Community Guidelines

These Community Guidelines (hereinafter referred to as "Guidelines") set out the standards of behaviour and interaction expected of all users (hereinafter referred to as "Users," "you" or "your") who participate in the Intemso community, including the Community forums, messaging system, reviews, profiles, Showcase, and all other interactive features of the Intemso platform (collectively referred to as the "Platform"). These Guidelines supplement and form part of the Terms of Service and the Acceptable Use Policy, and are incorporated therein by reference.

The Intemso community is built on a foundation of respect, professionalism, and mutual support. We are committed to fostering an inclusive, safe, and productive environment where students and employers can connect, collaborate, and grow. By participating in the Intemso community, you agree to abide by these Guidelines.

1. Our Core Values

The following core values guide all interactions on the Platform:

• Respect: Treat every User with dignity, courtesy, and respect, regardless of their background, experience level, university, field of study, gender, ethnicity, religion, or personal beliefs. Disagreements are natural, but they must be handled with civility and good faith.
• Professionalism: Conduct yourself professionally in all interactions on the Platform. The Intemso community is a professional marketplace, and your behaviour should reflect the standards you would maintain in a professional work environment.
• Integrity: Be honest and transparent in all your dealings. Do not misrepresent your skills, qualifications, experience, or identity. Deliver on your commitments and communicate openly when challenges arise.
• Collaboration: Support and uplift fellow community members. Share knowledge, provide constructive feedback, and celebrate the achievements of others. The success of one community member contributes to the strength of the entire community.
• Inclusivity: Welcome and include Users of all backgrounds, identities, and perspectives. The Intemso community is stronger when it reflects the diversity of the student population and the broader Ghanaian society.

2. Community Forum Standards

2.1 Purpose of the Community Forums

The Community forums are spaces for Users to share knowledge, ask questions, discuss topics related to freelancing and professional development, seek and provide advice, share resources, and build connections with other members of the Intemso community. The forums are organized into categories to facilitate focused and productive discussions.

2.2 Forum Dos

• Post content that is relevant to the forum category and contributes meaningfully to the discussion.
• Search existing threads before creating a new thread on the same topic, to avoid duplicating discussions.
• Provide thoughtful, well reasoned responses that add value to the conversation.
• Share your own experiences, insights, and knowledge generously.
• Give credit when referencing the work, ideas, or contributions of others.
• Use clear, respectful, and professional language in all posts and comments.
• Report content that violates these Guidelines by using the "Report" button.
• Respect the confidentiality of private contract details; do not share sensitive information about other Users or active Contracts in public forums.

2.3 Forum Do Nots

• Do not post spam, advertisements, promotional content, or solicitations that are unrelated to the community discussion or the Platform.
• Do not post offensive, abusive, vulgar, profane, or threatening content.
• Do not engage in personal attacks, name calling, or ad hominem arguments against other Users.
• Do not post content designed to provoke emotional reactions or start arguments (commonly known as "trolling").
• Do not repeatedly post the same content across multiple threads or categories (commonly known as "cross posting" or "thread flooding").
• Do not share or solicit personal contact information for the purpose of circumventing the Platform's payment system.
• Do not impersonate other Users, moderators, or Intemso staff in forum posts.
• Do not share confidential or proprietary information belonging to third parties or other Users without their consent.
• Do not post content that constitutes or promotes academic dishonesty.

3. Messaging Standards

The Platform's messaging system is intended for professional communication related to gig work, Contract discussions, and Platform activities. When using the messaging system, Users should:

• Communicate clearly, concisely, and professionally.
• Respond to messages within a reasonable time, particularly during active Contracts.
• Keep all discussions relevant to the gig, Contract, or Platform activity at hand.
• Not use the messaging system to harass, threaten, or intimidate other Users.
• Not send unsolicited bulk messages or spam to other Users.
• Not share external contact information for the purpose of circumventing Service Fees.
• Not send messages that contain malicious links, malware, or phishing attempts.
• Not use the messaging system for purposes unrelated to the Platform, including personal solicitations, romantic advances, religious proselytizing, or political campaigning.

4. Profile and Showcase Standards

4.1 Profiles

Your profile is your professional identity on the Platform. To maintain a trustworthy and professional community, Users must:

• Use a genuine, recent, and professional profile photograph that clearly shows your face. