Introduction
Welcome to the WhatsApp Hubs – city-based community WhatsApp groups designed for local announcements and conversations. Each Hub is actively moderated by staff and monitored daily to ensure a safe, constructive environment for all members. By joining a Hub, you agree to abide by these terms of service and community guidelines, as well as WhatsApp’s own Terms of Service. These terms apply to every member and are intended to keep the Hubs useful and welcoming for everyone.
Community Structure and Purpose
Each city has its own WhatsApp Hub composed of one announcement channel and multiple chat groups. Every city’s Hub is an individual WhatsApp community, meaning only members of that city’s Hub receive its announcements and participate in its chats. The Hub’s structure is as follows:
Announcement Board (One-way Updates): A dedicated announcements group for important updates, news, and alerts relevant to the city. Only Hub admins/moderators can post in this board, ensuring that all members receive critical information without disruption. Members can read and, depending on settings, react or reply to these announcements, to keep it focused.
General Chat: A group for open, general discussion among community members. This is the place for everyday conversations, questions, local services recommendations, pet sitter shout outs and local topics that don’t fit into a specific category. Members should keep discussions civil and on local community subjects.
Marketplace Chat: A dedicated chat for buying, selling, and trading items or services within the community. Members can post classifieds, offers, or requests here (e.g. selling furniture, looking for a pet friendly apartment). All marketplace posts should remain within this chat so that the general chat isn’t overwhelmed with ads.
Professionals Chat: A group for professional networking and advice. Members can discuss jobs, business referrals, and career opportunities related to the city. For example, this chat is suitable for seeking recommendations for contractors or announcing a job opening at a local company.
Missing Pets Chat: A specialized group to post about lost and found pets in the area. Members can seek help locating a missing pet or share information about animals they have found. This chat helps the community rally quickly to reunite pets with their owners.
Every chat is intended for its specific purpose, and members are expected to post content in the appropriate group. Off-topic posts may be removed or redirected to maintain clarity. For instance, an item for sale should be posted in the Marketplace chat, not the General chat. This structure helps members stay informed (via announcements) while also engaging in focused conversations on various topics in the correct spaces.
Moderation and Monitoring
The WhatsApp Hubs are moderated by the Hub staff (administrators and appointed moderators) who oversee the community’s daily activities. Moderators monitor messages and member behavior every day to enforce the rules and keep discussions productive. All Hubs operate under a zero-tolerance policy for harmful or disruptive content – if content or behavior violates these guidelines, the moderators may intervene immediately. This can include deleting inappropriate messages and issuing warnings or removals. In fact, any hate speech, violent threats, pornography, or other harmful messages will be deleted as soon as possible to prevent exposure to the community.
Moderators have the ability to remove messages or media that break the rules, and they can remove or block members who engage in misconduct. Admins may remove members for breaching the rules of the group, especially if problems persist after warnings. Our team strives to apply rules consistently and fairly to all members. If you witness problematic content or behavior, we encourage you to report it to the Hub admins. Serious violations (for example, content that is illegal or poses a threat to someone’s safety) may also be reported to WhatsApp or to local authorities by the admins when appropriate. The safety of our community is our top priority, and the moderation approach reflects that commitment.
Eligibility and Age Restriction
The WhatsApp Hubs are intended for use by community members who meet certain eligibility requirements. All members must be at least 14 years old. This age restriction is in place to ensure a mature audience and protect younger individuals. (Note that WhatsApp’s own minimum age requirement is 13 in many regions, or higher in some countries; our community chooses to set the bar slightly higher at 14+ for added safety and compliance considerations.) If you are under 14, you are not permitted to join or participate in the Hubs. Members found to be underage will be removed. We ask that you truthfully represent your age when joining.
In addition, membership in a city’s Hub should generally correspond to a real connection with that city or community. The Hubs are organized by city to keep discussions locally relevant. We encourage you to join the Hub for your actual city of residence or interest. The Hub team may remove or redirect members who join the wrong city Hub without a legitimate reason. This helps maintain the integrity and relevance of each local community.
Finally, all members (including individuals representing businesses or organisations) must agree to follow these Terms and the Community Guidelines outlined here. You cannot participate in the Hub unless you have read and agreed to abide by these rules (see “Acceptance of Terms” below). By joining, you affirm that you meet the age requirement and will uphold the community standards.
Community Conduct Guidelines
To keep our WhatsApp Hubs respectful and enjoyable, we have clear community conduct guidelines. These rules apply across all city Hubs and all chat groups. Prohibited behaviors and content include:
Disrespect, Harassment or Hate Speech: Treat all members with respect. Any form of harassment, bullying, or personal attacks is forbidden. Do not use vulgar or abusive language, and absolutely no hate speech, racism, sexism, or other discriminatory content is allowed. Everyone should feel safe and welcome regardless of their background. Heated debates that turn personal or offensive are not allowed, and divisive topics (such as politics or religion) should be approached with extreme caution or avoided to maintain harmony.
