Safety Guidelines

Klatchmaker aims to connect you with compatible people destined to be your new best friends. With that said, it’s important to approach all interactions with new people you meet on the site with caution, common sense and a safety-first attitude. We developed this safety guide to aide this mentality. In line with our Terms of Service, using Klatchmaker means you agree to stick to these guidelines.

Get to know your group members a little bit, before meeting in person: We provide a virtual space for you and your new group members to connect via video before committing to a group or meeting in person. Schedule time to meet in this space using the Klatchmaker messaging system. Avoid meeting in person before communicating beforehand. You may also use the messaging system to get to know one another.

Show yourself: All members should have a clear and accurate profile photo. When meeting via video in our virtual meeting spaces, all members should appear on camera, if and when possible.

Meet in public: Avoid meeting new group members in private and/or remote spaces. Schedule meetings, especially initial meetings, in well-trafficked, publicly accessible spaces.

Avoid traveling with users: Try to arrange your own transportation to and from meetings with new group members. Avoid accepting rides alone with individual members or any of their acquaintances whom you don’t know or have never met. 

Reconsider plus-ones: Avoid bringing friends, partners, spouses, family or acquaintances to sit in on initial group meetings. These are strangers to other group members who may be there alone, which can create uncomfortable, unfair or unsafe environments. Klatchmaker groups are designed to be an ideal size in order for all group members to feel seen and heard. In some cases a friend may serve as transportation. Give your group a heads up that this person may be in attendance and consider asking this person to wait for you elsewhere or return later. Ultimately, use your best judgement to ensure your and your group members’ safety.

Meet in Klatchmaker groups: Avoid meeting group members one-on-one during initial in-person meetings. Schedule and attend meetings when multiple members from your Klatchmaker group can attend. For your safety, avoid meeting individuals who are accompanied by people you don’t know — unless they informed you ahead of time and you feel comfortable with the situation.

ALWAYS

Protect your personal information: Avoid sharing personal information — such as your phone number or address — unless and until you feel completely comfortable with the person you're sharing it with. Use the Klatchmaker messaging system to communicate and coordinate with your group.

Leave: Do NOT stay in a group that you don’t like, or are not comfortable in. If something feels off, feel free to leave the group, without explanation, and/or report suspicious members. In most cases Klatchmaker will try to avoid matching you in a group with users who were members of previous groups you left, or with users that have been removed from groups you were in. Likewise, feel free to leave or excuse yourself from any in-person meeting if you feel uncomfortable or unsafe.

Report any suspicious behavior: You can report group members by visiting their profile and clicking the "Report" link. You can also email us directly to report users. You may also vote to kick someone out of a group by selecting the appropriate option next to the member’s name on your group page. Be aware that other members will NOT be alerted to this action. A member will be removed if enough remaining members also vote to remove them. Immediately report users for harmful, inappropriate, criminal or deceptive behavior.

Look out for one another: Recognize when other group members may be violating these safety guidelines or our terms of service, even inadvertently, and respond accordingly (i.e. suggesting alternative arrangements or meeting spaces, reporting users, or reminding users about safety guidelines and site rules).

Don’t be offended: Even if your intentions are positive, always be mindful of other users’ boundaries and comfort levels. Respect their wishes, personal space, and consent at all times.

Don’t send or lend money: Never send, lend, donate, gift or loan money or valuables to other users, even if they appear friendly or in an emergency. If you decide to give money, you do so at your own risk and discretion. Red flag requests include, but are not limited to, wire transfers, gift cards, and/or access to your financial accounts. Report this behavior.

Assume all communication or content you share with other users can be copied and shared publicly, even though such behavior violates our Terms of Service. If you believe a user is violating our Terms of Service in this regard, report them or notify us directly.

Use reasonable judgment. While these rules are here to help keep everyone safe, there may be specific situations where it’s safer or more reasonable to use your discretion—even if that means not following a specific rule to the letter. 

Stay up-to-date: We may update these guidelines at any time. Check back and get a refresher at any time, especially when matched with new groups.