VERO Community Guidelines

VERO is a place where everyone should feel safe to connect, share, and express themselves.

 

Last update: 07/2023

These guidelines are here to help VERO users contribute to the VERO Community in a way that is respectful and safe for the community at large. As a reminder, our users hail from all corners of the world, so we ask all to be mindful of different nuances and cultural norms when determining the appropriateness of content shared on VERO.

While we celebrate and strongly encourage creativity and freedom of expression, we will always prioritize Member safety and protect against any illegal activity on our platform. If we learn of unlawful content on VERO, we will take appropriate action, including removal of content, blocking Member access to certain features on VERO, disabling an account, or contacting law enforcement where necessary.

Note that these guidelines are general in nature and intended to be informative not restrictive. More details can be found in our Terms of Use.

If you see behavior or content that violates our guidelines, please report it so we can look into it.

You can do this directly through the VERO app (also the place to send in feedback / feature requests).

Our human support team (we don’t use AI bots) reads every report that we receive. The more information and context you can supply in your report (for example; explaining why you are reporting another VERO Member, providing context about their content and previous interactions (if applicable), and sharing screenshots), the easier it is for us to review and take the appropriate action.  

We may be in contact with you to request more information after you file a report to ensure we have a full understanding of what’s being reported to us.

VERO reserves the right to request a VERO Member remove, or proactively remove of its own accord, any content that it deems inappropriate for the community that may not be specifically outlined here.

Thank you for being a valuable member of our community and helping us keep VERO a safe and expressive space for all.

 
 
 

Bullying / Harassment

  • Generally, users are responsible for their interactions with other users on VERO. However, users are not to post any content or engage in any behavior with the intent of creating harm or emotional distress to other users. This includes verbally abusive content or any content that is directed at specific VERO users or repeated unwanted contact with a user.

  • Sexual harassment – there is no place on VERO for sexual harassment or predatory behavior.

  • We recognize that bullying can be especially harmful to minors, and our policy provides heightened protection for minors because they are more vulnerable and susceptible to online bullying.

  • With respect to public figures, we encourage and allow for discourse, which often includes critical discussion of people who are featured in the news or who have a large public audience. We will nonetheless remove content about public figures that does not contribute to such critical discussion but instead violates our content policies, including hate speech or threats.

 

Nudity & Sexually Explicit Content

  • We do not allow sexually explicit material on VERO (including, but not limited to, depictions of actual or simulated sexual acts).

  • VERO does not allow any nude content involving minors. Content that appears to be sexualizing a minor will be removed and promptly reported to the proper authorities. In addition, any organizations that promote or enable the sexual exploitation of minors are prohibited on VERO.

  • Pornography businesses of any kind are not permitted on VERO, neither is content posted for the purpose of soliciting sexual interaction (e.g. webcams, pornography networks, escort networks or anything similar) or links to adult-orientated external sites and networks (including, but not limited to, pay-for-explicit-content sites and networks).

  • VERO also removes content that displays, advocates for, or coordinates sexual acts with non-consenting parties. This includes any images of a person’s body where the focal point is on a sexualized area of the body and such images appear to have been taken without such person’s consent (e.g. creepshots or upskirts).

  • Content featuring sex toys and accessories - if such objects are replicas of genitalia or appear in any content that depicts sexual activity - is not permitted.

  • We welcome organizations and content promoting sex education and reproductive rights.

 

Guidance to creators incorporating nudity/mature content in their work on VERO

It is not our place to judge your art, we do not seek to censor creative expression and VERO does not have a blanket ban on nudity. However, VERO is a global platform and we have a responsibility to ensure it’s a safe, positive space for millions of people of different ages and cultures from around the world and to consider the policies of the App Store and Google Play Store as we operate our network.

With that in mind, if you incorporate nudity/mature content in your VERO posts (or plan to), please familiarize yourself with - and follow - these rules as we really don’t like asking people to remove posts. Following these rules will help you post responsibly - and, we hope, confidently - on the VERO platform:

  • Please do not post photographs, videos, digitally created or hand-drawn images of people or characters - either exposed or in see-through attire - that display the anus, genitals or pubic hair.

  • Regardless of whether or not the material is meant for sexual gratification, by posting material with a straight-on view of the buttocks (e.g. where the buttocks are not rotated or presented at an angle) you run the risk of your content being in breach of our guidelines (see above).

  • If your posts contain imagery featuring consensual nudity or sexual activity that does not violate our guidelines (e.g. some BDSM content), but which can be difficult for a viewer to distinguish from non-consensual sexual activity, violence or sexual violence, you must provide sufficient context in the post to help people understand why you are posting it.

Please bear in mind that if we find your content is in breach of our guidelines due to use of nudity or mature content, this is not a judgment on your creativity.  Where possible we will try and contact you and ask you to remove any infringing post(s) rather than removing them ourselves, and as part of that communication process, you can appeal a decision.

The list of prohibited content above is not exhaustive, and please note, as stated above, that VERO reserves the right to request a user remove, or proactively remove of its own accord, any content that it deems inappropriate for the community that may not be specifically outlined here and these guidelines do not create a duty or contractual obligation for us to act in any particular manner.

 

Graphic content (violence, self-harm, eating disorders)

  • Any violence – Content that depicts graphic violence, especially if criminal in nature (e.g. stabbing, beheadings, rape, sexual assault, domestic abuse) is prohibited. This includes genital mutilation.

