Trusted Author Badge Policy
EBOKIO Effective Date: 12 July 2026 Last Updated: 12 July 2026 Version: 1.0
Company: EBOKIO LTD, a private limited company registered in England and Wales
Applies to: author and publisher accounts held with EBOKIO LTD, and to the display of the EBOKIO Trusted Author Badge across EBOKIO services, including on book pages and author profiles on the storefront at ebokio.com.
This Trusted Author Badge Policy ("this Policy") explains the EBOKIO Trusted Author Badge: what it means, who may qualify, how EBOKIO verifies applicants, how the badge may be displayed, and when it may be suspended or removed. This Policy forms part of, and is incorporated by reference into, the EBOKIO Terms of Service.
This Policy governs the EBOKIO Trusted Author Badge as it applies to author and publisher accounts. The badge is applied for and administered through publishing.ebokio.com (the EBOKIO author and publishing platform), and is displayed to readers across EBOKIO services, including on book pages and author profiles at ebokio.com (the EBOKIO reading platform). It must be read together with the EBOKIO Terms of Service, the EBOKIO Publisher Agreement, the EBOKIO Publishing Privacy Policy, the EBOKIO Cookie Policy, the EBOKIO Content Policy, the EBOKIO Refund and Returns Policy, and the EBOKIO Copyright Notice and Takedown Policy.
In this Policy, "EBOKIO", "we", "us", and "our" mean EBOKIO LTD. "You", "your", "author", and "applicant" mean the person or entity applying for, holding, or displaying the badge. "Badge" means the EBOKIO Trusted Author Badge.
1. Purpose of this Policy
The EBOKIO Trusted Author Badge is a trust-and-identity status that EBOKIO may grant to qualifying author accounts. The badge is intended to help readers identify author profiles that have completed EBOKIO’s verification process and continue to meet the standards described in this Policy. This Policy explains:
- What the badge means;
- Who may qualify;
- What information EBOKIO may request;
- How applications are reviewed;
- How the badge may be displayed;
- When the badge may be suspended or removed; and
- How an author may appeal a decision.
This Policy forms part of the EBOKIO Terms of Service and governs author and publisher accounts and the display of the badge across EBOKIO services. By applying for, accepting, or displaying the badge, the applicant agrees to this Policy and to the applicable EBOKIO Terms of Service, Publishing Privacy Policy, Publisher Agreement, and Content Policy.
2. Meaning of the EBOKIO Trusted Author Badge
The badge indicates that, at the time of review, EBOKIO obtained reasonable evidence that:
- the account is controlled by the named author or an authorised representative;
- the author’s identity, professional identity, or established pen name was reasonably verified;
- the applicant provided reasonable evidence connecting the author to at least one book or publication associated with the account;
- the account was in good standing under EBOKIO’s rules;
- the applicant completed any security and verification measures required by EBOKIO; and
- EBOKIO was not aware of a serious unresolved impersonation, fraud, copyright, or account-integrity issue involving the account.
The badge is an account status issued by EBOKIO. It is not, in itself, a government-issued credential, professional licence, copyright registration, literary award, or independent guarantee.
3. What the badge does not mean
The badge does not mean that:
- EBOKIO guarantees that every statement made by the author is accurate;
- EBOKIO guarantees the quality, legality, originality, safety, or suitability of every book;
- EBOKIO endorses every opinion, theme, claim, character, product, service, or external link associated with the author;
- every work published under the author’s name was personally written without assistance;
- every work is free from mistakes, disputes, or third-party claims;
- the author is more talented, successful, important, or popular than an author without the badge;
- the author is an employee, partner, agent, or official representative of EBOKIO;
- EBOKIO guarantees the author’s future behaviour;
- the author’s books are appropriate for every reader or age group; or
- the badge is permanent.
The badge confirms only that the account passed EBOKIO’s applicable review process. It should not be interpreted as a general endorsement of the author or the author’s publications.
