Community Guidelines and Policies

At Cantina, we are committed to creating a safe space for all our users. Creating, sharing or distributing sexually explicit or suggestive images of other people without their consent is a severe violation of personal privacy and safety. For that reason, we take the impact of sharing intimate media of somebody very seriously and we aim to prevent the harm that the public distribution of intimate content can cause. We will take appropriate action against any content or accounts in breach of this policy.

We define the creation, sharing or distribution of non-consensual intimate media as the creation or sharing of intimate or sexually explicit content without the knowledge or consent of the person depicted. This includes media that was captured or created without the person’s awareness or consent, such as deepfakes, footage from hidden cameras, creepshots, or recordings of sexual assault. It also covers content that was initially shared or created with consent, such as in a private relationship, but later distributed without permission.

What violates this policy?

We have zero tolerance for attempts to upload unauthorized images of someone with the goal to create intimate media using our Artificial Intelligence tools. For more information, visit our Generative AI media policy.  

• Using Cantina’s tools to create sexualized content based off of somebody’s likeness.
• Attempting to manipulate or alter intimate images (i.e. deepfakes) with Cantina.
• Altering, posting, sharing, or distributing intimate images or videos of someone without their explicit consent.
• Altering, posting, sharing, or distributing private sexting photos to anybody other than the intended recipient.
• Threatening or coercing someone into sharing intimate images on the Cantina platform.
• Sharing manipulated or altered intimate images such as deepfakes without consent.
• Encouraging or facilitating others to post non-consensual nudity or sexually suggestive content.
• Attempting to obtain intimate images of someone without their consent, including hacking accounts or devices.
• Creating rooms dedicated to sharing this type of content.
• Offering or soliciting stolen intimate or sexually explicit images of somebody.

Violations of this policy may result in the removal of content, temporary account suspensions, or permanent bans, depending on the severity of the breach.

How can I report violations of this policy? 

Reporting safety violations is essential to ensuring your safety and protecting the broader Cantina community. If you encounter content on Cantina that you believe violates this policy, follow these steps to report it. In addition, if you find yourself in a room where content of this nature is being shared, report it and consider removing yourself from the space. 

If someone is sharing or threatening to share intimate images of you or someone else, the most effective way to notify us is by emailing our Trust & Safety team on support@cantina.com with links and screenshots of the specific post or comment containing the images or threats.

Additional resources

In addition to reporting the content to us, there are resources available to help victims remove non-consensual intimate images, such as:

• StopNCII.org: This is a free, online tool provided by the U.K. non-profit South West Grid for Learning. It supports victims of non-consensual intimate media by helping anyone over the age of 18 protect their private images and videos online. StopNCII.org allows online platforms to detect and remove intimate media that has been shared without consent, all while safeguarding the victim's privacy. You can access the tool or learn more about how StopNCII.org works here.
• Take It Down is a free, confidential service created by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) to help individuals, particularly minors, remove or prevent the spread of intimate images or videos online. It is designed to give people control over sensitive content and to combat the harm caused by non-consensual sharing. Individuals aged 13 or older can directly submit content for protection as well as parents or guardians who can use the tool on behalf of minors under 13. For more information or to use the service, visit Take It Down.
• Support in the U.S.: If you need additional support, contact the Cyber Civil Rights Initiative Crisis Helpline at 844-878-CCRI (2274). Their team is available 24/7 to provide compassionate support, information, referrals, and non-legal advice.
• Support Outside the U.S.: For assistance in other countries, refer to the Cyber Civil Rights Initiative’s International Resources to find localized support tailored to your region.

Cantina members can select from a variety of AI-powered bots in the Bot Directory, or create their own. 

Creating Bot Characters

Bots are directed by user prompts and messages, and it is your responsibility to ensure the bot character is designed in adherence to our Community Guidelines. 

What violates this policy?

• Users are prohibited from creating bot characters that are or appear to be, minors. This includes but is not limited to the bot's name, bio, avatar, bot prompt, and behavior.
• Users are prohibited from creating bot characters that impersonate individuals without their express consent.
• Bot characters that depict or resemble public figures outside of a strictly parodical simulation or that attempt to deceive users by portraying a non-existent affiliation or endorsement by said public figure.
• Creating intentionally misleading bot character descriptions is prohibited. Bot character names, bios, and avatars should accurately capture what the bot character is meant for and how it works. 
• Any user-generated prompt that encourages a bot character to engage in or promote the following actions is strictly prohibited:
  • Hate Speech
  • Sexual Exploitation
  • Child Endangerment
  • Creating Deepfake Content
  • Violence or Self-Harm
  • Illegal Activities
  • Misleading or Harmful Advice on sensitive topics
  • Fraud, Phishing, or Data Theft

Interacting with bot characters

User prompts and messages direct bot character outputs, which can be inaccurate, and inappropriate. Do not rely on them for accurate information, guidance, or counseling. All user interactions, including interactions with bot characters, are subject to the Community Guidelines. In addition, interactions should be authentic and reflect genuine user engagement.

