MOTTASL Merchant Policy Team MOTTASL August 28, 2023

MOTTASL Merchant Policy

We strive to support a healthy e-commerce ecosystem – one that’s trustworthy and transparent and works for our customers. The purpose of this Policy is to help you in your campaigns that align with both our Terms & Conditions and the policies and terms & conditions of using other platforms that MOTTASL is integrated with or will integrate in the future.

These policies are designed to ensure a safe and positive experience for our customers and abide by applicable laws. This means that our policies prohibit content that is harmful to customers and the overall trading ecosystem.

We use a combination of MOTTASL’s AI and human evaluation to ensure that your website content complies with these policies including WhatsApp policies referred to in our terms & conditions. Our enforcement technologies use MOTTASL’s AI, modeled on human reviewers’ decisions, to help protect our customers and keep our platforms safe. More complex, nuanced, or severe cases are often reviewed and evaluated by our specially-trained experts.

We take action on content that violates our policies. This may include disapproving violating actions so they don’t serve, temporarily capping ad impressions for some accounts flagged by MOTTASL’s AI, and suspending accounts for repeat or egregious violations. We will provide you with information on our decision for any policy violation enforcement actions we take.

Prohibited Content

Counterfeit goods

MOTTASL prohibits the sale or promotion for sale of counterfeit products. Counterfeit goods contain a trademark or logo that is identical to or substantially indistinguishable from the trademark or logo of another. They mimic the brand features of the product in an attempt to pass themselves off as a genuine product of the brand owner.

Dangerous products

MOTTASL wants to help keep people safe both online and offline, so we don’t allow the promotion of some products that cause damage, harm, or injury.

Examples of dangerous content: Recreational drugs (chemical or herbal); psychoactive substances; equipment to facilitate drug use; weapons, ammunition, explosive materials and fireworks; instructions for making explosives or other harmful products; tobacco products.

Products that enable dishonest behavior

MOTTASL values honesty and fairness, so we don’t allow the promotion of products that are designed to enable dishonest behavior.
Examples of products that enable dishonest behavior: Hacking software or instructions; fake documents; academic cheating products.

Inappropriate content

MOTTASL values diversity and respect for others, and we strive to avoid offending users, so we don’t allow ads or destinations that display shocking content or promote hatred, intolerance, discrimination, or violence.

Examples of inappropriate or offensive content: Bullying or intimidation of an individual or group; racial discrimination; hate group paraphernalia; graphic crime scene or accident images; cruelty to animals; murder; self-harm; extortion or blackmail; sale or trade of endangered species.

Unsupported content

MOTTASL aims to enable businesses to promote a wide variety of products, but some MOTTASL products and platforms may not be optimized to appropriately support all content types.

For this reason, free product listings don’t allow the promotion of certain content where we don’t offer an optimal user experience.

Note that because these limitations are specific to free listings, they do not impact policies on other MOTTASL products or platforms, where functionality differs or additional support mechanisms are in place.

Prohibited practices

Abuse of the network use

MOTTASL wants your platform to be useful, varied, relevant, and safe for users, so we don’t allow any of the following:

Malicious Content

Sites that offer little unique value to users and are focused on traffic generation.

Irresponsible data collection & use

MOTTASL wants users to trust that information about them will be respected and handled with appropriate care. As such, our partners should not misuse this information, nor collect it for unclear purposes or without appropriate security measures.

Examples of user information that must be handled with care: full name; email address; mailing address; phone number; national identity, pension, social security, tax ID, health care, or driver’s license number; birth date or mother’s maiden name in addition to any of the above information; financial status; political affiliation; sexual orientation; race or ethnicity; religion.

