LaneParty

LaneParty — Content Moderation Policy

Last updated: 2026-04-19

LaneParty — Content Moderation Policy (DRAFT)

DRAFT — Requires attorney review before publication

Last updated: 2026-04-19

1. Purpose

This Content Moderation Policy outlines how LaneParty maintains a safe, respectful, and family-friendly environment for all users. The policy defines what content is acceptable, how violations are detected and handled, and what users can do if they believe a moderation decision was wrong.

2. Scope: What Gets Moderated

LaneParty is a bowling score tracking application with social features. The following user-generated content is subject to moderation:

2.1 Usernames

  • Visibility: Public
  • Moderation applies: Yes
  • Examples: The unique identifier users create when registering

2.2 Display Names

  • Visibility: Public
  • Moderation applies: Yes
  • Examples: The name shown on leaderboards and user profiles

2.3 Avatar Images

  • Visibility: Public
  • Types:

- Generated abstract avatars (automatic, no moderation needed)

- Illustrated avatar builder customizations (automatic, no moderation needed)

- Photo uploads (Pro tier only, moderation required)

- AI-generated portraits (Pro tier, 18+ only, moderation required)

  • Moderation applies: Yes (for photo uploads and AI portraits)

2.4 Trading Card Customization

  • Visibility: Public
  • Moderation applies: Yes (card themes, backgrounds for Pro tier)

2.5 Leaderboard Score Data

  • Visibility: Public only if user opts in
  • Moderation applies: No (managed by Anti-Cheat Agent; see separate anti-cheat policy)

2.6 Product Feedback

  • Visibility: Private
  • Moderation applies: No

2.7 Rivalry System

  • Visibility: Private (between two users)
  • Moderation applies: No direct content moderation, but harassment guards apply (see Section 4.7)

3. Content Standards

3.1 Username and Display Name Standards

Usernames must NOT:

  • Contain profanity, slurs, or offensive language (as defined by LaneParty's maintained blocklist)
  • Impersonate real people, organizations, or officials (e.g., PBA players, USBC officials)
  • Contain personal information about other users (names, email addresses, phone numbers)
  • Be misleading or deceptive (e.g., claiming official status with USBC, PBA, or LaneParty)
  • Use reserved terms: "admin," "laneparty," "official," "usbc," "pba," "moderator," "staff"
  • Contain hate symbols or extremist content markers [ATTORNEY REVIEW NEEDED]

Usernames MUST:

  • Be 3–20 characters long
  • Contain only letters, numbers, underscores, and hyphens
  • Not start with an underscore or hyphen
  • Be unique (case-insensitive)
  • Be changeable once per 30 days

Display names follow the same standards as usernames.

3.2 Avatar Photo Upload Standards (Pro Tier)

Photos uploaded as avatars must NOT contain:

  • Nudity or sexually explicit content
  • Violence or graphic imagery
  • Hate symbols or hateful content [ATTORNEY REVIEW NEEDED]
  • Images of celebrities or public figures without permission [ATTORNEY REVIEW NEEDED]
  • Copyrighted logos, brand marks, or trademarked content [ATTORNEY REVIEW NEEDED]
  • Content inappropriate for a family-friendly bowling environment
  • Faces of individuals other than the account holder [ATTORNEY REVIEW NEEDED]

3.3 AI-Generated Portraits (Pro Tier, 18+ Only)

All AI-generated portrait images are automatically reviewed using Claude Vision before being shown to the user. Images flagged for:

  • NSFW content
  • Violence or graphic imagery
  • Celebrity likeness
  • Logo/trademark detection
  • Other policy violations

are discarded, and users receive one free retry at no cost.

3.4 Trading Card Customization

Card themes, backgrounds, and designs must adhere to the same standards as avatar content. Content must not:

  • Contain hate symbols or offensive imagery [ATTORNEY REVIEW NEEDED]
  • Violate copyright or trademark [ATTORNEY REVIEW NEEDED]
  • Include inappropriate content for a family audience

3.5 Rivalry System Harassment Guards

While rivalry invitations are not content-moderated, LaneParty enforces anti-harassment safeguards:

  • Maximum of 5 pending rivalry invites per user per day (prevents spam/harassment)
  • Block list: Blocked users cannot send rivalry invites or see your profile in scan results
  • Silent decline: When you decline an invite, the sender is not notified (prevents retaliation loops)
  • Auto-expiration: Unresponded invites expire after 14 days

4. How Moderation Works

4.1 Automated Detection

Username Filter

  • Runs at account creation and when usernames are changed
  • Checks against blocklist of profanity, slurs, and offensive terms
  • Uses regex patterns to detect reserved terms and impersonation attempts
  • Flags usernames that don't meet character or format requirements

Image Moderation

  • Photo uploads (Pro avatars) are scanned for prohibited content
  • AI-generated portraits are reviewed by Claude Vision before display
  • Automatically detects: NSFW, violence, celebrity likeness, logos

4.2 Community Reporting

Users can report:

  • Suspicious usernames
  • Inappropriate avatars
  • Offensive trading card designs
  • Potential fraud or impersonation

Report submission: In-app report button or hello@laneparty.com

4.3 Agent-Assisted Review

Anti-Cheat Agent (daily review)

  • Reviews flagged score anomalies
  • Identifies potential fraud or cheating
  • Escalates high-risk cases to human review

Support Agent (continuous)

  • Triages user reports
  • Performs initial content review
  • Makes moderation decisions within Tiers 1–3 (see Section 5)

4.4 Human Review

All permanent bans require human approval (see HUMAN_GATES.md policy). Human moderators review:

  • Appeals to moderation decisions
  • Permanent ban recommendations
  • Sensitive or borderline cases where context matters
  • Repeat violations or patterns of abuse

5. Enforcement Tiers

Violations are handled based on severity and history. The tiered approach allows for learning, recovery, and serious consequences proportional to the violation.