  • Self-Harm - VERO does not allow any content that glorifies, supports, or enables users to inflict physical harm on others or themselves (e.g. cutting, burning, eating disorders, suicide). Self-injury is defined as the intentional and direct injuring of the body, including self-mutilation and eating disorders. We want VERO to be a space where people can share their experiences, raise awareness about these issues, and support each other through difficult experiences, and so we allow people to discuss suicide and self-injury. We will also remove any content that identifies and negatively targets victims or survivors of self-injury or suicide seriously, humorously, or rhetorically.

  • Eating disorders & body dysmorphia - Content depicting or promoting anorexia, bulimia, or other eating disorders (e.g. images of person(s) appearing “malnourished or sickly” with hashtags or text descriptions seeming to promote eating disorders) is prohibited on VERO.

  • Exception is made for posts of such content for the purpose of educating others about this subject matter in an effort to combat such behavior and conduct (e.g. charities or other non-profit organizations fundraising or building awareness). People can draw attention to harmful activity that they may witness or experience as long as they do not advocate for or coordinate harm. However, please use judgment to consider whether such content is too graphic even for this purpose. If it is, we may reach out to request that you remove such content.

  • Organizations, associations, or societies (e.g. terrorist organizations, gangs, drug cartels) generally known to promote or are based solely on the premise of committing illegal activities are prohibited on VERO.

 

Hate speech

  • VERO does not allow the posting of any content that promotes or depicts violence, abuse, humiliation / shaming, or other grave mistreatment of groups or individuals on the basis of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, gender, medical conditions / disabilities, and/or national origin and promoting discrimination or violence against persons on such basis.

  • Exception is made for posts of such content for the purpose of educating others about this subject matter in an effort to combat such behavior and conduct (e.g. charities or other non-profit organizations fundraising or building awareness). Similarly, in some cases, words or terms that might otherwise violate our standards are used self-referentially or in an empowering way. When this is the case, we allow the content, but we expect people to clearly indicate their intent, which helps us better understand why they shared it. However, please use judgment and ensure your intent is clear in such posts. Also, consider whether such content is too inflammatory even for this purpose. If it is, we may reach out to request that you remove such content.

 

Copyright / Trademark Infringement
Don’t use other people’s content without permission.

  • If VERO receives valid notice from a copyright or trademark holder alleging that their intellectual property rights have been infringed by a user’s posts on VERO, VERO will promptly remove the content in question and notify the user of the takedown as well as issue the user a warning.

  • VERO will only respond to requests to take down infringing content from the copyright or trademark holder (or authorized agent) that satisfy the other requirements for notice set out in VERO’s Terms of Use under “DMCA Notice”.

 

Firearms

  • VERO only allows content depicting firearms where their use or display is in compliance with State and Federal law in the United States (e.g. sporting activity). However, such content cannot promote or enable on VERO the sale of firearms or committing violent or illegal acts with firearms (unless in video games) or glorify violence.

  • We also prohibit the purchase, sale, gifting, exchange, and transfer of firearms, including firearm parts or ammunition, between private individuals on VERO. Some of these items are not regulated everywhere; however, because of the borderless nature of our community, we try to enforce our policies as consistently as possible. We allow discussions about the sale of firearms and firearm parts in stores or by online retailers and advocating for changes to firearm regulation.

  • Organizations (official or not) promoting legal use of firearms (e.g. hunting organizations, shooting ranges, or gun lobbying groups) may have user accounts on VERO as long as they comply with VERO’s Terms of Use.

 

Drugs

  • VERO only allows content showing recreational, legally allowed drugs in the United States (including cannabis). However, such content cannot promote or enable the sale of such drugs (e.g. no advertising of products available for sale). In addition, users cannot use VERO as a platform through which to sell or otherwise transact in the distribution of drugs.

  • The exception to this will be posts by users for the purpose of educating others about this subject matter in an effort to combat such behavior and conduct (e.g. charities or other non-profit organizations fundraising, building awareness, or providing rehabilitation services for drug addiction).

  • Cannabis dispensaries can have user accounts as long as they do not promote or engage in the sale of cannabis through VERO.

 

Animal Cruelty

  • Content that depicts or promotes physical violence against or mistreatment of an animal, including sexual interaction with an animal, is prohibited.

 

Sponsored Posts and Advertising

  • Posts advertising products or services on VERO must comply with applicable advertising regulations, including any necessary disclosures of sponsored posts (e.g. use of hashtags like #ad, #sponsored, #partner or disclosure language in the post captions). This is the sole responsibility of the user posting such content.

 

Solicitation / Spam / Imposter Accounts

  • Do not spam others’ posts and comment threads with unsolicited content, offers or promotions.

  • VERO does not allow any content that is fraudulent or constitutes false advertising (e.g. scams and spam).

  • We also do not allow any accounts that impersonate or pretend to be a business, organization, public figure, or private individual.

  • Do not contact people on VERO for commercial purposes without their consent.

 

Threats

  • Credible statements of intent to commit violence against any person, groups of people, or place (city or smaller) are prohibited and may be reported to law enforcement. We do not allow people to use VERO to incite violence or to encourage, co-ordinate or direct others to commit violence.

 

How to Report Something to us:

  • To report a post, tap on the “3 Dot” Menu in the bottom right hand corner and select “Report Post”.

  • To report a user, tap on the “3 Dot” Menu in the top right hand corner of their profile and tap “Report this user” (this is where you will access Blocking controls).

To send us a message, start at the Feed, tap the 3 Line Menu top left, tap "Settings”, select “Help & Support” from the “Support” menu and then select “Contact Support” and tell us about the issue you’re having or what you’re seeing.

If you are unable to submit a support request from within the VERO app as described above, please send an email directly to [email protected].


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