Examples of irresponsible data collection and use: Obtaining the following data over non-secure SSL (https://) server connections:

  • Username or email in combination with passwords
  • Credit and debit card numbers
  • Bank and investment account numbers
  • Checking account numbers
  • Wire transfer numbers
  • National identity, pension, social security, tax ID, health care, or driver’s license number
Misrepresentation

MOTTASL doesn’t want users to feel misled by the content promoted in Shopping ads, and that means being upfront, honest, and providing them with the information that they need to make informed decisions. For this reason, we don’t allow the following:

Promotions that prompt users to initiate a purchase, download, or other commitment without first providing all relevant information and obtaining the user’s explicit consent

Promotions that represent you or your products in a way that is not accurate, realistic, and truthful

Restricted content

The policies below cover content that is sometimes legally or culturally sensitive. Online promotion can be a powerful way to reach customers, but in sensitive areas, we also work hard to avoid showing these ads when and where they might be inappropriate.

For that reason, we allow promotion of the content below, but on a limited basis. These promotions may not show to every user in every location, and merchants may need to meet additional requirements before their ads are eligible to run. Note that not all products, features, or networks are able to support this restricted content.

Adult-oriented content

MOTTASL restricts promotion of the following types of adult-oriented content:

  • Adult merchandise
  • Sexually suggestive content
  • Images containing exposed skin and nudity
  • When promoting adult content, you may not do any of the following:
  • Violate applicable laws or regulations for any location that you target
  • Target minors
  • Promote sexually explicit content
  • Promote content with underage or non-consensual sexual themes, including child sexual abuse content
  • Promote content that may be interpreted as providing sexual acts in exchange for compensation
  • Examples of restricted adult content: sex toys; adult magazines; sexual enhancement products; sexually suggestive lingerie promotions.
Alcoholic beverages

MOTTASL restricts the promotion of alcoholic beverages and drinks that resemble alcoholic beverages.
When promoting alcoholic beverages, you may not do any of the following:

  • Violate applicable laws and industry standards for any location that you target
  • Target individuals below the legal drinking age
  • Imply that drinking alcohol can improve social, sexual, professional, intellectual, or athletic standing
  • Imply that drinking alcohol provides health or therapeutic benefits
  • Portray excessive drinking in a positive light or feature binge or competition drinking
  • Show alcohol being consumed in conjunction with the operation of a vehicle of any kind, the operation of machinery, or the performance of any task requiring alertness or dexterity
  • Examples of restricted alcoholic beverages: beer; wine; sake; spirits or hard alcohol; Champagne; fortified wine; non-alcoholic beer; non-alcoholic wine; and non-alcoholic distilled spirits.
Copyrighted content

MOTTASL restricts the promotion of copyrighted content. If you would like to promote copyrighted content and believe you are legally authorized to do so, you can contact us. To learn more about how we handle copyright-related issues or to submit a copyright-related complaint, use this form.

Gambling-related content

MOTTASL restricts the promotion of gambling-related content.

Examples of restricted gambling-related content: national or private lotteries; sites offering bonus codes or promotional offers for gambling sites

Healthcare-related content

MOTTASL restricts the promotion of healthcare-related content such as the following:

  • Over-the-counter medication
  • Prescription drugs
  • Unapproved pharmaceuticals and supplements
  • Pregnancy and fertility-related products

The restrictions that apply to this content may vary depending on the product you’re promoting and the countries that you’re targeting. Some content, such as unapproved pharmaceutical supplements, may not be promoted anywhere.

Depending on the content you’re promoting and the countries where your ads appear, you may need to apply for preauthorization with MOTTASL before advertising healthcare-related content.

Political content

When you promote political content, you must comply with the following requirements:

Applicable laws and industry standards for any location that you target

Any applicable election “silence periods”

Examples of political content: promotion of political parties/candidates, political issue advocacy.

Trademarks

Shopping ads don’t restrict the use of trademarks by merchants in the title or description of an ad when it’s for a trademarked product or a product compatible with the trademarked product. Merchants need to reference trademarks to be able to communicate to users what they’re offering, and users need that information as it’s relevant to their searches. We’ll review claims by trademark owners that the use of their trademark is likely to cause consumer confusion about the origin of a product.

