Bait Web is not a curated marketplace. However, for a variety of reasons, we prohibit certain types of items from Bait Web. Some items present legal risks to our community; others are inconsistent with our values, are harmful to our members, or simply are not in the spirit of Bait Web. This policy explains what is prohibited or restricted on Bait Web.

We have a zero tolerance policy for prohibited items, particularly those that promote, support or glorify hatred, those that promote, support or glorify violence, or are unlawful. Sellers deemed to violate this policy can be subject to immediate account suspension or termination, in accordance with our Terms of Use.

This policy is a part of our Terms of Use. By opening a Bait Web shop, you’re agreeing to this policy and our Terms of Use. If Bait Web has reason to believe you, your content, or your use of the Services violate our Terms, we may deactivate your content to some or all buyers or suspend or terminate your account (and any accounts Bait Web determines is related to your account) and your access to the Services. Generally, Bait Web will notify you that your content or account has been suspended or terminated, unless you’ve repeatedly violated our Terms or we have legal or regulatory reasons preventing us from notifying you.

The following types of items are prohibited or restricted on Bait Web:

• Alcohol, Tobacco, Drugs, Drug Paraphernalia, Medical Drugs and Devices, and Items making Medical Claims
• Animal Products and Human Remains
• Dangerous Items: Hazardous Materials, Recalled Items, and Weapons
• Hate Items: Items that Promote, Support, or Glorify Hatred
• Illegal Items, Items Promoting Illegal Activity, and Highly Regulated Items
• Internationally Regulated Items
• Nudity and Mature Content
• Violent Items: Items that Promote, Support, or Glorify Violence

Policy decisions are complex. We consider many different and often divergent factors before coming to a decision about what is best for our community. Because we are a creative community, we err on the side of freedom of expression. We also tend to allow items that have educational, historical, or artistic value, but we know that even those items are subject to a variety of valid and sometimes conflicting interpretations and emotional responses.

Art and history can be provocative, emotional, and divisive. There are some topics on which we may never reach a consensus as a community, and that is okay. In the words of Joyce Carol Oates, “art should not be comforting; for comfort, we have mass entertainment and one another. Art should provoke, disturb, arouse our emotions, expand our sympathies in directions we may not anticipate and may not even wish.”

In order to help provide clarity and insight into our policy making process, we have included the rationale behind our decisions and details about how they will be enforced, including some representative examples below of what is allowed on Bait Web. We reserve the right to remove listings that we determine are not within the spirit of Bait Web. Violating this policy may result in the member’s selling privileges being suspended and/or terminated.

1. Alcohol, Tobacco, Drugs, Drug Paraphernalia, and Medical Drugs and Devices, and Items making Medical Claims

Alcohol, tobacco, and drugs are prohibited on Bait Web. These items may be subject to legal requirements and, in some cases, are considered controlled substances under applicable law.

Our policy also applies to medical drugs, medical devices, and any other item that claims to treat, prevent, mitigate, cure, or diagnose a disease or medical condition. Possible legal restrictions aside, these items are not in the spirit of Bait Web.

More Details:
The following are examples of items that may not be sold on Bait Web:

• Alcohol.
• Tobacco products, smokeable products, e-cigarettes, and e-liquid.
• Drugs and certain herbal substances, including substances used for recreational and medicinal purposes, regardless of their legality. We prohibit depictions of these substances in listing photos, as well as listings for instructions or materials intended to create such items.
• Drug paraphernalia, including, for example: items with a carburetor; slides and/or items with a slide; bongs and bubblers; vaporizers and their components.
• Medical drugs and regulated medical devices

Items making certain medical claims.

2. Animal Products and Human Remains

Certain animal products are highly regulated and prohibited on Bait Web due to the risk of harm to live, companion, or endangered animals.

More Details:
The following are examples of animal products that may not be sold on Bait Web:

• Live animals.
  Items created using any endangered or threatened animal species. We define these as animal species designated as threatened or endangered by the US Endangered Species Act or listed in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Click here for more details about which animals we prohibit.
• Items made from cat and dog parts or pelts as defined by US Federal Law.
• Ivory or bones from ivory-producing animals, including tusks, elk ivory, fossilized ivory, and wooly mammoth ivory.
• Items made from human remains or products from the human body, except for teeth, fingernails, and hair.

We expect all of our members to follow their local laws. If you are shipping items across international borders you should also consult CITES for specific information about importing and exporting species that may be threatened. If you sell products containing feathers, you should also consult the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

3. Dangerous Items: Hazardous Materials, Recalled Items, and Weapons

For safety and legal reasons, we prohibit certain dangerous items from our marketplace.

