Acceptable Use Policy

SportsBug Acceptable Use Policy

Effective Date: August 1, 2025
Last Updated: August 1, 2025

Purpose of This Policy

This Acceptable Use Policy explains the rules and guidelines for using SportsBug's services, website, and digital platforms. By using our services, you agree to follow these guidelines, which are designed to ensure a safe, secure, and positive experience for all users while protecting our systems and community.

We've written this policy in clear language to help you understand what's expected when you use our services and what activities are not permitted. These guidelines help us maintain a professional environment and protect both our users and our systems from security threats and inappropriate behavior.

Who This Policy Applies To

This policy applies to:

• All registered users of SportsBug services and platforms
• Website visitors who interact with our content or features
• Anyone accessing our systems, applications, or digital content
• Third-party users accessing our services through partner integrations

By creating an account, accessing our website, or using any of our services, you automatically agree to comply with this policy.

Acceptable Uses

What You Can Do

Primary Service Use: You may use SportsBug services for their intended purposes as described in our service documentation and terms of use. This includes accessing features, viewing content, and utilizing tools we provide for legitimate personal or business activities.

Account Management: You're responsible for maintaining the security of your account credentials and keeping your account information current. You may customize your user experience within the parameters we provide and manage your privacy settings according to your preferences.

Reasonable Personal Use: Limited personal use of our services is acceptable when it doesn't interfere with the intended business purpose of the platform or violate any other terms of this policy.

Content Sharing: You may share content through our platforms when you have the right to do so and the content complies with our community guidelines and legal requirements.

Prohibited Activities

System Security and Integrity

Never attempt to:

• Bypass, disable, or circumvent any security measures, access controls, or authentication systems
• Gain unauthorized access to other users' accounts, data, or restricted areas of our systems
• Introduce malicious software including viruses, malware, spyware, or any code designed to harm or disrupt systems
• Conduct denial-of-service attacks or attempt to overload our servers or networks
• Probe, scan, or test the vulnerability of our systems without explicit written permission
• Use automated tools, bots, or scripts to access our services unless specifically authorized

Why these rules matter: These activities can compromise the security and stability of our systems, putting all users' data and service availability at risk.

Account and Access Violations

You must not:

• Share your login credentials (username and password) with anyone else, including family members, friends, or colleagues
• Create multiple accounts to circumvent limitations or restrictions on your primary account
• Use another person's account without their explicit permission
• Attempt to impersonate other users, companies, or organizations
• Create accounts using false, misleading, or stolen identity information

Important: Each account is personal to you, and you're responsible for all activities that occur under your login credentials.

Prohibited Content and Communications

Do not post, upload, or transmit:

• Illegal Content: Anything that violates local, state, federal, or international laws
• Harmful Material: Content that promotes violence, terrorism, or illegal activities
• Harassment or Bullying: Content that targets, intimidates, or threatens other users
• Hate Speech: Material that promotes discrimination based on race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or other protected characteristics
• Adult Content: Sexually explicit material or content inappropriate for general audiences
• Spam or Advertising: Unsolicited promotional content, chain letters, or repetitive messages
• Copyrighted Material: Content you don't have permission to share, including music, movies, software, or text

Misuse of Services

Prohibited activities include:

• Using our services for any illegal purpose or to facilitate illegal activities
• Attempting to sell, resell, or commercialize our services without authorization
• Using our platform to distribute malware, phishing attempts, or fraudulent schemes
• Collecting other users' personal information without their consent (data harvesting)
• Interfering with other users' ability to access or enjoy our services
• Engaging in activities that consume excessive system resources or bandwidth

Intellectual Property Respect

Copyright and Trademarks

Respecting Others' Rights: Only upload, share, or distribute content that you own or have explicit permission to use. This includes text, images, videos, music, software, and any other creative works. When in doubt about whether you have the right to share something, don't share it.

SportsBug's Intellectual Property: Our logos, trademarks, service names, and proprietary content are protected by intellectual property laws. You may not use these materials without our written permission, except as necessary for normal use of our services.

Reporting Copyright Violations: If you believe someone is using your copyrighted material on our platform without permission, please contact us immediately using the process outlined in our Terms of Service.

Privacy and Data Protection

Protecting Personal Information

Your Obligations:

• Don't share other users' personal information without their consent
• Respect privacy settings and don't attempt to access information users have chosen to keep private
• Be mindful of what personal information you share publicly through our services
• Don't collect or store other users' data for unauthorized purposes

What We Do: We implement technical and administrative safeguards to protect user data, but your behavior also plays a crucial role in maintaining privacy and security for everyone.

