Acceptable Use Policy

Service Agreements

Acceptable Use Policy

The GreenGeeks Acceptable Use Policy ("AUP") governs your use of the Services and is incorporated by reference into the GreenGeeks Terms of Service. GreenGeeks may modify this AUP at any time without notice.

"We" "Us" or "Provider" or "GreenGeeks" - GreenGeeks.com

"You" "Your" "Client" "Customer" or "Member" - Each person or entity who applies for service or is a designate of anyone who applies for service.

“Services” applies to all web hosting accounts, SSL certificates, dedicated IP addresses, domain registrations, and any other service or feature offered by GreenGeeks or on our website at GreenGeeks.com.

Services rendered by GreenGeeks may only be used for lawful purposes. You agree to comply with all applicable laws, rules and regulations in connection with your service usage. GreenGeeks reserves the right to refuse service to anyone at our sole discretion. Any material or conduct that in our judgment violates this AUP in any manner may result in suspension or termination of the Services or removal of content with or without notice.

Notifications concerning AUP infractions will be sent only to the verified email address on file. GreenGeeks does not accept inbound or place outbound calls regarding Abuse related matters, and cannot resolve Abuse issues via Live Support. All Abuse issues must be addressed via ticket reply for historical purposes.

Failure to respond to communication from GreenGeeks pertaining to the AUP within the provided time period in our communication may result in the suspension or termination of the Services.

Unacceptable Uses

Usage of Services directly or indirectly in connection with any of the following, as determined under GreenGeeks's sole discretion:

  • You may not use the Services to publish content nor engage in activity that is illegal under applicable law, that is harmful to others, or that would subject GreenGeeks to liability, including, without limitation, in connection with any of the following, each of which is prohibited under this AUP:
  • Disclosure of sensitive personal information about others;
  • Storing personal or sensitive information, including without limitation, "Protected Health Information" as defined under the U.S. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (“HIPAA”);
  • Phishing or engaging in identity theft;
  • Distribution of computer viruses, worms, Trojan horses or other malicious code;
  • Promoting or facilitating prostitution or sex trafficking;
  • Hosting ponzi or pyramid schemes, or websites that engage in unlawful or deceptive marketing practices;
  • Hosting, distributing or linking to child pornography or content that is harmful to minors. Violators of this policy will be suspended immediately without notice and reported to law enforcement or the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC);
  • Engaging in the unlawful distribution of controlled substances, drug contraband or prescription medications (including without limitation, promotion, marketing, or sale of prescription medications without a valid prescription);
  • Gambling;
  • Promoting or facilitating violence or terrorist activities; or
  • Infringing the intellectual property or other proprietary rights of others.

Excessive Use of Resources or Network Abuse

You may not consume excessive amounts of server or network resources or use the Services in any way which results in server performance issues, instability, or which disrupts service for other customers.

Prohibited activities that contribute to excessive use may include without limitation:

  • Hosting or linking to an anonymous proxy server;
  • Operating a file sharing site;
  • Hosting scripts or processes that adversely impact our systems
  • Utilizing cron jobs in excess of once every fifteen (15) minutes
  • Sending messages over your plans’ hourly allotted email limits
  • Hosting large databases, or databases with large tables that require excessive queries or resources to complete
  • Utilizing software that interfaces with an Internet Relay Chat (IRC) network.
  • Utilizing software for cryptocurrency mining (i.e. Bitcoin)
  • Utilizing software for a game server (i.e. Minecraft)
  • Utilizing software for any form of VPN or Onion Routing including but not limited to OpenVPN, Wireguard, and TOR.

Unauthorized System Access

You may not directly or indirectly use the Services to gain access to any network or system without permission, including without limitation:

  • Accessing another network without permission, including to probe or scan for vulnerabilities or breach security or authentication measures;
  • Attacking other networks (e.g., utilizing botnets or other means to launch Denial of Service (DoS) or other attacks);
  • Intercepting or monitoring data without permission; or
  • Using any deep-link, page-scrape, robot, crawl, index, spider, offline reader, click spam, macro programs, internet agent, or other automatic device, program, algorithm or methodology, to use, access, copy, index, acquire information, generate impressions or clicks, input information, store information, search, generate searches, or monitor any portion of GreenGeeks's website or servers for any unauthorized purpose.

Storage of Backups and Mail

You may not use your hosting account as a backup solution or to host archived mail. Archived mail is defined as messages older than thirty (30) days or emails totaling ten (10) gigabytes or larger. Our Services are designed to host active website data only and may not be used as a data repository. GreenGeeks reserves the right to remove backups and/or archives from your hosting account or suspend access to your Services with or without notice.

Zero Tolerance Spam Policy

Any user account which causes or results in our IP space being blacklisted will be immediately suspended and/or terminated. This applies to all services, including VPS and dedicated servers.

  • Forging or misrepresenting message headers is prohibited.
  • You may not use the Services to sell contact lists or send email to any purchased lists (i.e. “Safe Lists”). Messages sent from the GreenGeeks network for newsletters or other email campaigns must be from a confirmed, double-opt in list.
  • You may not use the Services to send spam or bulk unsolicited messages. We may terminate with or without notice the account of any user who sends spam.
  • You may not use the Services to remotely or automatically forward or filter emails from your GreenGeeks services to an external email provider such as, but not limited to: Gmail, Yahoo, Outlook.

Coupon Abuse

Coupons are designed as promotional items for new hosting accounts only. Once you are on file as an existing customer, there is no method to sign up as a new customer in order to use a new coupon.

Vexation & Harassment

GreenGeeks does not condone nor will it tolerate the harassment or abuse towards its agents, contractors, employees or subsidiaries.

While communicating with GreenGeeks staff, agents or representatives, you agree to conduct yourself in a professional manner. It is expected that you refrain from abusive, malicious, or offensive behavior or make spurious or vexatious complaints or claims.

Should you be found in violation of this clause GreenGeeks reserves the right to suspend and/or terminate services with or without prior notice and without liability.

AUP Enforcement

  • Services may be suspended or terminated with or without notice upon any violation of this AUP. Violations may result in the immediate suspension or termination of your account.
  • GreenGeeks reserves the right to disable or remove any content which is prohibited by this AUP, including to prevent harm to others or to GreenGeeks or the Services, as determined in GreenGeeks's sole discretion.
  • Violations will be reported to law enforcement as determined by GreenGeeks in its sole discretion.
  • Failure to respond to an email from GreenGeeks within forty-eight (48) hours, or as otherwise specified in the communication to you, may result in the suspension or termination of your Services.
  • Websites hosted on GreenGeeks's servers in the U.S. are generally governed by U.S. law. As a web host, GreenGeeks is not the publisher of user generated content as such we are not in a position to investigate the veracity of individual defamation claims. Rather, we rely on the legal system and courts to determine whether or not material is defamatory or illegal. In any case in which a court of competent jurisdiction, as determined in GreenGeeks's sole discretion, orders material to be removed, GreenGeeks will disable access to such material.
  • Notwithstanding the foregoing, you are responsible for using all Services in compliance with applicable laws in their jurisdiction, including without limitation, any laws relating to defamation, unsolicited emails, spamming, privacy, obscenity, and intellectual property infringement. GreenGeeks reserves the right to take local legal considerations into account and to respond accordingly at GreenGeeks's sole discretion.
  • Enforcement of this AUP is at GreenGeeks's sole discretion.

Reporting Violations

To report a violation of GreenGeeks's AUP, please email abuse@greengeeks.com

To report an infringement of intellectual property or other proprietary rights, please email legal@greengeeks.com