Acceptable Use Policy

Welcome to Spothentic. This Acceptable Use Policy ("Policy") outlines the rules and standards governing behavior and interactions on our professional service marketplace. This Policy applies to all users of Spothentic, including customers looking for services and the skilled local professionals (collectively referred to as "Providers") delivering them.

By accessing or using the Spothentic mobile applications, website, or services, you agree to comply with this Policy. We are dedicated to maintaining a safe, professional, and reliable environment for our community. Any violation of these guidelines may result in immediate suspension or permanent ban from the platform.

To keep Spothentic trusted and secure, you are strictly prohibited from engaging in the following behaviors:

• Platform Circumvention (Disintermediation): You must not offer, solicit, or accept payments outside of the Spothentic secure payment and escrow system. Circumventing our system deprives you of booking protections and is a direct violation of our Terms of Service.
• Fraudulent Listings and Identity Theft: Providers must use their real names, valid credentials, and actual licenses/certifications. Misrepresenting your identity, skills, experience, or ratings is forbidden.
• Unlawful or Unsafe Services: You may not offer or request services that are illegal, hazardous, or require unlicensed labor where licensing is legally mandated (e.g., highly hazardous chemical treatment, unauthorized structural modifications).
• Harassment and Discrimination: Spothentic enforces a zero-tolerance policy for abuse, threats, hate speech, harassment, and discrimination based on race, religion, gender, tribe, physical ability, or nationality.
• Collusion and Fee Manipulation: Users must not manipulate service quotes, create fake bookings, or collude to artificially inflate or deflate pricing on the platform.

For both Providers and Customers, maintaining safety and professional courtesy is vital. When executing jobs booked on Spothentic, both parties must adhere to these safety standards:

Feedback and profiles are key to Spothentic's transparency. All ratings, reviews, profile pictures, and portfolio descriptions must comply with these guidelines:

• Authentic Reviews: Reviews must represent genuine experiences. Providing fake reviews, purchasing positive reviews, or threating negative feedback to blackmail a provider is strictly prohibited.
• Appropriate Media: Profile photos and work portfolios must show actual work, logos, or professional headshots. Offensive, copyrighted, or sexually explicit material is not permitted.
• No Private Information: Users must not publish private or personally identifiable information (such as phone numbers, residential addresses, or financial details) in public reviews or profile bio sections.

Spothentic reserves the right to review account activity, messages, and reports to enforce this Policy. Depending on the severity of the violation, we may take the following actions:

1. Formal Warning: A written notification regarding the violation and instructions to correct it.
2. Content Removal: Deletion of non-compliant reviews, portfolios, profiles, or service listings.
3. Escrow Suspension: Freezing of active booking funds during an active dispute investigation.
4. Temporary Suspension: Restricting access to the platform for a period (e.g., 7 to 30 days).
5. Permanent Ban: Permanent termination of the account and access to the Spothentic network.

If you encounter a Customer or Provider whose behavior violates this Policy, please report them immediately. You can do this through:

• The "Report" button in the booking details within the Spothentic mobile app.
• Direct email to our Support Team at [email protected].

Please provide as much evidence as possible, including chat screenshots, receipts, or project records, to assist our operations team in their review.