Acceptable Use Policy
Last updated: 24 September 2026
1. Introduction and Purpose
This Acceptable Use Policy applies to all Users and prospective Users of gnesid.com and emdashco.com and establishes the rules governing acceptable use of the relevant Website, Platform and Services made available through it. This Policy forms part of the Terms & Conditions and sets out standards used by EAST STYLE LIMITED to determine whether use of the Platform, a Project or requested activity is lawful, appropriate and consistent with the intended purpose of the Platform.
Gnesid and EmDashCo are operated by EAST STYLE LIMITED as online platforms through which Users may discover, request and purchase visual marketing Services performed independently by Independent Service Performers. EAST STYLE LIMITED operates and administers the Platforms, provides the Platform infrastructure and may facilitate service discovery, project initiation, communications, payment-related functionality and other administrative processes. The Company does not itself perform the visual marketing Services made available through the Platforms.
The professional relationship relating to the performance of a Service is between the User and the relevant Independent Service Performer. Independent Service Performers act on their own behalf and are not employees, agents, partners, representatives, authorised signatories or members of an internal EAST STYLE LIMITED team.
The purpose of this Policy is to promote lawful, responsible and good-faith use of the Platforms while protecting Users, Independent Service Performers, the Company, payment service providers and other relevant third parties from legal, regulatory, operational, financial, security and reputational risks arising from misuse of the Platforms or Services.
The Company may apply proportionate operational, security, fraud-prevention, compliance and risk-management measures where reasonably necessary to identify or address suspected misuse of a Platform. These measures may include reviewing information relating to a Project, requested Service, account activity, submitted materials or intended use where reasonably necessary to determine whether relevant activity is consistent with this Policy, the Terms & Conditions and Applicable Laws.
This Policy describes acceptable and prohibited uses of the Platforms and Services and the circumstances in which the Company may refuse or restrict a Project, suspend or terminate Platform access, limit account functionality or take other proportionate measures where it reasonably determines that relevant activity is inconsistent with this Policy, the Terms & Conditions or Applicable Laws.
2. Definitions
For the purposes of this Acceptable Use Policy, the following terms have the meanings set out below.
“Company” means EAST STYLE LIMITED, company number 15670708, with registered address at 72 Halliwick Road, London, England, N10 1AB, acting as the operator and intermediary of the Platforms.
“Platform” means, as applicable, Gnesid or EmDashCo, operated by the Company through the relevant Website and providing an online environment through which Users may discover, request and purchase Services and interact with Independent Service Performers.
“Website” means, as applicable, gnesid.com or emdashco.com, together with the webpages, interfaces, features and other digital functionality made available through the relevant domain.
“User” means an individual who accesses or uses a Website or Platform, creates or uses an account, submits a Project, purchases a Service or otherwise uses Platform functionality. A User may act on their own behalf or as an authorised representative of a business or organisation. Each Platform account is created and used by a specific individual.
“Services” means the visual marketing services made available through the Platforms and independently performed by Independent Service Performers within the categories of Logos & Branding, Typography & Icons, Illustrations & Graphics, Infographics & Data, and Web & Social Media. The Company does not directly perform these Services.
“Independent Service Performer” means an independent third-party professional who offers and performs Services through a Platform on their own behalf. Independent Service Performers are not employees, agents, partners, representatives, authorised signatories or members of an internal team of the Company, and their participation on a Platform does not create an employment, agency, partnership or joint venture relationship with EAST STYLE LIMITED.
“Project” means a request for a Service initiated or submitted by a User through a Platform, together with the associated project description, requirements, instructions, communications, materials, reference files, deliverables and other information relating to that request.
“Prohibited Activities” means any activity, Project, request, content, material, intended use or other conduct that is prohibited or restricted under this Acceptable Use Policy.
“Applicable Laws” means the laws and regulations of England and Wales and any other laws, regulations, legally binding requirements or regulatory obligations applicable to the relevant User, Independent Service Performer, Project, Service, material, transaction or intended use.
Capitalised terms not defined in this Policy have the meanings given to them in the Terms & Conditions.
3. Acceptable Use
The Platforms and Services may be used only for lawful, legitimate and good-faith purposes consistent with the operation of a visual marketing services platform.
Users may initiate Projects within the Service categories of Logos & Branding, Typography & Icons, Illustrations & Graphics, Infographics & Data, and Web & Social Media. Depending on the relevant Service, Projects may relate to logo design, brand identity materials, typography systems, icon sets, commercial illustrations, graphic asset packs, infographics, data visualisations, web banners, social media templates, thumbnails and other visual marketing materials falling within those categories.
Video production, video editing, audio production and audio editing are not offered as final Services through the Platforms. Video files may be submitted solely as reference or supporting materials where reasonably necessary to communicate a visual direction, example, source material or other information relevant to a visual marketing Project.
