Community Guidelines — Ask Around
Last updated: June 17, 2026
Ask Around exists to help people connect with others nearby for genuine, everyday needs. Whether you are asking for help or offering it, these guidelines exist to make sure the platform stays safe, respectful, and useful for everyone.
By using Ask Around, you agree to follow these guidelines. Violating them can result in your account being suspended or permanently banned.
1. The Spirit of Ask Around
Ask Around is built on a simple idea — neighbours helping neighbours. The app works because people are willing to extend a little trust to those around them. That trust is fragile. Every user is responsible for protecting it by being honest, respectful, and safe in how they use the platform.
We are a community of adults (18+). We expect every member to act accordingly.
2. What Ask Around Is For
Ask Around is for genuine, local requests where someone needs a hand. The following types of requests are welcome:
- Errands and delivery — picking up groceries, dropping off a package, collecting something from a nearby store
- Physical help — moving furniture, heavy lifting, assembling something, minor repairs
- Skill-based help — tech support, tutoring, translation, directions, advice in a field you know
- Companionship — accompanying someone to a hospital, walking with someone who feels unsafe, being present for someone who needs company
- Borrowing items — lending tools, equipment, or everyday objects to someone nearby
If your request does not fit any of these and you are unsure whether it is appropriate, ask yourself: Would I be comfortable if Ask Around reviewed this request? If the answer is no, do not post it.
3. Special Rules for Borrowing and Lending
Borrowing is allowed on Ask Around, but it comes with specific responsibilities for both parties.
If you are lending something:
- You lend at your own risk. Ask Around is not responsible for damage, loss, or theft of any item
- Before handing over anything of value, ask to see and note down a government-issued photo ID (Aadhaar, driving licence, passport) — this is your primary protection against theft
- Do not lend items whose loss or damage would cause you significant financial harm to someone you have not verified
- Take photos of the item before handing it over as a record of its condition
If you are borrowing something:
- You are fully responsible for the item from the moment you receive it until it is returned in its original condition
- Damage, loss, or failure to return an item is a violation of these guidelines and may result in a ban
- Be honest about the purpose for which you need the item
Both parties should agree in writing (via chat) on the condition, return date, and any compensation for damage before the item changes hands.
4. How to Treat Each Other
Ask Around is a space for respectful, practical interaction. Whether you are a requester or a helper, treat the other person the way you would want to be treated.
In chats:
- Be clear, polite, and direct about what you need or can offer
- Respond in a reasonable time if you have shown interest in a request
- If you decide not to help or are no longer interested, let the other person know — do not just disappear
In person:
- Be on time and follow through on what you agreed to
- If something changes and you can no longer help or be helped, communicate early
- Respect the other person's personal space, boundaries, and property
5. What Is Not Allowed — Requests
The following types of requests are strictly prohibited:
- Anything illegal — requests involving drugs, weapons, theft, trespassing, fraud, or any activity that violates Indian law
- Anything sexual — escort-type requests, solicitation, explicit content, or requests framed as companionship but intended for sexual purposes
- Requests designed to deceive — posting a fake request to lure someone to a location, collect their contact details, or extract money under false pretences
- Requests that endanger others — asking someone to do something that puts them or others at physical or financial risk
- Spam or commercial advertising — posting requests to promote a business, product, or service rather than for a genuine personal need
- Fake emergencies — misusing the emergency feature for anything other than a real, immediate safety situation
6. What Is Not Allowed — Chat Behaviour
The chat feature exists for users to coordinate on a request. The following behaviours are not tolerated in chat:
- Hate speech or slurs — language that demeans someone based on their religion, caste, gender, race, ethnicity, disability, or any other characteristic
- Sexual or flirtatious messages — unsolicited advances, explicit language, or attempts to turn a practical conversation into a personal one
- Threats or abusive language — intimidation, bullying, aggressive demands, or any language intended to make the other person feel unsafe
- Spamming — sending repetitive messages, flooding someone's inbox, or continuing to message after the other person has made clear they are not interested
7. Profiles — Be Honest
Your profile is how other users decide whether to trust you. A dishonest profile puts others at risk.
- Use your real name when signing up
- If you fill in optional fields (age, gender, bio, Instagram, LinkedIn), make sure they are accurate
- Do not use someone else's identity, photos, or social media links
- Do not create a profile designed to appear more trustworthy than you are
We do not verify profile information, but users who are found to have provided false profile information to deceive others will be banned.
8. Protecting Yourself and Others
These guidelines exist alongside our [Safety and Scam Policy](SAFETY_AND_SCAM_POLICY.md), which covers scam types and protective steps in detail. In summary:
- Always check someone's profile before agreeing to meet or share information
- Never share your home address, bank details, UPI PIN, or OTP with anyone through the app
- Share your location and contact number only when you are comfortable doing so
- Meet in a public place for a first in-person interaction
- Tell someone you trust where you are going and who you are meeting
9. Using the Emergency Feature Responsibly
The emergency feature is a serious tool for genuine personal safety situations. When you post an emergency:
- Your location is shared with nearby users
- You are asking real people to come to your aid
Use it only if you are in genuine immediate danger.
Misuse — including pranks, tests, or exaggerated situations — puts real helpers at risk, undermines trust in the feature, and will result in immediate account termination.
10. Enforcement
We review every report personally. When a user is found to have violated these guidelines:
- Their account may be suspended while we investigate
- Confirmed violations result in a permanent ban
- What happens to their existing requests and chat history is determined case by case based on the severity of the violation
- We do not warn users who have committed serious violations before banning them
We reserve the right to remove any content or account that we believe violates these guidelines or puts users at risk, even if no formal report has been made.
11. How to Report a Violation
If you see a request, message, or user that violates these guidelines:
- In the app — use the report option on any request
- Block the user — use the block feature in any chat to immediately stop contact
- Email us — siddusiddharth630@gmail.com with details of what happened, including screenshots if possible
The more detail you provide, the faster we can act. We aim to respond to all reports within 72 hours.
12. A Note on Borrowed Trust
Every person you interact with on Ask Around is a stranger. The app gives you tools to learn more about them — their profile, their bio, their social links — but the decision to trust someone is yours. We urge you to use those tools, check profiles thoroughly, and proceed carefully. A completed profile is a good sign. An empty one is reason to pause.
Ask Around works best when everyone uses it honestly. Help us keep it that way.
Siddharth Chaula
Email: siddusiddharth630@gmail.com