A valid product that performs a function or service must be sold by an iCop accredited member company. "How To ..." products ARE acceptable. Our members are legitimate online businesses, rather than marketers only teaching others how to get rich on the internet.

Companies that do not meet this Code of Online Business Ethics, will not be allowed to display the iCop™ seal!

These guidelines may be adjusted from time to time, as needed. Current iCop™ members will have 30 days following notification of changes to either comply, or remove the iCop™ seal(s) from their websites.

No changes will be made that reflect anything other than the highest ethical standards for iCop™ membership.

*  All Applicants for Membership Must Meet the Following Criteria:

1. Applicants must have an existing website
2. Domain names registered with anonymous information will NOT be eligible for membership - no proxies will be accepted.
3. The domain name registration must show the member's name, or company name, and current address and telephone number in the whois database
4. Applicants will have an automatic six (6) month probation period if the company has been in business less than three (3) months at the time of joining iCop
5. Applicants must have a business that sells actual services or products, either tangible or intangible
6. Applicants may NOT sell only money-making programs, or lists of such programs
7. Applicants must agree to iCop's Code of Online Business Ethics known as the iCop Pledge

*  All iCop Member Websites Must Contain:

1. The standards of professionalism as evidenced by correct spelling, grammar, punctuation and correct use of words.
2. Full contact information including a mailing address.  (Since iCop is strictly an organization for online business owners - and since a very high percentage of online businesses are operated from home offices - iCop does not require members to publish their home addresses.)
3. Telephone number and available hours for contact.
4. Payment options appropriate for the industry and including secure online credit card and bank debit card transactions.
5. All online payment options must be provided through secure transactions.  This requirement is waived for those companies which do not actually sell products or services through the website.
6. A full and formal Privacy Statement - This statement must include pertinent facts such as no selling of visitor names or email addresses, no unsolicited email, security options, etc.  (If you do not have a formal Privacy Statement, feel free to use iCop's as a template, editing in your own information.)
7. Full and formal legal documents, i.e., Terms of Service, Disclosure Statement, etc. as may be required by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC), for each member's individual sales methods on each website. This includes those members outside the USA who use payment processors INSIDE the USA. (iCop is able to help provide these documents, if necessary.)

*   The iCop Member company must own the domain name of any website displaying the iCop Seal.

*   iCop Member companies may NOT use anonymous domain name registrations.

*  Companies whose websites promote pornography, nudity, sexually explicit material of any kind, hard-core profanity, violence, discrimination based on race, sex, religion, nationality, disability, sexual orientation, or age, illegal activities, or which violate intellectual property rights are automatically barred from using the iCop seal.  All website owners must comply with local laws pertinent to their geographical area.

*  All iCop™ members displaying the iCop™ seal on their websites must operate their businesses within the guidelines of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC), since anyone doing business in the USA must adhere to these regulations.  iCop™ members will also maintain strict professional courtesy toward customers and the general online public, at all times.

*  At the sole discretion of iCop, no applicant will be accepted who sells, participates in any affiliate program which sells, or supports in any way, any questionable and/or unethical online business practice.  This includes, but is not limited to, marketing courses teaching how to use "spam" - any product designed to collect email addresses from the Web without permission - any program which does not protect the privacy rights of participants - and any product or service which invades the privacy of others.

*  Any iCop™ member who participates in the use of "spam" (Unsolicited Commercial Email UCE) - in any way - will have their iCop seal privileges revoked immediately and without recourse.

*  No business that participates in the use of predatory advertising methods will be accepted for use of the iCop™ seal.  Predatory advertising is defined as any method that creates or changes links or banners on websites without the expressed permission of that website owner.  Participation in predatory advertising programs will be cause for iCop seal privileges to be revoked immediately and without recourse.

*  All websites submitted for iCop™ seal approval must be written entirely in English.

Any iCop™ member who participates in the sale, transfer, exchange or gifting of the personal information of visitors or customers, to build the contact lists of third parties, will have their iCop seal privledges revoked immediately and without recourse.

(We are not concerned with the legality of the sale of contact lists, but with the ethical protection and security of all customers' personal information.)

No responsibility or liability is taken/accepted by iCop for anything arising from the rejection of any application for use of the seal, for any reason.

Per our published Terms of Use, unauthorized use of the iCop™ Seal is subject to a $5,000 fine, which will be collected by whatever legal means necessary!