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CircleUp Code of Conduct

What is CircleUp

CircleUp is a membership based social community for making friends in your 20s and 30s, getting you IRL and offline. People join to meet new friends, try new things and build a social circle they can count on.

That only works if everyone feels safe, welcome and comfortable being themselves. Being part of CircleUp comes with a few commitments.

CircleUp is not a dating app. Real connections sometimes happen here, and that's lovely. But nobody comes to our events to be pursued, and nobody owes anyone romantic interest.

The Rules

By joining CircleUp, you agree to the following rules.

1. Treat people with respect

  • Don't bully, mock, insult or deliberately humiliate other members, offline or online.

  • Don't repeatedly target someone with hostile messages or comments.

  • Don't threaten, intimidate or encourage others to harass someone.

  • Think before you speak or send. What feels harmless to you might land differently for someone else.

2. A no is a no, the first time

  • Only message someone you've met in person, or who has said they're happy to hear from you. Don't keep messaging someone who has asked you to stop.

  • It's fine to ask someone out respectfully after building a friendship. If they say no, respect their decision.

  • If someone doesn't respond to a romantic approach, don't keep pursuing them.

  • Don't pressure anyone to give you their number, meet privately or explain why they're not interested.

3. Respect people's physical safety

  • No unwanted sexual touching, kissing or physical advances.

  • Don't make repeated unwanted sexual comments or send unsolicited sexual images.

  • Don't follow, stalk or threaten another member.

  • Don't act violently towards anyone.

  • Never interfere with someone's drink.

These are serious breaches of our rules and can result in an immediate safety pause or removal.

4. No discrimination

  • No racist, sexist, homophobic or other discriminatory remarks, including offensive jokes or slurs.

  • Don't insult, harass or mistreat someone because of their race, religion, gender, sexuality, disability, age or background.

Discrimination isn't excused because something was intended as a joke.

5. Behave responsibly at events

  • Enjoy yourself, but know your limits when it comes to drinking. Don't become so disruptive that you ruin the experience for others.

  • Don't behave aggressively towards members, hosts or venue staff.

  • Follow reasonable instructions from hosts and venue staff, including requests to leave.

  • If you can't attend something you've booked, cancel your place so someone else can join.

6. Respect people's privacy

  • Don't share another member's private information, personal messages or photos without permission.

  • Don't spread malicious rumours or deliberately false stories about other members.

  • Don't publicly identify or target someone involved in a conduct complaint.

You can always speak privately to someone you trust, or share relevant information when reporting a concern.

7. Don't use CircleUp to sell

  • Don't use our app, events or group chats to advertise businesses, sell services or promote other events without our permission.

  • Don't repeatedly message members with promotions or sales pitches.

CircleUp is here to help people make friends, not find customers.

8. Be honest and look out for each other

  • Use your real identity and be truthful about your age. CircleUp membership is for people aged 20 to 39.

  • Don't threaten, pressure or retaliate against anyone for raising a concern.

  • If you see something worrying, report it to the team rather than spreading it around the community.

Where the rules apply

These rules apply at CircleUp events, in our app and group chats, and in private interactions arising from CircleUp where behaviour affects the community.

We may also act on comparable behaviour involving harassment, threats, intimidation or repeated disregard for other members' boundaries.

What happens if someone breaks the rules?

We aim to deal with concerns fairly and consistently. Depending on what happened, there are four possible actions.

  • Nudge: A friendly reminder for minor issues, such as being disruptive at an event. Not a formal strike.

  • Strike: A formal warning for misconduct such as bullying, repeated unwanted messages or discriminatory remarks.

  • Safety Pause: A temporary suspension of membership while a credible safety concern is investigated.

  • Removal: Permanent removal of membership, for a single case of serious misconduct, or for repeated breaches of our rules after a strike has already been issued.

Strikes last 12 months.
Another established breach during that period will mean your membership ends.

  • Members can request a review of a strike or removal within seven days if they have new evidence or believe we've made a material factual mistake.

  • Hosts and Social Committee members are held to additional standards for their roles. A strike means losing those responsibilities, even if their membership continues.

What CircleUp doesn't get involved in

Not every disagreement is a conduct issue.

We don't intervene in friendships ending, dates that don't work out, feeling left out of friendship groups or ordinary personality clashes.

We'll listen and offer support where we can, but we don't punish members simply because someone doesn't like them.

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