Glossary term
Acceptable Use Policy (AUP)
A processor or platform's policy defining permitted and prohibited uses of its service. PayPal's AUP is a common reference point in the creator economy.
An Acceptable Use Policy defines what a service may and may not be used for. In payments, each processor maintains its own version — PayPal's AUP is one of the most frequently referenced in the creator economy — and it functions much like a prohibited business list, enumerating the activities the processor will not support.
AUP violations cover categories such as intellectual property infringement, certain adult content, regulated goods, and other prohibited activities. Processors differ in their treatment of specific categories; PayPal, for example, tends to be more conservative on certain adult content than some other processors, which is why mapping to the specific processor matters.
For platforms, the AUP is significant because enforcement can include fund holds during investigation, in addition to account restrictions. A payout to a creator whose activity violates the AUP can implicate the platform's own account, not just the creator's.
This definition is provided for general educational purposes and is not legal or compliance advice. Consult each provider's official Acceptable Use Policy for definitive requirements.
Related terms
Prohibited Business List
A payment processor's published list of business categories it will not process payments for, such as piracy, counterfeit goods, or unlicensed regulated products.
Stripe Restricted Businesses (§6.3)
The section of Stripe's terms that lists business categories Stripe restricts or prohibits, including piracy, counterfeit goods, and regulated products.
Enforcement Cascade
The escalating sequence of processor consequences — from warning to fine, reserve increase, termination, and MATCH listing — that follows an unaddressed violation.
Payout Compliance
Vetting which creators a platform is safe to pay, mapped against payment processor prohibited-business policies, before money moves.