About Us

Our Story

Hello! I’m Mel — a career sex worker and lifelong tech enthusiast. I started Red Umbrella Hosting in 2018 because the options we had stopped feeling safe or reliable. After FOSTA-SESTA passed, platforms started banning sex workers, sites disappeared, and hosts quietly dropped clients without warning.

From day one, my mission has been simple: to offer the kind of service I would want to receive myself. I’ve been designing websites for over 20 years, ever since I found a phonebook-sized HTML manual at Goodwill when I was 13. It was the first time I realised how powerful it is to build something that’s fully yours. As such, when designing your site, I build with longevity and ownership in mind — always aiming to keep you independent, not tied to me or anyone else.

Red Umbrella is worker-owned and operated, built on a foundation of confidentiality. I don’t retain your personal information, I don’t own your site, and I don’t showcase your work without permission — my portfolio is strictly opt-in. I offer flexible, anonymous sign-ups and payment via gift cards or cryptocurrency. Privacy isn’t a luxury, it’s survival. With Red Umbrella, you’re not just getting service from a faceless company. You're gaining a trusted teammate — a fellow worker in your corner. Whether I built your site or not, I’m here to help. My job is to make sure you have what you need: the tools, the privacy, and the support to run your business safely. A tattoo artist doesn’t own your skin, and I don’t own your site. Once it’s built, it’s yours. No hidden subscriptions, no strings.

I host sites for sex workers, erotic content creators, writers, performers, and anyone who’s been shut out elsewhere (yes cannabis, this also means you). You can host without tying your identity to your content or worrying about sudden bans. Feel free to read my TOS & acceptable content policy to learn more and don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.

Our Founder, Mel
March 27, 2018

Founding

Launched in anticipation of FOSTA-SESTA becoming law to provide a secure, independent refuge for adult workers online.

April 11, 2018

FOSTA-SESTA signed into law

Catalysing mass censorship and deplatforming across the web. Wix, SquareSpace, and others begin silently de-activating sites.

Spring/Summer 2018

Media Attention

Features in The Nation, The Honest Courtesan, and Engadget spotlighting Red Umbrella’s worker–centred hosting mission.

March 27, 2020

Design Services Added

With the goal of providing a self maintainable WordPress site at an affordable price.

Summer 2023

Design Offerings Expand

Expanded offerings to include static and fully custom sites.

Fall 2025

Infrastructure Upgrade

We’re upgrading our server equipment to make things faster, safer, and easier to keep running smoothly.

Our Guarantee

I want you to feel absolutely secure and supported here. Here are my guarantees to you as a Red Umbrella client:

Your Site, Your Rules

Your site will never be held hostage. It’s your website, not mine. Whether it’s a site I host or one I design, you have full ownership. If you ever want to move your site elsewhere, that is 100% your right – and I will assist you in every way I can to make the transition smooth.

I know how important your website is to your business, so I will never try to lock you in or make you wait ages for help. I even offer free migration assistance both onto and off of my server, because this service exists to make your life easier, not harder. Simply put: You own your website, and you always will.

Unconditional Support

I will help you in any way I can. I may not have a large team (yet!), but you have my personal dedication. When you have a website issue or question, you can always come to me and I’ll do my best to solve it.

I provide prompt, hands-on support and will never make you feel like you’re annoying me with “basic” questions. I want you to always feel comfortable asking for help – if I can fix it or figure it out, I will, gladly. There are no hidden monthly fees or subscription models keeping you locked in.

You're the Boss

I started Red Umbrella for our community, and it will stay that way. That means I answer to you, not investors or faceless executives. I will never charge outrageous fees or a special “adult industry markup” just because of your profession.

Unfortunately, some companies do price-gouge marginalised clients, but I will never be one of them. At Red Umbrella, you can trust that you’re getting fair pricing and that your needs come first. If something isn’t right, I’ll listen and do my best to fix it – you are, in effect, my boss.

Equal Access for All

Everyone deserves equal access. Everyone deserves the same quality of service as anyone else online.

You shouldn’t have to settle for subpar hosting or design because of discrimination. I am committed to delivering affordable, top-notch service and treating every client with respect. My policies and terms are written in plain language, not legal gibberish. Feel free to check our policies – they’re actually readable. And if anything is unclear, email me and I’ll happily explain.

Fair Pricing Always

I promise to always charge fair, straightforward rates. You’ll notice our prices are comparable to what “civilians” pay for similar services – no hidden premiums.

In fact, if our hosting seems a bit higher than some big-box hosts, it’s only because we’re a small operation (I don’t get those huge bulk server discounts yet) and because I include a lot more personal support in that price.

