Community Guidelines

1. What Buddyhere is for

Buddyhere is a student support platform. It is designed to help international students connect with local buddies, mentors, and university communities in a way that makes university life easier to navigate.

The platform is built around peer support, intercultural exchange, and mutual respect. It is not a space for harassment, discrimination, exploitation, manipulation, or abusive behaviour.

2. Our community standard

Everyone on Buddyhere must be treated with respect. We expect users to communicate honestly, kindly, and responsibly, both on the platform and in connection with relationships that begin through the platform.

We do not expect everyone to be the same. We do expect everyone to behave in a way that makes the community safer and more welcoming for others.

3. No hate, discrimination, or exclusion

Buddyhere has no place for racism, xenophobia, antisemitism, anti-Muslim hatred, homophobia, transphobia, sexism, ableism, or any other form of degrading or exclusionary behaviour.

We do not allow content or conduct that attacks, humiliates, stereotypes, dehumanises, excludes, or threatens someone because of who they are or are perceived to be. This includes, for example:

• race, colour, ethnic or social origin, nationality, or migration background
• language or accent
• religion, belief, or non-belief
• sex, gender, gender identity, or gender expression
• sexual orientation
• disability, health condition, or neurodivergence
• age
• personal background or social status

This applies to messages, profile text, usernames, jokes, "ironic" comments, slurs, memes, symbols, repeated stereotypes, and behaviour that creates a hostile environment even if the person posting it claims they were "just joking."

4. No harassment, bullying, or intimidation

Do not harass other users. We do not allow bullying, intimidation, threats, repeated unwanted contact, stalking, dogpiling, shaming, sexual harassment, coercion, or any behaviour meant to make another person feel unsafe, trapped, or unwelcome.

This includes:

• repeated messaging after someone has asked you to stop
• insulting or mocking someone's identity, appearance, religion, accent, or background
• pressuring someone into meetings, calls, or sharing personal information
• unwanted sexual comments, flirting, or explicit content
• threatening language, including indirect threats
• attempting to embarrass, expose, or punish someone for setting boundaries

If someone says no, does not respond, or asks for distance, respect that.

5. Respect identity and personal boundaries

Use the name and identity a person gives you. If someone shares their pronouns, respect them. Do not mock, challenge, or debate another person's identity.

Do not "out" someone. Do not disclose another person's sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, migration status, personal history, or other sensitive information without their clear permission.

Be mindful that students come from different cultural and personal backgrounds. That is not a reason to stereotype or make assumptions. Ask respectfully, listen carefully, and do not treat difference as a problem to be corrected.

6. Be culturally aware and communicate with care

Buddyhere brings together students from different countries, languages, and social backgrounds. Misunderstandings can happen. What matters is how you respond to them. We expect users to communicate with patience and good faith. That means:

• do not jump to conclusions
• do not assume that your own norms are universal
• avoid stereotypes and cultural generalisations
• ask for clarification instead of escalating
• be open to learning and adjusting your behaviour
• remember that people may have different boundaries around time, space, communication style, humour, religion, food, dress, and physical contact

Intercultural exchange should be respectful, not intrusive.

7. Be honest and authentic

Provide accurate information about yourself, your university connection, and your intentions on the platform. Do not impersonate another person, create fake accounts, misrepresent your role, or pretend to be affiliated with a university, organisation, or programme when you are not.

Trust matters on Buddyhere. Dishonesty damages the whole community.

8. Protect privacy and personal data

Respect other people's privacy. Do not share another person's phone number, address, travel details, documents, social media profiles, or private messages without permission. Do not screenshot or redistribute private conversations in a harmful or exposing way.

Do not ask for more personal information than you genuinely need. If someone shares sensitive information with you, treat it carefully and do not use it against them.

If you are involved in matching, coordination, or programme support, you must handle personal data responsibly and confidentially.

9. No exploitation, scams, or abuse of trust

Buddyhere must not be used to exploit students who are new, stressed, isolated, or unfamiliar with the local system. We do not allow:

• scams or fraud
• asking for money under false pretences
• misleading users about housing, paperwork, jobs, or services
• pressuring someone to give access to money, documents, accounts, or accommodation
• using a buddy relationship for personal gain, manipulation, or dependency
• requesting sexual, romantic, financial, or personal favours in exchange for help

Support on Buddyhere must never be conditional on obedience, payment, intimacy, or gratitude.

10. Keep support appropriate

Buddies and mentors can offer practical guidance, local knowledge, and peer support. They are not expected to act as therapists, lawyers, doctors, immigration advisors, or emergency responders unless they are qualified and acting in an appropriate role outside the platform.

Do not present guesses as professional advice. If someone needs urgent legal, medical, psychological, or safety-related support, direct them to the appropriate university or public service.

11. In-person and off-platform safety

If you choose to meet in person, do so responsibly. We recommend that first meetings happen in public places and at a time that feels safe for both people. Respect schedules, personal space, and boundaries. Nobody is required to meet in person, share transport, host someone, lend money, or provide accommodation.

If a connection made through Buddyhere moves to another app or into offline contact, these guidelines still apply to behaviour connected to the platform relationship.

12. No spam, commercial misuse, or unrelated promotion

Buddyhere is not a marketplace and not a spam channel. Do not use the platform to send repetitive messages, mass promotions, referral schemes, recruitment pitches, political propaganda, or unrelated advertising. Do not use student support spaces to sell services or collect leads.

13. Content that is not allowed

The following are not allowed on Buddyhere:

• hate speech or discriminatory content
• harassment or bullying
• explicit sexual content or sexually aggressive behaviour
• violent threats or encouragement of violence
• scams, fraud, or impersonation
• disclosure of private information
• coercive or manipulative behaviour
• spam, fake engagement, or unrelated promotion
• content that encourages self-harm, abuse, or dangerous conduct

14. Reporting problems

If you experience something unsafe, discriminatory, abusive, or inappropriate, please report it. You can contact us at: info@buddyhere.de

When reporting an issue, include as much detail as you can, such as:

• the name or profile of the user involved
• what happened
• when it happened
• screenshots or other relevant evidence, if available

We will review reports carefully and aim to respond in a fair, timely, and respectful way.

15. How we respond

If someone breaks these guidelines, Buddyhere may take action. Depending on the situation, that may include:

• a warning
• content removal
• temporary account restriction
• suspension from messaging or matching
• permanent removal from the platform
• referral to a university coordinator or relevant authority, where appropriate

Severe cases, including threats, hate speech, harassment, fraud, or targeted abuse, may lead to immediate action without prior warning.

16. A shared responsibility

Creating a respectful community is not only the job of moderators. It depends on how people treat one another every day.

Buddyhere is built on the idea that students can help students. That only works when support is given freely, respectfully, and without prejudice. We expect everyone who joins Buddyhere to help make the platform safer, kinder, and more inclusive for others.

If you feel unsafe or believe someone is in immediate danger, contact us at help@buddyhere.de or the relevant university support office immediately.