4. The badge cannot be purchased
The EBOKIO Trusted Author Badge cannot be purchased. Eligibility does not depend on the author’s subscription plan: a Free-plan author may qualify, and subscribing to a paid plan (such as Premium or Pro) does not grant, guarantee, or accelerate approval of the badge. Buying advertising, promotions, subscriptions, premium services, publishing services, or other products from EBOKIO does not guarantee approval and must not influence the verification decision.
5. Basic eligibility requirements
To qualify, an applicant must satisfy all applicable requirements below.
5.1 Eligible account. The applicant must have:
- an active EBOKIO account;
- an active or properly linked EBOKIO Publishing account;
- a completed author profile;
- a verified email address;
- accurate account and contact information; and
- any required account-security features enabled.
EBOKIO may require multi-factor authentication before awarding or maintaining the badge.
5.2 Identity or professional identity.
The applicant must provide sufficient evidence that the account represents:
- the author named on the profile;
- an established author using a documented pen name; or
- an authorised literary agent, publisher, estate, or representative acting for the author.
The information provided must be truthful, current, and complete.
5.3 Connection to published works.
The applicant must demonstrate a reasonable connection to at least one book displayed, distributed, submitted, or published through the relevant EBOKIO account. Evidence may include a publisher confirmation; a publishing agreement; an ISBN or publication record; a copyright record, where available; an official author website; an email address associated with an official author or publisher domain; a public publisher catalogue; a distributor or retailer author page; a rights-management record; or other reliable evidence accepted by EBOKIO. Copyright registration is not required unless EBOKIO specifically requests it in connection with a dispute.
5.4 Account standing.
At the time of approval, the account must not be:
- suspended;
- restricted for a serious policy violation;
- under investigation for impersonation or fraud;
- associated with unresolved payment fraud;
- associated with repeated copyright infringement;
- associated with deliberate plagiarism or stolen content;
- associated with materially deceptive book information;
- used to manipulate ratings, reviews, reads, rankings, or engagement; or
- used to evade a previous account suspension or badge removal.
Minor or resolved violations may be considered based on their seriousness, frequency, age, and the steps taken by the applicant to correct them.
5.5 Compliance history.
EBOKIO may consider the applicant’s history on EBOKIO, including compliance with publishing requirements; responses to valid support or rights-holder requests; accuracy of author and book information; account-security history; evidence of fraudulent or misleading behaviour; repeated complaints supported by reliable evidence; and previous removal or misuse of the badge.
5.6 Legal capacity and minimum age.
Applicants must be at least 18 years old (or older where the age of majority in their country is higher) and must have the legal capacity to accept EBOKIO’s applicable terms. EBOKIO does not award or maintain the Trusted Author Badge for any account controlled by a person under 18 years of age, and may require reasonable evidence of age during verification. This is consistent with the EBOKIO Publisher Agreement, which requires publishers to be at least 18 (or the age of majority in their jurisdiction, if higher).
6. Pen names and pseudonyms
Authors may qualify while using a pen name. An author using a pen name may be required to verify their legal identity privately and to provide evidence reasonably connecting that identity to the pen name. EBOKIO will not publicly reveal an author’s legal name solely because the author applied under a pen name, except:
- with the author’s permission;
- where required by law;
- where necessary to investigate fraud, abuse, or a legal claim; or
- as otherwise explained in the EBOKIO Publishing Privacy Policy.
A separate author profile using another pen name may require a separate review.
7. Authorised representatives
An author may apply through an authorised publisher, literary agent, rights manager, estate representative, legal representative, or account manager. The representative may be required to provide:
- their own identity and contact information;
- evidence of their organisation or professional role;
- written authorisation from the author or rights holder;
- a contract, agency letter, publisher confirmation, or equivalent record; and
- proof that they control or are authorised to manage the relevant account.
The badge belongs to the approved author profile, not personally to the representative. Changes to the authorised representative may trigger re-verification.
8. Famous, notable, or public authors
Popularity, public recognition, sales, media coverage, awards, or social-media following do not automatically qualify an account for the badge. EBOKIO may proactively invite a well-known author or their authorised representative to complete verification. However, invited authors must still provide sufficient evidence of identity or professional identity, control of the account, connection to the books on the profile, the authority of any representative, and compliance with applicable EBOKIO rules. An invitation does not guarantee approval.
