Advertising Standards For Opera Inventory

Last updated: November 28, 2022

These standards apply to all advertising inventory in Opera’s consumer offerings as well as in network properties for which Opera has the right to source advertisements (“Opera Inventory”). These standards should be read to apply to the images and text presented in the Opera Inventory, to any linked landing page, and to the products and/or services being advertised (collectively, the “Promotion”).

General Rule

The general rule is:

• No Promotion may jeopardize the Opera brand or negatively affect the user experience of any product or service containing the Opera Inventory;

• Each Promotion must comply with advertising laws, regulations and industry standards in the country or countries in which the Promotion is displayed;

• Each Promotion must comply with standards of decency and good taste; and

• No Promotion may mislead or trick users.

Special note: Promotions must not be sent directly to users (for example, via email or SMS) unless the user has expressly opted-in to receiving advertising in that manner.

Specific Guidance

To assist in applying the general rule for Opera Inventory, the following specific guidance is provided. Subject to the General Rule above, specific exceptions may be authorized where permitted by local law and consistent with marketplace norms.

Subscriptions & Recurring Charges

Promotions offering subscriptions or otherwise involving recurring charges or additional costs must disclose all relevant terms and conditions. Terms and conditions must be clear, noticeable and understandable. It must be possible for users to cancel any subscription service easily.

Fraud, Deception False Advertising

No Promotion may be misleading, inaccurate, or make fraudulent or unfair competitive claims or make insufficiently supported claims or claims that distort the true meaning or practical application of the Promotion.

Financial Schemes & Auctions

Promotions must not offer get-rich-quick schemes, “free money” or similar questionable money-making opportunities. Promotions should not offer investment advice, such as specific stocks, bonds, notes, warrants, options, etc., or insider tips on a particular stock or commodity.

Promotions for products or services that claim to repair bad credit are not allowed.

Promotions should not include offers to compensate users for clicking on ads, performing web searches, viewing web sites or reading emails, etc.

Promotions must not require non-refundable fees to bid on auction items (e.g. “penny” or “bidding fee” auctions).

False System Messages or Alerts

Promotions must not include elements which emulate operating system messages/alerts, or functions (such as search boxes, drop-down menus).

Malware

Promotions may not advertise or include malware of any kind, including without limitation viruses, worms, Trojans, spyware, or adware.

Data Collection

The primary purpose of a Promotion must not be the collection of personally identifiable information to be used for consumer or promotional marketing, or related purposes.

Areas of Questionable Legality

Promotions must not include offers for products or services of questionable legality (for example: falsely obtained passwords, pyramid schemes, evading traffic tickets, etc.).

Illegal Drugs & Drug Testing

Promotions must not include offers that appear to facilitate the distribution, use or cultivation of illegal substances, substances of questionable legality, illegal drug paraphernalia, or substances whose primary purpose seems to be recreational mind alteration.

Promotions may not contain offers that appear to facilitate the evasion of drug laws (including ways to “beat” a drug test).

Pharmaceutical and Health Products

Promotions must not imply that a prescription pharmaceutical may be obtained without a prescription or on the basis of an online questionnaire or online consultation.

Promotions for personal care, medical or health products must not create an unrealistic or false expectation about the success of the product/service.

Bypassing Copyright Protection

Promotions must not offer software that bypasses copyright protection or circumvents any controls to distribute, copy or access copyrighted works. This includes, inter alia, (a)File sharing between internet users through P2P networks or usenet/newsgroups; and (b)cable or satellite signal descramblers.

Counterfeiting & Fake IDs

Promotions must not include offers of: (a) fake IDs; (b)counterfeit, fake or bootleg products, or replicas or imitations of designer products; (c) degrees or transcripts for sale or offered by non-accredited universities or programs; (d), academic paper-writing services; or (e) the sale of pre-written essays, theses or dissertations.

Adult Content & Prostitution

Promotions must not contain adult, pornographic, sexually explicit, obscene or offensive content. Promotions must not offer or suggest the availability of prostitution or escort services (the provision of sexual acts in exchange for compensation).

Sexual Health

Promotions must not advertise for protection against pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases, or for the treatment of sexually transmitted diseases. Exceptions may be made for public health campaigns only if specially approved.

Alcohol

Promotions foralcohol or showing a strong affiliation to alcoholic beverages are not permitted.

Tobacco

Promotions fortobacco or showing a strong affiliation to tobacco products are not permitted.

Online Gambling

Promotions should not have gambling or online gambling as their central theme. Among such sites are those that accept wagers or require payment or significant effort in exchange for the chance to win prizes, as well as sites that offer both information and links related primarily to the promotion of online gambling. Exceptions for national lotteries or licensed betting operations may be made only if specially approved.

Children

Promotions must not target children under the age of 18.

Defamatory, Libellous, Threatening

Promotions must not contain defamatory, libellous or threatening material. Promotions should not contain racial or religious epithets, advocate doing physical harm to people or their property, or advocate against any individual or group.

Inflammatory Content

Promotions should not include content of a political, religious or racial character.

Suffering and Violence

Promotions should not advocate, glorify or promote physical or sexual violence, human suffering or death.

Weapons

Promotions should not offer automatic weapons, military-style assault weapons, or parts for these weapons.