Community Guidelines

Effective date: May 1st 2026 Version: 1.0

GoDating exists so real people can meet real people. These Guidelines describe what we expect of everyone here and what we do when those expectations are broken. They form part of our Terms of Service.

We have written them in plain language. The short version is: be real, be respectful, keep it safe.

1. Be real

• Use photos that are of you, taken recently enough to look like you in person.
• Use your real first name as your display name.
• Be honest about your age, your location, and your relationship intention.
• Do not impersonate anyone else.
• Do not use images of celebrities, models, stock photos, or other people. Our system checks for this.

If your photos do not match the person who shows up to a date, that is not just bad form — it is grounds for removal from the service.

2. Be respectful

• Talk to people the way you would want to be talked to.
• "No" is a complete answer. Do not push, beg, or guilt-trip.
• Disagreement is fine. Hostility is not.
• Comment on what someone said, not on how they look in a way they did not invite.

3. Keep it safe — for them and for you

• Take new conversations slowly. Suggest a public place for any first meeting.
• Use the in-app date plan sharing and safety check-in features when meeting in person. They are free and they exist for a reason.
• If anything feels off, trust that feeling. Block, unmatch, or report.

4. Photos

4.1 Always allowed

• Clear photos of you doing things you enjoy.
• Photos with friends or family, as long as it is clear which person is you.
• Pets, scenery, hobbies (these add personality, but at least one photo on your profile must show your face).

4.2 Never allowed in profile photos

• Nudity — full or partial, including topless, exposed genitalia, exposed buttocks, sheer or see-through clothing showing the same.
• Sexually explicit or sexually suggestive content of any kind.
• Violence, gore, or weapons as the primary subject.
• Hate symbols.
• Drugs or drug paraphernalia as the primary subject.
• Photos of children as the primary subject (children may appear in family photos, but the focus must be on you).
• Screenshots, memes, text-only images, QR codes, or images that are mostly an advertisement for another platform or contact method.
• Photos of someone else without a clear depiction of you.
• AI-generated faces. Our system checks for this.

4.3 Sent for review (not auto-approved)

• Swimwear or underwear in non-sexualized contexts (beach, gym).
• Group shots where it is unclear which person is you.
• Photos with watermarks pointing off-platform.
• Photos that match images already in use on other profiles or known scam-profile databases.

4.4 The verification step

Before you can send your first message in any new match, you complete a one-time photo verification (a short selfie video). It takes about 30 seconds. We do this so the person at the other end of every conversation has met a verified profile.

5. Chat

• Keep messages on-platform. Pressure to move to WhatsApp, Telegram, Snapchat, or Instagram in the first messages is one of the most common scam patterns.
• Do not send unsolicited sexual content. Chat image messages, when we offer them, will be moderated and senders accumulate strikes for misuse.
• Do not send the same copy-pasted message to many matches. Our systems detect this.
• Do not send links from a brand-new account.

6. What you may not do anywhere on GoDating

• Harass, threaten, defame, or stalk anyone.
• Hate speech based on race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, or any other protected characteristic.
• Solicit money, gifts, crypto, or investment. This is the single most common scam pattern in dating apps. We will remove and ban for it.
• Sex work solicitation in any form.
• Commercial use of the service: advertising, recruiting, MLM, lead-gen.
• Doxxing — sharing someone's private information without their permission.
• Non-consensual sexual content of any kind.
• Impersonation of any person, brand, or organization.
• Underage users. GoDating is for adults aged 18 and older.

7. Trans and non-binary users

Trans and non-binary users are full members of GoDating. We do not offer a "filter out trans people" option, and trans status is never displayed on a profile unless the user chooses to share it.

8. Reporting

If you see something against these Guidelines, report it. From any profile, match, message, or photo, tap Report. Choose a reason. Add a description if you'd like.

Reports go to our moderation team. We follow up with you on the outcome.

If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, contact local emergency services first (in Denmark, dial 112).

9. What we do when something is reported or detected

We follow a graduated response based on severity, context, and history.

The only category where action is taken with no warning, no graduated response, and no appeal is confirmed child sexual abuse material. The account is permanently banned, the relevant authorities are notified, and the case is escalated under our internal CSAM protocol. This is non-negotiable and required by law.

10. Strikes for chat image misuse (when chat images are available)

When chat image messages are enabled (post-launch), senders accumulate strikes for explicit-image send attempts:

Strikes are visible to you in your own account safety settings, and you can appeal each one.

11. Statement of reasons and appeals

Whenever we take an action against your account, we tell you what we did and why. You can appeal once within 14 days through the in-app appeal flow. A different reviewer than the one who took the original decision will review your appeal and respond within 14 days.

This implements our obligations under the EU Digital Services Act.

12. Transparency

We publish an annual transparency report covering the volume and outcomes of moderation actions, appeals, government requests, and verification. The report is published at godating.app/transparency/.

13. How these Guidelines change

If we make a material change to these Guidelines we will notify you in-app and by email at least 30 days before the change takes effect.