Illegal or Inappropriate Content: Only share content that is legal and appropriate for a general audience. Do not share illegal material of any kind, and do not post any content that is violent, graphic, pornographic, or otherwise adult in nature. The Hubs must remain family-friendly and in line with the law. If it’s something you wouldn’t openly show in a public community space, it doesn’t belong in the WhatsApp Hub.
Spam and Repetitive Messaging: Avoid sending spam or flooding the chats. Do not send the same message repeatedly or copy-and-paste unwanted advertisements into multiple groups. Only send information that is helpful and relevant to the community conversation. Unsolicited bulk messages, chain letters, or automated bots are not permitted.
Off-Topic or Irrelevant Posts: Keep conversations on-topic as per each chat’s purpose. For example, marketplace listings belong in the Marketplace chat, and professional inquiries belong in the Professionals chat. Posting off-topic content in a chat (such as unrelated links, or personal promotions in the wrong channel) disrupts the community. Moderators may ask you to move such discussions to the appropriate place or remove the content. Consistently off-topic posts can be considered spam.
Unapproved Advertising or Self-Promotion: Blatant advertising or self-promotion is not allowed unless you are either a freelance pet or house sitter posting within the general chat about your availability or have prior approval through the Hub’s business promotion program (see “Business Participation” below). That means you should not use any group within he community to promote your business, product, event, social media profile or YouTube channel, etc., without permission. This rule keeps the chats free of unsolicited ads and ensures that any promotions are community-approved. Posting referral links or marketing content without admin consent will be treated as a violation.
Privacy Violations: Respect each other’s privacy. Do not share someone else’s personal contact information, address, or any private details without their permission. Remember that WhatsApp displays your phone number and profile to other members of the Hub, so do not misuse member contact information (for example, do not harvest phone numbers for marketing). Content shared within the group should generally stay within the group unless the author allows it Additionally, avoid taking screenshots of chat discussions and posting them publicly without consent. We strive to build trust in our community – violating privacy undermines that trust.
Misinformation and Scams: Do not spread false information, rumors, or engage in fraudulent schemes. Check your facts before sharing news that could be fake or misleading. Likewise, any attempt to scam or defraud members (through Marketplace transactions or otherwise) will result in immediate removal. If you’re unsure about information, label it accordingly or refrain from posting. We encourage members to politely correct misinformation with facts when it appears, or alert admins to egregious cases.
Safety and Legal Compliance: No content that encourages violence, self-harm, or any dangerous illegal activity is allowed. If you see someone promoting something that could harm others or themselves, report it to the admins. As community admins, we will remove any such content immediately and take appropriate action. This includes contacting WhatsApp or law enforcement if necessary for serious issues. Members should also ensure they comply with all applicable laws (for example, no transactions in banned substances, no sharing copyrighted material unlawfully, etc.) when using the Hub.
These guidelines are in place to keep the community safe, legal, and enjoyable. If you witness any member violating these rules, please notify a moderator or admin privately. Each member has a responsibility to help uphold these standards so that the Hub remains a positive space for everyone.
Business Participation and Promotion
Local businesses and professionals are welcome to join the WhatsApp Hubs as members of the community. We recognize that businesses can contribute useful services and information. However, to prevent spam and keep promotions fair, business advertising is only allowed in a controlled manner. Here are the terms for business participation:
No Unsolicited Ads: As noted above, businesses must not post advertisements or promotional messages in the chats on their own. In other words, if you represent a business, you cannot directly market your products/services in the Hub chats or announcement board without permission. Any unapproved advertising will be removed by moderators. This includes posting deals, “check out our website” messages, or any form of self-promotion (with the exception of independent pet sitters) outside the approved channels.
Broadcast Pack Promotion: The Hubs offer an official advertising program known as the “Broadcast Pack.” If a business wants to promote something to the community, they must purchase a Broadcast Pack and have the content approved by the Hub administrators. The Broadcast Pack is essentially a paid package that, once approved, allows a business to have its promotional message broadcast to the community (for example, via the Announcement Board or another designated channel at a scheduled time). This system ensures that promotions are limited, relevant, and not spam-like, and it helps support the Hub’s operations.
Approval Process: When a business buys a Broadcast Pack, their content will then immediately be reviewed by Hub staff. The Hub staff will check that the content meets community standards (no offensive language, truthful information, etc.) and is suitable for the members. The staff reserves the right to reject or request edits to any proposed advertisement that doesn’t align with the community guidelines or is not appropriate for our audience. Only after approval will the promotion be shared with the group. Businesses should plan ahead and submit their content in time for posting within the confirmed window.
Frequency and Volume: To maintain a good signal-to-noise ratio, the number of promotional broadcasts will be limited. We will not bombard the community with ads. Typically, a city’s announcement board will have at most a limited number of business broadcasts per day or week (the exact frequency may depend on the city and demand). Our goal is that members find value in any sponsored announcements and do not feel spammed.
