Safety & Moderation Policy – PairUp.chat

This Safety & Moderation Policy explains how PairUp.chat keeps the platform safe, how we handle reports, our moderation practices, and your safety tools. We actively moderate content and investigate reports to maintain a safe environment.

This policy works with our Terms of Service and Safety community guidelines · Community Guidelines · Trust Center.

1. Reporting System

We provide multiple ways to report violations:

1a. In-App Reporting

• Report button — Each user profile and chat interface has a report button for quick reporting.
• Report categories — Select the type of violation (harassment, spam, inappropriate content, scam, etc.).
• Add context — Include details about the violation to help moderators investigate.
• Anonymous reporting — Reports can be submitted anonymously; the reported user will not see who reported them.

1b. Email Reporting

For urgent or complex issues, email contact@pairup.chat with:

• your account email;
• the reported user's identifier (if known);
• screenshots or evidence of the violation; and
• a detailed description of what happened.

1c. Report Prioritization

• Immediate priority — Child safety, imminent threats of violence, illegal content.
• High priority — Harassment, hate speech, scams, sexual content.
• Standard priority — Spam, minor guideline violations.

2. Blocking and Muting Users

You have tools to control your interactions:

2a. Block User

• What it does — Prevents the blocked user from contacting you, seeing your profile, or matching with you.
• How to use — Click the block button on a user's profile or during a chat.
• Permanent — Blocks remain in effect until you manually unblock the user.
• Anonymous — The blocked user is not notified that they were blocked.

2b. Mute User

• What it does — Hides messages from the user without blocking them entirely.
• Temporary — Mutes can be undone at any time.
• Use case — Useful for temporarily ignoring someone without full blocking.

3. Moderation Actions

We take appropriate action based on the severity of violations:

3a. Content Removal

• Prohibited content (messages, images, profile content) is removed immediately.
• Users may receive a notification explaining why content was removed.
• Repeat content violations may lead to account restrictions.

3b. Warnings

• First-time minor violations may receive a formal warning.
• Warnings are documented in the user's account history.
• Failure to heed warnings may result in escalation to suspension.

3c. Temporary Suspension

• Accounts may be suspended for a specified period (24 hours, 7 days, 30 days, etc.).
• Suspended users cannot access the platform during the suspension period.
• Suspensions may be imposed for repeated violations or serious single violations.

3d. Permanent Ban

• Severe violations (CSAM, terrorism, extreme harassment) result in permanent bans.
• Repeat offenders who do not reform after warnings/suspensions may be permanently banned.
• Permanent bans cannot be appealed except in cases of clear error.

3e. Feature Restrictions

• Users may lose access to specific features (video calls, matching, etc.) for violations.
• Feature restrictions may be temporary or permanent based on the violation.

4. Automated Detection

We use automated systems to detect and prevent violations:

4a. Content Filtering

• Text analysis — Messages are scanned for prohibited content (hate speech, harassment, scams).
• Image analysis — Uploaded images are analyzed for prohibited content (nudity, violence, CSAM).
• Live video AI — During video calls, on-device AI checks the remote stream for NSFW / inappropriate visuals. Frames are not uploaded; progressive warn → blur → disconnect may apply.
• Link scanning — URLs are checked against known malicious/phishing databases.

4b. Behavioral Analysis

• Spam detection — Automated systems detect mass messaging and bot behavior.
• Pattern recognition — Unusual activity patterns may trigger review.
• Rate limiting — Limits on messages, matches, and actions prevent abuse.

4c. CSAM Detection

• We use industry-standard CSAM detection tools to identify and report child exploitation material.
• Detection of CSAM results in immediate account termination and mandatory reporting to authorities.

5. Account Suspension Policy

5a. Suspension Triggers

Accounts may be suspended for:

• Violating Community Guidelines;
• Violating Terms of Service;
• suspected illegal activity;
• security concerns (compromised account, suspicious activity);
• multiple reports from different users;
• automated detection of prohibited behavior.

5b. Suspension Process

• Immediate suspension — Severe violations (CSAM, threats, illegal content) result in immediate suspension without prior notice.
• Standard suspension — Most violations include a notification explaining the reason and duration.
• Investigation period — Suspended accounts may be under investigation; the suspension may be extended, shortened, or converted to a ban based on findings.

5c. During Suspension

• Suspended users cannot log in or access any features.
• Suspended users' content may be hidden or removed.
• Suspended users cannot create new accounts to evade suspension.

5d. Appeal Process

• Email contact@pairup.chat with subject "Account Appeal".
• Provide your account email and explain why you believe the suspension was incorrect.
• Appeals are reviewed within 7 business days.
• Decision is final unless new evidence is presented.

6. Moderation Rights

We reserve the right to:

• Suspend or terminate accounts — With or without prior notice, for violations or suspected violations.
• Remove content — Any content that violates our policies may be removed.
• Restrict features — Access to features may be limited or revoked.
• Investigate reports — We investigate all reports and take appropriate action.
• Report to authorities — Illegal activities will be reported to law enforcement.
• Cooperate with legal requests — We comply with valid legal requests for information.
• Update policies — We may update our policies at any time with appropriate notice.

Moderation decisions are made at our sole discretion. We aim to be fair and consistent, but reserve the right to act in the best interest of community safety.