Here is the commerce policy of WhatsApp:

  1. If you use Commerce Catalogs on the WhatsApp Business app or provide any other commerce experiences to sell goods or services, you must comply with the policies and prohibitions listed below, as well as all applicable terms, laws, and regulations.
  2. You are solely responsible for your transactions and providing any sales terms, privacy terms or other terms applicable to your interactions with users.
  3. We are not responsible for processing, paying for, or fulfilling any sales relating to your transactions.
  4. You are solely responsible for determining, collecting, withholding, reporting, and remitting all applicable taxes, duties, fees, and additional charges for sales relating to your transactions.
  5. The examples listed below are representative, but not exhaustive.
  6. The following are prohibited under this policy:

Illegal products or services

  • Policy: Businesses may not transact in the operations or exchange of illegal products or services.

Drugs, whether prescription, recreational, or otherwise

  • Policy: Businesses may not transact in the sale of illegal, prescription, or recreational drugs. Manufacturers and healthcare services who do not engage in direct sale are allowed.
  • Examples:
    •  Drugs, including marijuana and marijuana products
    •  Drug paraphernalia, including pipes and bongs
    •  Prescription drugs

Tobacco items and related paraphernalia

  • Policy: Businesses may not transact in the sale of tobacco products or tobacco paraphernalia.
  • Examples:
    • Apparel featuring a tobacco brand logo
    • Cigarettes, cigars, and chewing tobacco
    • Tobacco pipes and paraphernalia
    • Tobacco rolling machines
    • Hookahs
    • Bongs
    • Rolling papers
    • Electronic cigarettes (E-cigarettes) or tobacco devices

Alcohol

  • Policy: Businesses may not transact in the sale of alcohol.
  • Examples:
    •  Books or DVDs about alcohol
    •  Alcohol-related items, including glasses, coolers, and wine bottle holders
    •  Alcoholic beverages
    •  Kits for producing alcohol

Unsafe ingestible supplements

  • Policy: Businesses may not transact in the sale of unsafe ingestible supplements, as determined by WhatsApp in its sole discretion.
  • Examples:
    •  Anabolic steroids
    •  Chitosan
    •  Comfrey
    •  Dehydroepiandrosterone
    •  Ephedra
    •  Human growth hormones

Weapons, ammunition, or explosives

  • Policy: Businesses may not transact in the sale or use of weapons, ammunition, or explosives.
  • Examples:
    •  Promoting safety training or licenses for legal weapons
    •  Firearms and firearm parts
    •  Paintball guns
    •  BB Guns
    •  Fireworks
    •  Pepper spray
    •  Tasers
    •  Gun ranges
    •  Gun shows

Animals

  • Policy: Businesses may not transact in the sale of any animals.
  • Examples:
    •  Animal cages
    •  Products for animals (toys, collars, etc.)
    •  Veterinary services
    •  Grooming services
    •  Boarding services
    •  Pet adoption services
    •  Live animals
    •  Livestock
    •  Prohibited animal parts, including but not limited to bone, teeth, horn, ivory, taxidermy, organs, external limbs, secretions, or carcasses
    •  Any product or part, including but not limited to leather, skin, hide, fur, wool, or hair from any dogs, cats, and endangered or threatened animals

Adult products or services

  • Policy: Businesses may not transact in the sale or use of adult products or services.
  • Examples:
  •  Products promoting family planning and contraception, which focus on the contraceptive features of the product, and not on sexual pleasure or sexual enhancement
  •  Sex toys
  •  Videos or live shows for adult entertainment
  •  Sexual enhancement products
  •  Sexually suggestive services

Body parts and fluids

  • Policy: Businesses may not transact in the sale of human body parts or fluids.
  • Examples:
    • Blood donation centers
    • Blood
    • Hair extensions and wigs
    • Urine
    • Body parts
    • Organs
    • Human tissue
    • Teeth