Users may submit project descriptions, specifications, instructions, text, images, documents, brand materials, design assets, video reference files and other materials reasonably necessary for a Project. Users are responsible for ensuring that materials they submit are lawful, accurate where relevant, appropriately authorised and provided with all rights, licences, permissions and authority necessary for their intended use.
Users must not submit materials or request Services that infringe or unlawfully use intellectual property rights, privacy rights, personality rights, confidentiality obligations, contractual rights or other rights belonging to another person.
Final deliverables may be used for lawful commercial, promotional, editorial, educational or internal business purposes, subject to the rights applicable to the relevant Service or Project, third-party licence restrictions and Applicable Laws. Deliverables must not be used to falsely suggest governmental approval, regulatory authorisation, professional certification, official endorsement, affiliation or another status that does not exist.
Users must use the Platforms through their intended functionality and in accordance with the Terms & Conditions. Account information, Project instructions, communications, payment-related information and other information provided through a Platform must be submitted accurately and in good faith.
Users must not misuse or interfere with the operation, security, availability or integrity of a Website or Platform. Users must not attempt to obtain unauthorised access to another account, system or restricted functionality, introduce malicious code, circumvent security controls, conduct unauthorised scraping or automated extraction, disrupt Platform infrastructure, abuse payment functionality or otherwise compromise the proper operation of a Platform.
The Company may assess whether the intended or actual use of a Platform, Project or requested Service is consistent with this Acceptable Use Policy, the Terms & Conditions and Applicable Laws. Where the Company reasonably determines that relevant activity is prohibited, unlawful or presents a material legal, security, operational, financial or compliance risk, it may take proportionate measures permitted under the Terms & Conditions, including refusing or restricting the relevant Project or Platform functionality, suspending or terminating access, or declining future use of the Platform.
4. Prohibited Technical and Behavioural Use
Users must not access or use a Website or Platform in any manner that disrupts, interferes with or adversely affects its normal operation, security, stability, integrity or availability.
Unauthorised automated access is prohibited. Users must not use bots, scripts, crawlers, scrapers, artificial traffic generation tools or other automated technologies to access, extract information from, interact with or generate activity through a Platform unless such use has been expressly authorised by the Company or is otherwise permitted by Applicable Laws.
Users must not bypass, disable, interfere with or attempt to circumvent authentication procedures, access controls, security measures, rate limits, payment-related functionality, monitoring systems, fraud-prevention controls or other technical safeguards used in connection with a Website or Platform.
Any attempt to obtain unauthorised access to another User's account, Project information, communications, uploaded materials, Independent Service Performer information, Platform systems, administrative functionality or supporting infrastructure is prohibited.
Users must not upload, transmit, distribute or introduce malware, viruses, malicious code, corrupted files, concealed scripts or other harmful components capable of damaging, disrupting, manipulating or impairing a Platform, connected systems, third-party services or devices. Materials submitted through a Platform must not knowingly contain malicious or concealed harmful elements.
Users must not misuse Platform functionality, including account registration, Project submission, communications, file uploads, payment-related processes, complaints, revisions, refunds or other operational features. Prohibited conduct includes creating false or artificial accounts or Projects, generating abnormal or excessive system activity, manipulating Platform workflows, abusing revision or refund procedures, making fraudulent payment claims or chargebacks, or using Platform functionality for deceptive, abusive or unauthorised purposes.
Users must not engage in phishing, credential harvesting, impersonation, spam, unauthorised collection or extraction of data, abusive use of support channels, attempts to obtain confidential information without authority or other activity that compromises security, privacy or the rights of another person.
Users must not interfere with communications or interactions between other Users and Independent Service Performers, impersonate an Independent Service Performer or falsely represent an affiliation, authority or relationship with EAST STYLE LIMITED, Gnesid, EmDashCo or another Platform participant.
Where the Company reasonably identifies activity that threatens Platform security, integrity or proper operation, or creates a material legal, operational, financial, security or compliance risk, it may take proportionate measures permitted under the Terms & Conditions. Such measures may include restricting Platform functionality, suspending or terminating an account, pausing or cancelling affected pending Platform activity, refusing future access, preserving relevant records or cooperating with competent authorities or service providers where required or permitted by Applicable Laws.
5. Purpose Limitation and Responsible Content Use
The Platforms and Services are intended for lawful visual marketing purposes within the categories described in this Policy and the Terms & Conditions. They must not be used in connection with unlawful, fraudulent, deceptive, abusive or otherwise prohibited activities.
Users are responsible for Project instructions, statements, files, reference materials and other content they submit through a Platform. Users must ensure that such materials are lawful, accurate where factual accuracy is relevant, appropriately substantiated where they contain commercial claims, and provided with all rights, licences, permissions and authority required for their intended use.
