Community Guidelines

Be Respectful

Treat all community members with kindness and respect

• Use inclusive and welcoming language
• Respect different viewpoints and experiences
• Be constructive in your feedback and discussions
• Avoid harassment, discrimination, or hate speech

Foster Community

Help create a supportive environment for all students

• Welcome new members to the community
• Share knowledge and help others when possible
• Participate actively in events and discussions
• Report inappropriate behavior to moderators

Stay Safe

Protect yourself and others in the community

• Never share personal information like addresses or phone numbers
• Meet in public places for initial in-person meetings
• Trust your instincts and report suspicious behavior
• Use AbroadSocial's built-in messaging before moving to external platforms

Prohibited Content

Content and behavior that is not allowed on AbroadSocial

• Spam, promotional content, or unauthorized commercial activities
• Fake profiles, impersonation, or misrepresentation of identity
• Sharing of illegal, harmful, violent, or inappropriate content
• Harassment, bullying, hate speech, or discrimination of any kind
• Sexually explicit content, nudity, or adult material
• Coordinating activities that violate local laws or regulations
• Fraud, scams, phishing attempts, or deceptive practices
• Soliciting money, payment information, or financial details
• Sharing personal information of others without consent
• Copyright infringement or intellectual property violations

Age Requirements

AbroadSocial is designed for users aged 18 and older

• You must be at least 18 years old to use our platform
• We may request proof of age at any time
• Accounts found to be under 18 will be terminated immediately
• Users must be currently enrolled as a University/College student or be a recent graduate (within 5 years) for student accounts

Mobile App Guidelines

Guidelines specific to using our iOS and mobile applications

• Respect device permissions and only grant access when necessary
• Location sharing is optional—you control who can see your location
• Push notifications can be managed in your device settings
• Do not attempt to modify, reverse engineer, or hack the app
• Report any bugs or security concerns through official channels
• In-app purchases and subscriptions are subject to Apple's terms and our Terms of Service
• Do not use automated tools, bots, or scripts to interact with the app

Location Sharing & Events Safety

Important safety considerations for location-based features and in-person events

• Location sharing is completely optional—you can disable it at any time
• Only share your location with people you trust
• Location information can reveal sensitive information—use caution
• We do not verify event hosts, venues, or attendees—attend at your own risk
• Always meet in public places for initial in-person meetings
• Inform friends or family about your plans when meeting someone new
• Trust your instincts—if something feels wrong, leave and report it
• Do not share your exact address or private location details publicly
• Report suspicious events or users immediately

Messaging Guidelines

Rules for direct messaging and communication on the platform

• Direct messages are private between participants. We respect your privacy and do not routinely monitor message content. However, we may review messages when they are reported for policy violations, safety concerns, or when required by law
• Do not send unsolicited messages or spam
• Respect others' boundaries and respond appropriately to requests to stop messaging
• Do not use messaging to harass, threaten, or intimidate others
• Report inappropriate messages using the in-app reporting feature
• Do not share payment information, passwords, or sensitive data through messages

Content Moderation

How we maintain a safe community through content review

• All content is subject to automated and human review
• We use AI-powered moderation tools to detect policy violations
• Flagged content may be automatically removed or queued for human review
• Moderation decisions are made to protect community safety
• You can appeal moderation decisions through our support channels
• Repeated violations may result in account restrictions or termination

Account Security

Protect your account and the community

• Use a strong, unique password and enable two-factor authentication when available
• Do not share your account credentials with anyone
• Only create one account per person—multiple accounts are prohibited
• Do not attempt to evade account restrictions or bans by creating new accounts
• Report unauthorized access to your account immediately
• Keep your account information accurate and up-to-date

Enforcement & Consequences

What happens when guidelines are violated

• Violations may result in warnings, content removal, or account restrictions
• Serious violations can lead to immediate account suspension or termination
• We may restrict access to certain features for repeated violations
• Attempts to evade enforcement actions are strictly prohibited
• We reserve the right to take action at our discretion to protect the community
• Legal violations may be reported to appropriate authorities

Reporting Violations

How to report inappropriate behavior or content

• Use the in-app reporting feature to flag content or users
• Abroad Admins act on objectionable content reports within 24 hours by removing the content and removing the user who provided the offending content
• Reports are reviewed by our moderation team
• False or malicious reports may result in account restrictions
• For urgent safety concerns, contact support immediately
• You can block users to prevent unwanted contact
• All reports are taken seriously and investigated promptly

Questions or Concerns?

If you have questions about these guidelines or need to report a violation, please contact us:

Email: support@abroadsocial.com