When you add bots to a room, you are responsible for the content they generate. As such, we recommend that you make sure they are suitable to the room in question. If you're unsure what a bot character is designed to do, play it safe and don't add it.

Interactions that violate our policies may lead to enforcement against your account, including but not limited to warnings, temporary and permanent suspensions. 

What violates this policy?

• Inappropriate interactions with bots in public rooms involve engaging in harmful or offensive behaviors, including hate speech, sexual engagement, bullying, and harassment, or promoting violence.
• Tactics that artificially boost a bot's visibility and/or mislead users about its true popularity metrics (interactions, room adds, ratings, favorites, etc) are strictly prohibited.

How can I report violations of this policy?

We expect our bot creator and interaction policies to evolve as we learn more about how our bot character technology is used and misused. If you encounter content or behavior violating these guidelines, please report it to our moderation team. 

If you believe your copyrighted work has been copied in a way that constitutes copyright infringement and is accessible via Cantina, please report it as an Intellectual Property violation through this form.  

Cantina has a zero-tolerance policy for user actions that sexually exploit or endanger children. We report all instances of child sexual abuse and exploitation to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) and work with law enforcement when we assess a risk of child endangerment. 

If you observe child abuse or exploitation on Cantina, please report it so our team can review it and take immediate action. 

What violates this policy?

Cantina strictly prohibits any content, behavior, or interaction that endorses, depicts, or facilitates the sexual exploitation of children. This encompasses not only actual children, including minors of all ages but also non-realistic content that resembles human children, such as AI-generated content. The following are not permitted:

• Soliciting, sharing, or creating child sexual abuse material
• Inappropriate interactions or communications between an adult and a minor
• Solicitation of sexual materials or encounters with a child
• Depictions of child nudity or sexualization of minors in any form
• Any form of child abuse

How can I report violations of this policy?

If you see anything that looks like child sexual abuse or exploitation, please report it so our team can review it and take immediate action. We thoroughly review every report, whether it's from someone who's directly involved or just saw something concerning. 

Get help

If you or someone you know is being exploited, contact the Cyber Tipline at https://report.cybertip.org/ or call(1-800-THE-LOST) for 24/7 support.

Cantina users can use Generative AI technology to create images on demand. The following guidelines aim to strike a balance between creative self-expression and maintaining the safety and respect of everyone in our community.

Warning: Rooms in the Cantina may contain AI-powered bots that generate content based on user-directed prompts and messages. The resulting content may be offensive, inaccurate, and potentially harmful. Do NOT rely on them for accurate information, guidance, or counseling. By creating, activating, and/or interacting with bots, you assume all risks related to your bot use as outlined in the Terms of Service. 

Cantina’s approach to providing a safe environment includes taking into account intent and keeping our community accountable for their engagement with bots. Please note that while an image may not in and of itself violate our Generative AI policy, we reserve the right to take action if we deem that the user’s intent is in contravention of our guidelines. To do so, we may investigate factors such as account behavior, previous prompts and comments, as well as history of engagement on the platform. In addition, we hold our users accountable for the content they seek to create through Cantina’s bots, whether it is by requesting drawings, selfies, designing a bot’s avatar or uploading a photo to serve as the bot’s avatar. 

We rely on a combination of user reporting and proactive monitoring by content moderators and automated technologies to foster a welcoming environment for our community, and to identify and remove content that may violate our Community Guidelines and Terms of Service. When we are made aware of violations of our policies, we aim to take swift action. That may include issuing warnings and suspending accounts on a temporary or permanent basis. 

What violates this policy?