Tier 1: Warning (First Offense, Minor)

  • Action: User receives notification of the violation and explanation
  • Content handling: Offending content is removed or replaced with default
  • Account status: Active, no restrictions
  • Reversibility: Yes (no account suspension)
  • Examples: Borderline username, first-time minor violation

Tier 2: Content Removal

  • Action: Offending content is replaced with default
  • Username reset: Player_[ID] (generic default)
  • Avatar reset: Generic generated abstract avatar
  • Card reset: Default LaneParty design
  • Account status: Active, no restrictions
  • Reversibility: Yes (user can request manual review)
  • Examples: Username with mild profanity, inappropriate avatar photo

Tier 3: Soft Suspension (24–48 Hour Review Window)

  • Action: Account features restricted temporarily
  • What user can do: View own score history, check profile, read leaderboards
  • What user cannot do: Post scores, create rivalry invites, upload/change avatar, change username
  • Duration: 24–48 hours (reversible during review window)
  • Reversibility: Yes, if appeal is successful or moderator finds action was incorrect
  • Examples: Multiple violations, harassment through rivalry system, repeated username violations

Tier 4: Permanent Ban

  • Action: Full account suspension
  • Duration: Permanent
  • Reversibility: No (user can appeal; see Section 6)
  • Restrictions: Account disabled, data archived, no login access
  • User notification: Email explaining violation and appeal process
  • Examples: Severe harassment, hate speech, impersonation for fraud, repeat violations after soft suspension
  • Approval required: HUMAN APPROVAL ONLY (see HUMAN_GATES.md)

6. Appeal Process

Users can challenge any moderation action.

6.1 How to Appeal

  1. Submit appeal via email: hello@laneparty.com
  2. Include in appeal:

- Your username

- Date of moderation action

- Explanation of why you believe the decision was wrong

- Any additional context or evidence

6.2 Appeal Review

  • Reviewed by: LaneParty human moderator (not the original reviewer when possible)
  • Timeline: Response within 7 business days
  • Outcome options:

- Decision upheld (appeal denied)

- Decision reversed (action rescinded, content restored if applicable)

- Action reduced (e.g., soft suspension reduced to content removal)

6.3 Final Decision

  • Appeals are reviewed once
  • Decision after appeal review is final
  • User will receive written explanation of the final decision
  • [ATTORNEY REVIEW NEEDED: consider whether to allow second appeal in exceptional cases]

7. Special Contexts

7.1 Physical Card Printing (Future Feature)

When LaneParty adds physical trading card printing (via third-party vendors like Printful):

  • All customized card designs undergo moderation before printing
  • Designs flagged for violations cannot be printed
  • User is notified and given option to revise design
  • Printful's terms of service and content policies also apply [ATTORNEY REVIEW NEEDED]

7.2 Multi-Account Abuse

Users who create multiple accounts to evade moderation or harass others will have all related accounts suspended. [ATTORNEY REVIEW NEEDED: clarify definition of "related accounts" and technical detection method]

7.3 Minors' Accounts [ATTORNEY REVIEW NEEDED]

  • AI-generated portraits are restricted to users 18+ only
  • All other content standards apply equally to all users
  • Parents/guardians of minor account holders may report content on behalf of the minor

8. Transparency & Updates

8.1 Policy Changes

  • Updates to this policy are published at least 30 days before taking effect
  • Users are notified via in-app notification and email
  • Previous versions are archived at laneParty.com/policies/archive

8.2 Moderation Statistics

[ATTORNEY REVIEW NEEDED: consider publishing transparency report on moderation data (e.g., "X usernames rejected, Y appeals approved")]

8.3 Blocklist Maintenance

  • LaneParty maintains a blocklist of prohibited terms updated monthly
  • Blocklist is informed by community reports, legal guidance, and platform trends
  • Users can suggest additions to the blocklist via hello@laneparty.com

9. Prohibited Conduct (Out of Scope)

The following are not directly addressed in this Content Moderation Policy but are covered by other LaneParty policies:

  • Score fraud/cheating: Anti-Cheat Agent policy (separate document)
  • Account security/hacking: Terms of Service, Security Policy
  • Spam: Rate-limiting and technical controls
  • Payment/billing disputes: Customer Support policy
  • COPPA/Children's Privacy: Privacy Policy [ATTORNEY REVIEW NEEDED]

10. Questions or Concerns

For questions about this policy or to report content violations:

  • Email: hello@laneparty.com
  • In-app report button: Available on user profiles and content
  • Response timeline: 2–5 business days for inquiries, 7 business days for appeals

Revision History

| Date | Version | Changes |

|------|---------|---------|

| 2026-04-19 | DRAFT v1 | Initial policy created. Requires attorney review before publication. |

Sign-Off [ATTORNEY REVIEW NEEDED]

Status: DRAFT — Do not publish

Requires review from:

  • [ ] General counsel or contracted attorney
  • [ ] Data privacy specialist (COPPA implications for minors)
  • [ ] Printful/vendor legal team (if physical card printing is planned)

Before publication:

  • [ ] Integrate with Terms of Service
  • [ ] Add specific URLs to policy pages
  • [ ] Test in-app notification system
  • [ ] Prepare moderator training materials
  • [ ] Set up appeal email inbox and tracking system

This policy is subject to change at LaneParty's sole discretion. Users will be notified of material changes via email and in-app notification.