Risk Disclosure

1.The Tide Is a User-Generated Content Platform

Much of the content available on The Tide is created and submitted by users. This may include:

• photographs
• stories
• descriptions of acts of kindness
• captions
• comments
• profile information
• usernames
• reactions
• other community content

Unless we expressly state otherwise, The Tide does not independently verify every statement, photograph, identity, event, or act of kindness posted by users.

Content appearing on The Tide should not automatically be considered verified simply because it appears on the Service.

2.Acts of Kindness May Not Be Independently Verified

The Tide encourages people to share authentic acts of kindness.

However, we cannot guarantee that every act described or depicted on the Service occurred exactly as represented.

Users may make mistakes, misunderstand events, exaggerate circumstances, provide incomplete information, or intentionally misrepresent events.

A photograph may also lack important context.

The Tide does not guarantee the authenticity, accuracy, completeness, or context of every story or act of kindness shared through the Service.

3.Photographs May Include People Who Are Not Tide Members

Photographs uploaded to The Tide may depict people who:

• do not have Tide accounts
• did not upload the photograph
• were not involved in creating the post
• were present in the background
• participated in an act of kindness
• were the recipient of an act of kindness

A person’s appearance in a photograph does not necessarily mean that the person:

• uses The Tide
• created or approved the post
• agrees with the description of the event
• endorses the person who uploaded it
• endorses The Tide
• has otherwise chosen to participate in the Service

Members are responsible for respecting the privacy, dignity, and legal rights of people appearing in the content they upload.

4.Respect the Dignity of People Receiving Help

Acts of kindness sometimes involve people experiencing difficult or vulnerable circumstances. A person may be experiencing:

• financial hardship
• homelessness
• illness
• disability
• grief
• hunger
• family difficulties
• emergencies
• other sensitive circumstances

Helping someone does not automatically give you the right to publicly disclose their circumstances.

Before photographing, identifying, or posting about someone receiving help, consider whether doing so could embarrass, expose, stigmatize, exploit, or otherwise harm that person.

Whenever appropriate, obtain permission before posting identifiable photographs or personal details.

Kindness should protect a person’s dignity, not turn their hardship into content.

5.Online Identity Risks

Unless a feature is expressly identified as verified by The Tide, you should not assume that another user’s:

• name
• username
• photograph
• age
• location
• identity
• organization
• affiliation
• background
• statements

have been independently verified by The Tide.

People online may misrepresent who they are.

Use appropriate judgment before trusting someone you know only through the Service.

6.Meeting People in the Real World

The Tide may inspire people to participate in acts of kindness, volunteer activities, community events, or other real-world interactions.

Meeting or interacting with people you first encounter online carries inherent risks.

If you decide to meet another person or participate in an activity discovered through The Tide, consider reasonable precautions appropriate to the circumstances. These may include:

• meeting in a public location
• telling someone where you are going
• avoiding isolated locations with strangers
• protecting personal information
• using your own transportation
• exercising additional caution when money is involved
• leaving a situation if you feel unsafe

The Tide does not guarantee the safety, identity, intentions, background, or conduct of another user.

7.Physical Activities Carry Risk

Some acts of kindness may involve physical activity. Examples could include:

• helping someone move
• repairing property
• cleaning a neighborhood
• assisting at an accident
• providing transportation
• delivering supplies
• participating in outdoor activities
• working around vehicles or equipment
• volunteering at a worksite
• helping during an emergency

These activities can involve risks of injury, property damage, or other harm.

The Tide does not supervise user-organized acts of kindness and does not determine whether a particular activity is safe or appropriate for you.

Use reasonable judgment and do not undertake activities beyond your abilities, training, or experience.

8.Emergency Situations

The Tide is not an emergency service.

Do not use The Tide as a substitute for police, fire, ambulance, emergency medical services, crisis services, or other appropriate professional assistance.

If you or another person is in immediate danger or experiencing an emergency, contact the appropriate local emergency service.

In the United States, this generally means calling 911.

9.Giving Money or Property

Acts of kindness may involve giving money, food, goods, services, transportation, or other assistance.

Use reasonable judgment before giving money or valuable property to someone you encounter through The Tide.

Unless expressly stated otherwise, The Tide does not:

• verify a person's financial circumstances
• guarantee that a request for assistance is legitimate
• guarantee how donated money will be used
• guarantee repayment
• guarantee delivery of goods or services
• act as a fiduciary for transactions between users

Be especially cautious if someone pressures you to send money quickly, purchase gift cards, transfer cryptocurrency, provide banking information, or send money outside established and trusted payment methods.

10.Fundraising and Charitable Activity

A person describing a charitable purpose does not necessarily mean that the person or organization is a registered charity.

Unless expressly verified or identified otherwise by The Tide, users should independently evaluate organizations, fundraisers, donation requests, and charitable claims before contributing money or property.

The Tide does not guarantee that funds raised or requested by users will be used for the stated purpose.

Any fundraising features directly operated by The Tide may be subject to separate terms and disclosures.

11.Scams and Fraud

Positive communities can still attract people who attempt to exploit the generosity of others. Be cautious of:

• fabricated hardship stories
• fake charitable organizations
• requests for emergency money
• romantic or relationship scams
• investment solicitations
• impersonation
• phishing
• requests for passwords or verification codes
• requests for banking information
• gift-card requests
• suspicious payment links
• attempts to move conversations to another platform for questionable purposes

Report suspected scams through the reporting features available in The Tide.