We prohibit the use of our technology to upload, attempt to generate or disseminate images with the following purposes:

1. Exploitation 
   • Child sexual abuse material, child sexual exploitation content, or child endangerment
   • Sexualization of minors
   • Sexual solicitation 
   • Sexual violence
   • Grooming
   • Sextortion
   • Non-consensual intimate activity 
   • Slavery
2. Harmful content
   • Images designed to discriminate, degrade, dehumanize or humiliate any individual or group due to their belonging to protected categories such as race, religion, national origin, ethnicity, sexual identity or orientation,  disability, and others
   • Media advocating violence towards others through known hate symbols or violent threats
   • Depictions of acts of terrorism, supporting or praising terrorist organizations, actors or ideologies, or content designed to further recruitment for terrorist organizations
   • Images aimed at encouraging or providing instructions for self-harm and suicide as well as cutting and eating disorders
   • Extreme gore media like images involving bodily destruction, detached body parts, cannibalism,  mutilation, torture or animal abuse 
   • Nudity and sexual content: do not request images that include male or female nudity, sexualization of minors, or any other explicit sexual imagery 
   • Sexually explicit deep fakes
   • Sexualized images of private or public individuals 
3. Misleading others or creating content that can be deceiving, particularly on a matter of importance
   • Generating media of a defamatory nature
   • Misleading people into believing that content you have produced synthetically on our platform was human-generated
   • Creating fraud, spam or unsolicited bulk content
   • Generating disinformation or misinformation 
   • Attempting to create content for voter interference purposes such as misleading media related to politicians, ballot-boxes, protests, or other content that may be used to influence the political process
   • Generating or furthering conspiracy theories or narratives related to ongoing geopolitical events with a harmful intent
4. Violating the rights of others 
   • Trying to generate media that violates others’ rights such as their intellectual property or privacy rights
   • Impersonating individuals or using their likeness without consent, authorization or legal right
   • Upload images of people without their consent or images for which you don’t hold appropriate usage rights
5. Additional content policies
   • Nudity or sexually explicit imagery
   • Images of real minors to be used as bot avatars

Prompt guidelines:
User messages serve as prompts that tell bot characters what to create. As such, you are solely responsible for the images you ask bots to create. All bot-generated images across room types, including direct messages, must adhere to this policy.

Bot avatar guidelines: 

Cantina’s goal is to mitigate the usage of its technology to cause harm. As such, we have strict policies around bot avatars in addition to our GenAI Media Policy. 

• Uploaded avatar
  • Images uploaded as bot avatars are subject to strict monitoring to prevent harmful uses such as unauthorized deepfake content. We ask users not to upload images of people without their consent. 
• AI-generated avatar
  • We have guardrails in place to prevent certain AI-generated avatars, such as those depicting minors.

Cantina and Community Moderation 

• We include in-product warnings, maintain stricter enforcement guidelines, proactively scan uploaded images, and manually moderate derivative content such as bot-generated images to uphold our commitment to minimize harmful use of our tools such as the creation of unauthorized deepfake content. 
• If you are unsure if your drawing or selfie request might violate guidelines, don't request it.
• We provide our community with reporting tools so that they can bring content to our attention. If you encounter bot-generated images that violate Cantina guidelines, please flag the image and/or delete it if possible. 
• Prompts can sometimes generate unintended inappropriate content. If this occurs, please flag the image as well and/or delete it.

How can I report violations of this policy?

If you encounter content that violates our Generative AI Image Policy, please report it by flagging the image or message. Please include specific details about the content and why it violates our policy to help our moderation team assess and address the issue.

Our mission of protecting users and providing a positive environment is a critical foundation to empowering creative exploration and connection with friends. For that reason, bullying and harassment are not allowed in Cantina. Anyone violating this policy is subject to warnings and temporary or permanent account suspension. 

What violates this policy?

We prohibit any act, whether on a public surface such as room posts, avatars or account names, or a private message, to harm, intimidate, coerce, or embarrass another person or group. Examples of this type of conduct include but are not limited to:

• Repeated use of abusive language directed at or about another user
• Sharing any type of content intended to hurt, shame, or embarrass another user
• Repeated attempts of unwanted interaction with another user, on Cantina or off-platform
• The coordination of off-platform harassment
• Following a user from room to room with the intent to harass them
• Filing false reports against another user 
• Member profiles created with the likeness of another user in an attempt to embarrass or harass
• Calling for the self-harm or suicide of another user 
• Threatening to physically, emotionally or reputationally harm any user, and in particular, room admins. This includes any retaliation against room admins 
• Threatening to reveal a user’s private sexual content or to disclose their sexual orientation or gender identity
• Creating or renaming rooms with names that are purposefully offensive or targeting another user

How can I report violations of this policy?

Reporting content and interactions that violate our Community Guidelines is essential to fostering a safe environment in Cantina. You can report conduct in violation of this policy by following these instructions. In addition, we encourage you to use our moderation tools to keep yourself and others safe.

If you feel like you or another user is in immediate danger, we encourage you to consider contacting Law Enforcement urgently.

