Oxylabs Residential Proxy Pool Handbook

Guide to Oxylabs’  Residential Proxies Procurement Processes and Policies

Oxylabs

Introduction to residential proxy sourcing

This whitepaper came as a result of company-wide transparency policies aimed at shedding light on Oxylabs residential proxy infrastructure, namely the procurement process.

“Oxylabs, as a strong advocate of ethical business practices, operates strictly withinthe capacities of an established legitimate proxy pool. Strict standards of ethics and transparency are at the core of all our business operations, and we make sure that they are clearly reflected on the requirements for our suppliers. It is my strong belief that this path which we are consciously choosing every day is one of the key reasons behind Oxylabs success.”

Julius Černiauskas
Julius Černiauskas

This whitepaper 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 the mistreatment and violations of ethics. It is due to the fact that most residential proxies are created by routing internet traffic through physical devices, which are 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:

Julius Černiauskas
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.
Internet Service Providers (ISP) It is considered to be a less ethically-sensitive alternative to residential proxy acquisition because ISP residential proxies do not require the end-user participation.
These proxies are created when the internet traffic is routed through the ISP network.
*Oxylabs manages residential proxy providers with utmost care and attention, ensuring that the highest standards of ethics and transparency would be followed. All of them are under strict obligations to include only informed and consenting end-users.

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.
Tier
Description
Result
Tier A+
Financial reward Clear information User awareness User consent
A platform/app rewards in the monetary value end-users in exchange for participation in the residential proxy network
End-users are fully aware, consenting and financially compensated for participation
Tier A
Financial reward Clear information User awareness User consent
A platform/app clearly informs and asks permission to include the end user in the residential proxy network
End-users are fully aware and consent using their device as an exit node
Tier B
Financial reward Clear information User awareness User consent
A platform/app has hidden functions and misleading or confusing consent forms, which turn the end-user into an exit node.
End-user’s consent is acquired in a manner, which prevents true awareness of the participation in the residential proxy pool
Tier C
Financial reward Clear information User awareness User consent
A malware automatically connects end-users to the residential proxy network
End-users are not consenting and not at all aware of their participation
The Tier A+ and Tier A models rely on cooperation with end-users. Residential proxy acquisition procedures that belong in these categories guarantee that people have granted explicit consent to share their device resources though dedicated applications.
The grey area of acquisition practices begins when companies or developers hide the true intent of such apps or browser extensions by omitting consent forms or concealing the integrated SDKs altogether.
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. Additionally, our continuous vetting process may include requesting some mandatory changes to communication practices. Oxylabs makes sure that people who choose to employ 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. It’s important to mention that using a device as a proxy before consent is granted is considered as a violation of Oxylabs’ internal policies.
User awareness A genuinely ethical proxy service practice continuously builds user awareness regarding the role their devices play in the proxy network. Oxylabs believes that residential proxy network participants should be made aware of how their resources will be utilized, who will have access, and what goal they will serve. User awareness 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.
Clear information Ethical industry practices are impossible to attain without having clearly stated intent. Oxylabs ensures that users always understand that their device will be connected to a residential proxy network. Oxylabs 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.
Consent 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:
\ customer

Oxylabs’ residential proxy management policies

Oxylabs’ residential proxy management policies
1. User privacy. Oxylabs requires proxy providers to protect end-users' privacy. Thecompany receives only those data points which are essential for proxy functionality.
2. User care. Oxylabs providers must ensure that the performance of all actively used devices will remain unaffected.
3. 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.
4. 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 Oxylabs’ are at the foundation of each major business decision. They core values encompass everything from the way residential proxies are sourced to the way Oxylabs treats its trusted business partners. Our company will continue to bring value to both businesses and end-users while at the same time striving to become the most ethical version of itself. Oxylabs pledges to safeguard its policies regarding fairness, transparency and ethics through continuous self-education and implementation of the best industry practices. The greatest Oxylabs’ vision is to see the entire industry evolve towards trust-based sustainable practices for all parties involved, where complete end-user awareness, fairly received consent, and user reward would be a business rule, not an exception.
Conclusion