Last updated: July 13, 2025
At Walkmates, the safety of our users is our highest priority. We are committed to preventing child exploitation and maintaining a safe, trusted platform for everyone who loves the outdoors. As part of our responsibilities under the Google Play Child Safety Standards policy, we have adopted the following principles and practices.
1. Zero Tolerance for Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation
Walkmates has a strict zero-tolerance policy towards any form of child sexual abuse, exploitation, or grooming. This includes both real-world behaviour and any digital content uploaded to the platform, such as images, messages, or comments.
We actively monitor, detect, and remove any content that violates these principles. Any user found to be in breach of this policy will be immediately banned and reported to relevant authorities.
2. Reporting and User Feedback Mechanisms
All users can report any profile, message, image, or walk listing that they believe violates our standards. Reports are reviewed quickly and prioritised based on severity.
To report a concern:
- Tap the "Report" icon next to the content in question.
- Choose a reason and optionally provide more context.
- Reports are anonymised and securely logged for moderation.
Additionally, our app features:
- A clear "Give Feedback" option in the settings menu.
- An email support channel at [email protected].
3. Detection and Removal of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM)
Walkmates actively scans for known CSAM using industry-standard hash matching tools and moderation AI. Our content pipeline is protected by layers of automated filters and human oversight.
We cooperate fully with law enforcement and appropriate child protection organisations when CSAM is detected or reported.
4. Compliance with Child Safety Laws
Walkmates complies with all applicable UK laws and international frameworks concerning online safety and child protection, including:
- The UK Online Safety Act
- The Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) (where applicable)
- GDPR-K for data protection involving minors
Although Walkmates is designed for adult users, we take every step to ensure the platform is not misused by or against minors.
5. Designated Child Safety Point of Contact
Walkmates has appointed a dedicated Child Safety Officer to oversee our child protection efforts and act as a direct point of contact for any related concerns.
- Name: Child Safety Compliance Team
- Email: [email protected]
- Response time: Within 48 hours
6. Platform Scope
Walkmates is a social walking platform for adults. It is not intended for users under the age of 18, and our onboarding and content policies reflect this. We take an reports of misuse or age misrepresentation seriously.
7. Use of Third-Party Safety Tools
We make use of modern cloud infrastructure (including Cloudflare) that performs illegal content checks at the network level, helping to prevent the distribution of harmful or unlawful material, including CSAM.
Continuous Improvement
We review our safety policies regularly and update them as needed to reflect new threats, technology, and regulation. We also reference guidance from the Tech Coalition and other industry partners to stay ahead of risks.
If you have questions about this policy or need to report something urgent, please contact us at [email protected].