Community Guidelines

Keep Pickup fun, safe, and welcoming for everyone

Pickup is built on the idea that sports bring people together. These guidelines help us maintain a community where everyone feels welcome to show up, play, and make friends. Break these rules and you'll be removed - no warnings, no second chances.

The Golden Rule

Don't be a jerk. If you wouldn't say or do it on the court in front of everyone's parents, don't do it on Pickup.

Prohibited Behavior

The following will get you permanently banned:

Harassment & Bullying

  • Targeting someone repeatedly with negative comments
  • Coordinating with others to exclude or gang up on someone
  • Personal attacks, insults, or name-calling
  • Threatening language or behavior

Hate Speech

  • Slurs or derogatory language based on race, religion, gender, sexuality, disability, or any protected characteristic
  • Symbols, images, or references to hate groups
  • Promoting discrimination or violence against any group

Sexual Content & Harassment

  • Unwanted sexual advances or flirtation
  • Sexual or suggestive messages, images, or profile content
  • Sharing intimate images without consent
  • Any content involving minors in a sexual context

Violence & Threats

  • Threats of physical harm to anyone
  • Encouraging or promoting violence
  • Graphic violent content or imagery
  • Glorifying self-harm or suicide

Spam & Scams

  • Promoting products, services, or businesses
  • Posting the same message repeatedly
  • Sending unsolicited messages to multiple users
  • Phishing attempts or scam links

Impersonation & Fake Accounts

  • Pretending to be someone else
  • Creating multiple accounts to evade bans
  • Using someone else's photos or information

Inappropriate Content

  • Excessive profanity in game titles or profiles
  • Gross, shocking, or disturbing content
  • Drug promotion or illegal activity

Game Etiquette

Show Up or Cancel

If you RSVP to a game, show up. If you can't make it, cancel at least 2 hours before so others can plan accordingly. Serial no-shows will be flagged.

Respect Skill Levels

Don't join beginner games to dominate. Don't trash talk recreational players. Everyone started somewhere.

Keep It Competitive, Not Toxic

Trash talk is fine. Being mean isn't. There's a difference between "nice try" and making someone feel unwelcome.

Respect the Park

Clean up after yourself. Don't monopolize courts. Be cool to non-Pickup players at the park.

How We Enforce These Rules

We use a combination of AI moderation and human review:

AI Content Moderation

Every message, profile, and game description is checked anonymously by OpenAI's moderation API before it's posted. Content that violates our guidelines is blocked automatically.

User Reports

When you report someone, we actually review it. Severe violations trigger immediate automatic reports that we prioritize.

Consequences

Minor violations: Warning + content removal
Moderate violations: 7-30 day suspension
Severe violations: Permanent ban, no appeals

No Second Chances for Serious Stuff

Hate speech, threats, sexual harassment, or anything involving minors results in immediate permanent bans. We don't care about your intent or your apology.

How to Report Violations

Every user profile, message, and game has a report button. Use it. We review every report. You can report for:

  • Harassment: Targeting, bullying, or threatening behavior
  • Hate Speech: Discrimination, slurs, or hate group content
  • Inappropriate Content: Sexual, violent, or disturbing content
  • Spam: Promotional content or repetitive messages
  • Impersonation: Fake accounts or stolen identity
  • Self-Harm: Threats of suicide or self-injury
  • Other: Anything else that violates these guidelines

Personal Safety Tips

We moderate the app, but you're responsible for your own safety:

  • Meet in public places (parks are perfect for this)
  • Tell someone where you're going
  • Trust your instincts - if something feels off, leave
  • Don't share personal information too quickly
  • Report concerning behavior immediately

Questions?

These guidelines are a living document. If you have questions or suggestions, contact us. Let's build a community we all want to be part of.