Terms of Service

Effective Date: January 21, 2026
Last Updated: January 21, 2026

Welcome to TransHarbor. By using our platform, you agree to these Terms of Service. Please read them carefully.

1. Agreement to Terms

By creating an account or using TransHarbor, you agree to be bound by:

If you do not agree to these terms, you may not use TransHarbor.

2. About TransHarbor

TransHarbor operates as a Wyoming Unincorporated Nonprofit Association (UNA). This means:

  • We have no private owners or shareholders
  • We operate on a nonprofit, democratic basis
  • Active members participate in governance decisions
  • No profit motive drives our decisions

Purpose

TransHarbor exists to provide a safe, privacy-respecting platform where trans and nonbinary people can connect through personals/posts and direct messaging, governed democratically by the community it serves.

3. Eligibility

To use TransHarbor, you must:

  • Be at least 18 years of age
  • Provide accurate registration information
  • Maintain the security of your account credentials
  • Comply with all applicable laws in your jurisdiction

Age Requirement

TransHarbor is strictly for adults 18 and over. We do not knowingly collect information from or allow usage by anyone under 18. If we learn a user is under 18, their account will be immediately terminated.

Account Responsibility

You are responsible for:

  • All activity that occurs under your account
  • Maintaining the confidentiality of your password
  • Notifying us immediately of any unauthorized access

4. User Accounts

Registration

To create an account, you must provide:

  • A valid email address
  • A unique username (3-20 characters)
  • A secure password
  • Confirmation that you are 18 or older
  • Agreement to these Terms and Community Guidelines

Username Policy

  • Usernames must be unique and appropriate
  • Cannot impersonate others
  • Cannot contain offensive or hateful language
  • Cannot be changed after account creation

Account Security

You agree to:

  • Choose a strong, unique password
  • Not share your account credentials
  • Notify us immediately of any security breach
  • Log out from shared devices

Email Verification

You must verify your email address to fully use TransHarbor. Unverified accounts have limited functionality.

5. Platform Features

Posts and Personals

You may:

  • Create text posts (10-500 characters)
  • Select categories for your posts (friends, community, penpals, other)
  • Edit posts within reasonable limits
  • Delete your own posts at any time

Posts:

  • Are public to all TransHarbor users
  • Expire after 30 days (hidden from feed, deleted after 90 days)
  • Must comply with Community Guidelines
  • May be removed if they violate guidelines

Direct Messaging

You may:

  • Send direct messages to other users
  • Block users you don’t wish to communicate with
  • Delete messages you’ve sent (within limits)
  • Report inappropriate messages

Messages:

  • Are private between conversation participants
  • Are not monitored unless reported
  • Must comply with Community Guidelines
  • May be reviewed if reported for violations

Profiles

You may:

  • Create a profile with display name, bio, pronouns, and location
  • Edit your profile at any time (except username)
  • Control certain privacy settings
  • View other users’ profiles

Profile information:

  • Is public to other TransHarbor users
  • Must be accurate regarding username (no impersonation)
  • Must comply with Community Guidelines

Blocking

You may block other users. When you block someone:

  • They cannot send you messages
  • They cannot see your posts
  • Existing conversations are hidden
  • You can unblock them at any time

6. Voting Membership and Governance

Becoming a Voting Member

Active participants automatically become voting members when they meet these criteria:

  • Posted at least 3 times
  • Account at least 60 days old
  • Posted within the last 60 days
  • No active moderation strikes

Voting Member Rights

Voting members may:

  • Submit proposals for platform changes
  • Vote on governance proposals
  • Participate in shaping community policies
  • Influence feature development priorities

Proposal Process

  • Proposals enter a 7-day discussion period
  • Followed by a 7-day voting period
  • Standard proposals require majority approval
  • Protected principle changes require 2/3 supermajority + 30% quorum

Governance Participation

By participating in governance, you agree to:

  • Submit proposals in good faith
  • Respect democratic outcomes
  • Engage respectfully in discussions
  • Accept decisions even when you disagree

See our Governance Documentation for complete details.

7. Content and Conduct

Your Content

You retain ownership of all content you create on TransHarbor.

By posting content, you grant TransHarbor a license to:

  • Store and display your content on the platform
  • Transmit your content to other users as part of the service
  • Create backups for operational purposes

This license ends when you delete your content or account.

Prohibited Content and Conduct

You may not post content or engage in conduct that:

  • Harasses, bullies, or threatens others
  • Contains hate speech or discrimination
  • Shares personal information about others without consent (doxxing)
  • Impersonates another person or entity
  • Contains spam, scams, or fraudulent schemes
  • Includes explicit sexual content
  • Violates any law or regulation
  • Infringes on intellectual property rights
  • Attempts to hack, disrupt, or abuse the platform

See our Community Guidelines for complete details.

Enforcement

Violations may result in:

  • Warnings
  • Content removal
  • Moderation strikes
  • Account suspension (1-30 days)
  • Permanent account termination

8. Moderation and Reporting

Content Moderation

TransHarbor moderators may:

  • Review reported content
  • Remove content that violates guidelines
  • Issue warnings or strikes
  • Suspend or ban accounts for violations
  • Take emergency action for immediate safety concerns

Reporting System

You agree to:

  • Use the reporting system in good faith
  • Not abuse or spam the reporting system
  • Provide accurate information in reports
  • Accept that report outcomes are not disclosed to reporters

Appeals

You may appeal moderation decisions by emailing moderation@transharbor.org. We will review appeals within 14 days.

