Welcome to Locarie, the innovative platform where you stay connected with niche local businesses. Our commitment to advancing a vibrant, safe, and respectful environment is paramount. This Community Guidelines/Safeguarding Policy serves as the cornerstone of our ethos, ensuring that every interaction within the app upholds the highest standards of integrity, respect, and community welfare.

Our Responsibility

Locarie believes that everyone has the right to be kept safe from harm, exploitation and abuse.

We recognise that:

Everyone, regardless of age, disability, gender, racial heritage, religious belief, sexual orientation or identity, has a right to equal protection from all types of harm, exploitation, and abuse. Some of the people we work with or come into contact with may be in more vulnerable circumstances and less able to protect themselves, because of the impact of previous experiences, their level of dependency on others, physical or mental ill health or communication needs. We have a responsibility to ensure our people and activities do no harm to others, and that they do not expose them to the risk of harm, exploitation and abuse.

Our Safeguarding Commitment

We are committed to building strong and safe communities and we believe that all Locarie employees and neighbourhood members play an active part in keeping themselves and those they interact with safe.

We do this by:

* Valuing, listening to, and respecting the contributions of all users and local businesses

* Encouraging the active involvement of our users in maintaining a safe platform. Users have the opportunity to provide feedback, report concerns, and participate in discussions about safety. They are equipped with the necessary tools to seek assistance whenever needed.

* Ensuring that all content shared by users and businesses undergo a thorough risk assessment to ensure they adhere to our safety standards.

* Ensure that people and processes are in place to monitor and improve the implementation of the safeguarding policy and our practice. Dedicating staff for responding to any safeguarding concerns, including feedbacks and reports, users can easily report any safety issues, which are promptly addressed by our team.

* Ensuring all app users are made aware of this policy and have access to appropriate resources to understand their responsibilities.

Responding to Safeguarding Concerns

A safeguarding concern is any worry or concern about the safety of and the well-being of a person because of something seen or heard, or information which has been circulated. This includes any concerns about the contents on Locarie app, which is harmful or puts others at risk. E.g., contents that are discriminatory of any base, extreme political content, any content putting the safety of the Locarie community, both online and offline, at risk.

What Will We Do When We Have a Safeguarding Concern?

At Locarie, We will:

* Act quickly and appropriately when a safeguarding concern is reported to us.

* Treat all safeguarding concerns in a professional, confidential, and sensitive way.

* Always act in the best interests of people, respecting and involving them, giving them a choice over decision making which impacts them, unless they lack the capacity to do so or it would put them at serious risk of harm, exploitation, abuse or neglect.

* Provide people with safe and appropriate advice, signposting and referring them to services that meet their needs.

* Work in partnership with other organisations, including statutory services like the police and social care to make sure people get the help they need.

* Refer concerns where a child or adult at risk has been or is at significant risk of harm, exploitation, abuse and neglect to local authority social care or the police.

* Protect confidential information except where the wider duty of care or the public interest might justify making it known.

* Users who violate community guidelines may receive a warning, have their content removed, or, in severe cases, face account suspension or permanent banning. Repeated violations may lead to suspension or banning from the app.

How to Report a Safeguarding Concern?

* Anyone can report a safeguarding concern. You can:

* Contact the moderation team at Locarie via contact@locarie.com

* Anyone can contact the CEO directly - tommyyen@locarie.com

* Anyone can contact the COO directly - krystallin@locarie.com

Our Safeguarding Community Guidelines

Respect and Inclusivity:

* Treat all members in our community with respect. No harassment, discrimination, or hateful speech based on race, gender, religion, nationality, sexual orientation, political stance, or any other personal characteristics.

* Carefully use language that is inclusive and welcoming to everyone.

* Constructive criticism is welcome, but personal attacks or destructive feedback is not.

* For our local businesses, please engage with customer feedback in a professional and respectful manner.

Content Guidelines - 1:

* Post content that is and only relevant to your local business, such as daily specials, events, or updates.

* Ensure that all content is accurate and up-to-date.

* Avoid posting spam, overly promotional/advertising material, false information that doesn't add value to our community.

* Avoid posting content that can be deemed inappropriate or offensive. This includes, but is not limited to, explicit, violent, or disturbing material.

Content Guidelines - 2:

* Avoid sensitive and/or extreme political content. Users must not use this platform to promote extremist ideologies or political views. This includes any content that advocates for, supports, or glorifies extremism or radical actions in the political sphere.

* Users are advised to avoid posting content that is overtly political or sensitive in nature. This platform is not intended for political debates or discussions that could lead to divisiveness or disrupt the community's harmony.

* If political topics are relevant to your business or local events in a non-extremist context, we encourage respectful and constructive discourse. Avoid language that is inflammatory, derogatory, or provocative.

* Ensure that all content, if politically related, complies with local and national laws and regulations. Content that violates any legal statutes will be removed, and appropriate actions will be taken.

Privacy and Safety:

* Respect the privacy of others. Do not share personal information of individuals without their consent. This includes names, addresses, phone numbers, emails and personal images.

* Follow local laws and regulations, especially concerning health and safety, when posting about events or offers.

* Ensure that your posts do not compromise the safety and security of your community. Avoid sharing sensitive information related to security measures or private events.

* In the event of an emergency or critical situation, refrain from posting speculative or unverified information during such events.

Intellectual Property:

* Respect intellectual property rights. Only share content (images, text, videos) that you own or have permission to use.

* Credit appropriately if you use someone else’s material under fair use.

Moderation and Enforcement:

* Our team will moderate content. Users who violate guidelines may receive a warning, have their content removed, or, in severe cases, face account suspension or permanent banning.

* Repeated violations may lead to suspension or banning from the app.

Reporting and Feedback:

* If you see something that violates these guidelines, report it to our content moderation team via contact@locarie.com

* We welcome feedback on these guidelines and will periodically review them to ensure they meet community needs.