Trust is the currency of the digital ecosystem. GaiaAds enforces strict content and data policies to protect our publishers, advertisers, and end-users. All creatives are subject to manual audit before they can run on our exchange.
1. Prohibited Content
The following categories are strictly prohibited on the GaiaAds platform. Any attempt to circumvent these rules will result in immediate account suspension.
Zero Tolerance Policy
We have a zero-tolerance policy for Malware, Automatic Downloads, Phishing, and Cryptocurrency Scams.
Restricted Categories
- Adult Content: Nudity, pornography, or sexually explicit material.
- Illegal Products: Drugs, drug paraphernalia, weapons, ammunition, or explosives.
- Hate Speech: Content that promotes violence, discrimination, or hatred against individuals or groups based on race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, etc.
- Deceptive Practices: "Get rich quick" schemes, fake news, or misleading claims (e.g., "You have won an iPhone").
- Copyright Infringement: Creatives must not infringe on the intellectual property rights of others.
2. Creative Specifications
To ensure a high-quality user experience, all creatives must meet our technical specifications.
Display Banners
- File Types: JPG, PNG, GIF, HTML5 (Archive).
- Max File Size: 150KB for standard image ads.
- Animation: Max duration 30 seconds. No looping more than 3 times.
- Ad Choices: All ads must include the AdChoices icon if utilizing behavioral targeting.
Video (VAST)
- Protocols: VAST 2.0, 3.0, 4.0.
- File Types: MP4, WebM.
- Bitrate: Minimum 500 kbps, Recommended 1500 kbps.
- Duration: 15 or 30 seconds are standard. Max 60 seconds (skippable).
- Audio: Must be user-initiated on click (or muted by default).
Native Ads
Native ads must blend seamlessly with the publisher's content but be clearly marked as sponsored.
- Title: Max 25 characters.
- Body: Max 90 characters.
- Main Image: 1200x627px (1.91:1 ratio).
- Icon: 128x128px (1:1 ratio).
3. Landing Page Policy
The user experience doesn't end at the click. The landing page must be relevant, functional, and compliant.
- Relevance: The landing page content must match the offer promoted in the creative.
- Functionality: Pop-ups, pop-unders, and automatic file downloads are prohibited. Back-button hijacking is strictly forbidden.
- Transparency: Contact information, Privacy Policy, and Terms of Service must be clearly visible.
4. Data Privacy & GDPR/CCPA
GaiaAds is a privacy-first platform.
Consent Signals
Standards context, checked October 6, 2026: the original company statement below refers to TCF v2.2. IAB Europe published a TCF v2.3 transition deadline of February 28, 2026. Confirm the approved integration’s current signal handling and vendor disclosures with the account team. TCF v2.3 transition guidance.
IAB Europe’s July 16, 2026 notice schedules TCF Specifications v2.4 publication for July 23, 2026, with new CMP disclosure deadlines of October 23, 2026 for web and February 23, 2027 for mobile apps and CTV. Review the assigned integration against the applicable timeline; this standards reference does not verify GaiaAds support. Official TCF v2.4 timeline.
IAB Tech Lab recommends moving from the legacy US Privacy String to GPP. This reference does not establish GaiaAds support for a particular signal version. Official US Privacy API guidance.
We strictly adhere to the IAB Transparency & Consent Framework (TCF) v2.2.
- EEA Traffic: We only bid on bid requests that contain a valid consent string indicating the user has opted-in to data processing.
- CCPA (US): We respect the `us_privacy` string. If a user has opted out of the sale of data, we will restrict data usage for that impression.