Google Groups helps users connect with people, access information, and communicate effectively over email and on the web. To maintain a positive user experience, the policies below outline the types of content that can be hosted on Groups. Violation of these policies could result in the removal of your content or deletion of your Google Account.
Content Policies
- Adult content: We allow adult content on Groups, including images or videos that contain nudity or sexual activity. But, please mark your Group as 'adult' in your Groups settings. Otherwise, we may put it behind a 'mature content' interstitial.
There are some exceptions to our adult content policy:
- Do not use Groups as a way to make money on adult content. For example, don't create groups where a significant percentage of the content is ads or links to commercial porn sites.
- No incest or bestiality content: We do not allow image, video or text content that depicts or encourages incest or bestiality.
- Child safety: We have a zero tolerance policy towards content that exploits children. Some examples of this include:
- Child pornography: We will terminate the accounts of any user we find hosting, publishing or distributing child pornography. We will also report the content and its owner to law enforcement.
- Pedophilia: We do not allow content that encourages or promotes sexual attraction towards children. For example, we do not allow content consisting of collections of images of children in their underwear.
- Hate speech: If we learn of hate speech content, we may remove the reported content. By this, we mean content that promotes hate or violence towards groups based on race, ethnicity, religion, disability, gender, age, veteran status, or sexual orientation/gender identity. For example, this would include content saying that members of a particular race are criminals or advocating violence against followers of a particular religion.
- Crude content: Don't post content just to be shocking or graphic. For example, close-up images of gunshot wounds or accident scenes without additional context or commentary would violate this policy.
- Violence: Don't threaten, harass or bully other people using Groups. For example, don't post death threats against another person or group of people and don't post content encouraging your readers to take violent action against another people or group of people.
- Copyright: It is our policy to respond to clear notices of alleged copyright infringement. More information about our copyright procedures can be found here. Also, please don't provide links to sites where your readers can illegally download other people's content.
- Personal and confidential information: Don't publish another person's personal and confidential information. For example, don't post someone else's credit card numbers, Social Security numbers, unlisted phone numbers, and driver's license numbers. Also, please keep in mind that in most cases, information that is already available elsewhere on the Internet or in public records is not considered to be private or confidential under our policies.
- Impersonation: Don't mislead or confuse readers by pretending to be someone else or pretending to represent an organization when you don't. We're not saying you can't publish parody or satire - just avoid content that is likely to mislead readers about your true identity.
- Illegal activities: Don't use Groups to engage in illegal activities or to promote dangerous and illegal activities. For example, don't encourage people to drink and drive. Otherwise, we may delete your content or terminate your account. Also, in serious cases such as those involving the abuse of children, we may report you to the appropriate authorities.
- Spam: Spam takes several forms in Groups, all of which can result in deletion of your account or Group. For example, don't create a Group with content that is mostly unsolicited advertisements or links to third party sites.
- Malware and viruses: Do not create Groups with content that transmit viruses, cause pop-ups, attempt to install software without the user's consent, or otherwise impact users with malicious code or scripts. Do not engage in phishing activity. All of these are strictly forbidden and can result in removal of your content and termination of your accounts with other Google services.
Enforcement of Content Policies
If you encounter content that you believe violates our content policies, please report it to us. You can find instructions here.
Our team reviews these flags for policy violations. If the content does not violate our policies, we will not take any action against the Group or user. If we find the content violates our policies, we may remove your content, delete your Google Account, or report you to law enforcement if necessary.