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Last updated: September 4, 2026

Community Guidelines

Soyo's community runs on connection, curiosity, and respect. These guidelines describe what we welcome, what we don't, and how we handle violations. They apply everywhere on Soyo — profiles, hangouts, group chats, photos, and messages — alongside our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy. Soyo is for adults: you must be 18 or older to use the platform. Where a host welcomes children, they come with a parent or guardian, on the guardian’s spot.

Zero tolerance. Soyo has no tolerance for objectionable content or abusive users. Every user can report content and block other users directly in the app. We act on reports of objectionable content within 24 hours — removing the content and ejecting the user who provided it where the report is substantiated.

1. What we welcome

🤝 Respect & inclusivity

Treat everyone with dignity regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, or any other protected characteristic. Disagreement is fine; cruelty is not.

✨ Honesty

Be the person who shows up. Your account must be your own, your answers to the taste questions should be honest, and your photos must be of you and your life. At a hangout you appear by first name only — that is privacy, not anonymity: fake accounts, impersonation, or joining a hangout on someone else's behalf undermines trust and is grounds for removal.

🎯 Show up for your spot

An invitation you accept is a seat other people are counting on. Arrive on time, tell the host early if plans change, and treat no-shows as what they are — an empty seat in a small group. Repeated no-shows reduce the invitations you receive.

🔒 Privacy of others

What happens at a hangout stays with the people who were there. Don't share other people's private information, photos, or messages from a group chat outside that group without permission. Ask before posting images that include other guests.

🌿 Support local

Help us celebrate the local businesses and hosts who open their rooms. Post-hangout feedback is private to Soyo — make it honest and constructive; it shapes who gets matched where next.

⚖️ Lawful conduct

All activities and hangouts on Soyo must comply with applicable laws in the city, province, and country where they take place.

2. Group chats, photos & invite links

💬 The room (group chat)

Each confirmed hangout has a group chat shared by the confirmed guests and the host, first names only. Everything in these guidelines applies inside it. Additionally: no unwanted romantic or sexual advances, no pressuring anyone for personal contact details, and no sharing what others said or posted there outside the group. Rooms close to new messages one week after the hangout.

📷 Vibe photos

Vibe photos exist to show your life — a trail, a bookshelf, a plate you cooked. They must be your own images, must not contain sexually explicit or graphic material, and must not feature other identifiable people without their permission. Vibe photos are shown to your confirmed tablemates and are read by an AI model to understand your interests (see the Privacy Policy).

💌 Friend invitations

Invite links are for real friends you actually want beside you at a hangout. Mass-posting invite links, farming referral rewards with fake or duplicate accounts, or selling seats or invitations is prohibited.

3. What we don't allow

The following content and behaviour is prohibited and will be removed. The first list is zero tolerance: one instance ends the account immediately, without warning. The second list escalates. Activities Soyo creates are screened by the same rules before they are published.

🚫 Strictly prohibited (immediate ban + reporting where applicable)

  • Child sexual abuse material (CSAM) — reported to NCMEC (US), the RCMP (Canada), and equivalent authorities. Account terminated and IP banned.
  • Credible threats of violence against any person or group, including stalking and incitement.
  • Doxxing — publishing another person's private contact information, address, or identifying information without consent.
  • Sexual harassment, sexual misconduct, or non-consensual contact, online or at events.
  • Promotion of terrorism, violent extremism, or self-harm.
  • Trafficking — human trafficking, sex trafficking, or related coordination.
  • Sale of illegal substances or weapons on the platform or at listed events.
  • Illegal activity of any kind in an event, invitation, request, or message — including illegal drugs or their use, weapons or firearms, violence, and gambling for money.
  • Sexual or adult content or events — 18+/19+ or “adults only” nights, strip clubs, escort or hookup arrangements, sexually explicit material in profiles, listings, or messages.
  • Hate speech — slurs or content attacking people on a protected ground (race, colour, ancestry, place of origin, religion, marital or family status, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age).
  • Discrimination — refusing, removing, or targeting guests, hosts, or partners on a protected ground.

⚠️ Not allowed (warnings → suspension → ban)

  • Harassment, bullying, or intimidation of other users.
  • Misleading hangouts or events — fake hosts, fake venues, false descriptions, bait-and-switch pricing.
  • Spam and unsolicited self-promotion — repetitive posting, off-topic links, mass messaging.
  • Scams and fraud — fake events, payment scams, MLM/pyramid schemes, ticket-resale scalping.
  • Impersonation of another person, organization, business, or Soyo itself.
  • Fake reviews, ratings, or testimonials.
  • Repeated chargebacks or payment-fraud patterns.

4. Host standards

Hosts — community organizers, local businesses, and Soyo itself — are responsible for hangouts that are safe, accurately described, and delivered as promised. Specifically:

  • Descriptions must be truthful and reflect what actually happens.
  • Group size, cost, and any special requirements must be clearly stated on the invitation.
  • Refund policies (if differing from Soyo's default) must be visible before a guest accepts a paid seat.
  • Hangouts involving alcohol must comply with BC liquor laws (19+) and any required licensing.
  • Physical activities should clearly identify risk level and any required equipment.
  • Cancellations must be communicated promptly to all confirmed guests, with holds released and refunds processed per policy.

5. Reporting & blocking

If you see content or behaviour that violates these guidelines, report it. We review every report, and we act on reports of objectionable content within 24 hours.

  • Report in-app: tap Report on the profile, hangout, message, or person card in question.
  • Block in-app: tap Block on a person's card or profile. Their messages disappear for you immediately, and you will never be seated together again.
  • By email: team@joinsoyo.com with details and any evidence (screenshots, URLs).
  • Emergencies: contact local emergency services (911 in Canada) first, then notify Soyo.

Reports are confidential to the extent permitted by law. Knowingly false or malicious reports will themselves result in account action.

6. How enforcement works

Soyo reviews reports and applies action proportionate to the severity of the violation — within 24 hours for objectionable content. Possible actions include:

  • Warning — a private notice with a link to these guidelines.
  • Content removal — taking down specific messages, photos, or hangouts.
  • Reduced matching — fewer or no invitations while a pattern of no-shows or poor conduct persists.
  • Temporary suspension — pausing account activity for a defined period.
  • Permanent ban — closing the account and revoking access.
  • Payout hold — for paid hosts, holding pending payouts during an investigation.
  • Law-enforcement referral — for credible threats, violence, CSAM, or other criminal conduct.

We may remove content or restrict accounts at our reasonable discretion to maintain the integrity of the platform and the safety of our community. Soyo reserves the protections afforded to interactive computer services under applicable law (including U.S. 47 U.S.C. § 230) when moderating user-submitted content.

7. Appeals

If your account is suspended or content removed and you believe this was done in error, you may appeal:

  1. Email team@joinsoyo.com with the subject line “Appeal” within 30 days of the action.
  2. Include your account email, a description of the action being appealed, and any context that may help us reconsider.
  3. We will review and respond within 14 business days. Decisions on appeals are final, except where new information warrants further review.

Appeals related to permanent bans for serious violations (CSAM, credible threats, fraud, sexual misconduct) are not generally entertained.

8. Working with law enforcement

Soyo cooperates with law-enforcement requests that comply with applicable law (e.g. valid court orders, subpoenas, or warrants issued under Canadian or US law). We do not provide user data absent legal process unless there is an emergency involving risk of imminent harm.

Law-enforcement contact: team@joinsoyo.com (subject line: “Law Enforcement Request”).

Questions? Contact us at team@joinsoyo.com

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