12.Privacy Risks From Posting Content

Information you post publicly may be seen by people you do not know.

Public content may potentially be:

• copied
• downloaded
• screenshot
• recorded
• reposted
• indexed
• shared
• discussed
• distributed outside The Tide

Even if you later delete a post, copies made by other people may continue to exist outside our control.

Do not publicly share information you are uncomfortable having others see or retain.

13.Protect Sensitive Information

Use caution before posting:

• your home address
• personal phone number
• financial account information
• passwords
• authentication codes
• government identification numbers
• precise real-time location
• medical information
• information about children
• another person's private information
• other highly sensitive information

An act of kindness can usually be shared without exposing unnecessary personal information.

14.Risks Involving Children

Extra care should be taken when photographs, stories, or acts of kindness involve children.

Do not use The Tide to exploit, endanger, sexualize, harass, or expose children to inappropriate situations.

Before publicly posting identifiable photographs or sensitive information about a child, consider whether you have appropriate authority or permission and whether publication is in the child’s best interests.

Content involving suspected child exploitation or abuse may be removed and reported to appropriate authorities as required or permitted by law.

15.Location Information

Photographs and posts can sometimes reveal where a person lives, works, attends school, spends time, or is currently located.

Location information can sometimes be inferred even when you do not explicitly provide an address.

Before posting, consider whether a photograph reveals:

• street signs
• house numbers
• vehicle license plates
• school names
• workplaces
• recognizable landmarks
• children's locations
• other information that could identify someone's location

Use particular caution when posting someone’s location without their knowledge.

16.Content May Be Disturbing

Although The Tide is centered on kindness, users may share stories involving difficult circumstances. Content may involve topics such as:

• poverty
• homelessness
• natural disasters
• illness
• accidents
• grief
• animal suffering
• emergencies
• other emotionally difficult experiences

We may moderate content under our Community Guidelines, but we cannot guarantee that you will never encounter content you find upsetting or offensive.

17.Third-Party Links and Services

Users or The Tide may provide links to third-party websites, organizations, fundraisers, applications, products, or services.

The Tide does not necessarily control or endorse those third parties.

Visiting or using third-party services may expose you to separate risks and privacy practices.

Review the terms, privacy policies, and reputation of third-party services before providing personal information or money.

18.No Professional Advice

Content on The Tide is primarily social, informational, inspirational, and community-oriented.

Unless expressly stated otherwise, content on The Tide is not intended to constitute:

• medical advice
• mental-health advice
• legal advice
• financial advice
• investment advice
• tax advice
• emergency advice
• other professional advice

Seek assistance from an appropriately qualified professional when professional advice is needed.

19.Service and Technology Risks

Like any online service, The Tide may experience:

• temporary outages
• software bugs
• hardware failures
• internet disruptions
• cyberattacks
• unauthorized access
• data corruption
• loss of information
• delays
• technical errors
• other interruptions

We take reasonable measures designed to protect and maintain the Service, but no online system can be guaranteed to operate without interruption or security risk.

Do not use The Tide as the sole storage location for irreplaceable photographs or information.

20.The Tide Does Not Guarantee Outcomes

The Tide exists to encourage more kindness in the world.

We hope the Service inspires positive experiences, connections, and actions.

However, we cannot guarantee:

• how another person will respond to an act of kindness
• that assistance will achieve its intended result
• that another user will act appropriately
• that a person requesting help is truthful
• that a person offering help has good intentions
• that every interaction will be positive
• that participating in an activity will be free from risk

You remain responsible for exercising reasonable judgment when deciding how to interact with other people.

21.User Responsibility

You are responsible for your own decisions and conduct when using information obtained through The Tide.

Before taking action, consider:

• whether you know the person involved
• whether the situation appears legitimate
• whether the activity is safe
• whether you have the necessary skills
• whether professional assistance is appropriate
• whether another person's privacy could be affected
• whether your actions could create risk for yourself or someone else

Doing something kind does not require ignoring good judgment.

22.Reporting Safety Concerns

If you encounter content or conduct that appears to involve:

• threats
• harassment
• exploitation
• scams
• fraud
• dangerous activity
• privacy violations
• inappropriate content involving children
• another violation of our policies

please use the reporting tools available through The Tide.

Privacy concerns, including requests involving photographs depicting you, may be submitted to privacy@thetide.xyz.

If someone is in immediate danger, contact local emergency services rather than relying on a report submitted through The Tide.

23.Relationship to Our Terms

This Risk Disclosure supplements our Terms of Service.

It does not replace or modify the responsibilities, limitations, disclaimers, or other provisions contained in the Terms of Service.

Your use of The Tide remains subject to all applicable Tide policies.

24.Changes to This Risk Disclosure

We may update this Risk Disclosure as The Tide develops new features or as the nature of risks associated with the Service changes.

When we update this disclosure, we will revise the “Last Updated” date at the top of this page.

Material changes may be communicated through the Service where appropriate or required by law.

25.Contact The Tide

If you have questions about this Risk Disclosure, safety, privacy, or content involving you, contact:

Small Acts of Kindness. Endless Waves.