Medical and healthcare products

  • Policy: Businesses may not transact in certain healthcare products, including medical devices, and smoking cessation products containing nicotine. Manufacturers and healthcare services who do not engage in direct sale are allowed.
  • Medical Devices – Examples:
    • Lifestyle and fitness accessories
    • Contact lenses
    • Bandages and braces for physical injuries
    • Thermometers
    • Testing kits for medical conditions or diseases
    • Breast pumps
    • First-aid kits
    • Smoking Cessation Products
  •  Examples:
    •  Nicotine patches
    •  Nicotine gum

Items or products with overtly sexualized positioning

  • Policy: Businesses may not position products or services in a sexually suggestive manner.
  • Examples:
    • Implied nudity
    • Implied sexual acts
    • Zoomed-in sexual images

Real money gambling services

  • Policy: Businesses may not transact in or facilitate gambling, games of skill, or lotteries, including online casinos, sports books, bingo, or poker if it costs money.

Dating services

  • Policy: Businesses may not transact in or facilitate online dating services.

Products or items that facilitate or encourage unauthorized access to digital media

  • Policy: Businesses may not transact in the sale of devices that facilitate or encourage streaming digital content in an unauthorized manner or interfering with the functionality of electronic devices.
  • Examples:
    • Add-on equipment for streaming devices such as keyboards and remotes
    • Sale of streaming devices loaded with software that facilitates unauthorized access to content
    • Jailbroken or loaded devices
    • Jamming or descrambling devices
    • Wiretapping devices

Digital and subscription services, including links to or processing of any subscription sales, renewals, or upgrades

  • Policy: Businesses may not transact in the sale, including renewals and upgrades, etc., of digital content, digital subscriptions, or digital accounts.
  • Examples:
    • Authentic audio or video CDs, DVDs, and Blu Ray
      Digital devices, including Smartphones, video game consoles, and TVs
    • Downloadable content, including PDFs, music, games, movies, etc.
      Digital accounts, including games accounts
    • Digital subscriptions and internet streaming services, including TV, Mobile, etc.
    • Digital coupons

Business models, goods, items, or services that we determine may be or are fraudulent, misleading, offensive, or deceptive, or may be or are exploitative, inappropriate, or exert undue pressure on targeted groups

  • Policy: Businesses may not transact in deceptive, false, misleading, or offensive offers or products.
  • Examples:
    –  Multilevel marketing
    – Penny auctions
    – ICOs and binary options
    – Payday loans, paycheck advances, P2P lending, debt collection, and bail bonds
    – Diet, weight loss, or other health related products that imply or attempt to generate negative self-perception

Real, virtual, or fake currency

  • Policy: Businesses may not transact in the sale of real, virtual, or fake currency.
  • Examples:
    •  Real money (cash or cash equivalent instruments and coins)
    •  Replica or prop money
    •  Digital or cryptocurrency
    •  Active bank credit or debit cards
    •  Store credit cards or coupons
    •  Pre-paid credit or debit cards
    •  Checks or checkbooks
    •  Equipment to create counterfeit currency or financial instruments

Third-Party Infringement

  • Policy: Transactions may not contain content that infringes upon or violates the intellectual property rights of any third party, including copyright or trademark. This includes, but is not limited to, the sale of counterfeit products, such as goods that copy the trademark (name or logo) and/or distinctive features of another company’s products to imitate a genuine product.
  • Examples:
    •  Counterfeits, knockoffs, or replicas of branded goods, or posts offering goods that are likely to confuse consumers about the source, sponsorship or affiliation of those goods.
    •  Unauthorized or pirated copies of copyrighted works, such as videos, movies, TV shows and broadcasts, video games, CDs or other musical works, books, etc.

MOTTASL requires that users comply with all applicable laws and regulations and the MOTTASL policies described above. It’s important that you familiarize yourself with and keep up to date on these requirements for the places where your business operates, as well as any other places your ads are showing. When we find content that violates these requirements, we may block it from appearing, and in cases of repeated or egregious violations, we may stop you from using with us.

Customers have a responsibility to not promote content, or engage in behavior that risks harm to our users, employees, or the trading ecosystem. If we see such content or behavior, we may take action, including but not limited to restricting or blocking or suspending your account.