Bibliofolk exists to connect readers through the books they love. Every
Shelfmate connection you make is with a real person who cares about
books as much as you do.
These guidelines exist to protect that experience for
everyone.
By using Bibliofolk, you agree to follow them.
What Bibliofolk Is For
Bibliofolk is a space for genuine literary connection. Conversations on
Bibliofolk should be rooted in books, reading, and the ideas that
stories open up. The best Shelfmate conversations are the ones you think
about after you close the app.
Bibliofolk is not a dating app. It is not a marketplace. It is not a
place to promote businesses, services, or yourself as a brand. It is a
place for readers to find each other.
What We Encourage
Share what you loved, what surprised you, what stayed with you. Ask
your Shelfmate what they thought. Disagree about endings. Recommend
what's next. Speak your mind, share your perspective, and respect
theirs.
You were matched with this person because you share literary taste.
Approach the conversation with genuine curiosity. Different
interpretations of the same book are worth hearing out.
Matches have a limited active window. There's no pressure to respond
immediately, but if you want to keep the conversation going, try to
reply within a few days. If you need more time to catch up on the
read, it's okay to let your Shelfmate know.
If something feels wrong, use the report button. You're helping keep
Bibliofolk safe not just for yourself but for every reader on the
platform.
What Is Not Allowed
Sending threatening, intimidating, or persistently unwanted messages.
Targeting a user with repeated negative contact after they have
disengaged. Any behavior intended to make another user feel unsafe.
Content that attacks, demeans, or dehumanizes individuals or groups
based on race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, gender, sexual
orientation, disability, or any other characteristic. Slurs of any
kind.
Sending sexually explicit or suggestive content of any kind. Using
Bibliofolk to solicit sexual contact, send unsolicited sexual
messages, or arrange sexual encounters.
Sending unsolicited promotional messages, affiliate links, or
advertising of any kind. Creating accounts for the purpose of
marketing products, services, or social media accounts to other users.
Pretending to be someone you are not, including other Bibliofolk
users, public figures, or Heddle staff. Creating a false identity for
the purpose of deceiving other users.
Sharing or requesting another user's personal information including
home address, phone number, workplace, or financial information. Do
not pressure any user to share personal details they have not
volunteered.
Creating multiple accounts, using automated tools to interact with the
Service, submitting false reports against other users, or any behavior
intended to manipulate or game the matching system.
Zero Tolerance
Immediate permanent ban — no warnings
The following violations result in immediate and permanent account
termination without prior warning. In serious cases we will refer
matters to law enforcement.
-
Sending sexually explicit content to any user, including unsolicited
explicit images or descriptions.
-
Any content that sexualizes minors in any form.
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Credible threats of physical violence against any person.
-
Sharing another person's private information without their consent
(doxxing).
-
Using Bibliofolk to coordinate harassment, stalking, or harm against
any individual on or off the platform.
How to Report a User
If another user violates these guidelines, you can report them directly
within the app:
-
Open the conversation or Shelfmate profile you want to
report.
-
Tap the three-dot menu (⋯) in the top right corner.
-
Select Report User and choose the reason that best
describes the violation.
- Optionally add a note describing what happened.
-
Submit. Your report is sent to our team for review.
You can also block a user at the same location. Blocked users cannot be
matched with you again and cannot contact you.
Reports are confidential. The user you report will not be told who filed
the report.
For urgent safety concerns, you can also email us directly at
[email protected].
How We Handle Reports
Every report we receive is reviewed by the Heddle team. We take reports
seriously and act on them. Depending on the severity of the violation,
we may:
- Issue a warning to the reported user.
- Temporarily suspend the reported user's account.
- Permanently terminate the reported user's account.
- Refer the matter to law enforcement where appropriate.
We aim to review reports within 72 hours. We may not be able to share
the outcome of a specific report with you, but all reports inform our
moderation actions.
Consequences for Violations
First violation — warning
For most first violations that are not zero-tolerance offenses, we will
issue a warning and explain what guideline was violated. The relevant
conversation may be removed.
Repeated or serious violations — suspension
Repeated violations or a single serious violation may result in a
temporary suspension ranging from 24 hours to 30 days. Suspended users
cannot access their account or matches during the suspension period.
Severe or repeat violations — permanent ban
Severe violations or a pattern of repeated offenses will result in
permanent account termination. Permanently banned users may not create
new accounts. Attempting to circumvent a ban by creating a new account
is itself a violation.
A Note on Difficult Conversations
Books tackle hard subjects — grief, trauma, injustice, violence, moral
complexity. Discussing these themes thoughtfully and respectfully is not
a violation of these guidelines. Literature exists to help us explore
what it means to be human, including the difficult parts.
What is never acceptable is using those themes as a vehicle to harm,
demean, or threaten another person. There is a clear difference between
a meaningful literary conversation about a novel's difficult content and
using that content to make someone feel unsafe or targeted. We trust our
community to know the difference, and we will act when the line is
crossed.
Updates to These Guidelines
We may update these guidelines as Bibliofolk grows. We will notify users
of material changes via the app. Continued use of Bibliofolk after
updated guidelines take effect constitutes acceptance of the changes.
Contact
Questions about these guidelines or concerns about a specific situation:
Heddle LLC
Email: [email protected]
Website: theheddle.com