Acceptable Use Policy (AUP)
This Acceptable Use Policy governs the use of Host Genie’s hosting and digital services.
/* Acceptable Use Policy Styles – Scoped and Safe for Elementor */
.hostgenie-aup {
font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ‘Segoe UI’, Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, sans-serif;
line-height: 1.7;
color: #333;
max-width: 1000px;
margin: 0 auto;
padding: 20px;
}
/* Reset only within our container */
.hostgenie-aup * {
box-sizing: border-box;
margin: 0;
padding: 0;
}
.aup-header {
margin-bottom: 40px;
padding-bottom: 20px;
border-bottom: 2px solid #00BA7F;
}
.aup-header h1 {
color: #000;
font-size: 2.5rem;
margin-bottom: 10px;
font-weight: 700;
}
.last-updated {
background: #f5f5f5;
padding: 10px 20px;
border-radius: 5px;
display: inline-block;
margin-top: 15px;
color: #666;
font-size: 0.95rem;
}
.policy-intro {
background: linear-gradient(135deg, #f5fff8 0%, #f0fff5 100%);
padding: 25px;
border-radius: 8px;
border-left: 5px solid #00BA7F;
margin-bottom: 40px;
}
.aup-section {
margin-bottom: 40px;
padding-bottom: 30px;
border-bottom: 1px solid #eee;
}
.aup-section:last-of-type {
border-bottom: none;
}
.section-title {
display: flex;
align-items: center;
margin-bottom: 20px;
}
.section-number {
background: #00BA7F;
color: white;
width: 36px;
height: 36px;
border-radius: 50%;
display: flex;
align-items: center;
justify-content: center;
font-weight: bold;
margin-right: 15px;
flex-shrink: 0;
}
.section-title h2 {
color: #000;
font-size: 1.4rem;
margin: 0;
}
.section-content {
padding-left: 50px;
}
.section-content p {
margin-bottom: 15px;
color: #444;
}
.prohibited-grid {
display: grid;
grid-template-columns: repeat(auto-fit, minmax(300px, 1fr));
gap: 20px;
margin: 20px 0;
}
.prohibited-item {
background: #fff5f5;
border: 1px solid #ffcccc;
padding: 20px;
border-radius: 6px;
position: relative;
}
.prohibited-item::before {
content: “❌”;
position: absolute;
top: 15px;
right: 15px;
font-size: 1.2rem;
}
.abuse-item {
background: #fff8f5;
border: 1px solid #ffd9b3;
padding: 20px;
border-radius: 6px;
margin-bottom: 15px;
}
.enforcement-steps {
display: grid;
grid-template-columns: repeat(auto-fit, minmax(250px, 1fr));
gap: 15px;
margin: 20px 0;
}
.enforcement-step {
background: #f8fffc;
padding: 20px;
border-radius: 6px;
border: 1px solid #e0f7ef;
}
.step-severity {
display: inline-block;
padding: 3px 10px;
border-radius: 3px;
font-size: 0.8rem;
font-weight: 600;
margin-right: 10px;
}
.severity-high {
background: #ff4444;
color: white;
}
.severity-medium {
background: #ff9900;
color: white;
}
.warning-box {
background: #fff8f5;
border: 2px solid #ff9900;
padding: 20px;
border-radius: 6px;
margin: 20px 0;
}
.legal-box {
background: #f5f8ff;
border: 1px solid #4b6cb7;
padding: 20px;
border-radius: 6px;
margin: 20px 0;
}
.contact-section {
background: linear-gradient(135deg, #00BA7F 0%, #00DC93 100%);
color: white;
padding: 30px;
border-radius: 10px;
margin-top: 40px;
}
.contact-section h3 {
color: white;
margin-bottom: 20px;
font-size: 1.5rem;
}
.contact-info {
display: flex;
flex-wrap: wrap;
gap: 20px;
}
.contact-item {
flex: 1;
min-width: 250px;
background: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.1);
padding: 20px;
border-radius: 6px;
}
.contact-item a {
color: white;
text-decoration: none;
font-weight: 600;
}
.contact-item a:hover {
text-decoration: underline;
}
.icon {
margin-right: 8px;
}
/* Responsive Design */
@media (max-width: 768px) {
.hostgenie-aup {
padding: 15px;
}
.aup-header h1 {
font-size: 2rem;
}
.section-content {
padding-left: 0;
}
.section-title {
flex-direction: column;
align-items: flex-start;
}
.section-number {
margin-bottom: 10px;
}
.prohibited-grid, .enforcement-steps {
grid-template-columns: 1fr;
}
.contact-info {
flex-direction: column;
}
.contact-item {
min-width: 100%;
}
}
Last updated: 24 October 2025
Important: This policy outlines acceptable and prohibited uses of our services. By using Host Genie services, you agree to comply with this Acceptable Use Policy. Violations may result in immediate suspension or termination of services without refund.
Prohibited Activities
You may not use our services to:
Illegal Content
Host or distribute illegal material or content promoting illegal activities.
Malware & Viruses
Distribute malware, viruses, phishing schemes, or malicious software.
Spam & Bulk Messages
Send spam, unsolicited bulk emails, or participate in mass messaging campaigns.
Copyright Infringement
Host copyrighted content without proper authorization or licenses.
Illegal Adult Content
Operate adult content involving minors or non-consensual material.
Hacking & Network Abuse
Conduct hacking, brute-force attacks, DDoS attacks, or network abuse.
Legal Compliance: All content must comply with South African laws including the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act, Film and Publications Act, and other applicable legislation.
Resource Abuse
You may not:
Excessive Resource Consumption
Consume excessive server resources (CPU, memory, disk I/O) that degrade service performance for other users.
Automated Script Abuse
Run automated scripts, bots, or crawlers that overload servers or bypass usage restrictions.
Unauthorized Crypto-Mining
Use hosting resources for cryptocurrency mining without explicit written permission.
⚠️ Resource Limits: We monitor resource usage continuously. Accounts exceeding fair usage limits may be throttled, suspended, or require upgrade to a higher plan.
Email Usage
Bulk emailing is only permitted on approved plans and must comply with:
- The Electronic Communications and Transactions Act (South Africa)
- CAN-SPAM Act requirements
- GDPR regulations for EU recipients
- Double opt-in requirements
- Clear unsubscribe mechanisms in every email
📧 Important: Any account sending spam or unsolicited bulk email will be immediately suspended. We maintain a zero-tolerance policy for spam.
Enforcement
Violation of this policy may result in:
Warning
Initial Notification
First-time minor violations may receive a warning with 24 hours to resolve.
Immediate
Service Suspension
Serious violations result in immediate suspension of services.
Permanent
Account Termination
Repeated or severe violations lead to permanent account termination.
Legal
Content Removal
Immediate removal of offending content without notice.
No Refunds: Accounts terminated due to policy violations are not eligible for refunds. All remaining service credits are forfeited.
Legal Reporting: We will report illegal activities to appropriate authorities including the South African Police Service, Film and Publications Board, and other relevant agencies as required by law.
Reporting Abuse
To report violations of this Acceptable Use Policy:
Report Abuse
Abuse Email
Subject: “Abuse Report – [Domain/Account]”
Required Information
Include:
- URL or IP address
- Description of violation
- Evidence (screenshots, logs)
Response Time: Abuse reports are reviewed within 24 hours during business hours. Emergency reports involving illegal content receive immediate attention.
This Acceptable Use Policy is part of our Terms of Service. We reserve the right to update this policy at any time.