Where EBOKIO promotes an author editorially on the basis of popularity, achievement, or public interest, it will use a separate designation, such as "Featured Author", and not the Trusted Author Badge. The Trusted Author Badge must not be awarded solely because an author is famous.
9. Deceased authors and legacy profiles
Unless EBOKIO expressly creates a separate legacy verification process, the Trusted Author Badge should not be displayed in a way that suggests a deceased author personally controls an account. A profile managed by an estate, publisher, or rights holder may instead receive an appropriate label such as "Official Estate Profile", "Official Publisher-Managed Profile", or "Authorised Legacy Profile". Any such label must accurately identify who controls the profile.
10. Information EBOKIO may request
EBOKIO may request one or more of the following: legal name; public author name; pen name; date of birth where reasonably necessary; country or region; verified email address; telephone verification; publisher or agency information; publishing agreements or authorisation letters; ISBN and publication information; official website ownership; links to established professional profiles; copyright or rights-management information; evidence of control of an official domain or account; information concerning an impersonation or ownership dispute; and any additional information reasonably necessary to verify the application. Badge verification is evidence-based and does not involve identity-document or biometric checks. Where EBOKIO separately has reasonable grounds to verify a Publisher's identity — for example to address fraud, sanctions, money-laundering, or other legal-compliance risk — that is a separate process governed by the EBOKIO Publishing Privacy Policy and is not part of badge verification.
EBOKIO will never request an applicant’s email password, social-media password, banking password, or complete payment-card security code (CVV/CVC) as part of badge verification.
11. Data minimisation and document security
EBOKIO will seek to collect only information reasonably necessary to complete the verification. Verification information will be handled in accordance with the EBOKIO Publishing Privacy Policy, the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), the Data Protection Act 2018, and other applicable data-protection law. EBOKIO does not carry out biometric identification and does not collect biometric data as part of badge verification.
Where reasonably possible, EBOKIO may:
- record that a verification check passed instead of retaining a complete verification document;
- redact information that is not needed;
- restrict access to trained personnel;
- encrypt sensitive information during transmission and storage;
- delete verification documents when they are no longer reasonably necessary; and
- retain a limited verification record to document the decision and prevent abuse.
Applicants should redact unnecessary sensitive information only where EBOKIO permits redaction. Altered or misleading documents may result in denial or removal. EBOKIO will not publish an applicant’s verification documents. Information about retention periods, service providers, international transfers, and privacy rights (including the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office) is provided in the EBOKIO Publishing Privacy Policy or the relevant verification notice.
12. Application process
The verification process may include the following steps:
- the applicant signs in to their EBOKIO Publishing account;
- the applicant completes the Trusted Author application;
- the applicant provides the requested evidence;
- EBOKIO reviews the account, profile, publication history, evidence, and account standing;
- EBOKIO may request additional information or clarification;
- EBOKIO makes an approval, denial, or pending-review decision;
- approved accounts receive the badge on the applicable author profile; and
- EBOKIO may notify the applicant by email or through the account dashboard.
EBOKIO may use automated tools to organise, authenticate, or assess submitted information. Where a decision that produces legal effects or similarly significant effects is based solely on automated processing, the applicant has the right to obtain human intervention, to express their point of view, and to contest the decision, in accordance with the UK GDPR. Submitting an application does not guarantee approval, and EBOKIO does not guarantee a particular review time. Complex cases, rights disputes, high application volumes, incomplete information, or external verification delays may extend the review.
13. Standard for awarding the badge
The badge is awarded only where all mandatory conditions are satisfied. An application is eligible for approval only where EBOKIO reasonably determines that:
- the author account is authentic;
- the account is controlled by the author or a properly authorised representative;
- the author’s legal identity or established professional identity has been sufficiently verified;
- any pen name has been sufficiently connected to the verified individual;
- at least one book or publication has been sufficiently connected to the author;
- the books associated with the application are not subject to a serious unresolved ownership or impersonation dispute;
- the account is in good standing;
- required security measures have been completed;
- the submitted information is accurate and not materially misleading; and
- no serious unresolved concern makes displaying the badge likely to mislead readers.
