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Acceptable Use Policy

People scan our codes on menus, posters and yard signs because they trust where they lead. These rules keep it that way.

Effective October 8, 2026 · version 2026-10

⚡ The short version

  • ✕ No phishing, malware, scams, spam or impersonation.
  • ✕ No redirect chains: point at the real destination, not another shortener or a cloaked affiliate hop.
  • ✕ No showing our scanners one page and real people another.
  • ✓ Every destination is checked when it's set and re-checked regularly. Anyone can report a link.
  • ✓ Break the rules and the link stops redirecting. Serious or repeated abuse closes the account.

This summary is here to help. The full text below is what actually applies.

1. Who this applies to

This policy is part of our Terms of Service. It applies to every link, QR code, branded domain, API call and upload on SHCD.US, whether you have an account or made a guest link.

2. Never allowed

Deception and fraud

  • Phishing: pages that collect passwords, payment details, one-time codes or personal data under false pretences.
  • Impersonation: pretending to be a company, government agency, public figure or another person, including in custom slugs and branded domains.
  • Scams: fake giveaways, fake parking or toll payments, fake invoices, advance-fee fraud, fake tech support, investment or crypto schemes that promise returns.
  • "Quishing": stickers or codes placed over someone else's QR code, or on their property, without permission.

Harmful software

  • Malware, ransomware, spyware, unwanted software, or apps that harm the device or hide what they do.
  • Drive-by downloads, or pages that exploit browser vulnerabilities.

Spam

  • Sending SHCD.US links in unsolicited bulk messages (email, SMS, social DMs, comments), or to lists you don't have consent to contact.
  • Creating links in bulk to get around platform spam filters.

Hiding where a link goes

  • Redirect chains: pointing an SHCD.US link at another URL shortener or redirect service. We refuse common shorteners automatically. Point at the final page.
  • Affiliate redirect chains and cloaking: hopping through tracking or affiliate redirectors to disguise the real destination, cookie-stuffing, or forcing affiliate attribution without the visitor's knowledge. A plain, disclosed affiliate link to a retailer's own site is fine.
  • Evading our checks: serving our scanners different content from real visitors, rotating destinations to dodge review, or re-creating links we've disabled.

Illegal and harmful content

  • Child sexual abuse material. We report it to NCMEC and law enforcement.
  • Content that promotes terrorism or violent extremism, or incites violence.
  • Harassment, threats, doxxing, or sharing intimate images without consent.
  • Sale of illegal drugs, weapons, counterfeit goods, stolen data or accounts.
  • Infringing other people's copyright or trademarks.
  • Anything else that's illegal where you or your audience are.

Abusing the Service

  • Attacking, overloading or probing our systems, or using SHCD.US to attack others.
  • Scraping, or using the API beyond its rate limits or to get around plan limits.
  • Creating multiple accounts to evade limits or enforcement.

3. Allowed with care

Adult content, gambling, alcohol, cannabis, firearms and medical or financial products must comply with the law and with the rules of wherever the code is shown. Don't put links to adult content on codes in public places, and use an age gate where the law requires one. Political and issue advertising must say who paid for it where required.

4. How we enforce this

  1. Before a link goes live: every account and guest link must be tied to a confirmed email address. Destinations are checked against threat lists (Google Web Risk) and our own rules.
  2. While it's live: destinations are re-checked regularly. A link that becomes dangerous later is switched off automatically.
  3. Reports: anyone can report a link at shcd.us/report. When several different people report the same link, it's suspended automatically until a person reviews it.
  4. Action: depending on severity we may disable the link, disable every link in the account, suspend or close the account, and keep records needed for legal reasons. Disabled links show a warning page instead of redirecting.

We aim to review reports within one business day, faster for phishing and malware.

5. Appeals

If we've disabled one of your links and you think we got it wrong, email abuse@shcd.us with the link and why it's safe. A person will look at it, and if we made a mistake we'll switch it back on.

6. Reporting abuse

Use shcd.us/report (no account needed) or email abuse@shcd.us. Rights holders sending copyright or trademark notices: please include the link, the work or mark, and your contact details. To see where any SHCD.US link goes before opening it, add a + to the end, like shcd.us/abc123+.

Questions about this policy? Email hello@shcd.us. A real person answers.