Digital Turbine Advertiser Content Guidelines

1.0 Intro

Digital Turbine works at the convergence of media and mobile communications, connecting top mobile operators, OEMs and publishers with app developers and advertisers worldwide. Our proprietary Mobile Delivery Platform powers frictionless user acquisition and engagement, operational efficiency and monetization

In order to safeguard our partners, Digital Turbine has developed Advertiser Content Guidelines which must be adhered to in order to provide our users with the best possible user experience.

The following guidelines must be met in order to be approved for delivery. 

2.0 Application Overview

APK Requirements

Digital Turbine requires that any APK file that is delivered to preload inventory be available in the Google Play Store. Digital Turbine and our carrier partners will not approve any “custom” APK files that have different features or functionality then what is available in the Play Store.

Version Control

In order to support updates to existing APK files, the newer version must have an incremented version number. Digital Turbine cannot accept an updated APK file that is the same or lower version than what is currently being preloaded. If you have additional questions, please contact the Technical Account Management Team (TAM) at tam@digitalturbine.com.

The Technical Account Management monitors APK updates from the Google Play Store. We make the best effort to always be delivering the most recent version. Sometimes there may be a slight delay between the update APK being available in the Play Store and then available on the Ignite platform for delivery. In this instance the older APK version will continue to be preloaded. Advertisers may also notify the TAM team of any APK updates and also provide the newest file through our customer portal. This will reduce the amount of time between the app update and the new file delivery.  The TAM customer portal can be accessed at the following URL: https://digitalturbine.atlassian.net/servicedesk/customer/portal/1/create/9 

2.1 Prohibited Content

Adult Oriented Content

Digital Turbine does not allow any applications that contain or promote sexually explicit content, such as pornography or adult services. The following items will not be allowed.

  • Offline adult entertainment
  • Adult merchandise
  • International bride services
  • Images containing exposed skin and nudity
  • Promote sexually explicit content
  • Promote escort services or other services that may be interpreted as providing sexual acts in exchange for compensation
  • Content that depicts, describes or encourages bestiality
  • Images of scantily clad men or women (ie bikinis, lingerie, etc)

Hateful Content

Digital Turbine does not allow any applications that contain or promote hateful content. The following items will not be allowed:

  • Hate speech or advocacy against a protected group, individual, or organization based on, but not limited to, the following:

-Race

-Ethnicity

-Color

-National origin

-Sexual orientation

-Sex

-Gender identity

-Religious affiliation

-Age

-Disability

-Medical or genetic condition

-Status as a veteran

-Status as a refugee

-Status as an immigrant

  • Organizations, groups, or individuals associated with promoting hate, criminal, or terrorist-related content
  • Degrading, mocking, or harassing references to events or practices that negatively affected a protected group

Violence

Digital Turbine does not allow applications that depict or facilitate violence or other dangerous activities. The following items will not be allowed

  • Graphic representations or descriptions of realistic violence or violent threats to any person or animal.
  • Terrorist groups documenting attacks
  • Instructions for engaging in violent activities including weapon or bomb making

Gambling Related Content

Digital Turbine does not allow applications that promote services that facilitate online gambling, online casinos, sports betting, lotteries or games of skill that offer prizes or cash or other value. The following items will not be allowed.

  • Applications that allow a user to bet or wager in order to earn real money.
  • Applications that redirect any users to a gambling or betting website where users can wager to earn real money
  • Any offline or online gambling or promotion of gambling related information
  • Games or applications played for any prizes

Illegal Activities

Digital Turbine does not allow any applications that encourage, facilitate or promote illegal activities. The following items will not be allowed.

  • Facilitating the sale or purchase of illegal drugs or prescription drugs without a prescription
  • Instructions for growing or manufacturing illegal drugs
  • Depicting or encouraging the use or sale of drugs, alcohol or tobacco by minors including imagery symbolizing the same

2.2 Impersonation and Intellectual Property

Digital Turbine does not allow applications from developers that impersonate other brands or entities. This includes titles, logos or names used in a manner that may be misleading to users. Digital Turbine does not allow applications that induce or encourage copyright infringement. This includes streaming media applications that allows users to download or copy copyrighted content without authorization.

2.3 Deceptive Behaviour

Digital Turbine requires all applications to accurately disclose their functionality and should perform as expected by the user. Applications must not try to mimic or mirror device alerts or functionality from the operating system or other applications. Any changes to the device settings must be made with the user’s acceptance and knowledge. Any changes to the device settings by an application must also be reversible by the user.

Digital Turbine does not allow any applications or in-application advertisements that interfere with system or device functionality. Any application notifications must be specific to the application and not for any other purposes.

Digital Turbine does not allow any applications that make changes to the device settings, system, browser settings, bookmarks, icons, widgets or other applications without first obtaining the users consent.

