Acceptable Use Policy

Overview

What This Policy Is

This Acceptable Use Policy ("AUP") sets out the rules governing how you may use the Hatch Social platform, its services, tools, and infrastructure. It supplements our Terms of Service and Community Guidelines.

By using Hatch, you agree to comply with this policy. Violations may result in content removal, account suspension, or permanent termination — depending on severity.

Hatch is a human-first platform. That means we expect everyone here — creators, explorers, brands — to show up with integrity. This policy protects that.

Scope

Who This Applies To

This policy applies to:

• All registered users — Explorers, Creators, and Brand accounts
• All content, communications, and transactions on the platform
• All third parties accessing Hatch via API, integration, or affiliate link
• All jurisdictions where Hatch is available

Prohibited Activities

What You Cannot Do

The following activities are strictly prohibited on Hatch:

• Use the platform for any unlawful purpose or in violation of any applicable law or regulation
• Attempt to gain unauthorized access to any part of the platform, user accounts, or backend systems
• Use bots, scrapers, crawlers, or automated tools to collect data, interact with users, or manipulate metrics
• Create multiple accounts to circumvent bans, suspensions, or platform limits
• Sell, transfer, or trade your Hatch account or referral codes to another person
• Take payments for subscriptions or content off-platform to circumvent Hatch's payment system
• Reverse engineer, decompile, or attempt to extract source code from the Hatch platform
• Attempt to overload, disrupt, or attack Hatch infrastructure (DDoS, injection, etc.)
• Impersonate Hatch, Hatch staff, or any other user or public figure
• Use Hatch to send unsolicited messages, spam, or bulk communications
• Facilitate or organize coordinated inauthentic behavior — fake reviews, engagement pods, mass-reporting campaigns
• Use the platform to recruit members into pyramid schemes, MLMs, or fraudulent investment opportunities
• Exploit bugs or platform vulnerabilities without responsible disclosure to [email protected]

Prohibited Content

What You Cannot Post

The following content is prohibited on Hatch, in all Nests, public or private:

• Child sexual abuse material (CSAM) or any content that sexually exploits or endangers minors — zero tolerance, reported to NCMEC and law enforcement immediately
• Content that promotes, facilitates, or glorifies terrorism, mass violence, or genocide
• Non-consensual intimate imagery (NCII) — "revenge porn" or similar material posted without the subject's consent
• Content designed to facilitate real-world violence against a specific person or group
• Doxxing — publishing private personal information (address, phone, financial data) of others without consent
• Content that constitutes illegal discrimination based on race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or national origin
• Fraudulent, deceptive, or misleading content intended to harm users financially or reputationally
• Content that promotes or facilitates the sale of illegal goods or controlled substances
• Synthetic or AI-generated deepfakes of real individuals without their explicit consent
• Content that promotes, glorifies, or instructs self-harm or suicide
• Graphic violence, gore, or torture content intended to shock or disturb
• Sexual content in public-facing areas of the platform — explicit material is restricted to clearly labeled, compliant private Nests only

Age Requirements

Minimum Age

You must be at least 16 years old to create an account on Hatch. In jurisdictions where the minimum age for digital services is higher (including 18 in some regions), that higher age applies.

Certain features — including monetization, subscription tools, and access to mature-labeled Nests — may require age verification of 18+.

If we discover that a user is under the applicable minimum age, we will immediately suspend their account and delete their data, in compliance with applicable children's privacy laws including COPPA, GDPR-K, and the UK Children's Code.

Platform Integrity

Protecting the Platform

Hatch operates on trust. The following behaviors undermine that trust and are prohibited:

• Artificially inflating subscriber counts, view counts, or engagement metrics
• Using third-party services to purchase followers, reviews, or subscriptions
• Manipulating Hatch's recommendation or ranking systems through inauthentic behavior
• Coordinating with others to mass-report legitimate content or accounts
• Misrepresenting the nature, quality, or delivery of subscription content to subscribers
• Creating fake communities or Nests designed to mislead users about their purpose

Enforcement

How We Enforce This Policy

Violations of this policy may result in the following, depending on severity:

• Content removal and warning (first-time, minor violations)
• Temporary account suspension with notice and appeal rights
• Permanent account termination and platform ban
• Referral to law enforcement or regulatory authorities where legally required
• IP, device, or payment method blocking to prevent re-registration

You may appeal any enforcement action through our Complaints & Appeals process within 30 days.

Reporting

How to Report a Violation

Use the Report button on any post, profile, or Nest to flag content or behavior that violates this policy. You can also contact us directly:

• General violations: [email protected]
• Child safety issues: [email protected] — flagged and escalated immediately
• Legal/IP issues: [email protected]
• Security vulnerabilities: [email protected]

Contact

Questions About This Policy

If you're unsure whether something is permitted, reach out before posting: [email protected]

We'd rather answer a question than remove a creator.

This policy may be updated to reflect changes in law, platform features, or community standards. Material changes will be communicated via email or in-platform notification with reasonable advance notice.