I’ve never raised our prices since launch; as the business grows and costs go down, I pass those savings to you. You work hard for your money, and I want you to keep as much of it as possible while still getting the quality service you deserve.

Media

See what others have said about Red Umbrella Hosting. Journalists are free to contact me to discuss sex work, privacy, digital security, ad platforms, censorship, FOSTA-SESTA fallout, and ethical web hosting from someone with 16+ years in the industry.

Policy Memo: U.S. Online Content Censorship

Medium (Adriana Lamirande)
November 21, 2020

"Platforms like Red Umbrella Hosting are critical for preserving access to online tools and services for marginalized groups."

Read the full article

Sex Workers Fight for Safe Conditions

The Regulatory Review (U. Penn Law)
February 26, 2019

"Independent sites like Red Umbrella Hosting have become lifelines for sex workers forced off major platforms."

Read the full article

The Webhosting Service for Sex Workers

The Nation
August 28, 2018

"Red Umbrella is a judgment-free, anonymous and sex worker–friendly hosting provider—founded by a sex worker the day FOSTA passed."

Read the full article

FOSTA-SESTA Is Gender-Based Violence

Anti-Violence Project
June 12, 2018

"Consider hosting your own website outside the U.S. through services like Red Umbrella Hosting."

Read the full article

How Sex Workers Are Fighting Back Against Censorship

The Daily Dot
April 13, 2018

"Red Umbrella Hosting allows sex workers to build websites without tying their real identities to their content."

Read the full article

FOSTA-SESTA Is Silencing Sex Workers

Engadget
April 11, 2018

"Websites like Red Umbrella are stepping in to protect sex workers as the internet becomes increasingly hostile to them."

Read the full article

Red Umbrella Hosting

The Honest Courtesan
April 9, 2018

"I started Red Umbrella Hosting because I was sick of the very people who utilize our services trying to criminalize our existence."

Read the full article

Fine Print

Payment Methods & Policies

Hosting payments: Monthly, quarterly, or annual options available. Quarterly/yearly payments receive commitment discounts.

Design payments: 25-50% deposit required upfront, balance due upon successful launch and your approval.

Accepted Payments

  • Prepaid gift cards
  • Bitcoin (BTC)
  • Money orders/cash by mail
  • Discreet credit/debit cards

Currency Conversion

All prices listed in USD. Accepted currencies:

  • CAD/AUD: $1.25 = $1 USD
  • EUR: €1 = $1 USD
  • GBP: £1 = $1.25 USD

Transparent Pricing

No surprise fees: Unmetered bandwidth on higher-tier plans (fair use applies). No hidden charges or sudden service interruptions.

Price guarantee: Rates never increased since launch. Cost savings passed directly to you as we grow.

Privacy & Support

Anonymous options: Payment methods designed to protect your privacy. Open to discussing custom solutions.

Questions welcome: Contact me at redumbrellas@pm.me for payment assistance or clarifications. Quick responses guaranteed.

Terms of Service

By using our services, you agree to comply with these Terms of Service.

General

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These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your access to and use of Red Umbrella Hosting's services, including our website, hosting services, and any related services (collectively, the "Services"). By accessing or using the Services, you agree to be bound by these Terms.

Communications

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By creating an account, you agree to receive certain communications in connection with the Services. For example, you might receive notifications about service issues, scheduled maintenance, or billing reminders.

We reserve the right to communicate with you regarding the Services and your use of the Site. You consent to the use of any contact information that you provide to Red Umbrella Hosting in doing so.

Passwords

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You are responsible for safeguarding the password that you use to access the Services and for any activities or actions under your account. We encourage you to use "strong" passwords (passwords that use a combination of upper and lower case letters, numbers and symbols). If you are given a username and/or a password for the purpose of accessing certain features of the Services or certain features of the Site, you are responsible for all activities conducted under that username or password, and you will take all necessary steps to ensure that no one other than you uses that username or password and that password is kept confidential. If you have any reason to believe that any password assigned to you has become known to or been used by any other person, you will inform Red Umbrella Hosting immediately.

Red Umbrella Hosting cannot and will not be liable for any loss or damage arising from your failure to comply with the above requirements.

Changing Passwords

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You may change your password at any time through your account settings. If you forget your password, you can request a reset link to be sent to your registered email address.

While we recommend changing your password monthly, you are only required to change it once every 12 months. If you do not change it once every 12 months, we will change it and provide the new password to you.

Red Umbrella Hosting may, at any time, change any username or password assigned to you, and will notify you when it does so.

Monitoring Your Content

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Although Red Umbrella Hosting is not obligated to monitor content and assumes no responsibility for your content or the content of other customers, we reserve the right, subject to all applicable laws, to investigate your content and may block access to, refuse to host, or remove any information or material that we deem to be in breach.