More details:
Hazardous Materials

Due to the potential harm caused by hazardous materials, as well as complex legal and shipping regulations surrounding such materials, hazardous materials are prohibited on Bait Web. We also prohibit kits, instructions, patterns, and designs enabling the creation of these items.

While not exhaustive, the following materials are examples of prohibited hazardous materials:

• Explosives (fireworks or sparklers)
• Explosive precursors
• Flammable items
• Gases
• Radioactive material
• Toxic substances (such as poisons)
• Individual or loose lithium ion batteries

Recalled Items or Items that May Pose a Health or Safety Hazard

Items that have been recalled by governments or manufacturers are prohibited from being sold on Bait Web. A few examples of items that have been recalled are certain vintage Corning Ware percolators, lawn darts, and drop side cribs.

Items that may pose a health or safety hazard are prohibited, even if they have not been the subject of a recall. This would include, for example, items that present a choking, electrocution, or strangulation hazard. We rely on information from user reports and various government agencies to identify these items.

Bait Web prohibits certain loose or separable high-powered magnets that fit into a 2.25 inches long and 1.25 inches wide “small parts” cylinder and have a flux of 50 kG2 mm2 or more, because of the safety risk they pose if swallowed.

Weapons

Context matters when it comes to defining what is or is not a weapon. When in doubt, it’s safe to assume that we won’t allow any item intended to be used as a weapon to inflict harm. The following items are generally not allowed on Bait Web:

• Guns, knives, or other blatant weapons, even if they are vintage. 
• Imitation firearms and weapons that look real or are prohibited by US law
• Patterns, designs, plans, or instructions, for the creation of prohibited weapons.

4. Hate Items: Items that Promote, Support, or Glorify Hatred

We want Bait Web to be a community where people of all backgrounds, nationalities, religions, political affiliations, and even different types of artistic taste and humor feel welcome. Art is incredibly subjective, and what is offensive to one is not necessarily offensive to others.

More Details:

Bait Web does not allow items or listings that promote, support or glorify hatred toward people or otherwise demean people based upon: race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, gender, gender identity, disability, or sexual orientation (collectively, “protected groups”). We also prohibit items or content that promote organizations or people with such views.

The following items are not allowed on Bait Web:

• Items that support or commemorate current or historical hate groups, including propaganda or collectibles. Examples of hate groups include Nazi or Neo-Nazi groups, Ku Klux Klan (KKK) groups, white supremacist groups, misogynist groups, or groups that advocate anti-gay, anti-immigrant, or Holocaust denial agendas.
• Items that contain racial slurs or derogatory terms in reference to protected groups.

Examples of What is Allowed:

Some items may contain symbols or terms associated with hate groups in a context unrelated to the group itself. We understand that these items are subject to a variety of valid and often conflicting interpretations of their educational, historical and artistic value. Recognizing that there may be no consensus on their value and reserving the right to evaluate such items on an individual, case-by-case basis, the following types of items are generally allowed on Bait Web:

Co-opted symbols, such as the swastika, when used in peaceful or religious context (often in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism). The item itself must possess features that clearly depict its cultural or religious origin or purpose.

A note on swastikas:

We are sensitive to the fact that there are many cultures throughout the world which use the swastika for legitimate purposes completely independent of Nazism. However, due to the widespread recognition of the Nazi swastika as a hate symbol, we have decided to only allow swastikas when part of a clear religious or cultural context.

5. Illegal Items, Items Promoting Illegal Activity, and Highly Regulated Items

We respect the law and expect Bait Web sellers to respect the law as well.

More Details:

Illegal items, items that promote illegal activity, and stolen items are not allowed on Bait Web. Neither are certain items that are subject to complex legal regulations or registration systems. We require sellers to follow all applicable laws for the items they list. Listings may be unavailable for users in regions where the item is restricted to purchase or sell.

Because Bait Web is a US National company, it’s important to abide by the laws of the States in which you are selling. What is legal in one state may be illegal in another. All forms of illegal activity are strictly prohibited. This includes, but is not limited to the sale of:

• Unauthorized or counterfeit goods
• Personal information
• Highly regulated items, such as currency and real estate
• Listings which facilitate or promote illegal activity, such as:

1. Impersonation
   b. Evasion of the detection of illegal activity
   c. Fraudulent deception that is misleading of one’s medical status, or that enables privacy infringement
   Unauthorized replicas or copies of items, and patterns or designs enabling their creation, are prohibited on Bait Web. We consider counterfeit or unauthorized goods to be items that imitate an authentic good, particularly by using a brand’s name, logo, or protected design without the brand owner’s consent. Additionally, we may consider up-cycled or re-purposed items, even if using authentic materials, to be counterfeit if they are making use of a brand’s name, logo, or protected design without their permission. Examples of prohibited counterfeit or unauthorized goods include replica luxury and non-luxury items like bags and branded apparel.

