Introduction to residential proxy sourcing
This paper came as a result of company-wide transparency policies aimed at
shedding light on Oxylabs residential proxy infrastructure, namely the procurement process.
This blog post will cover
-How residential proxies are created
-Most common residential proxy sourcing methods available on market
-How Oxylabs residential proxy pool is sourced
-Oxylabs policies regarding user consent
-Oxylabs policies regarding information clarity
-Oxylabs policies regarding user awareness
-Oxylabs policies regarding user financial reward
-Oxylabs supplier vetting processes
Importance of ethical residential proxy sourcing
Out of all the proxy types, residential proxies stand out as the most sensitive to mistreatment and ethics violations. Because of that, most residential proxies are created by routing internet traffic through physical devices, generally owned by regular people.
Oxylabs’ respect for the rights of each residential proxy network participant is
reflected in our company's internal policies regarding the entire procurement
process. All Oxylabs residential proxies come from one of these sources:
Physical user devices
Consenting and fully aware individuals become a part of a residential proxy
network in return for a financial reward or some other benefit. When they choose to
participate in our suppliers’ pools, they consent that a part of their internet traffic
and a small amount of the device’s hardware resources will be used for a variety of
business cases.
At Oxylabs we follow the highest standard and transparency.
Internet Service Providers (ISP)
Considered a less ethically-sensitive alternative to a residential proxy acquisition because ISP residential proxies do not require end-user participation. These proxies are created when the internet traffic is routed through the ISP network.
Oxylabs’ standards for residential proxy acquisition
Oxylabs has established a grading system for all non-ISP residential proxy
acquisition practices prevalent in the industry. These categories are defined by
user-centric values which include user consent, user awareness, information clarity,
and user reward.
The Tier A+ and Tier A models rely on cooperation with end-users. Residential proxy acquisition procedures in these categories guarantee that people have granted explicit consent to share their device resources through dedicated applications.
A majority of Oxylabs' proxy network is composed of Tier A+ model proxies. Our remaining portion is sourced through the Tier A model and ISP providers.
A closer look at user-centric categories
Consent
Oxylabs’ fair practice model requires acquiring explicit consent from each
residential proxy network participant. We go through strict vetting procedures
before accepting a source as our proxy provider. Also, our continuous
vetting process may include requesting some mandatory changes to
communication practices.
We ensure that people who choose to use their unused internet traffic and participate in a proxy network are presented with clear information regarding the participation in the Terms and Conditions section. Intentions to share internet traffic with third parties must also be explicitly and repeatedly stated.
Do note, that using a device as a proxy before consent is granted is considered as a violation of Oxylabs’ internal policies.
Clear information
Ethical industry practices are impossible to attain without having clearly stated intent. We ensure that users always understand that their device will be connected to a residential proxy network.
Furthermore, we require residential proxy providers to clearly explain how a device will be affected after joining the network. This includes specifying what resources of the device will be utilized and shared with third parties.
User awareness
A genuinely ethical proxy service practice continuously builds user awareness regarding the role their devices play in the proxy network. Proxy network participants should be aware of how their resources will be utilized, who will have access, and what goal they will serve.
Trusted Oxylabs proxy providers employ an educational approach by informing their end-users through all available channels. For instance, they may create social media or blog posts to spread awareness that will lead to better informed proxy network participants.
User financial reward
The tier A+ model operates on the fundamental principles of fairness. For the proxy acquisition operations in Oxylabs, fairness is achieved when every party involved in the data management cycle is financially rewarded.
Our tier A+ residential proxy suppliers must have a monetary reward system installed to benefit the end-users that desire to employ their unused internet traffic.
Oxylabs residential proxy acquisition procedure
All non-ISP residential proxies are acquired according to the same pattern:
Oxylabs’ residential proxy management policies
- User privacy. We require proxy providers to protect end-users' privacy. The company receives only those data points which are essential for proxy functionality.
- User care. Oxylabs providers must ensure that the performance of all actively used devices will remain unaffected.
- Data modification. When Oxylabs clients send a request, destination servers receive requests exactly as they are sent to us. We do not modify any data as it goes through our machines.
- Supplier vetting. Oxylabs has established a strict vetting process for all residential proxy providers. It consists of a set of explicit contractual obligations for our partners which ensures end-user awareness and explicit consent.
Conclusion
Our core values are at the foundation of each major business decision.
Support being one of them, therefore if you have any questions or would simply like to know more about a part ir tidbit mentioned here, don’t hesitate to contact us at support@oxylabs.io
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