We may also suspend or terminate your access to the Services if we determine that your use poses a security risk to our platform or other customers, or could subject us to liability.

Disruptive Uses

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You may not use the Services or our technology infrastructure in any manner that interferes with or disrupts other customers. Prohibited activities include but are not limited to:

  • Running excessive resource-intensive processes that degrade system performance
  • Hosting or distributing malware, viruses, or other harmful code
  • Participating in denial-of-service attacks
  • Operating open proxies or open mail relays
  • Engaging in cryptocurrency mining without prior authorization
  • Using disk space to store materials unrelated to or unnecessary for the operation of the web site for which the Hosting Services were purchased (for example, using disk space for data warehousing, email storage, backups of emails accounts, backups of all or part of any computing, telecommunications or mobile device or other forms of mass data storage)

Content

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You retain ownership of any intellectual property rights that you hold in content hosted on our Services. By hosting content through our Services, you grant Red Umbrella Hosting a worldwide license to use, host, store, reproduce, modify, and create derivative works for the limited purpose of providing and improving our Services.

You are solely responsible for all content you upload, publish, display, or otherwise make available via the Services, and you agree not to host any content that:

  • Violates any law or regulation
  • Infringes any intellectual property right
  • Contains sexually explicit material
  • Promotes violence or hate speech
  • Contains false or misleading information

Acceptable content includes but is not limited to:

  • Non-adult content
  • Creative nude content
  • Consensually created adult content

Unacceptable content includes but is not limited to:

  • CSAM/CSEM/child pornography
  • Human trafficking
  • Pimping
  • Sex slavery
  • Brothels (brothel workers okay)
  • Bestiality
  • Images of anyone under 18 years of age
  • Images of scat, violence (simulated or real), or vomit
  • Copyrighted material that does not belong to you nor have permission from the owner to use
  • Chat rooms (exceptions can be made for cam models)
  • Terrorist organizations
  • Child pornography related content or links to such content
  • Simulated, cartoon, or virtual CSAM/CSEM
  • Underage age play of any kind
  • Configuring the site as a file server for downloads
  • Streaming video that is not your own original content or that you hold a license to
  • Marketplace for the distribution of drugs, alcohol, tobacco or weapons
  • Selling of services or materials for someone other than yourself
  • Hate speech related to race, sex, religion, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, etc.
  • White nationalism/neo-Nazi/white supremacist related propaganda
  • Xenophobia and/or violent nationalism/radicalism
  • Religious extremism/extremist propaganda of any kind

If any report of unacceptable content is discovered and deemed valid, the customer’s account will immediately be suspended and likely terminated. If an account is terminated, the decision is final and no refund will be awarded for services that have not expired.

*Please note that while this is generally anonymous hosting and we do not collect real information, if we have any questions about the willingness or age of a participant in your material we will need to verify the age (ID verification) and consent of a performer (model release) or the material will not be allowed on the server.

If in doubt regarding the acceptability of your site or service, please contact us and we will be happy to assist you.

Unlimited

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For accounts with unlimited bandwidth, we expressly reserve the right to review every account for excessive space and bandwidth utilisation, and to terminate or apply additional fees to those accounts that exceed allowed levels. This rule only comes into play when you use excess server processing power that negatively impacts the performance of the server and provides a bad customer experience in that server community. Minimizing the impact on an individual server’s processing power is key to the overall performance on that server. In the vast majority of cases, if you use the web hosting service appropriately, visitors to your website will be able to view, download, and add as much content from your site as they wish. However, in certain circumstances, our server processing power, server memory, or anti-abuse controls could limit downloads or access from your site. Violators to the above rule will not be tolerated. You can upload all the content that you require each month subject to the rules as outlined above.

Where we advertise "unlimited" features (such as bandwidth or storage), this is intended for normal business use of the Services. "Unlimited" does not mean unreasonable or excessive use, and we reserve the right to suspend or terminate accounts that consume resources far beyond typical usage patterns.

For shared hosting plans, we may impose limits on:

  • Number of files (inodes)
  • Concurrent processes
  • CPU and memory usage
  • Database size and complexity

If your site requires resources beyond these limits, we may recommend upgrading to a higher-tier plan.

Backups

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Red Umbrella Hosting does maintain backups on a separate, dedicated server and will help you restore your website in the event of disaster. We recommend you also create your own backup regularly as well. You agree you will not hold us responsible for any data loss that may occur. While we perform regular backups of our systems, you are solely responsible for maintaining your own backups of any important data. Red Umbrella Hosting is not responsible for data loss under any circumstances.

