Shopify · Shopify Acceptable Use Policy

Prohibition on Spam, Unsolicited Messages, and Malicious Code

Medium severity
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What it is

You cannot send spam, spread malware, or run phishing scams through Shopify's platform.

Consumer impact (what this means for users)

This provision protects end consumers — shoppers — from being targeted by spam, phishing, and malware distributed through Shopify-hosted stores, giving Shopify contractual authority to remove bad actors quickly.

Cross-platform context

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Why it matters (compliance & risk perspective)

This provision protects Shopify's infrastructure and end consumers from fraud and malicious activity, and violations can result in immediate account termination.

View original clause language
The following activities are prohibited: Sending unsolicited bulk messages, spam, or other forms of unsolicited communications; uploading, transmitting, or distributing any malware, viruses, or other harmful code; using Shopify Services to engage in phishing, spoofing, or other fraudulent activities.

Institutional analysis (Compliance & legal intelligence)

REGULATORY FRAMEWORK: This provision engages the CAN-SPAM Act (15 U.S.C. § 7701) for unsolicited commercial email, the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA, 18 U.S.C. § 1030) for malware and unauthorized computer access, the EU's ePrivacy Directive (2002/58/EC) and GDPR Article 6 for unsolicited electronic marketing in Europe, and Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL) for Canadian merchants. The FTC enforces CAN-SPAM; the DOJ enforces CFAA; EU data protection authorities enforce ePrivacy and GDPR.

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Applicable agencies

  • FTC
    The FTC enforces the CAN-SPAM Act and has authority to investigate spam and phishing activities conducted through e-commerce platforms.
    File a complaint →

Provision details

Document information
Document
Shopify Acceptable Use Policy
Entity
Shopify
Document last updated
April 29, 2026
Tracking information
First tracked
April 27, 2026
Last verified
April 27, 2026
Record ID
CA-P-003401
Document ID
CA-D-00124
Evidence Provenance
Source URL
Wayback Machine
SHA-256
6747aef27d272e564823f36257d53e0e81e491f02516c0ffd2b85660b34fcdae
Verified
✓ Snapshot stored   ✓ Change verified
How to Cite
ConductAtlas Policy Archive
Entity: Shopify | Document: Shopify Acceptable Use Policy | Record: CA-P-003401
Captured: 2026-04-27 12:48:34 UTC | SHA-256: 6747aef27d272e56…
URL: https://conductatlas.com/platform/shopify/shopify-acceptable-use-policy/prohibition-on-spam-unsolicited-messages-and-malicious-code/
Accessed: May 2, 2026
Classification
Severity
Medium
Categories

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