All mandatory conditions must be satisfied. Popularity alone cannot replace a missing mandatory condition. Meeting these conditions is necessary but not sufficient: the badge must be applied for, is granted only following EBOKIO's review, and satisfying the conditions does not guarantee approval.
Award and retention of the Trusted Author Badge are at EBOKIO’s sole discretion. EBOKIO may grant the badge to any account it chooses and may decline, withhold, suspend, or remove the badge from any account at any time, including where an applicant or holder appears to meet the criteria in this Policy; satisfying the criteria does not create any right or entitlement to receive or keep the badge. EBOKIO will exercise this discretion in good faith and in accordance with applicable law, and nothing in this clause excludes or limits any rights or remedies that cannot lawfully be excluded or limited.
14. Reasons an application may be denied
EBOKIO may deny an application where:
- the evidence is incomplete or unreliable;
- EBOKIO cannot verify the applicant’s identity;
- EBOKIO cannot connect the applicant to the claimed pen name;
- EBOKIO cannot verify the applicant’s relationship to the books;
- a representative cannot establish their authority;
- submitted documents appear altered, stolen, false, or misleading;
- the account impersonates another person;
- the account contains materially inaccurate author information;
- a serious authorship, copyright, ownership, or publishing-rights dispute remains unresolved;
- the account has engaged in fraud, manipulation, or repeated serious policy violations;
- the applicant attempts to pressure, bribe, threaten, or improperly influence reviewers;
- awarding the badge would be likely to mislead readers;
- the applicant does not respond to a request for additional information within the stated period; or
- the application otherwise fails to satisfy this Policy.
Where appropriate, EBOKIO may allow the applicant to correct missing information and reapply.
15. Badge placement on EBOKIO
EBOKIO controls how and where the badge appears on its platforms. The badge may appear on author profiles, book pages, search results, author dashboards, recommendation areas, promotional materials, and other EBOKIO services where the author’s identity is displayed. Selecting or hovering over the badge will, where technically practical, display an explanation of what the badge means. The recommended explanation is:
"EBOKIO Trusted Author: EBOKIO has reviewed evidence connecting this account to the named author or an authorised representative. This badge does not constitute an endorsement of every book, statement, or opinion associated with the account."
16. External use of the badge
The Trusted Author Badge is provided for display on EBOKIO’s platforms only. EBOKIO does not grant any licence or permission to use, reproduce, display, embed, publish, distribute, or otherwise exploit the badge outside EBOKIO, and you must not use, display, or exploit the badge outside EBOKIO under any circumstances. Without limiting the foregoing, you must not:
- redraw or materially modify the badge;
- change its wording;
- remove required links or explanations;
- sell, sublicense, or transfer the badge;
- place it on another person’s profile;
- place it on an unapproved pen name or account;
- use it to suggest that a specific book was reviewed or approved by EBOKIO;
- use it to suggest an employment, sponsorship, or partnership relationship;
- use the badge after receiving notice that it has been suspended or removed; or
- create a badge that is confusingly similar to the official badge.
EBOKIO may require the immediate removal of any external, unauthorised, or misleading display or use of the badge, and any such display or use is a breach of this Policy.
17. Ownership and limited permission
The EBOKIO name, badge design, artwork, and related brand elements are owned by or licensed to EBOKIO. Approval gives the author a limited, personal, revocable, non-exclusive, non-transferable permission to have the badge displayed on EBOKIO’s platforms as provided in this Policy, and does not grant any right to display, use, or exploit the badge outside EBOKIO. Approval does not transfer ownership of the badge or grant the author a right to register the badge, the EBOKIO name, a confusingly similar logo, a confusingly similar domain name, a confusingly similar social-media identity, or any related trade mark or design. The permission ends automatically when the badge is suspended, removed, surrendered, or expires.
