Community Guidelines

The spirit of spareachair

spareachair is about pulling up a chair and talking with people who see the world differently. You will meet people you disagree with — that is the point. Be curious, listen, and disagree with ideas, not with people.

These guidelines are part of our Terms of Service. They apply everywhere on spareachair: at tables, in direct messages, on calls and on profiles.

Be respectful

• Treat everyone at the table as you would in person. Let others speak.
• Challenge opinions, never a person’s worth. No insults, name-calling or mocking.
• Respect people’s media choices. Everyone decides for themselves whether to turn on their microphone or camera, and whether to see others’ video. Don’t pressure anyone.
• If a conversation isn’t working for you, you can leave, block or report.

Not allowed

Zero tolerance. There is zero tolerance for objectionable content and abusive users. Content that breaks our Terms of Service or these Community Guidelines is removed, and the people responsible are suspended or banned (see What happens when rules are broken). Every violation is acted on: a first, minor breach may get a warning, repeated breaches lead to a suspension or ban, and serious violations lead to an immediate ban.

• Harassment and threats. No bullying, intimidation, stalking, threats of violence, or encouraging self-harm. Don’t keep contacting someone who has made clear they don’t want it.
• Hate. No attacks, slurs or dehumanising content based on race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, disability, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age or other protected characteristics. No support for violent extremism or terrorism.
• Sexual content. No sexual messages, sexual advances or invitations (including asking for nudes), nudity or sexual behaviour on camera. Sexual messages, advances and invitations are blocked automatically before anyone sees them. spareachair is not a dating service or an adult service.
• Minors. spareachair is 18+ only. Never let anyone under 18 use your account or appear on your camera. Any content that sexualises minors leads to an immediate ban and a report to the authorities.
• Solicitation and spam. No advertising, selling, recruiting, fundraising, political campaigning, chain messages, scams or asking for money.
• Recording. Recording is prohibited. Do not record, capture, stream or share audio, video or screenshots of other participants without their clear consent. We never record audio or video ourselves.
• Private information. Don’t share anyone else’s personal information (such as their address, phone number or workplace) without their permission. Think twice before sharing sensitive information about yourself, such as your health, religion or political views.
• Illegal content and activity. Nothing that is illegal under EU law or the law of an EU/EEA country.
• Fake identities and ban evasion. One person, one verified account. No impersonation, no using someone else’s identity, no new accounts after a ban.
• Disruption. No trolling, deliberately derailing a table, flooding the chat, or using bots or automation.

Reporting and blocking

You can report and block from every screen: at a table, in direct messages, during a call and on a profile.

• Report when someone breaks these guidelines or the law. The report includes the last messages of that conversation so our moderators have context. Reports about possible minors or threats are handled with priority. We will confirm we received your report and tell you what we decided. We review reports of objectionable content within 24 hours and act on them — removing the content and removing the user who posted it where it breaks our rules.
• Block to stop someone contacting you. You will not be seated at the same table again, they cannot message or call you, and any Connection with them is hidden. If you are both at a table when you block, one of you will be moved.
• Hide a message you don’t want to see: it disappears from your own view only. You can also delete your own messages at any time; they then disappear for everyone in the conversation.
• To report illegal content without an account, see Contact.

If someone is in immediate danger, call the emergency number 112.

What happens when rules are broken

Automated moderation may block individual messages. Our moderators review reports and decide what to do, which may be to:

1. remove content;
2. give a warning;
3. suspend the account for a period;
4. ban the account permanently.

We usually go step by step (warn → suspend → ban), but serious violations — such as content involving minors, credible threats or ban evasion — lead to an immediate ban. Banned people cannot sign up again.

Every decision comes with a statement of reasons by email. If you think we got it wrong, you can appeal within six months — see Complaints and appeals in our Terms.