gay.com member help.

gay.com takes complaints of harassment seriously. Please report any breach of our user agreement immediately.

To report harassment or content violations on gay.com, please be sure you are logged in then click the report abuse link at the bottom of each member's gay.com profile or use this form. Please note: You must be a gay.com member to report abuse.

When chatting, you may also report harassment clicking the Report Abuse link. Complete the online Violations Report form to report the problem to gay.com staff. Anyone using gay.com must comply with the gay.com User Agreement.

Please see the next question about using the Ignore function while chatting on gay.com. Additional guidelines and chat safety tips are available here.

If you do not want to be contacted by another member via gay.com chat, you can use gay.com's Ignore feature. If you're a Premium Member you can also Block a user.

Ignore: When you ignore another user, you will not see their incoming private message or any of their comments in group chat.

You can ignore someone in Group Chat or IM by clicking on the "Ignore" link on their mini-profile within Messenger, Group Chat or IM. You will not be able to see group chat messages posted from members you have ignored. You will also not receive any IMs from members you have ignored.

To un-ignore a member click the "Remove Ignore" link on that member's mini-profile within Messenger or Group Chat.

Your use of our websites and services constitutes your acceptance of the terms and conditions of the PlanetOut Inc Privacy Policy, of our User Agreement and of these Community Guidelines. You are responsible for reviewing and becoming familiar with all of these terms. As a participant in the PlanetOut Inc community, you agree to act in accordance with the guidelines that follow.

In exchange for your compliance with our guidelines, PlanetOut Inc's customer and member care team ("CMC") is committed to nurturing a respectful, fun and lawful environment where lively discussions of LGBT issues are celebrated and honored. Where appropriate, action will be taken against reported violations of this safe haven.

Individual PlanetOut Inc properties may or may not allow adult content, including adult photos. By signing up for any of our premium service(s) on our various properties, you are certifying that you are 18 years of age or older. Premium services are for adults only and may contain adult images or graphic language not suitable for youth.

Any member, 18 years of age or older, can upload adult photos to their profile, but only Premium Members can see them. If you do not identify an adult photo as being adult we will do it for you. However, failure to identify your photos as adult may result in deletion of the photo and some cases of your entire member account. You may also make an adult photo private if you want more control over who can see it. We reserve the right to determine which of your photos are adult, and to deny approval of photos that do not meet our guidelines. For example, adult photos will not be approved if they depict anyone who appears under 18 years of age, or sexual activities such as bestiality, masochism, sadism or abuse.

Depictions of the naked body, including individuals in sexual postures or activities and sexual engagements between or among individuals are considered adult. Every depiction that falls into this category must be identified as "adult" by you, the user. Failure to identify your photos as adult may result in deletion of the photo and some cases of your entire member account.

Member submissions that warrant further investigation and that are subject to immediate removal from the site include depictions or descriptions of violence, bestiality, incest, child pornography and any other objectionable violations of law or user safety. Depictions that fall into the category of unacceptable adult materials are ultimately subject to PlanetOut Inc's litmus test of violation, not the user's personal opinion. PlanetOut Inc reserves the right but is not obligated to remove any profile, including content and images, which we deem inappropriate for a particular site and its viewers.

PlanetOut Inc provides communities dedicated to providing a conversational safe haven - an online world where you can openly discuss the issues important to you. If you are new to the community, participating may be a scary proposition, but try it out. We encourage you to jump into the conversation and see what a friendly welcome you receive.

Just like any community, at our various PlanetOut Inc properties every member has a different way of approaching new people. If you are not the forward type, feel free to enter any of the chat rooms and look around, listen for a while. While we suspect you'll be chatting up a storm in no time, we want you to know it's okay to watch.

While PlanetOut Inc properties are a place to make friends and acquaintances, we encourage all members to act responsibly in choosing their offline interactions and in being conservative in the distribution of personal information, such as name, phone number and address. We cannot accept responsibility for what happens as a result of a connection made through PlanetOut Inc services. PlanetOut Inc does not conduct background checks or otherwise pre-screen members for criminal histories, mental illness, etc. For addition information please review our Safety Tips.

As we are dedicated to sharing the best of the PlanetOut Inc community with a broader audience, we may republish your words and/or image(s) across other segments of our properties and you grant us full rights to do so without restriction.

Expressions and/or threats of bigotry, hatred, harassment and abuse are not tolerated on the PlanetOut Inc network of properties. Bashers are subject to immediate removal from the site no matter the status of your membership.

