Community Guidelines
Last updated: March 4, 2026
YBuffet exists to make the startup journey less lonely and more efficient. We built this platform so builders can find what they need, providers can reach the customers who actually need them, and investors can discover teams worth backing. None of that works without trust.
These Guidelines apply to everyone on the Platform, across all features including the forum, service marketplace, company profiles, and Showcase livestreams. Violations may result in content removal, feature restrictions, account suspension, or permanent termination, depending on severity. We enforce these rules consistently and without exceptions for account size or status.
Part A: Standards That Apply to Every User
A1. Represent Yourself Honestly
The entire value of YBuffet depends on people being who they say they are. This means:
Your profile, credentials, service descriptions, and company information must be accurate and kept up to date
You may not claim qualifications, certifications, licenses, or experience you do not hold
You may not impersonate another person, business, or brand
You may not create multiple accounts to inflate your reputation, circumvent enforcement actions, or gain an unfair advantage in search or recommendations
Conflict of interest must be disclosed: if you review, refer, or recommend someone you have a financial or personal relationship with, say so
A2. Keep Interactions Professional and Safe
YBuffet connects strangers in a professional context. The bar for how you treat others reflects that:
Communicate with other users in good faith, even in disagreement
You must not threaten, intimidate, or attempt to coerce any user, whether on or off the Platform
You must not publish private information about another user without their explicit consent, including home address, phone number, employer, or financial details
You must not send unsolicited sexual messages or make sexual requests of any user
You must not engage in persistent unwanted contact after a user has asked you to stop
You must not attempt to harm another user’s reputation through fabricated claims, fake reviews, or coordinated attacks
You must not mock or exploit users who have experienced personal tragedy, illness, or hardship
A3. Post Content That Belongs Here
YBuffet is a professional platform for builders and the ecosystem around them. Content must fit that context:
Posts, listings, forum threads, and messages must be relevant to the context in which they appear
Self-promotion is welcome in designated areas; it is not welcome flooding community threads or other users’ inboxes
You must not post spam, repetitive content, or low-effort filler designed to game visibility or search
Content must not contain false or misleading factual claims about any person, company, product, or service
You must not post content that violates any third party's copyright, trademark, or other intellectual property rights (see our IP Policy)
You must not post or transmit malware, phishing links, or any content designed to compromise the security of other users or the Platform
When posting in public forum features, including urgent-need posts such as Hair on Fire, we strongly recommend using YBuffet’s platform messaging to share contact details rather than including personal phone numbers or emails in public posts. Business contact information for service providers that has been publicly listed elsewhere may be referenced, but posting another person’s private or personal contact information without their knowledge remains a violation of these Guidelines.
State-specific notice: Users in certain states face additional civil or criminal liability for how they post third-party personal information, independent of what YBuffet permits. For example, California (AB 1979, effective January 1, 2025) allows doxxing victims to sue perpetrators for up to $30,000 in damages; Texas (Penal Code §42.074) makes it a criminal offense to post another person’s address or phone number online with intent to cause harm; and Illinois and Alabama have enacted standalone doxxing statutes. As of 2025, over 17 states have laws addressing the online publication of personal information. You are solely responsible for ensuring your posts comply with the laws of your state and the state of any person whose information you reference.
A4. Content That Is Never Permitted
Regardless of context or stated purpose, the following content is prohibited on YBuffet and will result in immediate removal and likely account termination:
Content that sexualizes or exploits minors in any way
Content that incites, threatens, or glorifies violence against any specific person or group
Content promoting or produced by violent extremist organizations, terrorist groups, or hate movements
Content that promotes, facilitates, or instructs on illegal activity
Sexually explicit content of any kind
Content that demeans people on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or other protected characteristics
Counterfeit goods, fraudulent documents, or misrepresented credentials of any kind
Content that invades user privacy or facilitates surveillance of individuals without consent
A5. Protecting Your Own Wellbeing
We care about the people on this platform, not just the transactions:
You must not post content that promotes, glorifies, or provides instructions for self-harm or suicide
You must not use the Platform in ways that encourage unhealthy or dangerous relationships with work, money, or health
If you encounter content that concerns you about another user’s safety, please report it. We take these reports seriously
A6. Using AI-Generated Content
AI tools are useful. Misrepresenting AI output as something it is not is not:
You may use AI tools to assist in writing listings, posts, messages, and other content
You must not represent AI-generated content as human-authored in contexts where that distinction is material, such as professional credentials, portfolio work, client testimonials, or expert advice
You are fully responsible for any AI-generated content you post, including ensuring it is accurate, does not infringe third-party rights, and complies with these Guidelines
Part B: Additional Standards for Service Providers
B1. Your Listing Is a Promise
When a builder engages your services based on your listing, your listing is the contract. Standards that follow from that:
Every service listing must accurately describe what you deliver, what you charge, how long it takes, and any limitations or exclusions
You must update your listings promptly when your availability, pricing, or scope changes
You must not list services you are not qualified, licensed, or legally permitted to provide
You must not post listings as bait for off-platform solicitation or to circumvent Platform fees
B2. Deliver What You Promise
Reputation on YBuffet is built one engagement at a time:
You must deliver services substantially as described in your listing and as agreed with the customer
If circumstances prevent delivery, notify the customer promptly and arrange a resolution
You must not sub-contract work to third parties without the customer’s prior written consent
You must not request or accept payment outside the Platform’s designated payment systems
B3. Reviews Are Sacred
Reviews are the trust infrastructure of the marketplace. Interfering with them undermines the entire platform:
You must not offer any incentive in exchange for a positive review
You must not threaten, pressure, or retaliate against users who leave negative reviews
You must not solicit, post, or arrange fake reviews from any source
You may respond to reviews through the Platform in a professional manner
Part C: Additional Standards for Showcase and Livestream Users
C1. What You Do Off-Platform Matters Here Too
Showcase hosts, livestreamers, and users with large follower counts on YBuffet carry additional responsibility because their conduct shapes how the entire community is perceived. Accordingly:
Behavior off the Platform that involves harm to others, criminal activity, exploitation, or conduct that would violate these Guidelines on the Platform may result in enforcement action on YBuffet
This is not about policing your personal life. It is about protecting the community of builders and investors who trust YBuffet to maintain a high-quality, safe environment
C2. Investment Livestreams Carry Extra Obligations
When you use Showcase features to present your company to potential investors:
All financial figures, projections, and valuation claims must be identified as estimates or forward-looking statements, not guarantees
You must not make false or materially misleading statements about your business, product, team, or financial position
You must disclose any material conflicts of interest or related-party relationships relevant to the investment opportunity
See our Sponsored Content Policy for full disclosure requirements
Reporting, Enforcement, and Appeals
How to Report
Use the in-platform report button on any post, listing, or profile, or email us at grow@ybuffet.com. Reports are reviewed by our team. Submitting a knowingly false or bad-faith report is itself a violation of these Guidelines and may result in enforcement action against your account.
How We Enforce
We calibrate enforcement to the nature and severity of the violation:
Minor or first-time violations: warning issued, content removed
Repeated or moderate violations: temporary suspension of specific features (e.g., posting, messaging, listings)
Serious violations involving fraud, harassment, hate content, or illegal activity: immediate permanent account termination without warning
Enforcement decisions are made at YBuffet’s sole discretion. We do not guarantee identical outcomes across similar cases, as context matters.
How to Appeal
If you believe an enforcement action was applied in error, email grow@ybuffet.com within 30 days of the action with your account details and a clear explanation of why you believe the decision was incorrect. We will review your appeal and respond within a reasonable timeframe. Appeal decisions are final.