Purpose
Pender Exchange is a community classifieds platform serving the Gulf Islands. This Acceptable Use Policy outlines the rules and expectations that help keep our platform safe, respectful, and useful for everyone. By using Pender Exchange, you agree to follow these guidelines.
Prohibited Content
The following types of content may not be posted on Pender Exchange under any circumstances:
- Illegal goods or services — Any item or service that is illegal to sell, buy, or possess under Canadian federal or British Columbia provincial law.
- Stolen property — Items that have been obtained through theft or that you do not have legal authority to sell.
- Firearms, weapons, and ammunition — Including but not limited to guns, knives designed as weapons, crossbows, and related accessories or ammunition.
- Controlled substances and drugs — Any narcotics, prescription medications, or controlled substances not authorized for private sale.
- Counterfeit or knockoff goods — Fake, replica, or imitation products misrepresented as genuine branded items.
- Hazardous materials — Chemicals, explosives, flammable substances, or any other materials that pose a risk to health or safety.
- Adult or explicit content — Sexually explicit material, pornography, or any content not suitable for a general audience.
- Tobacco products to minors — Sale or distribution of tobacco or vaping products to individuals under the legal age.
Prohibited Conduct
Users of Pender Exchange must not engage in the following behaviours:
- Harassment or threats — Intimidating, bullying, threatening, or otherwise harassing other users through messages, listings, or any other platform feature.
- Impersonation — Pretending to be another person, business, or entity, or misrepresenting your identity or affiliation.
- Spam or unsolicited messages — Sending bulk, repetitive, or unsolicited messages to other users, or posting duplicate listings to flood the platform.
- Misleading or fraudulent listings — Posting listings with false descriptions, deceptive photos, or prices intended to bait and switch buyers.
- Manipulation of platform features — Artificially inflating views, abusing the reporting system, creating multiple accounts to circumvent restrictions, or exploiting bugs.
- Circumventing moderation — Re-posting content that has been removed by moderators, or taking any action to evade enforcement of these policies.
Commercial Use
Pender Exchange is primarily intended for individual, person-to-person transactions within the community. Commercial advertising is not permitted without prior approval from platform administrators.
Businesses wishing to post listings must use the designated business or commercial categories and comply with any additional requirements for commercial sellers. To request approval for commercial use, contact us at admin@penderexchange.com.
Intellectual Property
You must only post content — including photos, text, and other media — that you own or have the right to use. Do not copy listings, images, or descriptions from other platforms or individuals without permission. Pender Exchange respects intellectual property rights and will remove infringing content upon request.
Enforcement
Pender Exchange reserves the right to moderate content and enforce these policies at its sole discretion. Violations of this Acceptable Use Policy may result in:
- Listing removal — Individual listings that violate these policies may be taken down without prior notice.
- Account suspension — Accounts that repeatedly or seriously violate these policies may be temporarily suspended.
- Permanent ban — Users who engage in egregious or persistent violations may be permanently banned from the platform.
We will make reasonable efforts to notify users of enforcement actions when appropriate, but we are not obligated to do so. Decisions regarding moderation and enforcement are final.
Reporting Violations
If you encounter content or conduct that violates this policy, please report it. Your reports help us keep Pender Exchange a safe and trustworthy place for the entire community.
To report a violation, email us at admin@penderexchange.com with details about the listing or behaviour in question. Include any relevant links or screenshots if possible.