MyDirectLine - Community Guidelines

Welcome to the MyDirectLine community! Our platform connects clients with advisors through meaningful conversations. To ensure a safe, respectful, and positive experience for everyone, we've established these Community Guidelines.

These Guidelines are part of our Terms of Service and apply to all users, both advisors and clients. Violations may result in warnings, temporary suspension, or permanent account termination.

Our Core Values

• Respect: Treat everyone with dignity and courtesy
• Safety: Create a secure environment free from harassment and threats
• Authenticity: Be genuine and honest in your interactions
• Privacy: Honor the confidentiality of conversations
• Professionalism: Maintain appropriate boundaries and conduct

Prohibited Content and Conduct

The following behaviors are strictly prohibited on MyDirectLine:

1. Illegal Activity

• Sharing, promoting, or soliciting illegal goods, services, or activities
• Attempting to defraud other users or the platform
• Money laundering or other financial crimes
• Sharing instructions for illegal activities
• Child exploitation or abuse in any form

2. Harassment and Abuse

• Bullying, intimidation, or targeted harassment of any user
• Hate speech or discrimination based on race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or other protected characteristics
• Sexual harassment or unwanted sexual advances
• Doxxing (sharing someone's private information without consent)
• Stalking or persistent unwanted contact

3. Violence and Threats

• Credible threats of violence against individuals or groups
• Glorifying or promoting violence, self-harm, or suicide
• Sharing graphic violent content
• Encouraging dangerous or harmful behavior

4. Spam and Manipulation

• Sending unsolicited commercial messages or advertisements
• Creating fake accounts or impersonating others
• Artificially inflating engagement or manipulating the platform
• Posting repetitive or irrelevant content
• Phishing or attempting to steal credentials

5. Inappropriate Content

• Explicit sexual or adult content (unless in appropriate professional context)
• Excessively graphic or disturbing content
• Content that violates intellectual property rights
• Misleading or deceptive content

6. Platform Abuse

• Attempting to circumvent payment systems or the credit system
• Exploiting bugs or vulnerabilities in the platform
• Using automated tools or bots without authorization
• Interfering with other users' access to the service
• Reverse engineering or attempting to access unauthorized areas

Guidelines for Advisors

As an advisor on MyDirectLine, you have additional responsibilities:

• Respond Timely: Reply to paid messages within the 7-day window or the credits will be refunded to the client
• Provide Value: Deliver thoughtful, helpful responses that justify your pricing
• Be Honest: Accurately represent your expertise, qualifications, and services
• Maintain Boundaries: Keep interactions professional and appropriate
• Respect Privacy: Never share client information or conversations publicly
• Decline Appropriately: Politely decline requests outside your expertise or comfort zone
• Follow Professional Standards: If you're a licensed professional (therapist, lawyer, etc.), maintain your field's ethical standards

Guidelines for Clients

As a client using MyDirectLine, please:

• Be Respectful: Treat advisors with courtesy and professionalism
• Be Clear: Communicate your questions or needs clearly and concisely
• Be Patient: Allow advisors time to provide thoughtful responses (up to 7 days)
• Understand Limitations: Advice is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional services
• Respect Boundaries: Don't make inappropriate requests or demand services outside the platform's scope

Reporting Violations

If you encounter content or behavior that violates these Guidelines:

• Report it immediately through our platform's reporting tools (if available) or contact support
• Do not engage with or retaliate against the violator
• Preserve evidence if needed (screenshots, message history)
• For urgent safety concerns, contact local authorities in addition to reporting to us

Enforcement

We enforce these Guidelines at our discretion. Violations may result in:

• Warning: A formal notice about the violation with a request to comply
• Content Removal: Deletion of violating messages or profile content
• Temporary Suspension: Temporary loss of access to your account (typically 7-30 days)
• Permanent Ban: Permanent termination of your account and prohibition from creating new accounts
• Legal Action: In cases of serious violations (illegal activity, threats), we may report to law enforcement

We consider factors such as severity, frequency, and intent when determining appropriate enforcement action. Repeat offenders face escalating consequences.

Appeals

If you believe an enforcement action was taken in error, you may submit an appeal by contacting us at support@mydirectline.app. Include your account information and explain why you believe the action was incorrect. We'll review appeals within 7 business days.

Disclaimer

While we strive to enforce these Guidelines, MyDirectLine is not responsible for user-generated content. We are a neutral platform that facilitates communication between advisors and clients. The views, advice, and content shared by users are their own and do not represent MyDirectLine.

Updates to These Guidelines

We may update these Community Guidelines from time to time to reflect changes in our platform, user needs, or legal requirements. We'll notify users of material changes through the Service or via email. Your continued use of MyDirectLine after updates constitutes acceptance of the revised Guidelines.