This responsibility includes claims, product information, comparisons, testimonials, endorsements, advertising statements, statistics, descriptions of goods or services and other commercial representations incorporated into or supplied for use in a Project.
EAST STYLE LIMITED does not independently verify the factual accuracy, regulatory status, licensing, certification or legal validity of User-submitted materials except where such review is reasonably necessary for Platform administration, compliance or risk-management purposes or is required by Applicable Laws. Independent Service Performers are not required to verify factual statements, commercial claims, regulatory status, licences, certifications or other representations supplied by a User unless such verification forms part of the agreed Project scope or is otherwise required by Applicable Laws.
A Platform must not be used to request, create, distribute or promote material that is knowingly false, materially misleading, fraudulent or intended to deceive another person. Users are responsible for ensuring that their intended use of deliverables complies with Applicable Laws, including applicable advertising, consumer protection, intellectual property, privacy, data protection and other legal requirements relevant to the jurisdiction in which the materials will be published or used.
Users must not request content that falsely presents a business, product, Service, qualification, licence, approval, endorsement or affiliation as having governmental, regulatory, professional or other official status that it does not possess.
Where the Company reasonably determines that a Project, submitted material, requested activity or intended use is inconsistent with this Policy, the Terms & Conditions or Applicable Laws, it may refuse or restrict the relevant Platform activity, prevent the initiation or continuation of the affected Project, suspend account functionality or take another proportionate measure permitted under the Terms & Conditions. Nothing in this Policy requires the Company to facilitate a Project that presents a material legal, security, operational, financial or compliance risk.
6. Prohibited Activities
Without limiting the other provisions of this Acceptable Use Policy, a Platform or Service must not be used for unlawful, fraudulent, deceptive, exploitative, abusive or otherwise prohibited purposes.
Users must not request, submit, create, distribute or promote materials that facilitate the unlawful sale, promotion or distribution of controlled substances, unlawful pharmaceuticals, prohibited weapons, explosives or other regulated products or services where the relevant activity would violate Applicable Laws or applicable legal restrictions.
The Platforms must not be used in connection with human trafficking, forced labour, exploitative labour practices, sexual exploitation, child exploitation or any other form of unlawful exploitation or abuse.
Users must not use a Platform or Service in connection with fraud, phishing, identity theft, impersonation, fraudulent documentation, deceptive financial activity, unlawful investment schemes, counterfeit products, intellectual property infringement, software piracy or other unlawful or deceptive commercial activity.
Users must not request, create, distribute or promote content that unlawfully encourages, facilitates or supports violence, terrorism, extremist organisations, hate-based abuse, unlawful discrimination, targeted harassment or other harmful or illegal conduct.
The Platforms must not be used in connection with child sexual exploitation or abuse material, non-consensual intimate or explicit material, sexual exploitation or other illegal or abusive sexual content.
Users must not use a Platform to create deceptive identity materials, falsified official records, misleading certificates, fraudulent credentials or other visual materials intended to impersonate another person, misrepresent legal or professional status or facilitate fraud or unlawful activity.
The Platforms and Services must not be used by, for the benefit of or in connection with persons, organisations, transactions or jurisdictions where providing the relevant Platform access, facilitating the Project or performing the Service would violate applicable sanctions, trade restrictions or other binding legal requirements.
Users must not use Services to promote goods, services, claims or activities where the relevant promotion itself would be unlawful in the jurisdiction in which the materials are intended to be used.
The Company may refuse or restrict Platform activity where it reasonably believes that a Project, requested Service, submitted material or intended use may facilitate illegal, fraudulent, deceptive, exploitative, abusive or otherwise prohibited activity, or creates a material legal, security, operational, financial or compliance risk.
A breach of this section may result in refusal or cancellation of affected Platform activity, restriction or suspension of account functionality, termination of access, refusal of future Projects or other proportionate measures permitted under the Terms & Conditions. Where appropriate and permitted or required by Applicable Laws, the Company may preserve relevant information or cooperate with competent authorities, payment service providers or other relevant third parties.
7. Assessment of Service Eligibility
The Company may apply proportionate, risk-based assessment measures where reasonably necessary to determine whether a Project, requested Service, submitted materials or intended use is consistent with this Acceptable Use Policy, the Terms & Conditions and Applicable Laws. Such assessments are carried out for Platform administration, contractual, operational, compliance, security and risk-management purposes and are not necessarily performed in every case.
As part of an assessment, the Company may request information reasonably relevant to the proposed Project or intended use of the Platform. This may include general information about the User's business activities, the purpose of the Project, the nature of the requested visual marketing materials or the manner in which the resulting deliverables are expected to be used.
Where reasonably necessary and lawful, the Company may also consider publicly available information for the limited purpose of understanding the context of a Project or assessing whether Platform use may present a material legal, compliance, fraud, security or operational risk. Such information may include publicly accessible websites, business profiles or other publicly available sources relevant to the assessment.
