User Conduct & Integrity

  • Username Policy

    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.

  • Unauthorized Sharing and Doxing

    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

    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.

  • Deceased Cantina Member

    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. 

  • Misleading and deceptive conduct

    Malicious and deceptive conduct lead to a decrease in trust in our platform and create a negative experience.  Conduct or content that disrupts, harms, or otherwise violates the integrity of Cantina is prohibited. 

    You may not impersonate individuals, groups, or organizations to mislead, confuse, or deceive others, nor use a fake identity in a manner that disrupts the experience of others on the platform. You may also not circumvent our enforcement actions by using other accounts or identities. 

     

    What is a misleading or deceptive conduct?

    One of the main elements of an identity on Cantina is an account’s profile, which includes a username (@handle), account name, profile image, and bio.  

    An account’s identity is deceptive under this policy if it uses false information to represent itself as a person or entity not associated with the actual account owner. 

    In addition, we may also consider deceptive accounts or assets such as bots controlled by the same individual and established with the goal to mislead and/or confuse our community about the account’s true identity or affiliation or to evade enforcement under our Community Guidelines as inauthentic conduct. 

    Fake identities, which may use stolen or computer-generated photos and fabricated names to pose as a person or organization that doesn’t exist, are also considered deceptive when they engage in disruptive or manipulative behavior.

    What violates this policy?

    We prohibit the following behaviors under this policy:

    • Impersonation
      You cannot pose as another person, group, or organization in a way meant to confuse or deceive other users. 
    • Deceptive Fake Identities 
      You cannot use fake identities to interfere in civic processes, spread disinformation or spam, carry out financial scams, or abuse/harass other users.
    • Ban evasion
      Circumvent an account suspension or room ban by using other accounts or fake identities or by offering access to your account or soliciting access to another’s Cantina account for the purpose of evading enforcement action or safety systems.

    What is not a violation of this policy?

    Cantina allows the use of pseudonymous accounts, meaning an account’s profile is not required to use the real name or image of the account owner. Accounts that use pseudonyms or appear similar to others on Cantina do not necessarily violate this policy so long as their purpose is not to deceive, manipulate, or impersonate others.

    Who can report violations of this policy?

    Anyone can report a suspected misleading or deceptive identity directly from the account’s profile.

    In cases where an account is suspected of misusing a specific individual or entity’s identity, we may need more information to determine whether the account is run or authorized by the entity portrayed in the profile. To ensure we have enough context, we may need a report from the portrayed party or their authorized representative in order to take action.

    How can I report violations of this policy?

    If you believe an account is posing as you or your brand, you or your authorized representative can file a report. If you believe an account is using a deceptive fake identity or misusing somebody else's identity, you can flag it as a bystander by reporting the account’s profile.

    In cases where an account is suspected of misusing a specific individual or entity’s identity, we may need more information to determine whether the account is run or authorized by the entity portrayed in the profile. To ensure we have enough context, we may need a report from the portrayed party or their authorized representative in order to take action.

     

  • Serial Reporter

    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.

     

  • Spam & Trolling

    Spam and Trolling of any kind are not allowed on Cantina. Anyone violating this policy is subject to account restriction, suspension, and possible termination.

    What violates this policy?

    We do not allow repetitive content or behavior that negatively impacts the experience of other Cantina members. Prohibited behavior includes but is not limited to:

    • Creating accounts primarily for promoting products, services, or messages.
    • Repeating actions or comments despite requests to stop.
    • Sending numerous messages to promote products, services, or messages.
    • Attempting to deceive users into disclosing sensitive information like passwords or financial details.
    • Frequently posting messages that include hate speech, promote violence, or disseminate false or misleading information.
    • Engaging in sexual activities during live video chats.
    • Deceptive practices to defraud or mislead other users for financial gain or other benefits.

    What is not a violation of this policy?

    Respectful engagement, including infrequent and relevant promotion of content, constructive feedback, and creative expressions, is permitted, provided it contributes positively to the community. It does not spam or disrupt others' experiences.

    How can I report violations of this policy?

    We encourage you to use our moderation tools to manage your Cantina experience. 

    If policy-violating behaviors persist after trying to resolve the situation using the self-moderation tools listed above, you can also report them so our team can review and take appropriate actions.