Community Standards

Creating a Positive Environment

Expected Behavior:

• Treat all users with respect and courtesy
• Engage in constructive discussions and interactions
• Follow posted community guidelines for forums, comment sections, or interactive features
• Report inappropriate behavior or content when you encounter it

Professional Conduct: When using our business services, maintain professional standards in all communications and interactions. Remember that your behavior reflects not only on you but potentially on your organization as well.

Monitoring and Enforcement

How We Monitor Usage

Automated Systems: We use automated tools to monitor for suspicious activity, spam, malware, and violations of this policy. These systems help us identify potential problems quickly and protect all users.

User Reports: We rely on our community to help identify violations. If you see content or behavior that violates this policy, please report it through our designated reporting channels.

Staff Review: Our team reviews reported violations and may investigate suspicious activities. We respect user privacy while ensuring compliance with our policies.

No Expectation of Complete Privacy

Important Notice: While we respect your privacy and follow our Privacy Policy, you should understand that:

• Your use of our services may be monitored for security and compliance purposes
• We may review content and communications when investigating policy violations
• We maintain logs of system activity for security and operational purposes
• Law enforcement may request information as permitted by law

Consequences of Policy Violations

Progressive Enforcement

We believe in giving users opportunities to correct their behavior, but we also need to protect our community and systems. Consequences may include:

Minor Violations:

• Warnings and educational information about policy requirements
• Temporary restrictions on specific features or capabilities
• Required acknowledgment of policy terms before continued access

Serious Violations:

• Temporary suspension of account access
• Removal of offending content
• Permanent restrictions on certain service features
• Loss of premium features or services

Severe Violations:

• Permanent account termination and ban from all SportsBug services
• Removal of all user content and data
• Referral to law enforcement for illegal activities
• Legal action to recover damages or seek injunctive relief

Factors We Consider

When determining appropriate consequences, we consider:

• The severity and nature of the violation
• Whether this is a first offense or part of a pattern of violations
• The impact on other users and our systems
• Your cooperation in resolving the issue
• Any attempts to circumvent previous enforcement actions

Appeals Process

If You Disagree with Enforcement Action

How to Appeal: If you believe we've made an error in enforcing this policy, you can appeal by contacting us through the methods listed in the "Contact Us" section. Include:

• Your account information
• A clear explanation of why you believe the action was incorrect
• Any relevant evidence or context
• A commitment to follow our policies going forward

Appeal Review: We'll review your appeal promptly and fairly. During the review process:

• Most enforcement actions will remain in place
• We may request additional information from you
• We'll communicate our decision and reasoning
• Our decision on appeals is final

Reporting Violations

How to Report Problems

When to Report: Please report any content, behavior, or activity that violates this policy, including:

• Suspicious or malicious activity
• Harassment or threatening behavior
• Copyright infringement
• Spam or fraudulent schemes
• Technical security issues

How to Report:

• Email: [abuse@sportsbug.com]

What to Include:

• Specific description of the violation
• Location of problematic content (URLs, usernames, etc.)
• Screenshots or evidence when appropriate
• Your contact information for follow-up questions

Legal Compliance

Your Legal Responsibilities

By using our services, you agree that:

• You will comply with all applicable laws and regulations
• You are responsible for understanding the legal requirements in your jurisdiction
• You will not use our services to facilitate illegal activities
• You understand that violations may result in civil or criminal liability

Our Legal Obligations

We reserve the right to:

• Cooperate with law enforcement investigations
• Preserve and disclose account information as required by law
• Suspend or terminate services when legally required to do so
• Implement additional security measures to comply with regulatory requirements

Changes to This Policy

Policy Updates

We may update this Acceptable Use Policy periodically to:

• Address new types of threats or inappropriate behavior
• Comply with changing legal requirements
• Improve clarity and user understanding
• Reflect changes in our services or technology

Notification Process

When we make significant changes:

• We'll post the updated policy on our website with a revised "Last Updated" date
• We'll notify active users through email or in-platform notifications
• We may require acknowledgment of policy changes before continued service use
• Changes become effective immediately upon posting unless otherwise specified

Your Continued Use

By continuing to use our services after policy changes, you agree to be bound by the updated terms. If you don't agree with the changes, you should discontinue use of our services.

Contact Information

Questions and Support

If you have questions about this Acceptable Use Policy or need to report a violation:

General Questions:

• Email: [support@sportsbug.com]

Policy Violations:

• Email: [abuse@sportsbug.com]
• Urgent Security Issues: [security@sportsbug.com]

Final Notes

Your Role in Our Community

Following this Acceptable Use Policy helps create a safe, productive environment for all SportsBug users. We appreciate your cooperation in maintaining these standards and building a positive community.

When in Doubt

If you're unsure whether an activity is permitted under this policy, please contact us before proceeding. We'd rather answer questions in advance than deal with problems after they occur.

By using SportsBug services, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to comply with this Acceptable Use Policy.