Spur — Safety Guidelines
Effective date: July 23, 2026
Spur is built around meeting people in real life — which is the whole point, and also why safety deserves real attention. While you can't control the actions of others, the habits below meaningfully reduce risk. Please read them before your first event, and re-read them now and then. They form part of our Terms of Service, alongside the Community Safety Disclaimer.
Before you meet — online safety
- Guard your personal information. Don't put your phone number, home address, workplace, daily routine, or financial details in your profile, events, or early conversations. Share them only when you genuinely trust someone — and ideally not at all in-app.
- Never send money — to anyone, ever. No wire transfers, e-transfers, gift cards, crypto, or "emergencies." Anyone on Spur who asks you for money or financial information is breaking our rules; report them immediately. These transactions are almost impossible to reverse.
- Take your time. Chat within the app first. Be cautious with people who push to move off-app quickly, dodge basic questions, or rush to meet privately — those are classic red-flag patterns.
- Watch for scam patterns: profiles with a single photo and no history; sob stories that escalate to requests; investment or crypto "opportunities"; inconsistencies between what someone says and what their profile shows.
- Protect your account. Your one-time SMS codes are for you only — no one from Spur will ever ask you for a verification code, password, or payment details by message.
Meeting in person
- Meet in public, stay in public. Spur events at venues are public by design — keep it that way, especially with people you've just met. Don't move to a private home or isolated location with someone you don't know well, and be cautious if anyone pressures you to.
- Tell someone you trust. Share where you're going, when, and who's hosting. Consider sharing your live location with a friend using your phone's built-in features.
- Control your own transportation. Get yourself there and back — your car, transit, or a rideshare you book. Don't depend on a stranger for your ride home, and keep enough battery and money to leave whenever you want.
- Keep your phone charged and with you.
- Trust your instincts. If something feels off — about a person, a place, or a situation — it's not rude to leave. Leave early, ask venue staff for help if you need it, and report what happened.
- Stay aware with alcohol. Know your limits, watch your drink being made, never leave it unattended, and don't accept drinks you didn't see poured. If you feel more intoxicated than you should, get to safety and ask staff or a trusted person for help. Never drive impaired.
- First time with a new group? Daytime and well-populated venues are the easiest way to start.
At Spur events specifically
- Check in when you arrive. It releases your deposit hold and confirms attendance.
- Hosts are participants, not security. A host organizes the plan; they don't vet attendees beyond approving requests, and they're not responsible for your safety. Look out for yourself and each other.
- Group doesn't mean risk-free. Groups are generally safer than one-on-one meetings, but the same habits apply: public places, your own transport, your own drink, your own exit plan.
- Physical activities: for sports, hikes, and active plans, know your own fitness and limits, bring what the activity requires, and don't let group pressure push you past what's safe for you. Consider whether you need your own insurance for higher-risk activities.
- Hosts: pick safe, legal, licensed venues; don't over-approve past capacity; make newcomers feel included; and report any attendee who makes others unsafe.
Verification — what it does and doesn't do
Phone verification and optional ID verification (via Stripe Identity) raise the cost of fake accounts and help keep banned users out. They do not guarantee anyone's identity, intentions, or behaviour, and a verification badge is not an endorsement. Spur does not run criminal background checks on users. Treat every new person with the same sensible caution regardless of badges.
LGBTQ+ safety
Everyone is welcome on Spur. Unfortunately, not every place is equally safe. Be thoughtful about what you disclose in profiles and events, especially when travelling — some regions have laws or attitudes hostile to LGBTQ+ people. Research local conditions when you're somewhere new, and prioritize venues and events where you feel secure.
Reporting — use it, it works
- Report any user, event, message, or behaviour that breaks our Community Guidelines — in-app, or by emailing hello@spur.surf. Reports are confidential; the person reported is not told who reported them.
- We aim to act on serious safety reports within 24 hours. Outcomes range from warnings to permanent bans, and we escalate to law enforcement where appropriate.
- Block instantly removes someone from your world on Spur, both directions.
- Report incidents that happen at events too — safety doesn't stop at the app's edge.
If something happens
- Immediate danger: call 911.
- Crisis support (24/7): call or text 988 — the Suicide Crisis Helpline in Canada and the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in the U.S.
- Sexual violence support: in the U.S., RAINN's National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-4673 (online chat at rainn.org). In Canada, support services are listed by province at endingviolencecanada.org; in Ontario, local sexual assault centres operate 24/7 crisis lines.
- Then tell us. Report the account so we can act and prevent harm to others. If police are involved, we cooperate with lawful investigations.
If you experienced something serious at or around a Spur event, you are not to blame, and reporting it — to police and to us — is entirely your choice, at your pace.
Health
If you're feeling unwell, skip the event and cancel — protecting the group is part of showing up right. For active events, don't participate beyond what your health allows; nothing on Spur is worth an injury.
Safety on Spur is shared work: our tools and enforcement, your habits and judgment, and a community that looks out for each other. Thanks for doing your part.