Transparency: Any promotional post shared via the Announcement Broadcast Pack will be clearly identified (for instance, the admins might prefix the message with “Sponsored” or a similar tag). We believe in being transparent that a message is a paid promotion. Businesses are encouraged to offer community-specific deals or useful information in their broadcasts to engage members genuinely, rather than just pure advertising.
No Direct Selling in Chats: Other than through the approved broadcast announcements, businesses should use the Marketplace chat (for one-on-one selling of items) or General chat for pet sitting services just like any individual member would, without spamming. For example, if you own a local bakery, you can respond in the General chat if someone asks for “recommend a good bakery,” but you should not repeatedly post “Visit my bakery!” ads. Use common sense and follow moderators’ guidance on this.
By following these rules, businesses can participate constructively without detracting from the community experience. Members should not feel that joining a Hub results in being constantly advertised to any promotions will be infrequent, opt-in (by virtue of you remaining in the announcements group), and relevant. If you feel a business or individual is abusing the chats for promotion outside these terms, please inform the admins.
Enforcement of Rules
All members are expected to follow the above guidelines. The Hub moderators will enforce these rules to maintain the community’s quality. Violation of any rule can result in disciplinary action:
For minor first-time offenses, a private warning may be issued by an admin or moderator. They will remind the member of the relevant rule and ask them to correct their behavior. (For example, if someone inadvertently posts an ad in the general chat, a moderator might warn them and delete the message.)
The moderators may delete or remove any message that violates the rules without prior warning, especially if the content is clearly inappropriate or dangerous (such as hate speech or explicit content). Our moderators reserve the right to remove harmful content immediately in order to protect the community.
If a member repeatedly or seriously violates the guidelines, the admins will remove that member from the Hub. Members can be removed from the group for breaching the rules, particularly after warnings have been ignored or in the case of severe violations that threaten the community’s well-being. Removal (or “banning”) means the person will no longer have access to any of the Hub chats or announcements for that city. The admins will use their judgment on whether a removal is temporary (with a chance to rejoin after some time) or permanent. In most cases, repeat offenders or anyone causing harm will be removed permanently to maintain a positive environment.
In situations where a violation is extremely severe (for example, criminal activity, explicit illicit content, credible threats, etc.), the Hub staff may escalate the issue. This could include reporting the offending content or user to WhatsApp (through the app’s reporting features) or even notifying local law enforcement authorities if required by law or to prevent harm. We do not take such steps lightly, but they may be necessary for the most serious cases.
All moderation actions are taken at the discretion of the Hub admins. The administrators’ decisions are final in these matters. While we will listen to member feedback and strive for fairness, we ultimately must act in the best interest of the community as a whole. If you believe you were removed or disciplined unfairly, you may contact a Hub admin to discuss the issue, but please understand that protecting the community is our primary responsibility.
Acceptance of Terms
Joining any city’s WhatsApp Hub is completely voluntary, but it is conditioned on acceptance of these Terms and Guidelines. By joining, viewing, or posting in a Hub, you confirm that you agree to all rules and expectations described above, as well as any future updates to these terms. If you do not agree with these terms, please do not join the Hub (or immediately leave if you are already a member). Continuing to be a member of the Hub signifies your ongoing acceptance of the community’s rules.
We require all new members to read these terms carefully upon joining. The Hub moderators may periodically remind the community about key rules (especially if new issues arise or if the rules are updated). Ignorance of the rules is not an excuse for violating them. These Terms and Guidelines are posted for everyone’s reference.
Community Guidelines Agreement: Members may be asked to explicitly acknowledge the community guidelines (for example, by sending a message “I agree” or by simply remaining in the group which is considered implicit agreement). In any case, participation in the Hub implies consent to these guidelines. All members must adhere to the spirit of these rules, not just the letter. This ensures a friendly, respectful community for all.
Changes to Terms
The Hub administrators reserve the right to update or modify these Terms and Guidelines as needed to adapt to new situations or improve the community. If any significant changes are made, we will announce them via the Announcement Board so that all members are aware. It is each member’s responsibility to stay informed of the current rules. Continued participation in the Hubs after changes are announced constitutes acceptance of the new terms. If a member cannot accept a revised rule, they should leave the Hub to avoid potential conflict.
Our goal is to keep rule changes infrequent and only implement rules that truly benefit the community. Member feedback is welcome – if you have suggestions for improving these guidelines, feel free to reach out to an admin. We want the Terms and Guidelines to serve the community’s best interests and evolve as the community grows.
By fostering these rules and principles, the WhatsApp Hubs aim to create a vibrant yet well-organized space for local communities. We appreciate everyone’s cooperation in following these full terms. Thank you for being a part of the Hub, and for helping us maintain a supportive, informative, and enjoyable community for your city!
