Commerce

Advertising

The prohibition against advertising primarily applies to sponsored posting, where users are financially compensated for their content. While there is considerable nuance in implementation, here are the key points:

Permitted Content

  • Personal artwork sales and services (when not excessive)
  • Author book promotions and sales links (when not excessive)
  • Relevant crowdfunding links
  • Charitable and mutual aid donation requests
  • Product reviews where items were provided to reviewers (when posted externally)

Prohibited Content

  • Direct promotional posts on vmst.io for sponsored products
  • Content with affiliate links intended to generate revenue or track user activity
  • Excessive self-promotion that dominates account activity
Users should use their best judgment when considering whether to contribute to causes advocated by individual users.

Brand Accounts

Corporate Accounts

Corporate brand accounts are not permitted on vmst.io. We believe brands and companies should establish their own servers under domains they control and identify with.

This approach:

  • Helps fediverse users verify account legitimacy
  • Enables users to better control their interactions with brands
  • Maintains the personal nature of our community

Examples of prohibited accounts include official accounts for companies like Fastmail or Proton. Note that unofficial brand accounts are also prohibited under our account impersonation policy.

Exceptions and Special Cases

  1. Groups & Associations
  • Non-profit organizations and community groups may be permitted
  • Example: @WestportObservatory or user groups with loose brand affiliations
  • Contact staff if unsure about qualification
  1. Open Source Projects
  • Maintainers may maintain project accounts separate from personal accounts
  • Projects with direct financial relationships or major corporate sponsorship may be prohibited
  • Example: A Pi-hole project official account would be permitted
  • Contact staff to verify eligibility

General Guidelines

We encourage users to:

  • Maintain personal accounts identifying as themselves
  • Participate authentically in the community
  • Post about life, work, hobbies, and interests within the rules
  • Be mindful of the balance between personal content and promotional activity

While we understand the need for revenue-generating activity in today's society, accounts whose primary purpose becomes promotion may be asked to migrate to more suitable servers.

Important Notes:

  • This policy does not prevent vmst.io members from interacting with or boosting brand content (when not excessive)
  • Brand accounts can still federate and interact with our server
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