Safety

Updated: January 31, 2022

• The safety of our users is one of our top priorities. Throughout our website, you will find helpful guides and advice on how to stay safe on Wink, as well as detailed information on what we are doing to keep our users safe.



• Our approach to safety
  • People from all over the world are making real, positive and valuable friendships on Wink, but we understand that sometimes things go wrong. In order to reduce the risk of anything going wrong, we proactively look out for our users and provide tools to help them deal with potential wrong-doings.
  • We work to make Wink safe through:
    • 1. The sign-up process
    • 2. Profile preferences
    • 3. Technological scanning & real-life moderation
    • 4. User reporting
  • Click here to check out our Safety Guide for Parents and our Safety Guide for Teens



• Parent guide https://getwinkapp.com/assets/ParentGuide.pdf



• Guide for teens https://getwinkapp.com/assets/WinkTeenGuide.pdf



• Our mission is to make Wink the world’s best place to make new friends. That mission, of course, includes doing our best to make sure that our Wink users feel safe.



• We take safety into consideration in the sign-up process, having profile preferences, using technological scanning & real-life moderation, and encouraging users to report anything that doesn’t look right. We are also continually working on improving our safety features.



• Sign-up process
  • Wink users must be at least age 13 to join. All photos uploaded by Wink users will be reviewed before making it onto the platform.



• Profile preferences
  • Users can change their Wink search preferences by clicking into their profile, settings, and then search preferences. Here, a user can choose the gender, country, and age range of their potential new friends.
  • Location information is restricted to the country only in order to protect our users.
  • Once a Wink user sets their search preferences, they will only turn up in search results from people that fall into those categories as well. This is to ensure that Wink users have control over who their profile is shown to. For example, if you want to see all people in your own country from ages 18-24, only people in your own country from ages 18-24 will see you.



• Technological scanning & real-life moderation
  • Sometimes technology makes mistakes, and sometimes humans do. That’s why we use both to help ensure the quality of content that is being uploaded to Wink. Our technological and real-life moderation solutions include:
    • Software that can detect inappropriate or dangerous images that are uploaded to any profile on Wink.
    • Technology that ensures a user’s first photo is of their face.
    • A 24/7 content moderation team that reviews profile images, bios, and user reports.
  • If a Wink user breaks any of our Community Guidelines, either our technology or the moderation team may handle it. This could result in the removal of content or banning of a user entirely. The Wink team may also report any potentially illegal activity to law enforcement.
  • We are continually working to improve our technical tools and moderation practices.



• User reporting
  • The Wink report function allows users to flag anything they see that may be inappropriate, harmful, illegal, or suspicious. This includes:
    • Sexually explicit, pornographic, and nude content
    • Grooming and sexual exploitation
    • Drug-related content
    • Violent, gory, and hateful content
    • Marketplace activity
    • Suggestive images
    • Fake profiles
    • Scams
  • It is quick and easy to report a profile that causes concern. Wink users can simply tap the three dots at the bottom right corner of the screen, select “report user,” and send the concern our way.
  • We strive to have our real-life moderation team review each report within the hour, if not sooner.



• The future of safety on Wink
  • Although we have various systems in place to protect our users, we always strive to do better. We’re always looking to improve our technology, get faster with real-life moderation, and consult professionals in this field.



• Bullying:
  • Bullying is no joke. Whether it’s online or in-person, it is never OK to intentionally hurt another person’s feelings. In our Community Guidelines *include line about respect/bullying in community guideline*. We strive to make our community a fun, safe, and effective place to make new friends!
  • >
  • Useful Websites:
    • LGBTQ: https://www.thetrevorproject.org/
    • Stomp Out Bullying: https://www.stompoutbullying.org/
    • Prevent Cyberbullying: https://www.stopbullying.gov/cyberbullying/prevention
    • Cyberbullying: https://cyberbullying.org/
    • Common Sense Media: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/cyberbullying



• Sexual Exploitation
  • Wink is a place to make new friends, however not everyone has the same intentions. Sometimes people go online and target children and teenagers for inappropriate reasons. Adults may pretend to be younger and set up fake profiles to connect with children. They may attempt to trick them into speaking to them, or meeting in person. We have a zero tolerance policy for sexual exploitation. Any cases will be investigated and may be reported to law enforcement.



• Nudity and Pornography
  • Our goal is to make Wink the best place to make new friends. With that said, the distribution or solicitation of explicit nude photos on our platform is prohibited. Accounts containing pornography, nudity, claims about seeking nudity, or “Premium” accounts will be banned from using Wink. Depending on your age and where you live, you could be breaking a law when sending or posting a nude image. It is best to play it safe and avoid sending or receiving nude photos, especially if you are under 18.
  • Helpful links:
    • https://kidshelpline.com.au/teens/issues/sexting
    • https://www.netsafe.org.nz/sexting/
    • https://spunout.ie/life/article/sexting



• Fake Profiles Scams
  • There may be instances where users will create fake profiles in order to trick others into adding them on Wink. If you see a profile of Wink in which you believe the person is using the photos of another person as their own, be sure to report the user directly to our moderation team by emailing support@getwinkapp.com.
  • We want to make sure every Wink user is representing their true selves so we ask for their real name, mobile number and a authenticated profile photo. On Wink, you can be the real you! Embrace it, and make sure to always stay true to who you are.
  • Helpful links:
    • https://www.cybersmile.org/what-we-do/advice-help/catfishing
    • https://www.crisisprevention.com/Blog/February-2016/Catfishing
    • https://cyberbullying.org/catfishing-as-a-form-of-cyberbullying



• Self Harm Suicide
  • We understand that life can get difficult and some people experience depression, self-esteem issues, and other serious issues. We hope that being in an online community will be a positive experience however, there are instances in which people will try to persuade others into eating disorders, self-harm, or suicide. To protect all of our users, we do not allow any posts on these topics. If you, or someone you know is experiencing any of these issues, please utilize the resources below or call 911.
  • Resources:
    • National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-8255
    • Self-Harm- Self-Injury Foundation: 1-800-334-HELP
    • The Trevor Project- 1-866-488-7386
    • Crisis Text Line www.crisistextline.com
    • National Eating Disorders: 1-800-931-2237



• Harmful or Illegal Content
  • We have a zero tolerance policy on racism, violence, drugs, criminal activity, homophobia, pornography, gambling, and any other harmful or illegal activity or content. Our 24/7 content moderation team will take down any illegal content that is posted on Wink and may report it to the proper authorities. If you come across any of the content outlined above, please tap the “…” icon and report it to our team so we can do a further investigation.