates legal, reputational, or security risks for the platform.

Your beehiiv publication comes with a built-in website and landing page builder, designed to be the digital home for your newsletter, content, and brand. To ensure the performance, reliability, and security of our platform for all users, here's how you can, and can't, use the web hosting features.

On-Purpose Hosting — beehiiv supports standalone websites, even without a newsletter. Hosted sites must comply with our Web Hosting Guidelines and Prohibited Content rules. Sites that violate these standards may be reviewed or restricted.
No File Sharing or Backups — beehiiv may not be used as a storage service for personal files, file distribution, or software downloads. Uploads are for publication-related media only.
Hot-Linking — Using beehiiv to host assets (e.g., images, video, PDFs) for use on external websites is not allowed. This protects shared resources and ensures your uploads are used solely for your publication.
Misleading Redirects — Pages designed solely to send visitors elsewhere through forced or deceptive redirects are not allowed. Your beehiiv site should stand as a destination, not a doorway to unrelated content.
Deceptive SEO and Spam Sites — Creating sites or pages intended primarily to manipulate search engines (such as link farms, keyword stuffing, or cloaking) is prohibited. These practices damage trust and harm overall platform deliverability.
Age Restricted or Adult Oriented Material — beehiiv does not support hosting or distribution of adult content, including sexually explicit material, nudity, or pornography. Content requiring age or geographic gating (e.g., 18+ or 21+ access) is not supported on beehiiv's hosting infrastructure. For additional guidance on adult or age restricted material, refer to the Adult Content and Services and Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco, or Other Adult Content sections under Prohibited Content.

beehiiv hosting is built to showcase your publication and serve your readers. By keeping sites focused, authentic, and free of exploitative practices, creators help protect platform resources, maintain strong deliverability, and ensure beehiiv remains a trusted space for the entire community.

Ad Network

beehiiv's Ad Network allows creators to earn revenue by including sponsored placements within their newsletters. Participation in the network comes with shared responsibility: publishers must maintain transparency, uphold quality standards, and ensure that sponsored content complements their publication's voice and audience. The following rules outline how creators may use the Ad Network responsibly and what types of ad-related practices are not permitted.

Prohibited Behaviors (Ad Network Use)

To protect the integrity of the beehiiv Ad Network and ensure fair performance for all participants, creators may not engage in any behavior that manipulates ad delivery, engagement, or reporting.

Self-Clicking or Artificial Engagement — Creators may not click their own ads, encourage others to do so, or use automated tools to simulate ad engagement. These actions artificially inflate performance metrics and distort advertiser reporting.
Incentivized or Misleading Clicks — Offering rewards, giveaways, or misleading context that pressures readers into clicking sponsored placements is prohibited. Engagement must be organic and driven by genuine reader interest.
Ad Disclosure and Context Integrity — Ads served through the beehiiv Ad Network include an automatic "Sponsored" or "Ad" label to ensure transparency with readers. Creators may not alter, obscure, or surround these placements with misleading text or design that implies the ad is part of editorial content.
Ad Farming and Low-Quality Publications — Newsletters created primarily to display ads, without meaningful editorial value or audience relevance, are prohibited. The Ad Network is intended for authentic, reader-focused publications.
Traffic Arbitrage and Click Schemes — Using the Ad Network to drive users through deceptive click funnels, redirect loops, or low-quality external pages is not allowed. Sponsored placements must direct to legitimate destinations approved by beehiiv.
Misrepresentation of Audience or Content — Falsifying subscriber counts, engagement rates, or publication themes to access ad campaigns or higher payouts is prohibited and may result in account suspension.
Direct or Custom Sponsorships — If you independently sell or include sponsorships outside the beehiiv Ad Network, you are responsible for ensuring those placements are clearly disclosed as paid or sponsored content. All promotions must comply with applicable advertising laws and beehiiv's overall content standards.

Ad Network Monitoring and Enforcement — beehiiv actively monitors for activity that undermines ad integrity, misleads readers, or manipulates ad delivery, engagement, or reporting. Accounts found to be in violation of the Ad Network or its monetization policies may have access to all monetization programs suspended or permanently revoked, including Ads, Boosts, Sponsorships, the Partner Program, and associated Wallet functionality. Any unpaid or pending earnings associated with abusive activity may be withheld or forfeited.