18. Duration and re-verification
The badge remains active only while the account continues to satisfy this Policy. EBOKIO may require periodic re-verification, including at regular review intervals; after a significant account change; after a change in legal name or pen name; after a change in representative; after a suspicious login or account takeover; after a prolonged period of inactivity; after an ownership or rights dispute; after a serious complaint; after changes to EBOKIO’s verification standards; and before restoring a suspended badge. Failure to complete required re-verification may result in suspension or removal. The badge is not transferable between accounts.
19. Author responsibilities after approval
A badge holder must keep account information accurate; protect login credentials; maintain required security measures; promptly report suspected unauthorised access; update EBOKIO after a material identity or representation change; continue complying with EBOKIO’s rules; cooperate with reasonable re-verification requests; avoid misleading statements about the badge; cease any display or use of the badge (including any prohibited external display) when authorisation ends; and notify EBOKIO of a serious dispute concerning identity, authorship, or publishing rights. The author remains responsible for all content and activity associated with the account, subject to applicable law and the EBOKIO Terms of Service.
20. Monitoring and reports
EBOKIO may review a badge holder’s continued eligibility. Users and rights holders may report impersonation; unauthorised account control; false identity information; badge misuse; copyright or ownership disputes; fraudulent publications; deceptive statements about the badge; or other serious policy violations. Reports should include enough information for EBOKIO to understand and evaluate the concern. A report does not automatically result in removal. EBOKIO may assess the reliability of the report, request evidence, seek a response from the badge holder, and take proportionate action.
21. Suspension
EBOKIO may temporarily hide or suspend the badge while reviewing a credible impersonation report; a suspected account takeover; a material identity discrepancy; a publishing-rights dispute; suspected fraudulent documents; a serious or repeated policy violation; misleading external use of the badge; a legal request or court order; a security or safety concern; or a failure to complete re-verification. Suspension does not necessarily mean that EBOKIO has made a final finding against the author. During suspension, the author must not display or promote the badge externally.
22. Removal of the badge
EBOKIO may remove the badge where it reasonably determines that:
- the badge was obtained using false, stolen, altered, or misleading information;
- the account is not controlled by the author or an authorised representative;
- the author or representative materially misrepresented their identity or authority;
- the account engaged in impersonation;
- the account engaged in serious fraud or manipulation;
- the author repeatedly or seriously violated EBOKIO’s rules;
- the author repeatedly published content without the necessary rights;
- the badge was transferred, sold, copied, or misused;
- the author refused a reasonable re-verification request;
- the account was permanently suspended or terminated;
- the author requested removal;
- the author no longer meets the applicable eligibility requirements;
- keeping the badge visible would be materially misleading; or
- removal is required by law or a binding legal order.
Where reasonably practicable, EBOKIO will notify the author of the removal and provide a general explanation. EBOKIO may withhold details where disclosure could compromise platform security, reveal confidential information, interfere with an investigation, expose another person’s personal data, facilitate evasion of enforcement, or violate a legal obligation.
23. Immediate action
EBOKIO may suspend or remove the badge without advance notice where immediate action is reasonably necessary to prevent impersonation or fraud; respond to an account compromise; protect users or rights holders; comply with law; preserve evidence; prevent continued misuse of the badge; or address a serious platform-integrity concern. Where appropriate, EBOKIO may provide notice after taking action.
24. Appeals
An applicant or badge holder may appeal a denied application, a badge suspension, a badge removal, or a failed re-verification decision. An appeal must normally be submitted within 30 days after notice of the decision. The appeal should include the account and author name; the decision being appealed; a clear explanation of why the applicant believes the decision was incorrect; any missing or newly available evidence; and any relevant correction or context. EBOKIO will acknowledge and review appeals ordinarily within a few business days of receipt, although complex matters may take longer. Appeals may be submitted to EBOKIO at support@ebokio.com.
25. Voluntary surrender
A badge holder may ask EBOKIO to remove the badge at any time. Voluntary removal does not delete the author’s account or books unless separately requested and permitted under the applicable EBOKIO terms. After surrendering the badge, the author must stop using it externally.
