How Your Bandwidth Is Used
We believe in complete transparency. Here's exactly who uses your idle bandwidth, what they do with it, and the legal protections we provide.
Why Distributed Networks Are Greener
Yes, companies need data. But how they get that data matters for the environment. Distributed networks like Olostep are significantly more eco-friendly than traditional data centers.
Traditional Data Centers
- ✗Massive energy consumption: Data centers use 1-2% of global electricity
- ✗24/7 cooling systems: Up to 40% of energy goes to cooling alone
- ✗Dedicated infrastructure: Servers running solely for web scraping
- ✗Water usage: Millions of gallons per day for cooling
- ✗E-waste: Hardware replaced every 3-5 years
Distributed Networks
- Zero new infrastructure: Uses existing devices already running
- No additional cooling: Devices use ambient cooling
- Idle resource utilization: Bandwidth that would otherwise be wasted
- No water consumption: Zero dedicated cooling infrastructure
Estimated Environmental Savings
No dedicated servers or cooling infrastructure needed
No water-intensive cooling systems required
Reduced manufacturing and operational emissions
The bottom line: Modern systems rely on web data. With IdleForest, we reduce the costs of traditional data center systems by 80–90% through distributed networks like Olostep, then plant more trees than needed to offset the remaining footprint—making the entire process net negative.
Our Approved Client
We work exclusively with one vetted partner to ensure the highest standards of security and ethical use.
What Olostep Does:
Olostep provides a web data API that helps companies and developers access clean, structured web data. They fetch publicly available information from websites to power applications, research tools, and business intelligence platforms.
How Your Bandwidth Is Used:
Your idle bandwidth is used to fetch publicly accessible websites in a sessionless manner, ensuring no personal data is transmitted. This means:
- No cookies, login credentials, or personal information are ever sent
- Only publicly available web pages are accessed (the same content anyone can see)
- Requests are isolated from your browsing session and personal data
- Your IP address is used only to make standard web requests, similar to normal browsing
Who Uses Olostep's Services
Olostep serves legitimate AI startups and technology companies. Here are some of their verified customers:
Nonprofit fundraising platform
E-commerce automation
Podcast intelligence
AI-powered search assistant
Financial AI assistant
Content creation platform
Business intelligence
Infrastructure data platform
Workflow automation
Data visualization
Human resources AI
Verification services
Workflow automation
Marketplace platform
Deep research tools
Data aggregation
These companies use Olostep to power AI research, lead generation, market analysis, and other legitimate business intelligence applications.
What Types of Searches Are Performed
Business Intelligence
Gathering publicly available company information, contact details, and market data for sales and research purposes.
Price Monitoring
Tracking product prices across e-commerce websites to help businesses stay competitive and consumers find the best deals.
Deep Research
AI powered deep research for healthcare, pharma and financial industries.
Content Monitoring
Tracking changes to websites, job postings, news articles, and other public content for business and research purposes.
What We DON'T Do:
- ✗Access password-protected or private content
- ✗Perform illegal activities or access restricted websites
- ✗Send spam, conduct DDoS attacks, or engage in malicious behavior
- ✗Access or transmit your personal data, cookies, or login credentials
- ✗Violate website terms of service or engage in unauthorized scraping
Your Legal Protections
We take your legal protection seriously. Here are the safeguards in place to protect you.
1. Contractual Liability Protection
IdleForest assumes full legal responsibility for all traffic generated through our network. Our Terms of Service explicitly state that:
- •You are not liable for the content or nature of requests made through your connection
- •IdleForest indemnifies users against any legal claims arising from network usage
- •We maintain comprehensive liability insurance to cover potential legal issues
2. Strict Client Vetting Process
We only work with Olostep, a legitimate business that has been thoroughly vetted:
- •Olostep is a registered company with verified business credentials
- •Their use cases are limited to legitimate web data collection for AI and business intelligence
- •We have a legal agreement that prohibits illegal activities and ensures compliance with all applicable laws
- •Olostep's code is open source and can be audited for security and compliance
3. Traffic Monitoring & Compliance
We actively monitor all network traffic to ensure compliance:
- •Automated systems flag suspicious or unauthorized traffic patterns
- •All requests are logged and can be audited if needed
- •We maintain a blocklist of prohibited websites and activities
- •Any violation of our acceptable use policy results in immediate termination of the client relationship
4. GDPR & Data Protection Compliance
As a European-based service, we comply with GDPR and other data protection regulations:
- •No personal data is collected, stored, or transmitted through the network
- •All web requests are sessionless and isolated from your personal browsing
- •You can opt out at any time by uninstalling the extension or desktop app
- •We maintain detailed privacy policies and data processing agreements
Additional Security Measures
🔒 Encrypted Connections
All traffic is encrypted using industry-standard TLS/SSL protocols to prevent interception or tampering.
🛡️ Isolated Execution
Requests run in isolated environments with no access to your cookies, local storage, or browsing history.
📊 Transparent Logging
All network activity is logged and available for your review. You can see exactly what requests are being made.
🔍 Open Source Code
Our extension and desktop app are open source, allowing independent security researchers to audit our code.
View on GitHub⚡ Bandwidth Controls
You have full control over how much bandwidth is used. Set limits or pause sharing at any time.
🚫 Instant Opt-Out
You can stop sharing your bandwidth immediately by pausing or uninstalling the app—no questions asked.
Transparency FAQ
Can I see what websites are being accessed through my connection?
Yes! We're working on a transparency dashboard that will show you anonymized statistics about the types of requests being made. In the meantime, you can review our open-source code to see exactly how the system works.
What if Olostep's customers use the data for harmful purposes?
Olostep's customers are vetted AI and business intelligence companies using publicly available data for legitimate purposes. Olostep has strict terms of service prohibiting illegal or harmful use. If any customer violates these terms, they are immediately terminated. Additionally, we only access publicly available information—the same content anyone can view in a web browser.
How do I know you won't add more clients in the future without telling me?
We commit to updating this transparency page whenever we add new approved clients. You'll receive an email notification about any changes, and you can always opt out if you're not comfortable with new partnerships. Transparency is core to our mission.
Is my internet service provider (ISP) aware of this activity?
From your ISP's perspective, the traffic looks like normal web browsing. It's encrypted HTTPS traffic to legitimate websites. There's nothing unusual or suspicious about it. Many users already share bandwidth through similar services without any issues.
Still Have Questions?
We're committed to complete transparency. If you have any concerns or questions about how your bandwidth is used, we're here to help.