We recommend that you:

  • Maintain local copies of your website files and databases
  • Use our backup tools or third-party solutions to create regular backups
  • Test your backup restoration process periodically

Backup services beyond the standard offerings are available for an additional fee. Please contact us for details.

DMCA

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Hosting provided by Red Umbrella falls outside the jurisdiction of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), however we respect copyright and expect all of our customers to do the same. If we receive a valid complaint regarding copyright infringement, we reserve the right to disable access to the offending content, remove the content without your prior consent, temporarily suspend your services, or terminate your account.

All complaints should be directed to:

redumbrellas@pm.me
Subject: DMCA Complaint (domain name) by (your name)

Red Umbrella Hosting respects the intellectual property rights of others and expects our users to do the same. We voluntarily comply with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act ("DMCA") and will respond to notices of alleged copyright infringement that comply with the law.

If you believe that your copyrighted work has been copied in a way that constitutes copyright infringement, please provide our designated agent with the following information:

  • A physical or electronic signature of the copyright owner
  • Identification of the copyrighted work claimed to have been infringed
  • Identification of the material that is claimed to be infringing
  • Your contact information
  • A statement that you have a good faith belief that use of the material is not authorised
  • A statement that the information in the notification is accurate

Our designated agent can be reached at dmca@redumbrella.com.

Privacy

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We do not collect and retain any personal information from customers other than what is necessary to conduct business. The information collected from the customer is never sold or shared with any third party. We do not maintain an email database, and your email address will never be leased or sold. Your data is your data, we claim no ownership or usage rights to it unless granted by you in writing. We recommend using a VPN (Njalla or PIA) at all times. We also recommend looking into the TOR web browser and app for your mobile device to better protect your personal information.

Disclaimer

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YOU AGREE THAT IT SHALL DEFEND, INDEMNIFY, SAVE AND HOLD RED UMBRELLA HOSTING HARMLESS FROM ANY AND ALL DEMANDS, LIABILITIES, LOSSES, COSTS AND CLAIMS, INCLUDING REASONABLE ATTORNEY’S FEES ASSERTED AGAINST RED UMBRELLA HOSTING, ITS AGENTS, ITS CUSTOMERS, OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES, THAT MAY ARISE OR RESULT FROM ANY SERVICE PROVIDED OR PERFORMED OR AGREED TO BE PERFORMED OR ANY PRODUCT SOLD BY YOU, YOUR AGENTS, EMPLOYEES OR ASSIGNS. YOU AGREE TO DEFEND, INDEMNIFY AND HOLD HARMLESS RED UMBRELLA HOSTING AGAINST LIABILITIES ARISING OUT OF:

  • ANY INJURY TO PERSON OR PROPERTY CAUSED BY ANY PRODUCTS SOLD OR OTHERWISE DISTRIBUTED IN CONNECTION WITH RED UMBRELLA HOSTING’S SERVER
  • ANY MATERIAL SUPPLIED BY THE CUSTOMER INFRINGING OR ALLEGEDLY INFRINGING ON THE PROPRIETARY RIGHTS OF A THIRD PARTY
  • COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT
  • ANY DEFECTIVE PRODUCTS SOLD TO CUSTOMER FROM RED UMBRELLA HOSTING’S SERVER

Limitation of Liability

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Red Umbrella Hosting shall not be held liable for any indirect, incidental, special, punitive, or consequential damages, including but not limited to loss of profits, data, or use, whether in an action in contract, tort or otherwise, even if we have been advised of or should have known of the possibility of such damages. By using our services, you agree to hold us harmless from any and all demands, liabilities, losses, costs, claims, including attorney fees, arising out of or related to our services.

To the maximum extent permitted by law, we shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential or punitive damages, or any loss of profits or revenues, whether incurred directly or indirectly, or any loss of data, use, goodwill, or other intangible losses, resulting from:

  • Your access to or use of or inability to access or use the Services
  • Any conduct or content of any third party on the Services
  • Any unauthorised access, use or alteration of your transmissions or content
  • Any bugs, viruses, or the like that may be transmitted to or through our Services

In no event shall our aggregate liability exceed the greater of $100 or the amount you paid us in the past twelve months.

Service Uptime

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We strive to maintain 99.9% uptime for all Services, excluding scheduled maintenance windows. Scheduled maintenance will be announced at least 72 hours in advance whenever possible. We aim to achieve service uptime of 99.9%, consistent with industry standards. However, due to the inherent risks of the internet and dependencies on external factors, including but not limited to third-party service providers and network infrastructures outside of our control, we cannot guarantee this uptime percentage. While we lease our servers from reputed server farms, occasional downtimes may occur due to reasons beyond our control.