9. Intellectual Property

TransHarbor’s IP

TransHarbor’s name, logo, design, and code are protected by intellectual property laws. You may not use them without permission.

Your IP

You retain all rights to content you create. TransHarbor claims no ownership of your posts, messages, or other content.

Open Source

TransHarbor’s code is [open source under MIT license / will be open sourced - TBD]. See our GitHub repository for details.

10. Privacy and Data

Privacy Commitment

Your privacy is a core principle protected by our governance structure. See our Privacy Policy for complete details.

Data Usage

We only use your data to:

  • Operate the platform
  • Provide features and services
  • Ensure safety and security
  • Comply with legal obligations

We never:

  • Sell your data to third parties
  • Use your data for advertising
  • Share your data for marketing purposes

Account Deletion

You may delete your account at any time. Upon deletion:

  • Your content is removed from the platform within 30 days
  • Your data is permanently deleted
  • Backups are purged within 90 days

11. Disclaimers and Limitations

Service “As Is”

TransHarbor is provided “as is” and “as available” without warranties of any kind, express or implied. We do not guarantee:

  • Uninterrupted or error-free service
  • That defects will be corrected immediately
  • That the service is free from viruses or harmful components
  • The accuracy or reliability of user-generated content

User Responsibility

You are responsible for:

  • Your interactions with other users
  • Verifying information you receive
  • Your decision to meet users offline
  • Protecting your own privacy and safety

Not Professional Services

TransHarbor is not a substitute for:

  • Professional medical advice
  • Mental health counseling
  • Legal advice
  • Crisis intervention services

If you need professional help, contact appropriate professionals or services.

Emergency Situations

If you or someone else is in immediate danger, contact local emergency services (911 in the US) immediately. Do not rely on TransHarbor for emergency assistance.

12. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law:

TransHarbor, its organizers, moderators, and contributors are not liable for:

  • Indirect, incidental, or consequential damages
  • Loss of data, profits, or reputation
  • Service interruptions or technical failures
  • Actions or content of other users
  • Damages exceeding $100 USD

This limitation applies even if we’ve been advised of potential damages.

User Disputes

Disputes between users are the responsibility of those users. TransHarbor is not liable for user-to-user interactions, conflicts, or any harm resulting from such interactions.

13. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless TransHarbor and its organizers, moderators, and contributors from any claims, damages, losses, or expenses (including legal fees) arising from:

  • Your use of the platform
  • Your violation of these Terms
  • Your violation of any rights of others
  • Your content or conduct on the platform

14. Changes to Terms

These Terms may be updated through our democratic governance process. Changes will be:

  • Announced to all users via in-app notification
  • Posted on this page with a new “Last Updated” date
  • Subject to community discussion before major changes
  • Subject to governance voting for significant changes

Protected principles require supermajority approval (2/3 of voting members + 30% quorum) to change.

Continued use after changes constitutes acceptance. If you disagree with changes, you may delete your account.

15. Termination

By You

You may terminate your account at any time through Settings > Delete Account.

By TransHarbor

We may suspend or terminate your account if:

  • You violate these Terms or Community Guidelines
  • You engage in illegal activity
  • Your account has been inactive for over 2 years
  • Continuation poses a safety or security risk
  • Required by law

We will provide notice when possible, except for serious violations or legal requirements.

Effect of Termination

Upon termination:

  • Your access to the platform ends immediately
  • Your content will be removed within 30 days
  • You may not create a new account without permission
  • These Terms survive termination where applicable

16. Governing Law and Disputes

Jurisdiction

These Terms are governed by the laws of Wyoming and the United States, without regard to conflict of law principles.

Dispute Resolution

If you have a dispute with TransHarbor:

Step 1: Contact Us
Email disputes@transharbor.org to attempt resolution.

Step 2: Mediation
If direct resolution fails, we agree to good-faith mediation.

Step 3: Arbitration
If mediation fails, disputes will be resolved through binding arbitration in Wyoming, except:

  • Small claims court actions
  • Actions to protect intellectual property
  • Emergency relief for safety concerns

Class Action Waiver

You agree to resolve disputes individually, not as a class action or consolidated proceeding.

17. Severability

If any provision of these Terms is found invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions continue in full force and effect.

18. Entire Agreement

These Terms, along with our Community Guidelines, Privacy Policy, and Governance Documentation, constitute the entire agreement between you and TransHarbor.

19. Contact Information

For questions about these Terms:

General: support@transharbor.org
Legal: legal@transharbor.org
Disputes: disputes@transharbor.org

Mail:
TransHarbor
[Address TBD]
Wyoming [ZIP]

20. Acknowledgment

By using TransHarbor, you acknowledge that:

  • You have read and understood these Terms
  • You have read the Community Guidelines and Privacy Policy
  • You understand the democratic governance structure
  • You are at least 18 years old
  • You agree to be bound by these Terms

TransHarbor is a Wyoming Unincorporated Nonprofit Association
A democratic, user-owned platform for trans and nonbinary people

Last updated: January 21, 2026