Effective Date: 29/05/2025

This Acceptable Use Policy (“AUP”) governs your use of Ratethem (“the Platform”) and is designed to ensure a respectful, legal, and fair experience for all users. By using this platform, you agree to comply with this policy and all applicable laws and regulations in South Africa and internationally.

1. Purpose of the Platform

Ratethem is a platform designed to enable users to provide constructive ratings and reviews of:

• Service providers
• Influencers and content creators
• Politicians and public figures
• Themselves (optional self-listing)

Our aim is to promote transparency, accountability, and public discourse in a fair, lawful, and respectful manner.

2. General Principles

You agree to:

• Use the Platform only for lawful purposes.
• Treat all individuals with dignity and respect.
• Submit reviews based on truthful, first-hand experiences.
• Avoid content that is discriminatory, harassing, defamatory, or harmful.

3. Prohibited Use

You may not use Ratethem to:

3.1. Unlawful Content or Activity

• Violate any laws or regulations of the Republic of South Africa, including but not limited to:
  • Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA): Do not post personal information without consent.
  • Cybercrimes Act: Do not engage in cyber harassment, data breaches, or malicious communications.
  • Equality Act: Avoid hate speech or discriminatory content based on race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, or disability.
• Violate international laws including:
  • General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR): Particularly when reviewing individuals in jurisdictions with data privacy laws.
  • Defamation laws that may apply in other jurisdictions.

3.2. Discrimination & Hate Speech

• Post content that is racist, sexist, xenophobic, homophobic, or otherwise prejudicial.
• Incite violence, hatred, or harassment against any person or group.

3.3. False, Malicious or Misleading Reviews

• Submit fake, manipulated, or malicious reviews.
• Impersonate others or use the platform to damage reputations without factual basis.

3.4. Abuse of the Self-Review Feature

• Create misleading or promotional-only reviews of yourself.
• Engage in reciprocal reviews or rating manipulation schemes.

4. Content Moderation

• All content is subject to moderation.
• We reserve the right to remove, edit, or restrict content that violates this AUP.
• Repeated violations may result in account suspension or termination.

5. Reporting Violations

We encourage users to report any abuse or violations of this policy via [insert email/contact method].

6. Privacy and Data Protection

We are committed to protecting the privacy of all users. Review our [Privacy Policy] for details on how we collect, store, and process data in compliance with POPIA and GDPR.

7. User Liability

You are legally responsible for the content you post. If your actions lead to legal claims, you agree to indemnify and hold harmless Ratethem and its affiliates.

8. Modifications to This Policy

We may update this AUP periodically. Continued use of the platform after updates means you accept the revised policy.

By using Ratethem, you agree to this Acceptable Use Policy in its entirety. If you do not agree, you may not use the Platform.