Digital Turbine does not allow any applications that spam users. Spam is defined as any unsolicited messages or notifications that are duplicative and of lower quality. All applications must not send an SMS, email or other message on behave of the user without first obtaining consent of the message and the intended recipients.

2.4 Privacy and Security

User Data

Digital Turbine requires that all applications be transparent in the collection of data about a user, the user’s use of applications as well as the device. All applications must disclose the specific data that is collected, the intended us of the data and any other sharing of the data. The use of the data must match the description of the disclosure.

If the application handles personal or sensitive user data such as financial or payment information, phonebook or contact data then your application must have a privacy policy along with in-disclosures the use and sharing of the information. The transmission of any personal or sensitive data must be done over a secured HTTPS connection.

Device and Network Abuse

Digital Turbine does not allow any applications that interferes with, disrupts, damages or access in an unauthorized manner. This includes any disruptive behaviour to other devices, services or other applications on the device. The following will not be allowed.

  • Apps that block or interfere with the functionality of other applications
  • Applications that facilitate or give instructions on how to hack any services, devices, software or security protections
  • Applications that access or use any API that causes device or network abuse

Malicious Behaviour

Digital Turbine does not allow applications that secretly monitor, steal data or are otherwise malicious in behaviour. The following items or behaviour are not allowed.

  • Any viruses, Trojan horses, malware, spyware of other malicious software.
  • Applications that link to of facilitate the distribution or installation of any malicious software
  • Applications that steal a user’s information such as usernames or passwords or mimics other applications to trick users into disclosing personal information
  • Applications that install other applications on a device without the user’s consent
  • Applications designed to secretly collect device or other usage data as referenced above

2.5 In–App Advertising Guidelines

Digital Turbine works very closely with our carrier and OEM partners to ensure that applications being offered to their subscribers have the best possible user experience. Many applications offer in-app advertisements in the form of banner and interstitial ad units. In order to preserve the overall user experience and application quality, we require that industry approved guidelines must be followed. Please reference the below documentation for best practices when integrating display advertisements within your application and before submitting for approval from DT Media. Please pay particular attention to the sections of disallowed practices. Applications will be rejected if they demonstrate any of these behaviours.

Banner Guidelines:

 https://support.google.com/admob/answer/6128877?hl=en&ref_topic=2745287

Interstitial Guidelines:

https://support.google.com/admob/answer/6066980?hl=en&ref_topic=2745287

In addition to the above guidelines, the following requirements which must also be met:

  • Banner advertisements must only be served while the user is actively engaged in the application. Applications that continue to run in the background after a user exists must not display advertisements that interfere or interrupts any other activities with the device including homescreen or lockscreen takeovers.
    • This applies to devices that may be in a standby, sleep or lock mode.
    • There should also be no functionality in the application that would allow a user to opt into homescreen or lockscreen advertising.
  • Any updated applications will require to be recertified to ensure compliance with the above guidelines.
  • Any application that is found to be in violation of the best practices will immediately be removed from our carrier catalog.

2.6 Prohibited Functionality

(Under no circumstance are these functions allowed within any preloaded app.  Failure to comply will result in immediate removal and permanent banning of the Developer)

  • Functionality or Advertising that initiates change, interacts, or interferes with the home screen of the device
  • Functionality or Advertising that initiates change, interacts, or interferes with the lock screen of the device
  • Adding additional icons to the device
  • Any form of monetization that utilizes the homescreen or lockscreen, or is not based within the preloaded application.
  • Any form of monetization utilizing an auto renewal subscription.

2.7 Other Guidelines

Digital Turbine has additional guidelines that must be adhered to in order for your application to be distributed. These are both technical and general business guidelines which must be followed.

  • Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy shall be accessible within the application and match what is currently available on the Google Play store.
  • All applications must be rated following CTIA and/or ESRB standard content ratings guidelines. The application must be appropriately rated based upon the content of the application.
  • All applications must be COPPA Compliant. More information can be found here: https://www.ftc.gov/enforcement/rules/rulemaking-regulatory-reform-proceedings/childrens-online-privacy-protection-rule
  • Applications are not permitted to access any users contact list for the purposes of direct marketing or other any other activity without the user’s prior permission.
  • All applications must notify users of any required device permissions and require the user to allow or grant capabilities
    • All application permission capabilities must also match what is listed in the Google Play store.
    • The Application operates with ‘Runtime Permissions’ (i.e. Application will not be granted any permissions at installation time and Device or user data will not be collected. Instead, Application must ask End User for a permission one-by-one at runtime).
  • All applications including free applications must have implemented Google Play License Check which automatically checks for any updates when the application is opened. If there is an updated application version, the user must be notified of the available update and ask for permission to install the update or to dismiss and allow application usage.
  • All applications must be under 100MB in size
  • All applications submitted must also have a customer support contact for Digital Turbine, our partners or end users to contact in case of questions.