Uptime is calculated based on our monitoring systems and excludes:

  • Scheduled maintenance
  • Issues caused by factors outside our reasonable control
  • Issues resulting from customer actions or third-party applications
  • Network issues between customer locations and our data centers

Service credits for downtime are calculated as described in our Service Level Agreement.

Refund Policy

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We offer a 48-hour window from the time of purchase for refunds. Beyond this window, refunds will not be provided, except under extenuating circumstances, which will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. All determinations made by us with respect to refunds under extenuating circumstances are final.

Contact Information

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For any queries or concerns related to these terms and conditions, users are encouraged to contact us directly via email at redumbrellas@pm.me - We value your feedback and will aim to respond in a timely manner.

Force Majeure

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Neither party shall be held responsible for a failure to fulfill its obligations hereunder if such failure is caused by uncontrollable circumstances, including, but not limited to, natural disasters, acts of war, or significant disruptions. In the event of such occurrences, both parties will strive to restore normalcy and uphold the terms and conditions as soon as reasonably possible.

We shall not be liable for any failure or delay in performance due to events beyond our reasonable control, including but not limited to:

  • Acts of God
  • Natural disasters
  • War or civil unrest
  • Government actions
  • Internet service provider failures
  • Utility failures
  • Pandemics or epidemics
  • Labor disputes

In such events, we will make reasonable efforts to notify customers and restore services as quickly as possible.

Security

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At Red Umbrella Hosting, your privacy and security are not just priorities; they are our mission. We employ cutting-edge, robust security protocols, and constantly update our measures to face the ever-evolving landscape of online threats. While the digital world is intricate and no system can guarantee absolute invulnerability, we have meticulously designed our infrastructure to offer a fortress of protection for your data. Our dedication to safeguarding your information is unwavering, and we are committed to upholding the highest standards of security and confidentiality. By partnering with us, you are choosing a haven of privacy in the vast digital expanse.

We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your data, including:

  • Firewalls and intrusion detection systems
  • Regular security audits
  • DDoS protection
  • Encryption of sensitive data
  • Encrypted communication

However, no method of transmission over the Internet or method of electronic storage is 100% secure. You are responsible for maintaining the security of your account credentials and for any activity that occurs under your account.

You must immediately notify us of any unauthorised use of your account or any other security breach.

Changes to Terms

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The terms and conditions are updated annually. It is the responsibility of the user to review these terms at least once a year to stay updated. Continued use of our services after changes have been made constitutes your acceptance of said changes.

We may modify these Terms from time to time. If we make material changes, we will notify you through the Services or by other means, to give you the opportunity to review the changes before they become effective.

Your continued use of the Services after the effective date of any changes constitutes your acceptance of the modified Terms. If you do not agree to the modified Terms, you should discontinue your use of the Services.

Acceptance of Terms

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By accessing or using the Services, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree to these Terms, you may not access or use the Services.

By using the services provided by us, you expressly acknowledge, agree to, and are bound by all the terms and conditions outlined herein. If you disagree with any of the terms, you should refrain from using our services.

If you are using the Services on behalf of an organization, you represent and warrant that you have the authority to bind that organization to these Terms, and the terms "you" and "your" will refer to that organization.

RED UMBRELLA HOSTING WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY DAMAGES YOUR BUSINESS MAY SUFFER. WE MAKE NO WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED FOR SERVICES WE PROVIDE. WE DISCLAIM ANY WARRANTY OR MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. THIS INCLUDES LOSS OF DATA RESULTING FROM DELAYS, NON-DELIVERIES, WRONG DELIVERY, AND ANY AND ALL SERVICE INTERRUPTIONS CAUSED BY US AND OUR EMPLOYEES. WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REVISE OUR POLICIES AT ANY TIME. ALL SUB-NETWORKS, RESELLERS AND DEDICATED SERVERS MUST ADHERE TO THE ABOVE POLICIES. FAILURE TO FOLLOW ANY TERM OR CONDITION WILL BE GROUNDS FOR IMMEDIATE ACCOUNT CANCELATION.

Free Speech

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We will not infringe on your right to free speech. We also do not take any responsibility for what you say. With that said — your right to swing your fist stops an inch from someone else’s face so if something you are doing in any way negatively impacts anyone else, you can get your own server. We support free speech and open discourse. However, we do not permit content that:

  • Violates applicable laws
  • Promotes violence or hate speech
  • Contains child exploitation material
  • Involves illegal activities
  • Infringes intellectual property rights

We reserve the right to remove any content that we determine, in our sole discretion, violates these standards or could subject us to legal liability.