This is your community and we encourage you to interact with each other respectfully, peacefully and thoughtfully and in accordance with the law. Below are a few things to keep in mind.

1. Welcome Newcomers. Remember what it was like to be new to the site.. When you see someone new, welcome them and show them around!

2. Don't Attack Each Other. Always "cease and report" when faced with a potential "flame" war. If another member writes or says something that offends or irritates you, think before responding! The CMC team is here to support you and we ask that you report the member to us, rather than engaging hostile people. We want to take appropriate action to keep a civil, courteous and lawful atmosphere here at PlanetOut Inc, but we need your help to do it.

While strong opinions and lively debate are welcome and encouraged, name-calling or personal attacks directed towards other members using our service is not allowed and violators will be subject to removal from the site. Please keep the conversation respectful of differing opinions and carefully consider your comments. We urge members to work out personal differences privately.

3. Keep It Kind. Hate speech is taken extremely seriously. It is a violation of our User Agreement and will not be tolerated. This type of communication subjects you to immediate and permanent suspension of membership privileges and/or termination of your account without any right of a refund. In addition, we respectfully request that you refrain from profane, defamatory, or communications that otherwise violate the User Agreement. If you feel another member is communicating in this fashion, tell us about it.

PlanetOut Inc asks that you refrain from using extremely explicit or vulgar language. We do allow discussion of sexual topics, but we ask that members refrain from using terms or words normally considered vulgar or rude.

Stating your opinion and observations about a subject is appropriate in a topical discussion. When stating a position as "fact," you should provide supporting documentation or a source for your position.

The time and energy of every member at PlanetOut Inc is valuable. We respectfully request that you refrain from repeatedly sending messages, or extending a single monologue, even with different ideas. In other words, let others into the conversation!

Members that post commercial advertisements, including webpages that redirect users to membership-based pay-per-use sites and escort services are subject to suspension of membership privileges, removal of content or removal from community areas. To pursue a partnership with PlanetOut Inc email us.

Posting offers for sale of products or services is not allowed in any part of our service with the exception of areas that we designate as "Local Scene." If you do offer for sale products or services, you must do so in the appropriate categories only.

A great deal of thought goes into the determination of topics and in the interest of the communities that gather in those given areas members are required to stick to the topic. Area names and titles specify the interests of those in that area. Please use these areas for the topics they were intended. Repeatedly straying off-topic may result in the suspension of membership privileges.

Information copyrighted by an individual or entity other than the author should never be posted or pasted within the PlanetOut Inc communities. In the event this does occur, the individual posting or pasting this information will be held responsible. PlanetOut Inc cannot accept responsibility for this type of unlawful communication. See our User Agreement and Legal Notice for more information.

The CMC team reserves the right but is not obligated to hide inappropriate comments, messages and/or image(s), suspend members and block select privileges, based on the standards set here and in our governing User Agreement. Above all, the CMC team has complete and sole discretion in determining if a member is complying with these guidelines or the User Agreement.

If you feel another member is violating these guidelines or the User Agreement or are uncertain whether you might be or will be in violation, do not hesitate to contact us to find out for sure. Remember, have fun!

We encourage gay.com visitors to exercise caution and common sense when using our services. Please follow these safety precautions to protect yourself:

• Do not share your personal phone numbers or home address while chatting.
• Do not share credit card or other sensitive financial information with others you meet online.
• When meeting another gay.com visitor for the first time, always arrange to meet in public, not a secluded place such as a motel or private home.
• If you have a mobile phone, take it with you. Most mobile phones are compatible with 911 (if 911 services are available in your area).
• Tell at least one friend where you are going, who you are meeting and when you expect to return. Contact that friend after your meeting or ask that friend to contact you at a predetermined time.
• Trust your instincts. If you feel unsure about a situation, excuse yourself and leave immediately.

While most of our members are friendly, some may deliberately try to annoy you and others while in Group Chat and IM. Remember, you have the option of ignoring another member's IM request or using the Block feature to stop all contact from a specific member.

Ignore: You can ignore someone in Group Chat or IM by clicking on the "Ignore" link on their mini-profile within Messenger, Group Chat or IM. You will not be able to see group chat messages posted from members you have ignored. You will also not receive any IMs from members you have ignored.

To un-ignore a member click the "Remove Ignore" link on that member's mini-profile within Messenger or Group Chat.

Block: To prevent someone from contacting you, you may use the "Block" function if you are a Premium member.

Navigate to the person's profile and select "Block from Contact" in the Action Center at the top of the page.

Please note that gay.com is not responsible for personal disputes or other consequences resulting from interaction among our members.