Buttondown's default stance is to support all content so long as it is not harassing, harmful or otherwise damaging. That said, we're also aware of the impact that some content can have on communities both on and offline.
We're lucky that most all of our customers are really thoughtful about what they share! But there are occasions when we have to offboard customers for content issues.
We hope that this document helps clarify the types of content that's prohibited from being published on Buttondown.
Prohibited content
Spam email
We do not allow spam, or spam by any other name.
This includes (but is not limited to) newsletters that are:
- Cold emails where a subscriber has not explicitly opted in
- Unsolicited commercial or bulk email
To enforce this, we require that all subscribers double opt-in to receiving your newsletter.
Phishing or impersonation
We do not allow users to impersonate any real person or entity. This is explicitly prohibited in our Terms of Service.
This includes (but is not limited to) newsletters that are:
- Impersonating another person
- Pretending to be an employee or representative of a company
- Linking to malicious sites
- Attempting to gather personal information through deceptive or misleading means
SEO backlinking, and link farms
We do not allow users to intentionally create content that is designed to manipulate search engine rankings.
This includes (but is not limited to) newsletters that are:
- Selling links
- Selling leads
- Selling suspicious, dangerous, or low-quality products (e.g. counterfeit goods, weapons, pharmaceuticals, etc.)
- Promoting get-rich-quick schemes
- Promoting gambling, or online casinos
Harmful content
We do no allow content that advocates for the harm of an individual or group of people. This is explicitly prohibited in our Terms of Service.
This includes (but is not limited to) newsletters that are:
- Sharing private or personal information about an individual (e.g. doxxing)
- Advocating for or promoting violence against an individual or group of people
- Advocating for or promoting violence against an individual or group of people based on membership in a protected class
- Using derogatory language or slurs to describe an individual or group of people
- Sharing content that would constitute a crime (e.g. child pornography, non-consensual porn, etc.)