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Ad content rules

Version 2026-10-27-draft · Last updated 27 October 2026

Draft, not yet reviewed by a lawyer. This text is a starting point written for the test version of the site. A Kenyan advocate should review it before real customers use it. Highlighted parts are details still to be filled in.

What AdNet Africa ads may and may not show. Every ad is checked by a person before it appears, against these rules and the laws of Kenya.

1. Every ad must

  • make clear who is advertising, and what is offered;
  • be true: prices, offers and results as they really are, with any conditions stated;
  • lead to a working page that matches the ad and belongs to the advertiser;
  • use only images, names and logos the advertiser has the right to use;
  • be suitable for a general audience, including young people who may see it.

2. Not allowed

  • anything illegal in Kenya, or that helps someone break the law;
  • counterfeit goods, and copies of other brands (the Anti-Counterfeit Act);
  • sexual content, nudity or dating services aimed at sex;
  • hate speech, or anything that stirs up violence or discrimination, for example against an ethnic group or religion;
  • weapons, illegal drugs, tobacco, shisha and e-cigarettes (the Tobacco Control Act forbids advertising them);
  • pyramid and “get rich quick” schemes, investment offers that promise returns, and anyone pretending to be Safaricom, M-Pesa, KRA, a bank or a government office;
  • loans from lenders without a Central Bank of Kenya licence (digital credit providers must be licensed);
  • miracle cures, and medicines or health claims not approved by the Pharmacy and Poisons Board;
  • pages that install software without asking, collect passwords or PINs, or try to trick people;
  • political ads [decide whether to accept them].

3. Allowed only with conditions

  • Betting, lotteries and gaming: only from operators licensed by the Betting Control and Licensing Board, showing their licence and the age limit (18+), and following its advertising rules. [Confirm current rules, or decide not to accept them.]
  • Alcohol: only within the Alcoholic Drinks Control Act, with its health warning, never aimed at people under 18. [Confirm, or decide not to accept alcohol ads.]
  • Financial services (loans, savings, insurance, SACCOs): only from licensed providers, with the true cost stated.
  • Cryptocurrency: [decide whether to accept, and on which conditions].

4. Banners

Banners must be clear and readable, with no flashing that could harm people with epilepsy, no fake buttons or warnings (“Your phone has a virus”), and nothing made to look like the publisher’s own content.

5. When an ad breaks the rules

We refuse ads that break these rules, and may stop an approved ad at any time if we find a problem later, for example with the page it links to. Advertisers who break the rules repeatedly or on purpose lose their account. To report an ad you saw, write to [support email address].