The Shameless Standards

Non-negotiable. If we break these, remove us from your allowlist immediately.

✅ What We Allow

Static Images

PNG, JPG, SVG, WebP. Max 300KB file size. No animation, no video, no GIFs.

Text Ads

Headline (max 30 chars) + body text (max 140 chars). Simple, clean, no trickery.

Clear Labeling

Every ad must display "Sponsored" or "Sponsored by [Brand]". No disguising ads as content.

One Click to Landing Page

Click ad → go directly to advertiser's page. No intermediate pages, no redirects, no trickery.

Contextual Targeting

Ads matched to page topic ("developer tools on dev blogs"). No personal data required.

❌ What We Absolutely Do Not Allow

No Tracking

Zero cookies. Zero fingerprinting. Zero cross-site tracking. IP addresses not stored. GeoIP for country-level only (not personal).

No Video or Audio

No autoplay video. No video ads at all. No audio. Not even if it's "muted by default."

No Popups or Overlays

No popups, no pop-unders, no interstitials, no expanding ads, no takeovers. Ads stay in their designated box.

No Animation

No GIFs, no CSS animations, no JavaScript movement. Static means static.

No Dark Patterns

- No fake close buttons
- No disguised download buttons ("Download" links that are ads)
- No "You've won!" scams
- No countdown timers creating false urgency
- No misleading claims

No Malware or Scams

- No "Your PC is infected!" fake warnings
- No malware, spyware, or viruses
- No phishing attempts
- No crypto scams
- No multi-level marketing schemes

No Prohibited Content

- No adult content (NSFW)
- No gambling or casinos
- No tobacco or vaping products
- No weapons
- No hate speech or discriminatory content
- No illegal products or services

No Auto-Redirects

Page must not redirect without user interaction. Clicking an ad is consent to navigate.

Review Process

1

Advertiser Submits Ad

Uploaded via dashboard. Image + landing page URL + sponsor name.

2

Human Review (Within 24 Hours)

A real person checks against these standards. Not an algorithm.

3

Approved or Rejected

Approved: Ad goes live.
Rejected: Advertiser gets feedback on what to fix.
Revision needed: Minor issues, can be fixed and resubmitted.

4

Ongoing Monitoring

Landing pages spot-checked monthly. User reports reviewed within 24 hours.

⚠️ Reporting Bad Ads

If you see an ad that violates these standards, report it immediately:

  • ✓ Click "Report this ad" below the ad unit
  • ✓ Email us: abuse@shameless.works
  • ✓ Include a screenshot if possible

We respond to every report within 24 hours. If the ad violates our standards, it's removed immediately.

Our Promise

These standards are our contract with you. If we ever add tracking, autoplay video, or any of the banned practices above, we will:

  1. 1. Announce it publicly on our homepage
  2. 2. Email every user who allowlisted us
  3. 3. Accept that you should remove us from your allowlist

We won't do those things. But if we did, you'd know.