BARKLE COMMUNITY GUIDELINES

Barkle is a space to make kind connections in a safe, inclusive, and respectful way. In order to foster healthy and equitable relationships, we hold our members accountable for the way they treat each other.

Our Community Guidelines help keep our members safe. They make it clear what content and conduct is not acceptable (on our platform and off).

Important Note for Dog-Related Activities: Dog activities carry inherent risks. Users are expected to exercise good judgment, make material disclosures about their dogs, and follow all applicable laws when participating in any dog-related features on our platform.

Profile Guidelines

• Age and Verification. You need to be at least 18 years old to join Barkle. We may require identity or device verification and phone verification. Failure to complete verification may limit or remove your access to the platform. Creating a profile that intentionally misrepresents you as being under the age of 18 is not allowed. We reserve the right to ask for your ID to verify your age, and we'll block you from the platform if you're underage.

• Profile Photos. We want your profile to celebrate your authentic self! That's why we require at least one of your profile photos to depict only you and to clearly show your full face. We do not permit:

  • Profile photos that are heavily distorted or contain exaggerated or unnatural digital effects to the point where it cannot be clearly determined that you're the person in the photos

  • Memes or photos with only — or primarily — text as a profile photo

  • Profile photos of children on their own

  • Profile photos with unclothed children

• Username. Members are allowed to use initials, abbreviations, contracted or shortened versions of their name, nicknames, full names, and middle names. Members do not have to use their legal name or full name, but usernames should be an authentic representation of the name you use in everyday life. We do not permit:

  • Any words or phrases that violate our Community Guidelines

  • Using the name of a celebrity or fictional character

  • Words or characters (other than a valid name) including descriptive words, symbols (e.g. $, *, @,), emojis, numbers, or punctuation

  • Social media or messaging platform details

Content and Conduct Guidelines

Adult Nudity and Sexual Activity

We don't permit nude, sexually explicit, or sexually vulgar profile content. We also don't allow the commercial exchange of any romantic or sexual activity, content, or services, including attempts to sell, advertise, or buy adult sexual content. 

Bullying and Abusive Conduct

Our community is for creating kind connections. We don't allow content or behavior that makes any individual or group feel harassed, bullied, or targeted. This includes belittling, insulting, or intimidating behavior; making unsolicited comments about someone's appearance; engaging in emotional abuse; blackmail; repeated unwanted contact; or wishing, encouraging, or praising acts of violence. In dog-related contexts, this includes harassment based on breed choice or dog ownership decisions. 

Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse

We have a zero tolerance policy towards any form of child sexual exploitation and abuse. We don't allow content that sexualizes or endangers children, real or fictional (e.g. anime, media, text, illustrations, or digital images). This includes any visual depictions or discussions of sexually explicit conduct involving a child. For the purposes of this policy, a child is anyone under the age of 18. It's prohibited to upload, store, produce, share, or entice anyone to share child sexual abuse material, even if the intent is to express outrage or raise awareness about this issue. 

Commercial and Promotional Activity

Our platform is not a marketplace. We don't allow using Barkle for unsolicited commercial or promotional purposes, including unsolicited promotions of pet services, products, or sales, unless using features Barkle designates for that purpose in the future. 

Controlled Goods and Substances

We don't allow members to use our platforms to buy, sell, supply, distribute, promote or facilitate the purchase, sale, supply, or distribution of illegal drugs and/or controlled goods and substances. This includes e-cigarettes, marijuana, drug paraphernalia, or the misuse of legal substances like prescription drugs, tobacco, or alcohol. 

Terrorism and Violent Extremism

We don't allow content or behavior that promotes, incites, glorifies, or supports terrorist or violent extremist groups and individuals and their activities on Barkle. 

Identity-Based Hate

We aim to foster a diverse and inclusive community on Barkle. We prohibit content or behavior that promotes or condones hate, dehumanization, degradation, or contempt against marginalized or minoritized communities based on the following protected attributes: race/ethnicity, national origin/nationality/immigration status, caste, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, disability or serious health condition, or religion/belief.

Additionally, we prohibit targeting users based on dog breed or lawful ownership status (such as service animal users) in a way that promotes harassment or exclusion. Safety-based, factual disclosures about specific dogs remain permitted. 