Hate speech is not allowed on Cantina. Anyone violating this policy is subject to account restrictions and temporary or permanent suspensions.  

What violates this policy?

We do not allow content that promotes, glorifies, and/or incites violence or hatred against individuals or groups based on the following protected statuses: 

• Age
• Caste
• Disability
• Ethnicity
• Gender Identity and Expression
• Nationality
• Race
• Immigration Status
• Religion
• Sex/Gender
• Sexual Orientation
• Victims of a major violent event and their kin
• Veteran Status

What is not a violation of this policy?

Educational, documentary, scientific, or artistic content that references hate symbols, quotations, footage, etc, is permitted, but the context of such cases must be clearly communicated. 

In addition, content criticizing state actions in the form of comparisons to or generalizations about criminals directed at people based on nationality but using a specific group as a proxy for the state, such as policy, military army, soldiers, government or state officials. 

How can I report violations of this policy?

If you experience or observe hate speech on Cantina, please report it so our team can review it and take appropriate action. We take all reports of hate speech seriously, whether they come directly from the person being attacked or from an observer. You can also use our self-moderation tools to manage room membership and limit your exposure to the offending user and/or content. 

At Cantina, our goal is to create a dynamic, welcoming space where users can interact with bots, connect with friends, and engage with our Community team in exciting new ways. Our Community team runs programming initiatives and maintains key spaces such as The Welcome Lounge and The Bot Place. These spaces foster creativity, interaction, and fun. However, to ensure a safe and respectful environment for all, we have established the following engagement guidelines. These guidelines complement our Bullying & Harassment policies and seek to add extra protections for our Community team as well as other Cantina employees. Their profiles feature a verified checkmark on the platform. 

Our Community Leads are here to support you, to share their best practices about building bots, and to enhance your experience in Cantina, but they are also individuals who deserve to feel safe and respected. This also applies to other Cantina employees like our moderators. We prohibit any behavior that may make any Cantina team member feel uncomfortable or unsafe. 

What violates this policy?

• Unwanted contact: Do not attempt to reach out to Cantina Community Leads, through personal channels (e.g., personal email, phone numbers, social media, or in-person interactions) unless explicitly invited to do so.
• Harassment & over-attachment: While we love the enthusiasm in our community, excessive personal attention, fixations, or actions that create discomfort are not allowed. Examples include persistently asking for personal details, creating bots based on their likeness without their consent, or seeking private interactions.
• Flirtation & inappropriate behavior: Engaging in unwanted romantic or suggestive behavior toward Community Leads is not permitted.
• Abusive language & personal attacks: Denigrating language, personal attacks, threats, doxxing or coordination of room raids will not be tolerated. This includes threatening to go to “higher ups” or get Community Leads fired. Please refer to our Bullying & Harassment policies for more information. 
• Spamming & Disruptive Conduct: Flooding chat, derailing conversations, or persistently demanding attention in ways that disrupt the experience for others is against our guidelines.

Ensuring a safe and inclusive space

Cantina is a platform designed for positive and meaningful engagement. We value an atmosphere where everyone—users, Community Leads, other employees, and bots—can interact without fear of harassment or discomfort.

If an individual or group becomes disruptive, threatening, or abusive, Cantina may take necessary action, including warnings, suspensions, or bans, to protect our employees and users.

We encourage creativity and exploration, but respect is fundamental to keeping Cantina an engaging and enjoyable space for all. 

Cantina respects intellectual property rights and is committed to protecting copyrighted content. If you believe that content on Cantina infringes your copyright, you can submit a Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) takedown request to have the content removed. Below, we outline how to submit a claim, how Cantina handles DMCA requests, and what to do if your content was removed in error.

Submitting a DMCA Copyright Claim

If you are a copyright owner or an authorized representative, you can request the removal of infringing content by submitting a DMCA takedown notice. Your notice must include the following information:

1. Your contact information: Your full legal name, email address, and physical address.
2. Description of the copyrighted work: Provide a clear description of the copyrighted content that has been infringed.
3. Location of the infringing content on Cantina: Include a direct URL or detailed information that allows us to identify the material.
4. A statement of good faith: Confirm that you believe the use of the content is not authorized by you, your agent, or the law.
5. A declaration under penalty of perjury: A statement affirming that the information in your notice is accurate and that you are the rightful copyright owner or authorized to act on their behalf.
6. Your electronic signature.

You can submit a DMCA takedown request by selecting Intellectual Property, Copyright Infringement on our reporting form. 

What Happens After a DMCA Request is Submitted?

