Acceptable Use Policy

Clear rules for everyone using your online service, with reporting, moderation and appeals built in and Online Safety Act notes for platforms that host user content.

Editable Word document
14
10pages
Guidance notes included
aml consultancy solutions

Tech & SaaS

Acceptable Use Policy

About this document

What it’s for

A published policy setting out what users may and may not do on your website, app, SaaS platform or online community. It sits alongside your main terms, gives you a clear basis to remove content or suspend accounts, and explains how people can report problems and appeal decisions.

When to use it

  • Any SaaS, web app, marketplace, forum or community service
  • Services that let users post, upload, share or message (user-generated content)
  • Linked from your terms, sign-up flow, footer and reporting tools

What’s inside

The document is laid out in the sections below. Each one comes with a plain-English guidance note explaining what it does and what to change.

  1. About this policy
  2. Definitions
  3. Who this Policy applies to and your responsibilities
  4. Unlawful and harmful use
  5. Content standards
  6. Protecting children
  7. Security and technical misuse
  8. Fair use and resource limits
  9. AI features and generated content
  10. Messaging and interactive features
  11. Reporting Content and making complaints
  12. How we moderate and enforce this Policy
  13. Appeals
  14. Co-operation with law enforcement
  15. Breach of this Policy and liability
  16. Changes to this Policy
  17. Contact us

Also included

  • A. Does the Act apply?
  • B. Illegal content duties (all in-scope services)
  • C. Children
  • D. Freedom of expression, privacy and records
  • E. Categorisation, fees and information

How to complete it

  • Fill in the service details and contact routes in clauses 1 and 17
  • Delete clauses that do not fit (for example clause 9 if you have no AI features)
  • Set realistic response times in clauses 11 to 13 and make sure your team can meet them
  • Use the internal Online Safety Act checklist in Schedule 1 – do not publish it

Key points to check

  • If users can share content with other users, the Online Safety Act 2023 is likely to apply to you, whatever your size
  • Ofcom’s codes and guidance are still being updated – check the current versions at ofcom.org.uk

Our templates are professionally structured starting points for UK businesses, not legal advice. For anything complex, unusual or high-value, have your final version checked by a solicitor.

Included in the pack

Tech & SaaS

£20

for every document in this category

Editable Microsoft Word files

Guidance notes in every document

Written for UK businesses

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