Arete Community Guidelines

Last updated: January 21st, 2026

Introduction

Arete is a dating platform designed for meaningful, respectful, and consensual connections. We are home to people of many genders, sexual orientations, cultures, bodies, abilities, and lived experiences.

These Community Guidelines exist to do more than set rules. They exist to actively protect our community, especially those who are most often harmed, excluded, or exploited in dating spaces.

By using Arete, you agree to follow these Community Guidelines alongside our Terms of Service. Violations may result in moderation action, including removal from the platform.

Our Values

Arete is guided by the following principles:

• Consent is fundamental and non-negotiable
• Everyone deserves dignity, safety, and respect
• Marginalized communities deserve active protection, not neutrality
• Attraction, desire, or curiosity never justify harm, coercion, or abuse
• Boundaries must be respected—always

We do not tolerate behavior that undermines these values, even when it is framed as humor, preference, or "just being honest."

Our Moderation Philosophy

Arete's moderation is guided by care, accountability, and harm prevention.

• We prioritize user safety over engagement
• We take reports seriously, especially patterns of behavior
• We consider context, power dynamics, and impact, not just intent

These Guidelines are a living document and may evolve as our community grows.

Possible moderation actions include:

• Content removal
• Warnings or temporary restrictions
• Account suspension
• Permanent account removal

We reserve the right to act immediately in cases involving safety risks, illegal activity, exploitation, or serious harm.

Users may appeal moderation decisions through the app or by contacting support@arete.dating.

Behavior Standards

Harassment & Abuse

Harassment has no place on Arete.

The following behaviors are not allowed:

• Harassment, threats, or intimidation
• Hate speech, slurs, or degrading language
• Coordinated harassment or dogpiling
• Repeated unwanted messages after rejection
• Telling someone to harm themselves
• Sexual harassment or objectification

Rejection is a complete sentence.
If someone is not interested, that boundary must be respected immediately.

Discrimination & Hate

Arete has zero tolerance for discrimination or hate based on:

• Race or ethnicity
• Nationality or immigration status
• Religion or belief
• Gender, gender identity, or gender expression
• Sexual orientation
• Disability or neurodivergence
• Body size or appearance
• Health status (including HIV status)

This includes so-called "preferences" expressed in demeaning, exclusionary, or hostile ways. Attraction does not excuse dehumanization.

Consent & Sexual Conduct

Consent is central to dating—and central to Arete.

Not Allowed:

• Sending sexual content without clear, affirmative consent
• Non-consensual nudity or sexual images
• Sexual content involving coercion, pressure, manipulation, or intoxication
• Sharing intimate images of another person without consent
• Threatening to share intimate images ("revenge porn")
• Fetishizing identities without consent

Consent:

• Must be freely given
• Must be ongoing
• Can be withdrawn at any time
• Must be respected immediately

Nudity & Sexual Content

Consensual adult discussions related to dating and relationships are allowed.

• Explicit sexual content may be restricted or removed to protect user safety
• Sexual content must never involve minors
• Arete is not a platform for pornography distribution

Minors & Age Restrictions

Arete is strictly for users 18 years or older.

Absolutely Prohibited:

• Any sexual content involving minors (real or fictional)
• Grooming, solicitation, or attempts to contact minors
• Roleplay involving minors
• Misrepresenting age

Any violation will result in immediate account removal and may be reported to relevant authorities.

Privacy & Safety

Respecting privacy is a core requirement of participation.

Not Allowed:

• Doxxing or sharing personal information without consent
• Sharing private messages, photos, or videos without permission
• Stalking, tracking, or monitoring other users
• Encouraging self-harm, suicide, eating disorders, or extreme dieting
• Coercive behavior, emotional manipulation, or isolation tactics

Respect boundaries—online and offline.

Solicitation, Prostitution & Exploitation

Arete does not allow solicitation or transactional sexual services within the app, regardless of local legality, to protect user safety and platform integrity.

Prohibited:

• Soliciting sex in exchange for money, gifts, housing, or services
• Promoting escorting, prostitution, or sugar arrangements
• Recruiting for sexual, romantic, or financial exploitation
• Romance scams or financial manipulation

This includes subtle, coded, or indirect language intended to bypass moderation.

Integrity & Authenticity

Trust is essential for meaningful connection.

Not Allowed:

• Impersonation of individuals or organizations
• Fake profiles or catfishing
• Misrepresenting age, identity, or relationship intentions
• Using Arete primarily for advertising or commercial purposes

Parody or roleplay profiles must be clearly disclosed.

Illegal & Harmful Activity

The following are strictly prohibited:

• Promoting or facilitating illegal activity
• Drug sales or trafficking
• Violence or threats of violence
• Instructions for self-harm or weapons
• Extremist or terrorist content

Where required by law, we may report illegal activity to relevant authorities.

Enforcement & Consequences

Violations of these Guidelines may result in:

• Content removal
• Account restrictions
• Temporary suspension
• Permanent removal from Arete

Severe violations may result in immediate termination without prior warning.

Reporting & Appeals

We rely on our community to help keep Arete safe.

Reporting

• Use in-app reporting tools whenever possible
• Reports may also be sent to: support@arete.dating

Appeals

• You may appeal moderation decisions through the app or by email
• Appeals are reviewed carefully
• Decisions may be final where safety is concerned

Updates to These Guidelines

These Community Guidelines may evolve as our community grows and our understanding deepens. Material changes will be communicated to users.

Contact

If you have questions or concerns about these Community Guidelines, contact us at:

support@arete.dating

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