Once we process a valid DMCA takedown request:

• The reported content will be removed or disabled from Cantina.
• The user who uploaded the content will receive a notification explaining why the content was removed.
• The user will have the option to file a DMCA counter-notice if they believe the takedown was made in error.

If we determine that a DMCA request is incomplete or invalid, we may ask the copyright owner for additional information before taking any action.

Filing a Counter-Notice

If you believe your content was removed in error or that you had the legal right to use the copyrighted material, you may submit a DMCA counter-notice. Your counter-notice must include:

1. Your contact information: Your full name, email, and physical address.
2. Identification of the removed content: A description of the content that was taken down and its previous location on Cantina.
3. A statement under penalty of perjury: Confirming that you believe the content was removed due to a mistake or misidentification.
4. A declaration of consent to legal jurisdiction: Agreeing to resolve the dispute in a U.S. federal court if necessary.
5. Your physical or electronic signature.

You can also download the sample counter-notice form attached at the bottom of this article and fill it with the relevant information. Send your counter-notice to copyright@cantina.com.

Once we receive a valid counter-notice, we will forward it to the original copyright owner. If they do not file a legal action within 10 business days, we may restore the removed content when possible.

Repeat Infringement Policy

Cantina takes copyright violations seriously. If a user repeatedly uploads infringing content, we may temporarily or permanently suspend their account.

We encourage all users to respect intellectual property rights and only share content they own or have the legal right to use.

If you have any questions about our DMCA policy, please visit our Terms of Service or reach out to our Trust & Safety Team at copyright@cantina.com.

These guidelines are for law enforcement and government agencies only. If you are not a law enforcement or government official, please submit your request via our Help Center.

Cantina is a social AI product that combines group chat, voice, and video capabilities together with AI character creation. With our AI bot creator tools, users can design digital versions of themselves, bring imaginary characters to life, or choose from thousands of existing AI bots in our bot directory. Cantina bots can interact via text, voice and images in Cantina rooms or anywhere across the internet as they can be shared off platform. For information regarding our product, please visit this link.

At Cantina, we appreciate the hard work law enforcement provides our company and the communities we connect. We’re also committed to ensuring the safety, security, and privacy of our users. As part of that commitment, we store and maintain private and personal information as described in our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. Generally, we only provide non-public user information with governmental or law enforcement agencies when required by law. We created these guidelines for such instances, when law enforcement or governmental agencies are seeking to obtain user information from Cantina.

Requests for User Information

Cantina’s disclosure of user information is governed by the Stored Communications Act, 18 U.S.C. § 2701, et seq., which requires that we disclose user information to law enforcement only in response to specific types of legal process. Please refer to our Privacy Policy for more details  about the types of user information that Cantina collects.

Within the United States

Cantina will respond to legally binding requests from U.S. law enforcement and governmental agencies that include one of the following documents:

• A valid, jurisdictionally sufficient subpoena can be used to obtain basic subscriber information set out in 18 U.S.C. 2703(c)(2), namely: Cantina screen name and username, email address (if provided by user), phone number,  account creation date, IP address, device information.
• A valid, jurisdictionally sufficient court order issued under 18 U.S.C. 2703(d) can be used to obtain other categories of non-content data regarding a user.  
• A valid, jurisdictionally sufficient federal or state search warrant can be used to obtain user content such as photos or written communications.

International Requests

Cantina may require non-U.S. governmental and law enforcement agencies to submit a request for legal assistance to designated government authorities under the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (“MLAT”) framework, or a letter rogatory to disclose the contents of a user’s account.

Cantina may, at its discretion, provide limited subscriber non-content information to non-U.S. governmental and law enforcement agencies in response to legal process that is duly authorized in the requesting country.

Requirements for submitting a legal request

For a U.S. or non-U.S. law enforcement request to be honored, it must be issued in accordance with governing law and include all of the following information along with the PDF of the request:

• The following contact information:
  • • Name of issuing agency
    • First and last name of the requesting law enforcement officer
    • Official email from a known law enforcement domain
    • Official direct phone number
    • Badge/ID number of the requesting law enforcement officer
    • Address of agency
• Profile name and URL of the Cantina account in question
• Details regarding the specific information being requested and its relationship to your investigation

Please submit your request for user information here.

All requests should be addressed to:

Cantina, Inc.

10 Jay St, 4th FL

Brooklyn, NY 11201

US

If you have any questions please contact lawenforcement@cantina.ai.

