To use the CrowdGuard app you must agree to these simple rules which help to make the environment a safer place for us all:
Respect others and provide help
By joining CrowdGuard you pledge to intervene if someone is assaulted. Even though we show you the relationship degree, affiliated communities and the username of the person requesting help – aim to help strangers as well. If we establish helping as the new standard this will inspire others and make everyone’s life better and safer.
Only invite and vet for friends you trust
If you are asked to vet for a person you don’t trust, be honest about it. As a CrowdGuard user you are also a gatekeeper of our trust community. Do not trust any stranger because of friendly acts or appropriate looks. Trust only develops over time. If a person you trust is abusive, it’s not your fault. People can be taken advantage off. If you know with whom you enjoy, you lower the risk that people can take advantage of you.
Flag and report abusive or unhelpful behaviour
As a community gatekeeper you can and should enforce our standards as defined in the community rules and mission statement.
Don’t engage in victim-blaming
The blame always lies with the assaulter, and never with the assaulted person. Don’t resort to blaming survivors for what they wore, or where and when they were. Place and time may indicate what is culturally appropriate, e.g.: wearing a costume to a costume part, or not to drink alcohol at a temple. Yet it’s never appropriate to deny help to others because of such judgements or to support sexual and gender based violence, harassment or rape.
Have a clear and alert mind
You need to be alert to notice dangers early and to intervene correctly and effectively. If you are intoxicated make sure you have a sober friend in your company (before you get intoxicated!) and put the app into stealth mode, or at least think twice about responding to a help request – as you might risk your own safety or intervene inappropriately. Also, be careful when crossing streets while operating the app. We don’t want that you suddenly disappear, as in this magic trick.
Don’t raise false alarms
If it happens by accident, give an all-clear as soon as possible, and ask for forgiveness from the helpers who joined the event. To try out the CrowdGuard event mode without raising a false alarm we provide you with a demo event mode which you can play as many times as you want.
Don’t take justice into your hands
As a CrowdGuard you make a complimentary contribution to the work of police and justice. We differentiate clearly between civil courage and vigilantism. As citizens we have no responsibility, duty or right to execute any punishment! We respect the state monopoly on violence, which clearly rests with the police. If bystanders turn into a mob – remember them that it’s the police’s responsibility, and step back.
Remember that there are many things you can do to prevent sexual and gender based violence
Step in as soon as possible, join-a-crowd and intervene together, deflect perpetrators, inform the police and record a witness statement if the assault is too dangerous to de-escalate, and attend post-care to help survivors get back to normal life after an incident has struck them.
These community rules are one part of several policies that all users must abide by when using CrowdGuard, including the Terms of Service and the Privacy Policy.