Inauthentic Profiles

Barkle celebrates authenticity, and we expect all our members to represent themselves accurately on their profile. We don't allow impersonation or misrepresentation on our platform. This includes catfishing (i.e. creating an online persona that isn't you) or falsely stating facts about yourself (including name, gender, age, and permanent location). For dog-related profiles, this also means accurately representing your dog and not impersonating another owner or dog. Falsifying dog details to gain access to events, services, or sitters is considered a form of catfishing. 

Misinformation

We prohibit the sharing of demonstrably false or substantially misleading content that's likely to cause serious harm or negatively impact individual or public safety. This includes content that directly contradicts information and guidance from leading and reputable global health organizations and public health authorities, false or misleading information on any civic process, and dangerous and unproven conspiracy-type theories. 

Physical and Sexual Violence

We don't tolerate any content, imagery, or behavior that commits or threatens credible acts of physical or sexual violence. This includes physical stalking, using our platform to assist, facilitate or support exploitation or human trafficking, and sexual assault of any kind, which we define as unwanted physical contact or attempted physical contact that is sexual in nature. 

Scams, Fraud, and Theft

Barkle prohibits any scam, fraud or theft activity intended to defraud or manipulate members out of financial or material resources. This includes requesting or seeking financial support, lying about your intentions for financial gain, or faking romantic intentions to deceive members out of financial or material resources. 

Sexual Harassment

We do not tolerate sexual harassment. We consider sexual harassment to be any non-physical, unwanted, and unwelcome sexual behaviors between members. This includes cyberflashing (i.e. sharing unsolicited sexually explicit images), in-person indecent exposure, sharing or threatening to share sexual or intimate images without the consent of the person involved or depicted, sending unwanted sexual comments or images, and fetishization. 

Spam

We do not permit any kind of unwanted or irrelevant content sent in bulk or high frequency. This includes sharing misleading or misdirecting links, creating an excessive number of accounts causing disruption to other members, or having multiple active profiles on our platform to engage in unwanted interactions. 

Suicide and Self-Injury Promotion

We care deeply about our members and understand that some may struggle with mental health, self-injury, suicidal thoughts, substance use, or eating disorders. While we do allow members to share personal experiences with these issues in a safe way, we don't allow any content that depicts, promotes, glorifies, or assists in activities that could lead to suicide, self-injury, or disordered eating or body image. 

Violent and Graphic Content

We don't permit violent, graphic, or gory content. This includes descriptions of violence in usernames or profile content, photos containing real or realistic-appearing blood, bodily fluids, or injury, or images depicting guns of any kind (except on a uniformed member of law enforcement or military personnel). 

Dog Related Prohibitions

Content or activity that facilitates unsafe, unlawful, or inappropriate dog interactions (e.g., inviting others to meet a contagious dog; ignoring local leash/muzzle rules). Misrepresenting or omitting a dog's vaccination status, licensing, behavioral history, or relevant health conditions/allergies. Posts seeking to transfer custody of a dog without the owner's consent. Organizing events that reasonably risk harm to people or animals (e.g., high-density off-leash meetups with known-reactive dogs without controls).

Dog Safety and Eligibility

• You're responsible for any dog you bring or feature. You must: (a) own or have lawful control; (b) supervise at all times; and (c) comply with all leash, vaccination, licensing, and animal control laws where the activity occurs.

• Disclose material info: vaccination status (as required by law), known behavioral cautions (e.g., bites, reactivity, resource guarding), relevant health conditions or allergies, and any restrictions (e.g., must be muzzled).

• Do not arrange activities for dogs you do not own/control without the owner's express consent.

• You must not bring dogs you know or reasonably should know are unsafe for the proposed activity (e.g., recent bite history for an off-leash group play).

• Report any bite or serious incident connected to Barkle within 48 hours via Block & Report or support.

Dog-Related Events and Meetups

Event and meetup posts must clearly state: the intended activity (on-leash or off-leash), size and temperament expectations, location-specific rules (leash/muzzle requirements), and any vaccination or health requirements for participation.