Boost Network

beehiiv's Boost Network allows creators to earn revenue by recommending other publications and to grow their own audiences through paid recommendations. To maintain a fair and trustworthy ecosystem, all participants must use Boosts responsibly and in line with beehiiv's core principles of authenticity, transparency, and audience quality. The following rules outline how creators may not use the Boost Network.

Prohibited Behaviors (Boost Use)

To protect the integrity of the Boost marketplace, creators may not engage in any behavior that manipulates signups, misrepresents audience quality, or undermines the trust between publishers.

Fraudulent or Automated Signups — Creating, buying, or facilitating bot or fake signups (including bulk-generated or disposable email addresses) to trigger payouts, inflate open rates, or meet CPA targets is strictly prohibited. This includes using automation or controlled inboxes to simulate engagement or validate false subscribers. Boosts are designed to pay only for genuine, active readers, not fabricated accounts or artificial signals.
Incentivized or Coerced Opt-ins — Offering cash, gifts, sweepstakes entries, or other incentives primarily to drive clicks or signups without genuine reader interest is not permitted. All Boost acquisitions must reflect real, affirmative consent consistent with beehiiv's list standards.
Misrepresentation of Audience or Category — Falsely describing your publication's topic, audience size, or engagement levels to attract higher-value CPA offers or mismatched partners is prohibited.
Low-Value or Ad-Farm Publications — Spinning up thin, AI-generated, or templated publications primarily to harvest Boost payouts, without meaningful editorial value or audience relevance, is not allowed. Boosts are intended for authentic, reader-focused publications.
Traffic Arbitrage and Quality Evasion — Using paid traffic networks, redirect loops, or Direct Links to generate low-quality or unengaged subscribers is prohibited. Boosts must result from genuine, organic interest in the promoted publication.
Misleading Placement or Context — Creators may not frame Boosts in a deceptive or misleading way, such as implying that paid recommendations are editorial endorsements. beehiiv's Boost modals and widgets must remain accurately represented as promotional placements.
Collusive or Self-Dealing Arrangements — Creating or coordinating closed loops between owned or affiliated publications to recycle the same subscribers or game CPA payouts is prohibited.

Boost Monitoring and Enforcement — beehiiv actively monitors for activity that undermines Boost integrity, misleads readers, or manipulates conversions, attribution, or reporting. Accounts found to be in violation of the Boost program or its monetization policies may have access to all monetization programs suspended or permanently revoked, including Ads, Boosts, Sponsorships, the Partner Program, and associated Wallet functionality. Any unpaid or pending earnings associated with abusive activity may be withheld or forfeited.

Digital Products

beehiiv's Digital Products feature enables creators to sell digital goods directly to their audience, such as e-books, guides, templates, or other downloadable resources. This feature is designed to help creators monetize responsibly while maintaining trust with their readers and compliance with applicable laws. To protect customers, payment partners, and the integrity of the platform, all creators using Digital Products must adhere to the following standards.

Prohibited Behaviors (Digital Product Use)

To ensure a safe and trustworthy experience for both buyers and creators, beehiiv prohibits any misuse of its Digital Products feature that undermines transaction integrity, customer confidence, or platform compliance. The following behaviors are not permitted:

Fraudulent or Deceptive Sales — Misrepresenting the nature, quality, or functionality of a digital product is strictly prohibited. This includes promising content that differs materially from what is delivered, inflating product claims, or engaging in "bait-and-switch" sales tactics.
Undelivered or Corrupted Products — All purchases must include complete, functional, and accessible digital files. Uploading intentionally broken links, placeholders, or files that differ from the described product is not allowed.
Unauthorized Resale or Redistribution — Selling, rebranding, or redistributing third-party content, copyrighted works, or licensed materials without proper rights or authorization is prohibited. You must be the lawful owner or rights holder of all digital goods you sell.
Deceptive Pricing or Billing Practices — Products must clearly display accurate prices and one-time or recurring charges (if applicable). Hiding, disguising, or misrepresenting costs, subscription renewals, or access limitations is not permitted.
Customer Data Misuse — Any data collected through digital product sales (such as customer emails or billing information) may only be used for legitimate post-purchase communication or delivery. Reselling or using this data for unrelated marketing without consent is prohibited.
Prohibited Payment Use — Using Digital Products as a means to transfer funds, launder money, or process payments unrelated to genuine digital sales is strictly prohibited and may be reported to financial partners or authorities.
Payment Security and Fraud Prevention — Creators are responsible for maintaining secure payment flows and preventing fraudulent transactions, including "carding" or other automated payment-testing attacks. If you use your own payment processor or merchant account (BYOPP), you are solely responsible for implementing appropriate fraud prevention and security controls. beehiiv does not monitor or assume liability for payment fraud or losses resulting from misuse of third-party payment systems.