Emergency Requests

Under our Privacy Policy and 18 U.S.C. § 2702(b)(8), we may disclose certain information at our discretion with law enforcement if we have a good faith belief that there is an emergency involving danger of death or serious physical injury to a person that Cantina may have information necessary to prevent. 

When submitting an Emergency Disclosure Request you must include the following information:

• Identity of the individual in danger of death or serious physical injury;
• The nature of the emergency and why it poses a threat of imminent death or serious bodily injury that would justify immediately disclosing the requested information rather than relying on standard legal process; 
• Information in Cantina’s possession you are seeking to obtain on an emergency basis; and
• How the specific information requested will assist in averting the threatened death or serious physical injury.

Please submit your Emergency Disclosure Request here.

Account Preservation

Cantina does not guarantee the existence or retention of particular user data. However, In accordance with 18 U.S.C. 2703(f), we will preserve any user information in our possession that may be relevant in a criminal legal proceeding  in response to a formal and valid request from a law enforcement agency that includes a specific time range for preservation not to exceed 90 days.

Cantina will not produce records to the law enforcement agency without service of proper and valid legal process (e.g., subpoena, court order or warrant). Valid preservation requests should be submitted here.

If you have any questions please contact lawenforcement@cantina.ai.

Child Safety

Cantina will remove any content that comes to our attention that depicts (or may depict) sexually explicit images of minors or appears to sexualize or exploit children, including content drawn to our attention by government requests. We will promptly report this content to the National Center for Exploited and Missing Children, which may relay this and related information to U.S.- or foreign-based law enforcement agencies. 

If a request involves a child exploitation or safety matter, please specify that in the request so that we may quickly address the request.

Data Retention

In accordance with our Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, and applicable law, Cantina retains different types of user information for various periods of time. Due to the nature of the information on Cantina, we may store some user information for only a short period of time. Unless we receive a valid preservation request, we generally do not retain information for law enforcement purposes.

Notification

Per Cantina’s Privacy Policy, we will use reasonable efforts to provide notice to our users when we respond to a request for their information unless we are prohibited by law from doing so -for example, by an order under 18 U.S.C. § 2705(b)-, or if we believe that an exceptional circumstance exists, such as child exploitation, the threat of imminent death or bodily injury, or where notification would be counterproductive.

Law enforcement or other official government agencies that do not want Cantina to notify a user of their request should include a court order or reference to other legal authority that bars Cantina from disclosing the existence of the request to the user.

If your request for information draws Cantina’s attention to a violation of our Terms of Service or Community Guidelines, Cantina will take action to prevent further abuse, which may alert the customer to Cantina’s awareness of its misconduct. Your request should explicitly include instruction to Cantina to not take action if you wish to prevent potential awareness on the part of Cantina’s user(s).

Testimony

Records produced in response to law enforcement requests are self-authenticating and do not require the testimony of records custodians. We are unable to provide expert testimony. 

If you need a special certification, please include it in your request.

Cost Reimbursement

Under 18 U.S.C. §2706, Cantina may seek to be reimbursed for any costs we incur in responding to information requests. Unusual or extensive requests may incur additional costs, but we may waive fees at our discretion.

These guidelines are regularly reviewed by Cantina and are subject to change at our discretion.

Cantina is for people 18 years or older (See Terms of Service):

• Users must be 18 or older to use Cantina.
• If a user is suspected of being under 18, Cantina may request proof of age to verify compliance with the age restrictions.
• Cantina reserves the right to suspend user accounts that do not meet these age requirements or anybody who provides false information about age and/or parental consent.

How to Report an Underage User
If you come across a user you believe is underage, please report them for review:

1. Tap on the member Avatar:
2. Tap ... More
3. Tap Report @username:
4. Select Reason: Underage User
   • Provide as much detail as possible about why you believe this user is underage (e.g., they mentioned their age in conversation, they appear to be a minor, etc.).
5. Tap Send Report

Once your report is submitted, our Trust & Safety team will review it and take appropriate actions to verify the user's eligibility to use this service. 

At Cantina, we prioritize the safety, mental health, and well-being of our community. We recognize the critical importance of fostering an environment where individuals feel supported and safe. We aim to balance providing a platform for open communication and expression with the imperative responsibility to protect our users from harmful content and interactions related to self-harm or suicide. We define self-harm as the act of deliberately hurting oneself physically. Examples of self-harm behaviors include intentionally ending one's life, engaging in disordered eating patterns, etc.

What violates this policy?