7. Video Call Safety

Video calls have specific safety considerations to protect all participants:

7a. Keep It Clean — Video Calls Are Public Spaces

Treat every video call like a shared public space. Other people can see and hear you. Keep your camera, clothing, background, and behavior appropriate at all times — the same standards you would use in a café, library, or lobby with strangers.

• No nudity or sexual content on camera — Full or partial nudity, sexual acts, genital exposure, and sexually explicit performances are prohibited.
• Stay clothed and appropriate — Underwear-only, flashing, or intentionally sexual posing is not allowed.
• Keep your environment clean — Do not display pornographic posters, illegal activity, weapons used to threaten, or other prohibited imagery in frame.
• Respect bystanders — Do not film or involve people who did not consent to appear on camera.
• Expect enforcement — Live video AI checks for inappropriate content. Violations can trigger warnings, blur of the remote video, call disconnect, and further account action.

7b. Live Video AI Monitoring

• On-device classification — During live calls, AI classifies the remote video stream in the browser to detect NSFW / inappropriate visual content.
• Frames are not uploaded — Video frames are not sent to PairUp servers for vision analysis. Only lightweight moderation metadata (for example event type, scores, timestamps) may be recorded for enforcement.
• Progressive enforcement — Detected violations typically follow warn → final warn (blur) → disconnect, with cooldowns between strikes.
• You still control the call — You can always skip, end, block, or report — AI does not replace your safety tools.
• Details — See our AI Moderation page and Community Guidelines.

7c. Recording and Screen Capture Policy

• No recording without consent — Recording video calls without all participants' explicit consent is strictly prohibited.
• Consent must be explicit — All participants must verbally or in-chat agree to being recorded before recording begins.
• Screen capture — Taking screenshots or screen captures without consent is also prohibited.
• Violations — Unauthorized recording or screen capture may result in permanent account termination and potential legal action.
• Platform recording — PairUp.chat does not record or store video call media. Calls use encrypted WebRTC transport.

7d. Camera and Microphone Use

• No prohibited content on camera — Nudity, sexual acts, illegal acts, violence, or self-harm on camera is prohibited.
• No minors on camera — Minors must not appear on video calls, even accidentally. Parents/guardians are responsible for supervising minors.
• No fake streaming — Using pre-recorded videos, loops, or deepfake content to deceive others is prohibited.
• Appropriate background — Ensure your camera background does not reveal personal information, addresses, or sensitive documents.
• Camera control — You can toggle your camera on/off at any time during a call if you feel uncomfortable.
• Microphone control — You can mute/unmute your microphone at any time during a call.

7e. During Video Calls

• Report immediately — If you encounter inappropriate behavior during a call, report and end the call immediately.
• Block after call — You can block users after a video call to prevent future matches with them.
• Skip feature — Use the skip/end call button to terminate calls with inappropriate users quickly.
• Picture-in-picture mode — If you need to multitask, use picture-in-picture mode responsibly and don't share sensitive information on screen.
• Screen sharing — When screen sharing, ensure you don't reveal passwords, financial information, or sensitive data.
• Multiple participants — Group video calls are coming soon; additional safety guidelines will apply.

7f. Age Requirements for Video Calls

• Minimum age — Users must be at least 18 years old to use video call features.
• Age verification — PairUp.chat may implement age verification for video call access.
• Minor protection — Video call features are disabled for accounts identified as belonging to minors.
• Parental consent — Parents/guardians are responsible for supervising minors' online activity.

7g. Video Call Harassment

• Zero tolerance — Harassment, threats, or intimidation during video calls is strictly prohibited.
• Unwanted exposure — Forcing someone to view inappropriate content on camera is prohibited and may result in immediate ban.
• Sexual harassment — Any form of sexual harassment during video calls will result in permanent account termination.
• Report and block — Always report harassment and block the user to prevent further contact.

7h. Privacy During Video Calls

• Encrypted transport — Video calls use secure WebRTC; media is not stored as call recordings by PairUp.
• On-device safety checks — Live NSFW classification runs on-device. Frames are not uploaded for cloud vision analysis; moderation metadata may be retained for enforcement.
• Private environment — Prefer a private location where bystanders won't accidentally appear — and keep what you show camera-appropriate as if you were in public.
• Personal information — Don't share personal details like your full name, address, or phone number during video calls.

7i. Technical Considerations

• Stable connection — Ensure you have a stable internet connection for quality video calls.
• Lighting — Use adequate lighting so your face is clearly visible and not in shadow.
• Audio quality — Use a microphone or headphones for clear audio and to reduce echo.
• Background noise — Minimize background noise for better call quality.
• Bandwidth — Close other applications that might use bandwidth during video calls.

8. User Responsibility

Users are responsible for their own safety:

• Protect personal information — Don't share passwords, financial data, or precise location with strangers.
• Use blocking tools — Block users who make you uncomfortable.
• Report violations — Report guideline violations to help keep the community safe.
• Be cautious — Not everyone is who they claim to be; verify independently if meeting in person.
• Trust your instincts — If something feels wrong, end the interaction and report if necessary.

9. Law Enforcement Cooperation

• We comply with valid legal requests from law enforcement.
• We report illegal activities (CSAM, terrorism, trafficking) to authorities.
• We preserve data for legal investigations when required.
• We may provide user information in response to subpoenas, court orders, or other legal processes.

10. Contact for Safety Issues

For safety concerns, report violations, or urgent issues, contact contact@pairup.chat.

Read our Safety community guidelines · Community Guidelines, Terms of Service, and Privacy Policy for additional information.