House rules
nearby is an anonymous board for the people around you. Anonymity only works if it isn’t used to hurt anyone, so these rules are strict and we enforce them.
Who can use nearby
You must be 18 or older. nearby isn’t meant for schools or for anyone under 18.
Not allowed
| Rule | What it means |
|---|---|
| Private people | Don’t name, describe, photograph-by-words or hint at the identity of a private person: no “the guy in the red jacket on floor 3”, no rumours about a named neighbour, classmate, colleague or ex. |
| Harassment | No bullying, insults aimed at someone, pile-ons or calls to target anyone. |
| Threats and violence | No threats, encouragement of violence, or glorifying it. Real threats are reported to the authorities. |
| Hate | No attacks on people for race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, caste, sexual orientation, sex, gender identity, disability or serious illness. |
| Sexual content | No sexual content or solicitation. Nothing that sexualises minors, ever. |
| Illegal activity | No buying, selling or arranging drugs, weapons or anything else illegal. |
| Personal details | No phone numbers, emails, social handles, addresses or plate numbers, yours or anyone else’s. |
| Spam and links | No links, ads, repeated posts or promotions. (Organisers can share event info as plain text.) |
| Self-harm | No encouragement of self-harm or suicide. If you’re struggling, findahelpline.com lists free, confidential lines in your country. |
How moderation works
- Before posting: every post and place name is checked automatically, first for links and contact details, then by an AI safety filter. Posts that clearly break a rule are not published, and you’re told which rule.
- Reports: anyone can report a post. A post is hidden as soon as it gets three reports (two if it is reported for targeting a private person).
- Review: hidden posts are kept for up to 7 days so a moderator can review them, then deleted. A moderator can restore a post or remove it and block the device and network it came from.
- Limits: posting is rate-limited per device, per network and per block, so one person can’t flood an area.
If something is serious
If someone is in immediate danger, contact your local emergency number first. For a threat or a post about you that we need to act on fast, email hello@steele.app with the post link (use Share on the post).
Last updated 10 November 2026.