Content or interactions that violate Cantina’s suicide and self-harm policy include, but are not limited to:

• Promoting, encouraging, or glorifying suicide or self-injury.
• Sharing explicit descriptions, graphic images, or videos depicting suicide or acts of self-harm.
• Providing instructions, methods, or facilitating suicide or self-injury.
• Engaging in activities or communications that encourage or pressure individuals to self-harm or attempt suicide.
• Making suicide threats or stating intentions to self-harm without clear context for seeking support.

Exceptions may include content clearly shared for the purpose of support, awareness, or recovery when handled responsibly.

How can I report violations of this policy?

Reporting content and interactions that violate our Community Guidelines is essential to fostering a safe environment in Cantina. You can report content or conduct in violation of this policy by following these instructions.

Additional resources

Suicide Prevention 

If you are in need of support, please know that you’re not alone and that immediate help is available for you. 

Crisis Text Line

• Text: IMAGINE to 741741
• Chat

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline 

• Call: 988
• Text: 988
• Chat

Eating Disorder Support

If you, or someone you know, are experiencing concerns around body image, food, or exercise, know that you are not alone.

National Eating Disorders Association

• Call: 800-931-2237
• Text: 800-931-2237

If you feel that you are in immediate danger, please contact local emergency services and if you are outside the United States, visit Find a Helpline to find resources for your country.

Usernames are an important element of Cantina’s platform as they are a unique identifier that helps users recognize and connect with one another. Intentional usernames enable people to have a meaningful experience on the platform, and they can contribute to a sense of community. 

To keep our platform safe and welcoming, and due to their visible and permanent nature, we have a policy for acceptable usernames and related conduct. The following guidelines help protect users from harassment, identity theft, and other risks associated with inappropriate or offensive usernames.

Selecting a username
Usernames are available on a first-come, first-served basis. As a result, usernames cannot be reserved or held on inactive accounts for future use. And unlike account names, usernames are permanent.

What violates this policy? 

Username Squatting 

• Username squatting is not allowed. Accounts engaging in this behavior are subject to being renamed or suspended. 
• Selling, buying, or soliciting any type of payment or favors in exchange for usernames. 

Inappropriate Usernames 

• Terms related to illegal or exploitative activity,  such as child exploitation or supporting terrorist organizations
• Violence, threats, or hateful conduct
• Usernames that are purposefully offensive or target another user
• Usernames that reveal another person’s private information, such as location, full legal name, sexual orientation, or gender identity
• Impersonation more widely, whether of public figures or private individuals
• Slurs or pejorative terms used to target any race, religion, ethnic group, gender, sexual identity, sexual orientation, political affiliation, disability, social group or caste 
• References to sexual acts, genitalia, or sexual fluids. 
• References to self-harm or suicide 
• Usernames that infringe trademarks or other intellectual property rights

How can I report violations of this policy?

Reporting content and interactions that violate our Community Guidelines is essential to fostering a safe environment in Cantina. You can report usernames in violation of this policy by following these instructions.

Cantina deeply values the privacy and security of all members. As such, we uphold a strict policy against doxing, which entails the unauthorized sharing or broadcasting of private or identifying information about an individual without their consent, even if such details might be available elsewhere publicly. 

If you find your personal information being shared without consent that may lead to real-world harm, please report it and call your local law enforcement agency as soon as possible.

If a user is discovered participating in doxing activities and has not stopped and removed posted content when asked, the user is subject to account suspension, termination, and possible case referral to appropriate law enforcement authorities. 

What qualifies as doxing or unauthorized sharing on Cantina?

Cantina describes doxing or unauthorized sharing as any user action that discloses, disseminates, or broadcasts private or identifiable information without the individual's consent.

What violates this policy?

• Sharing or distributing content that reveals someone's personal information and others sensitive details with the intent to harass, blackmail, or intimidate
• Statements or actions that encourage others to engage in doxing activities

How can I report violations of this policy?

If you identify instances of doxing or unauthorized sharing of personal information on Cantina, we urge you to report it. Please include specific details about the content and why it violates our policy to help our moderation team assess and address the issue. Our Trust & Safety team will review and act accordingly.

Illegal activities are not allowed on Cantina. Anyone violating this policy is subject to account restriction, suspension, and/or termination. We may also provide law enforcement with information to help prevent or respond to fraud and other illegal activity.

What violates this policy?

Engaging in, promoting, or facilitating illegal activities under local, state, federal, or international law is prohibited. This includes but is not limited to:

• Selling or distributing illegal drugs, controlled substances, and substances that mimic the effects of illegal drugs.
• Promoting or facilitating gambling in jurisdictions where it is illegal.
• Posting or distributing content that involves child exploitation or abuse.
• Engaging in fraud, including phishing, identity theft, and financial scams.
• Trading or distributing firearms, ammunition, or explosives violates applicable laws.
• Offering or distributing pirated software, music, videos, or other copyrighted material without authorization.
• Soliciting, promoting, or engaging in terrorism or violent extremism.
• Posting or sharing instructions on how to engage in illegal activities, including hacking and creating malware.
• Engaging in or promoting human trafficking or prostitution.

