Confidential

Use of VPN Policy

Last update: June 2021

Use of VPN Policy

This document is intended as a non-exhaustive overview of the criteria that the Web Search Provider applies to the use of VPN features. Unless stated otherwise herein, all capitalized terms in this Policy shall have the same meanings as set forth in the Agreement.

1. Introduction

A virtual private network (VPN) feature may be directly or indirectly used in connection with an Implementation, if compliant under this policy as well as other applicable Guidelines and the Agreement. A Virtual Private Network (VPN) means a service or feature that allows users to establish a private connection, through the use of tunneling protocols (TCP/IP or UDP-based protocols), across a public or otherwise unencrypted network. For example, a “direct” inclusion of a VPN feature may be a search product that comes preinstalled with a complementing VPN feature. For example, an “indirect” inclusion of a VPN feature may be a search product that permits users to separately download a VPN feature, either for pay or free. For clarity, a VPN that is downloaded by a user independently navigating to a site that is unaffiliated with a Product is not a VPN feature covered by this policy. For clarity, a VPN feature does not qualify as a Private Search Implementation.

2 General Requirements 

  • Publisher must submit all VPN Implementations for review and approval pursuant to the Agreement. Publishers must comply with requirements, as set forth by CodeFuel d/b/a Perion (“Company”) or the Web Search Provider, to operationally track proposed, active, and inactive VPN Implementations.
  • Publishers must send all of the VPN feature-enabled traffic from each VPN feature- associated Implementation through a single Ad Unit per each VPN Implementation or as otherwise required by the Company and/or the Web Search Provider. For clarity, multiple VPN Implementations may not be grouped into a single ad unit.
  • Publishers must comply with limitations or caps set on the total volume of VPN feature- enabled traffic driving to Results.

o   Limitations or caps must be maintained at the Implementation level such that each individual VPN feature-associated Implementation does not exceed the permissible threshold of VPN feature-enabled traffic. For clarity, the threshold of permissible VPN-feature enabled traffic will not be measured against the aggregate volume of traffic driven by a Publisher or Third-Party Company Property.

o   The current cap on VPN feature-enabled traffic is up to 3% of a VPN-associated Implementation’s total traffic. For clarity, the cap is comprised of up to 3% of the combined traffic of billable and non-billable Ad Units associated with each VPN- association Implementation.

o   Such limitations or caps will be determined in the Company’s and/or Web Search Provider’s sole reasonable discretion. The Company and/or the Web Search Provider will provide Publishers with 10 days’ notice prior to updating the limitations or caps.

  • VPN traffic will be non-billable, and neither the Company nor the Web Search Provider will owe Publisher payment for traffic driven through the VPN feature-associated Ad Unit. For clarity, Publishers must not blend VPN feature-enabled traffic with non-VPN feature-enabled traffic on a single ad unit.
  • VPN features must not be prominently promoted to users during the Implementation install flow or within the Implementation itself.