Unauthorized Contact & Abuse Policy

1. Purpose & Core Principles

Friendium is built on trust, consent, and authentic social interaction. Unauthorized contact undermines user safety and personal boundaries. This policy establishes clear rules to prevent abuse, harassment, coercion, and exploitation through communication tools.

Users have the right to control who can contact them, how often, and for what purpose.

2. Scope of This Policy

This policy applies to all forms of interaction on Friendium, including but not limited to:

• Direct messages and message requests
• Comments and replies
• Mentions, tags, and profile references
• Connection or friend requests
• Group invitations
• Repeated contact across multiple features

3. Definition of Unauthorized Contact

Unauthorized contact includes any interaction that violates a user’s expressed or reasonably implied boundaries. This may include:

• Contact after a user has blocked or muted the sender
• Repeated messages after a clear request to stop
• Contact using alternate accounts to bypass restrictions
• Messages sent to users who have not consented to contact
• Persistent outreach to strangers for non-social purposes

4. Forms of Abuse Covered

Friendium considers the following behaviors abusive when conducted through unauthorized contact:

• Harassment or intimidation
• Sexual or romantic pressure
• Threats or coercive language
• Blackmail or extortion attempts
• Stalking or obsessive messaging
• Attempts to obtain personal information
• Impersonation or deception to gain access

5. Sexual Harassment & Exploitation

Sexualized contact without consent is strictly prohibited. This includes:

• Unwanted sexual messages or imagery
• Sexual solicitation or propositions
• Requests for intimate images or videos
• Persistent romantic advances after rejection

Violations involving minors are treated as severe offenses and escalated immediately.

6. Circumvention & Evasion Tactics

Attempts to bypass user controls or enforcement actions are considered serious violations. This includes:

• Creating new accounts to contact a blocked user
• Using mutual connections to relay messages
• Off-platform coordination to resume contact
• Using deceptive identities or false pretenses

7. Power Imbalances & Coercion

Friendium applies heightened scrutiny where power imbalances exist, including:

• Employer-to-employee communication
• Authority figures contacting users
• Influencers pressuring followers
• Adults contacting minors

Coercive or exploitative behavior in these contexts may result in immediate enforcement.

8. User Controls & Consent Mechanisms

Friendium provides tools to help users manage contact, including:

• Blocking and muting features
• Restricted lists
• Message request approvals
• Audience and visibility controls

9. Reporting Unauthorized Contact

Users are encouraged to report unauthorized contact using in-platform tools. Reports may include:

• Message content
• Account identifiers
• Behavioral context
• Evidence of repeated or coordinated contact

10. Review & Investigation Process

Reports are reviewed using a combination of automated detection and human moderation. Factors considered include:

• Frequency and persistence of contact
• User response or lack of consent
• Content severity
• Account history and prior violations

11. Enforcement Actions

Violations of this policy may result in:

• Message or interaction restrictions
• Temporary account suspension
• Permanent account removal
• Network-level enforcement for evasion

12. Emergency & High-Risk Situations

In cases involving credible threats, stalking, or imminent harm, Friendium may:

• Escalate to safety or security teams
• Preserve relevant data
• Cooperate with law enforcement where required by law

13. Legal & Regulatory Compliance

This policy supports compliance with:

• Online safety and harassment laws
• Data protection regulations
• Child protection requirements
• Consumer and civil protection frameworks

14. Appeals & User Rights

Users subject to enforcement may appeal decisions through Friendium’s review process. Appeals are evaluated independently and may involve additional context review.

15. Education & Prevention

Friendium invests in user education to reduce abuse, including:

• Clear boundary-setting tools
• Safety guidance and prompts
• Transparency around enforcement outcomes

16. Policy Evolution

This policy may be updated as new abuse patterns emerge or legal standards evolve. Continued use of Friendium constitutes acceptance of updated terms.

17. Contact & Support

Abuse & Safety Reports: abuse@friendium.com
Emergency Escalations: emergency@friendium.com
User Support: support@friendium.com