Information obtained or reviewed under this section will be processed in accordance with the Privacy Policy and applicable data protection requirements.
Any assessment carried out under this section is limited to determining whether the relevant Project or Platform activity may be facilitated through the Platform. It does not constitute legal advice, regulatory approval, certification, endorsement, professional verification or confirmation that a User, business, Project, deliverable or intended use complies with every Applicable Law.
An assessment under this section does not constitute ongoing monitoring of a User's business activities and does not transfer responsibility for the legality, accuracy, regulatory status or intended use of User-provided materials or final deliverables to EAST STYLE LIMITED.
Where information supplied by a User is materially incomplete, inconsistent, inaccurate or reasonably suspected to be misleading, or where a Project or intended use raises concerns under this Policy, the Terms & Conditions or Applicable Laws, the Company may request additional information or clarification and may pause, refuse or restrict the relevant Platform activity while those concerns are assessed.
Where identified concerns cannot be satisfactorily resolved, the Company may take appropriate action in accordance with Section 8 of this Policy and the Terms & Conditions.
8. Company Rights and Enforcement
The Company may take proportionate action where it reasonably determines that use of a Website or Platform, a Project, requested Service, submitted material or intended use is inconsistent with this Acceptable Use Policy, the Terms & Conditions or Applicable Laws.
Depending on the nature and seriousness of the relevant issue, such action may include requesting additional information or clarification, restricting particular Platform functionality, pausing or cancelling affected pending Platform activity, refusing to facilitate a Project, suspending or terminating an account, refusing future access or taking another reasonable protective measure available under the Terms & Conditions.
The Company may take such action where it becomes aware of Prohibited Activities, fraud, attempted fraud, material misrepresentation, misuse of payment-related functionality, abusive conduct, security threats, unlawful content, infringement of third-party rights, sanctions concerns, materially inaccurate information or another circumstance that creates a material legal, regulatory, operational, financial, security or compliance risk.
Measures under this section may be taken on the basis of information identified before, during or after a Project has been initiated. The Company may also request reasonable clarification or supporting information where necessary to assess an identified concern. Failure to provide reasonably requested information may result in restriction or refusal of the relevant Platform activity where the information is necessary to complete the assessment.
The Company is not required to disclose confidential internal risk-management procedures, fraud-prevention methods, security controls, assessment criteria or other information where disclosure is not required by Applicable Laws and could reasonably compromise Platform security, fraud prevention, compliance procedures, the rights of another person or the effectiveness of internal controls.
Where required or permitted by Applicable Laws, the Company may preserve or disclose relevant information to competent governmental, regulatory, judicial or law-enforcement authorities, authorised payment service providers, fraud-prevention providers or other relevant third parties. Any processing or disclosure of personal data will be carried out in accordance with the Privacy Policy and applicable data protection requirements.
Where legally permitted, the Company may take protective action or make a disclosure without prior notice where advance notice could reasonably prejudice an investigation, facilitate further misuse, compromise security, conflict with a legal restriction or undermine the effectiveness of the relevant protective measure.
Any action taken under this Acceptable Use Policy will be exercised in accordance with the Company's rights and obligations under the Terms & Conditions and Applicable Laws. Any limitation or exclusion of the Company's liability in connection with enforcement of this Policy is subject to the liability provisions and statutory safeguards set out in the Terms & Conditions.
Nothing in this section limits any mandatory rights or remedies available to a User under Applicable Laws.
9. Recordkeeping and Internal Review
The Company may maintain records relating to the application and enforcement of this Acceptable Use Policy where reasonably necessary for Platform administration, security, fraud prevention, compliance, dispute resolution, legal obligations or risk management.
Such records may include information provided by Users, Project-related information, relevant communications, assessment materials, information concerning suspected or confirmed Prohibited Activities, enforcement decisions and other information reasonably necessary to document or review action taken under this Policy.
Personal data contained in such records will be processed in accordance with the Privacy Policy and applicable data protection law. Records will be retained only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes for which they are maintained, including compliance with legal obligations, fraud prevention, dispute management, recordkeeping and the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims.
Access to internal records is restricted to authorised persons and approved service providers where access is reasonably necessary for the relevant purpose. Appropriate technical and organisational measures may be applied to protect such information against unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration, misuse or loss.
The Company may periodically review this Acceptable Use Policy and its internal procedures to reflect changes in Platform functionality, operational risks, security requirements, Applicable Laws, regulatory requirements or other circumstances relevant to responsible Platform operation.
Such internal reviews are conducted for governance, operational and compliance purposes and do not constitute regulatory approval, external certification or confirmation that every individual Project or User activity has been independently reviewed.
Where records maintained under this section are disclosed to third parties, such disclosure will be carried out in accordance with Section 8 of this Policy, the Privacy Policy and Applicable Laws.