Personal information may not be sold, for instance as part of a data bank or mailing list. The sale of personal or government documents, such as credit cards, identification cards, and licenses is also prohibited.

Given associated regulations, lottery tickets, crypto currency mining rigs, and current, exchangeable currency and postage may not be sold on Bait Web. We also prohibit the sale of financial instruments such as stocks, bonds, and other securities. Handmade items containing any of these items in a usable condition are also not allowed. Collectible postage or currency that priced at less than 1,000 USD are allowed unless subject to legal or other restrictions. Collectible currency may not be offered as ‘unsearched’ or as a mixed lot of unknown contents. Additionally, due to complex legal restrictions that vary by location, Bait Web does not permit the sale of real estate, housing, or motor vehicles (for example: automobiles, motorcycles, boats, travel trailers, etc.).

Items may not aid in impersonation. We prohibit realistic items that identify the wearer as an active law enforcement, military, or government official. It is also prohibited to facilitate the impersonation of a ride-share vehicle through the sale of rideshare company decals.

We prohibit items which are intended to evade the detection of illegal activity, such as radar detectors, license plate covers, and materials for faking drug tests.

Items meant to fraudulently deceive others about one’s medical status are prohibited. This includes items such as fraudulent test results, or items designating an animal as a service animal. We also prohibit items which deceptively infringe on someone’s privacy, such as concealed cameras or tracking devices, and lockpicking devices.

6. Internationally Regulated Items

Bait Web provides a direct connection between buyers and sellers around the world. If you buy or sell an item from another country, or if you enter into a transaction with someone across international borders, you are responsible for complying with laws and regulations of the country of destination as well as your local laws.

More Details:

When buying and selling internationally, you should comply with your local laws and be aware that other countries may have their own restrictions. You might be prohibited from exporting or importing certain items under international laws and regulations. Some transactions may require licenses, permits, or other documentation. If you have questions about how to comply with the law, we recommend that you speak to a qualified professional.

When you use Bait Web’s services, you are also responsible for complying with economic sanctions and trade restrictions, including those implemented by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) of the US Department of the Treasury. All Bait Web members must comply with our Sanctions Policy, regardless of their location.

Bait Web reserves the right to request that sellers provide additional information, disclose an item’s country of origin in a listing, or take other steps to meet compliance obligations.

You should be aware that third-party payment processors, such as PayPal, may independently monitor transactions for sanctions compliance and may block some transactions as part of their own compliance programs. Bait Web has no authority or control over the independent decision-making of these providers.

7. Nudity and Mature Content

As a creative community, we tend to be fairly liberal about what we allow on Bait Web. That said, we prohibit pornography, illegal or exploitative items, and used intimate items. Beyond that, we allow but place restrictions on mature content so that people who are offended by this kind of material don’t have to see it. If you are selling mature content, we ask that you be respectful of differing sensibilities by listing and tagging your items properly.

More Details:

We prohibit items which are not aligned with Bait Web’s brand and values, or which carry legal or other restrictions. Depictions of the sexualization of minors are prohibited. We also prohibit depictions of bestiality, incest, and non-consensual sex.

Pornography of any sort is prohibited on Bait Web, whereas mature content is restricted. Although pornography can be difficult to define, an item generally qualifies as pornography when it contains printed or visual material that explicitly describes or displays sex acts, sex organs, or other erotic behavior for the purpose of sexual arousal or stimulation.

We define mature content as printed or visual depictions of human genitalia, sexual activity or content, profane language, sexual wellness items, violent images (within reason; see also Violent Items), and explicit types or representations of taxidermy. Click here to read more about how to properly list and tag mature content. Not all nudity is considered mature, and examples are listed below. If you find yourself questioning whether your item is mature, then it is likely a good idea to assume that it is mature content, and you should label it as such.

When deciding whether mature content crosses over the threshold into pornography, we take into consideration the explicitness of depictions of sexual activity or content.

8. Violent Items: Items that Promote, Support, or Glorify Violence

We want Bait Web to be a safe place for everyone. While violent content can be a legitimate part of historical, educational, or artistic expression, it should never be used to promote or glorify violent acts against others.

More Details:
We do not allow items or listings that promote, support or glorify acts of violence or harm towards self or others, including credible threats of harm.

The following items are not allowed on Bait Web:

• Items that glorify human suffering or tragedies, including items that commemorate or honor serial killers
• Items that attempt to exploit natural disasters or human tragedies
• Items that encourage, glorify, or celebrate acts of violence against individuals or groups
• Items that encourage self-mutilation, starvation, or other self-harm
• Items that promote or endorse harmful misinformation