Event organizers must actively monitor for safety and may remove dogs or participants who pose a risk to others. Barkle may request additional information (such as vaccination attestations) when safety concerns are raised and reserves the right to deny listings or remove posts. Such requests do not create an ongoing duty for Barkle to monitor events.

Health, Veterinary, and Training Information

Information shared on Barkle about dog health, behavior, or training is general in nature only and should not be considered veterinary or professional advice. Always consult a qualified veterinarian, certified trainer, or other appropriate professional for guidance specific to your dog's situation. Do not rely on user posts as a substitute for professional care.

Platform Manipulation

We foster a community built on genuine connections. To protect our community, we don't allow unauthorized automated behaviors that undermine or interfere with our platform. These behaviors can include scraping, scripting, or artificially influencing connections or interactions of our member experience, including automations that may interact with profiles or messages. This includes using automation to create or RSVP to dog-related events or to mass-message about meetups.

We also prohibit ban evasion. To protect our community, we don't allow the creation of new accounts or use of VPNs or other methods to circumvent a restriction or ban applied to an account. We remove accounts that attempt to circumvent bans when identified.

Safety Reporting

Safety is a top priority at Barkle. We use a combination of human moderators and automated systems to monitor and review Barkle accounts and interactions for content that may be against our Community Guidelines, against our Terms and Conditions, or otherwise harmful.

Our members play a critical role in the safety of Barkle by reporting content or behavior that may violate our Community Guidelines. If anything happens that makes you feel uncomfortable or unsafe, including dog-related incidents, we highly encourage you to Unmatch with — or Block & Report — the member. We may request statements, attestations, or documentation (such as proof of vaccination) before restoring content or access following a report. 

However, please consider that disagreeing with or disliking a member or their content is not necessarily a reason to report them. We may take action against a member if we've found them to be intentionally creating false or inappropriate reports against other members solely based on their protected attributes. This includes reporting transgender or nonbinary members for no reason other than their gender identity or expression or repeatedly sending false reports of bad behavior. False reports or misuse of reporting tools may lead to action against your account.

Quick-Read Safety Tips for Dog Activities

Before participating in any dog-related activities on Barkle, keep these essential safety practices in mind:

• Verify: Confirm vaccinations, health status, and behavioral history. Ask questions before meeting.

• Meet smart: Choose public places for first meetings; always follow local leash and muzzle rules.

• Supervise: Stay with your dog at all times; disengage immediately if you notice stress or trigger signs.

• Disclose: Share information about bites, reactivity, allergies, and health conditions early and clearly.

• Report: Report any bites or serious incidents within 48 hours via Block & Report or contact support.

Enforcement Philosophy

All members must comply with the platform rules described and referenced in our Community Guidelines. If you behave in a way that goes against Barkle's Community Guidelines, values, or otherwise act in any way we believe to be potentially harmful to Barkle or its members, we may take a range of actions on your account. When determining the penalty for violating our community guidelines, we consider a number of factors.

For example, we may:

• Remove the content

• Issue a warning

• Limit access to specific features (such as events or meetups)

• Remove event or meetup posts

• Ban the offending member from some or all Barkle Inc. apps

When necessary, we also may cooperate with law enforcement to assist in potential criminal investigations related to member conduct.

Your treatment towards others outside of the Barkle app can also result in action against your account. If we're made aware of harm between members on dates, meetups with friends, dog-related activities, via text message or direct messaging platforms, or relevant alleged criminal or harmful conduct committed in your past or outside of Barkle, we may take action as if it happened on our platform.

These Community Guidelines are part of our Terms and Conditions. Violations may lead to account action without refund. If you believe we've made a mistake in taking action on your account or content, you can always contact us here to appeal the decision.

If you have any questions or feedback about Barkle's Community Guidelines, please reach out. Our support team is always available to help you here.

Additional Policies

Colorado Safety Policy: If you're a Colorado resident, please see our Colorado Safety Policy for additional rules regarding safety threats and verification requirements.

Definitions

• Dog-Related Activities: Viewing, posting, arranging, attending, or participating in any activity involving a dog via Barkle.

• Material Disclosures: Information likely to affect safety decisions, including vaccinations as required by law, bite history, reactivity, contagious conditions, and allergies.