Offensive Content Policy

This policy defines content that Newegg Marketplace considers offensive. Our policy is that no offensive content can be created on Newegg Marketplace.  Sellers must familiarize themselves with this content policy because it not only defines what Newegg Marketplace considers acceptable and unacceptable, but it specifies the consequences for violating this policy. These rules are not an exhaustive list; rather, they convey a sense of what constitutes acceptable and unacceptable content.  We urge sellers to abide by the rules delineated here, but also to follow in good faith the intent they seek to convey.  We believe that this policy adequately communicates the boundaries between offensive and acceptable content.

Glossary:

1. Adult: Exclusive and/or intended for persons at least 18 years of age.
2. Offensive. Constitutes negative communication that would be considered unacceptable or inappropriate if portrayed in a normal public setting.  

Scope:
The offensive content policy includes all content for an SKU such as website short title, product description, images, videos, logos, and property values.  All forms of communication including images, words, slogans, letters, or numbers constitute content.  The meaning of any content refers not only to the denotative meaning but also to the connotative and symbolic meanings as well.

• For a list of SKUs that are not necessarily offensive, but prohibited for sale on Newegg Marketplace, please refer to our Prohibited Items List section.
• For content policy regarding miscategorized SKUs, please refer to our Miscategorized SKUs Policy.
• For content policy regarding website short titles, product descriptions, and good practice guidelines, please refer to the Website Short Title and Product Description sections under the content policy navigation.

Offensive Content:

1. Prohibited SKUs.  These products have been banned from our website for legal or business reasons.  Please refer to the “Prohibited Items List”.
2. Bigotry.  All forms of bigotry including animosity, hostility, malice, and ridicule of any sect or group of people, including any symbol or object conventionally understood as bigoted.
3. Intolerance.  Any intolerant regard for any sect or group of people.
4. Foreign language.  When possible, content should be in English only.  This does not apply to logos or images.  If a foreign language is used, it must be used sparingly.
5. Aberrations.  Unconventional depiction of ideas, beliefs, symbols, or events that may be special or sacred to any sect or group of people.  This also includes any cooption of any ideas, beliefs, symbols, or events in an unconventional manner. 
6. Subject/Theme.  Any SKUs whose subject or theme is adult. 
7. Profanity.  Profanity is prohibited.  Rude language is acceptable as long as it is not in the website’s short title or on the primary image.  Use of alternative characters to mask words or parts of profane words is prohibited (examples:  “@ss”, “fu**ker”, “$#!t”).
8. Nudity.  Except in rare cases, nudity is prohibited.  Any depiction of genitalia is prohibited.
9. Sexuality.  All depictions of sexual expression are prohibited including drawings and stick figures.
10. Violence.  Strong or extreme violence is prohibited.
11. Drug Use.  All are prohibited, including content that refers to the drug itself.
12. Sensuality.  Strong sensual topics or depictions are prohibited.
13. Innuendos.  All sexual innuendos are prohibited.

Sanctions:

The sanction schedule is determined by two factors:  the degree of offensive severity and the incidence number.   An incident is defined as each time Newegg has determined that a seller has had one or more SKUs that violate our content policy.  The content policy includes not only the offensive content policy but is an umbrella policy that also covers our “Miscategorized SKUs” and “Inaccurate Item Information” policies.  An incident in one policy does not contribute to an incident in another policy; however, a violation in one content policy may aggravate the level of severity in another policy.  There is a maximum of one incident per day that can be counted for each seller.  The same incident may be counted twice if sufficient time has elapsed.  An incident can be defined in terms of days or it can be more conceptual such as “sexuality in the costumes subcategory.”

1. The degree of severity is as follows:
   • Low Severity
   • Medium Severity
   • High Severity
2. Incidence Number:
   • First-time offense
   • Second-time offense
   • Third-time offense
   • Multiple offenses
3. Sanctions include:
   • Unofficial Warning. This may occur for first-time offenses that may warrant a simple verbal or written warning.
   • Official Warning. This usually occurs for first-time offenses.
   • Deactivating SKUs
   • Deauthorization. This means the seller will lose authorization to sell in certain subcategories or will lose the ability to sell SKUs by a particular manufacturer.
   • Suspension. This causes all of the seller’s SKUs to be removed from our website, although they will remain in our system.
   • Termination. This means the seller’s account is terminated, and the seller will no longer be permitted to sell on Newegg.

Each incident that we establish will result in an email and/or call to the seller with information that specifies the details of the incident, the policy that is violated, the degree of severity, the sanction, and the seller’s role in rectifying the violation, and terms for reconciliation.

NOTE: Nothing in this policy shall limit Newegg’s rights to sanction or terminate a seller for violation of the Newegg Marketplace Seller Agreement.  The Agreement shall control to the extent of any conflict between this policy and the Agreement.

Please click here to view the Example of Case Studies.