Prohibited Product Types

beehiiv's Digital Products feature is intended for legitimate, creator-authored content such as e-books, templates, courses, or similar downloadable materials. To protect buyers, payment partners, and the broader platform, the following types of products may not be sold through beehiiv:

Copyrighted or Unlicensed Works — Uploading or selling material you do not own or have rights to distribute (such as pirated e-books, stock assets, or third-party course material) is prohibited. You must hold all necessary intellectual property rights for each item you sell.
Repurposed or Aggregated Content — Selling publicly available or scraped information (e.g., AI-compiled articles, scraped data, or mass-aggregated PDF collections) without original creative value is not permitted. Digital Products must reflect your own authorship or unique contribution.
Misleading or Ineffective Digital Assets — Products that intentionally misrepresent their function, provide no genuine value, or fail to deliver usable content (e.g., blank templates, inaccessible files, or deceptive "instant access" offers) are prohibited.
Non-Digital or Tangible Goods — Physical items, merchandise, or products requiring shipping cannot be sold through beehiiv's Digital Products feature. The platform supports digital-only sales and delivery.
Financial or Investment Schemes — Selling financial advice packages, investment guides, crypto-related assets, or "make-money-fast" programs that promise guaranteed financial returns is not allowed. These pose compliance and reputational risks for both creators and the platform.
Prohibited Payment Use — Digital Products may not be used to process unrelated transactions, accept donations, or facilitate fund transfers. Each transaction must correspond to a legitimate, deliverable digital product.
Competing or Interfering Services — Digital products designed to replicate, compete with, or disrupt beehiiv's own platform features (such as newsletter sending, analytics, or subscriber acquisition tools) are not permitted.
Adult, Age-Restricted, or Regulated Products — Digital Products may not include or facilitate the sale or distribution of adult content (including nudity, pornography, or sexually explicit material), alcohol, firearms, tobacco, gambling, or other age-restricted or regulated goods. beehiiv does not support age or geographic gating for digital sales, and such products are not permitted on the platform.
Taxes and Compliance — You are responsible for complying with all applicable tax, invoicing, and consumer-protection obligations (including VAT/GST/sales tax on digital goods) and for accurately representing pricing and terms.

All digital products must comply with beehiiv's Universal Platform Requirements and Prohibited Content standards as outlined in this Acceptable Use Policy. Products that promote or enable unlawful activity, violate data privacy or consent rules (such as selling email lists), or conflict with beehiiv's core Terms will be removed. beehiiv also reserves the right to restrict products that pose reputational, ethical, or competitive risks to the platform.

beehiiv monitors use of its Digital Products feature to maintain a safe and trustworthy marketplace for creators and buyers. Accounts found engaging in deceptive sales practices, offering prohibited products, or otherwise violating this policy may have their access to Digital Products suspended or permanently revoked. In cases involving fraud, intellectual property infringement, or financial misconduct, beehiiv reserves the right to remove listings without notice and report violations to applicable payment partners or authorities.

beehiiv retains the exclusive right to interpret and enforce this Acceptable Use Policy as we see fit. While we may consult with outside counsel, industry experts, or academics as needed, all final decisions regarding policy interpretation and enforcement rest solely with us.

If you come across content that may violate these guidelines, please let us know at [email protected].

For all other questions, please email us at [email protected].

As this document is subject to change, we reserve the right to update this Acceptable Use Policy at our discretion and without prior notice.

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