26. No guarantee of uninterrupted availability
EBOKIO does not guarantee that the badge will always appear in every location or remain continuously available. The badge may be temporarily unavailable because of maintenance, design changes, technical errors, security reviews, platform updates, legal requirements, account reviews, or discontinuation of the program. Temporary unavailability does not necessarily change the account’s underlying status.
27. Changes to the program
EBOKIO may update the eligibility requirements, verification methods, badge appearance, display locations, renewal requirements, security standards, review procedures, appeal procedures, or this Policy in accordance with the amendments procedure set out in clause 25 of the EBOKIO Terms of Service. Continued use of the badge after an updated Policy takes effect constitutes acceptance of the updated Policy, subject to applicable law. Nothing in this section affects your right, under clause 25.2A of the EBOKIO Terms of Service, to close your Account before a change takes effect, or any non-excludable statutory right. If an author does not accept a material update, the author may stop displaying and surrender the badge.
28. Discontinuation
EBOKIO may discontinue or replace the Trusted Author program in accordance with clause 7.2 of the EBOKIO Terms of Service. Where reasonably practicable, EBOKIO will give badge holders reasonable notice before the programme is discontinued. If the program is discontinued, all permissions to display the badge end on the date specified by EBOKIO. Badge holders must then remove external copies and stop representing themselves as current badge holders.
29. Limitation of the badge review
EBOKIO uses reasonable procedures but cannot guarantee that every submitted document, identity, authorisation, publication, or claim is genuine. Verification reduces certain risks but cannot eliminate impersonation, fraud, account compromise, rights disputes, or future misconduct. To the extent permitted by law, EBOKIO is not responsible for decisions made by readers or third parties solely because an author has, or does not have, the badge. Nothing in this Policy excludes or limits any rights or remedies that cannot lawfully be excluded or limited, including non-excludable statutory rights.
30. Relationship with other EBOKIO policies
Badge holders must continue complying with all applicable EBOKIO policies, including the EBOKIO Terms of Service, the EBOKIO Publisher Agreement, the EBOKIO Publishing Privacy Policy, the EBOKIO Cookie Policy, the EBOKIO Content Policy, the EBOKIO Copyright Notice and Takedown Policy, the EBOKIO Refund and Returns Policy, the payment and royalty terms set out in the Publisher Agreement, and any brand guidelines made available by EBOKIO.
Where this Policy conflicts with mandatory law, mandatory law controls. Where this Policy conflicts with the general EBOKIO Terms of Service, this Policy prevails on matters concerning the Trusted Author Badge — including eligibility, verification, award, display, suspension, removal, and appeals — and the EBOKIO Terms of Service prevail on all other matters. This Policy and any non-contractual obligations arising out of or in connection with it are governed by the laws of England and Wales, and the governing-law, dispute-resolution, and jurisdiction provisions in the EBOKIO Terms of Service apply to this Policy, without prejudice to any mandatory consumer rights that apply under the laws of the author’s country of residence.
31. Contact
Questions, applications, reports, and appeals concerning the badge may be submitted through the EBOKIO Help Centre or to: EBOKIO Trusted Author Team, email support@ebokio.com. Privacy and data protection questions, including about verification documents handled under sections 10 and 11, may be sent to privacy@ebokio.com. Formal legal notices and complaints may be sent to legal@ebokio.com. Website: https://ebokio.com. Publishing platform: https://publishing.ebokio.com.
Appendix A: Public eligibility summary
An author may be awarded the EBOKIO Trusted Author Badge where EBOKIO confirms that:
- the author profile is authentic;
- the account is controlled by the author or an authorised representative;
- the author’s identity or established pen name has been verified;
- the author has been reasonably connected to at least one listed book;
- the account is secure and in good standing;
- there are no serious unresolved impersonation, fraud, or publishing-rights concerns; and
- the applicant has provided accurate information and completed the required review.
The badge cannot be purchased, and popularity alone does not qualify an author. The badge must be applied for and is granted only after review; meeting these conditions does not guarantee approval.