What is not a violation of this policy?

Discussing topics related to alcohol, gambling, and firearms in a manner that does not promote illegal activities is permitted. Sharing educational, documentaries, science, and artistic content that may include discussions about illegal activities but does not endorse them is also allowed. Please make sure it complies with all other Cantina policies. Cantina reserves the right to remove content or restrict accounts based on legal risk or community standards.

How can I report violations of this policy?

If you experience or observe illegal activities, please report them so our team can review them and take appropriate action. We take all reports seriously, whether directly from the person being attacked or from an observer. You can also use our self-moderation tools to manage problematic behaviors in your rooms.

Managing Accounts for Deceased Members

We understand that dealing with the account of a deceased member is a sensitive matter, and we sincerely empathize with your loss. To assist you with your request, we offer two actions that can be taken regarding a deceased Cantina user’s account. Please review the options below and the required documentation to proceed.

Actions You Can Take

1. Account Closure: Permanently delete the account, removing all data and content associated with it, including their bots.

2. Bot Transfer: Transfer ownership of the deceased user’s bots to another designated user. The new owner must have an active Cantina account and provide their username for the transfer.

Documentation We Need from You

To confirm your relationship with the deceased user and process your request, we require the following documentation:

Proof of Authority: Provide power of attorney documents confirming your ownership of the account. The document should include:

• Your full name
• The deceased user's full name
• The deceased user's email address
• The deceased user's phone number

Acceptable documents include:

• Power of attorney
• Last will and testament
• Estate letter

Proof of Death: Provide one of the following documents as proof that the account holder has passed away:

• Death certificate (fastest method) or coroner’s report
• Obituary
• Memorial card

How to Submit Your Request

You can email the required documentation to support@cantina.com. Our team will verify the documents and proceed with the requested action. 

Ensuring users have a safe and welcoming space to build communities is at the core of our product. 

We equip users with self-moderation tools to manage their own experience. One of these tools is the report button, which enables everybody on our platform to bring harmful content, accounts and interactions in violation of our Community Guidelines to the attention of our Trust & Safety team. The resulting reports of users, rooms, messages, videos or bots  are investigated by our team, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 

For users, the reporting tool is a primary means of protecting their community and seeking accountability against bad actors. For us, it plays a critical role in our larger content moderation process: to identify abusive content we use a combination of proactive detection that relies both on automated technologies as well as manual investigations, and reactive detection through the adjudication of user reports by our T&S team. This reactive detection helps us spot and address abuse. 

To avoid delays in the handling of genuine reports and to ensure that we can  respond promptly to urgent violations of our policies, we have strict guidelines around the abuse of our reporting features. 

Any user who is found to abuse the report button with a harmful intent to silence voices runs the risk of losing their privilege to use it.

What violates this policy? 

We do not allow the adversarial use of our reporting feature. Examples include consistently reporting content and accounts with the goal to suppress speech, bully, harass, or intimidate others. 

• Reporting users without utilizing our self-moderation tools to take alternative protective measures such as blocking or room banning 
• Repeatedly reporting content or accounts that objectively don’t violate our Community Guidelines in an attempt to get other users suspended or pieces of content removed 
• Using the report button to target other users unfairly
• Reporting content due to personal disagreements 
• Submitting excessive or frivolous reports with the intent to overwhelm our moderation team

Guidelines for responsible reporting

When used correctly, the reporting tool ensures that we can swiftly investigate and take necessary action against harmful behavior. To ensure that it remains a useful and effective feature, please follow these guidelines.  

1. Report genuine issues: Use the report button only when you encounter content or behavior that clearly violates our Community Guidelines or Terms of Service.
2. Avoid false reporting: Do not use the report button to settle personal disputes or to target other users. 
3. Limit reports to specific issues: Provide detailed and specific information about the issue you are reporting to help our moderators understand and address it effectively. 
4. Respect the process: Trust & Safety moderators review reports carefully and take appropriate actions based on our policies. Avoid submitting multiple reports for the same issue. 

How can I report violations of this policy?

If you encounter someone who is a serial reporter, we encourage you to bring their account to our attention, and to share as much context as possible so that our team can conduct an investigation and take appropriate action.