Introduction, scope and coverage

Softonic is committed to ensuring that users of Softonic´s websites have an informed choice. In furtherance of this principle, the following policy is directed towards all ads and banners advertised on the Softonic websites as well as Softonic´s other proprietary pages.
It provides minimum requirements for all types of advertising options and relates to the advertisement, the banner, the actions it triggers, the download and installation process, the use of additional offers/add-ons, the uninstall process (when promoting downloadable products) and the collection and handling of user data.

A. Basic principles

1.1 Applicable law

You’re always responsible for ensuring that you comply with all applicable laws and regulations, in addition to these advertising policies, for all of the locations where your ads are showing.

1.2 Legal owner

You must be the legal owner of the software, application, product or service that you wish to promote or distribute, or have expressed permission from the legal owner to promote and distribute such software, application, product or service. Accordingly, you must ensure while the relevant ad is displayed, that the software, application, product or service and any content of the creative asset do not infringe third party rights, such as without limitation third party’s trade secrets or intellectual property rights (trademarks, copyrights, patents etc).
If you are not the legal owner of the software, application, product or service, Softonic reserves the right to seek evidence of your authority to promote and distribute such software, application, product or service.
Softonic reserves the right to immediately suspend or take-down advertisements that do not comply with this basic requirements and which violate any third party rights such as the foregoing.

1.3 Modification

Advertisers may be required to modify ad units or provide additional disclosure in order to be acceptable for advertising on Softonic sites or, in the event or suspension of the relevant campaign due to a breach of the policies, to upload again the affected ad.

1.4 Final approval

Softonic reserves the right to immediately and without previous notice, reject, take down or remove any content or advertising considered in its sole discretion that infringes its policies or that can be considered harmful to its users, its image or its interests. All content or advertising is subject to the final approval of Softonic.

1.5 Softonic copyrighted material

The use of Softonic’s logo or copyrighted materials must be submitted to, and pre-approved by, Softonic in writing.
The use of Softonic’s logo should follow the Softonic’s Brand Guidelines that will be sent to advertiser once usage of Softonic’s logo or copyrighted materials have been pre-approved by Softonic.

1.6 Deceptive behavior

Ads that are misleading in any way (specifically within creative messaging/offers/promotions etc…) are NOT permitted.

1.7 Open source

In the case of open source software, Softonic reserves the right to reject ads promoting such software unless you submit enough evidence that you created such software.

1.8 Software Policy

All advertising promoting software & downloads must comply with our Software Policy.

1.9 Content Policy

All advertising must comply with our Content Policy.

1.10 Pop-ups

Pop-ups and pop-unders are NOT permitted.

B. Disclosure and labelling

2.1 Ad unit

Ad unit content must be clearly distinguishable from normal webpage content (i.e. an ad unit must have clearly defined borders and not be confused with normal page content), and framed within 1px border width.
Additionally, advertiser accepts that ad unit content must be clearly identifiable as advertisement, without limitation, by through the display inserted by Softonic of a label or tag with the word “ads”, “sponsored”, “promotional content” or any other formulation that, at Softonic’s discretion, serves for the purpose of distinguish the ad unit from the regular Softonic’s webpage content.

2.2 Banner

The banner must clearly identify the advertiser and/or the product and/or the service advertised.

2.3 Download buttons

Download buttons must use clear language that communicates that the download will begin (for example, “download,” “install,” or “installation”).

2.4 Name

The name of each download, application, product or service must be clearly visible to the user.

2.5 Consistency

The offer in the creative must be present above the fold on the initial landing page and must be consistent with the creative message.

2.6 Price

Softonic reserves the right to reject ads displaying prices or that -at Softonic discretion- can be considered as a legal binding contract upon the mere acceptance of the user. In any case, you are always responsible for ensuring that you comply with all applicable laws and regulations governing, without limitation, the minimum information to be displayed in offers, as not to be considered misleading , in addition to these advertising policies, for all of the locations where your ads are showing.

C. Data collection

3.1 Consent

Softonic permits advertisers to collect user-provided personal information (for example, through web forms embedded in ads).
However none of the information collected can be shared with a third party without explicit consent from the user. Amount and typology of data collection should be proportional to the intended use.

3.2 Local laws

The advertiser must comply with relevant local privacy laws and seek the user´s consent for the storage and use of such information, for all of the locations where you intent to collect personal information from users.

3.3 Privacy Policy

There must be a clear presentation of how the information collected is going to be used and stored in a privacy policy.

3.4 Follow-ups

Any follow-up communication to the user based on the collected personal information must contain an option for the user to opt-out.

3.5 Specifications

Advertisers wishing to collect personal information (according to the policies above) within advertisements must:
• Clearly identify the organization (data controller).
• Provide a link to the privacy policy (usually adjacent to the web form’s “submit” button).
• Identify the purpose for collecting personal information.
• Have in place sufficient or mandatory security measures to, among others, avoid data leaks.