Community Guidelines
Last updated: October 18, 2026
NearbyNow is a place where everyone records what's happening around them. To keep it safe for everyone, please follow these guidelines.
The basics
- Post what really happened: put the pin where it actually happened and keep it accurate.
- Respect people: disagree if you like, but don't attack anyone.
- Protect privacy: other people's faces, licence plates and addresses are theirs.
- Emergencies first: the App is not an emergency service — call your local emergency number first.
What's not allowed
The following is removed, and accounts with serious or repeated violations are frozen or terminated. These are also the reasons you can choose when reporting in the App:
Bullying or harassment
- Insulting, threatening or humiliating a specific person, or rallying others to harass them.
- Repeatedly messaging someone who doesn't want it, or switching accounts after being blocked.
Exposing private information (doxxing)
- Posting someone's address, phone number, ID number, licence plate, workplace or other details that identify them.
- Placing a pin at a specific person's home to point out "so-and-so lives here".
- Posting clearly identifiable close-ups of private people without consent to mock or attack them.
Suicide, self-harm or eating disorders
- Encouraging, glorifying or giving instructions for suicide, self-harm or dangerous eating behaviour.
- If you or someone near you needs help, please contact a local crisis line (in Taiwan: 1925).
Violence, hate or exploitation
- Threats of violence, or promoting terrorism or violent groups.
- Demeaning or attacking people for their race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability or other identity.
- Gory or cruel images (for newsworthy incidents, avoid close-ups of injured people).
- Any content that exploits children is removed and reported to the authorities.
Selling or promoting regulated goods
- Buying, selling or promoting drugs, weapons, ammunition, counterfeits, prescription drugs, tobacco or alcohol.
- Illegal gambling.
Nudity or sexual content
- Nudity, sexual activity or pornography.
- Sharing someone's intimate images without consent leads to removal and termination.
Scams, fraud or spam
- Impersonating a person, business or official body.
- Investment scams, fake prizes, phishing links.
- Posting the same thing repeatedly, flooding, or advertising with ordinary pins (businesses: use the ads in the merchant plan).
False information
- Deliberately inventing disasters, accidents, crimes or other emergencies that cause panic.
- Passing off old photos as current, or placing an event in the wrong location.
- If you're not sure, say so in the title or description ("unconfirmed", "heard that…").
Merchants and ads
- Business details must be true; don't impersonate another shop.
- Ads are reviewed and labelled "Sponsored", and must not be exaggerated or false.
- These guidelines apply to merchants too; verification doesn't exempt anyone from review or reports.
Reporting and enforcement
- If you see something that breaks the rules, use "Report" on the pin or the person's profile, and you can block them; when reporting an account you can say which comment it was about.
- When several people report the same pin, interaction is paused while we review it; it is removed if it breaks the rules and restored if not.
- Accounts that break the rules may be frozen (no posting, commenting, following or messaging) or terminated.
- To appeal a decision, email [email protected].
These guidelines may change as the community grows; this page always has the latest version.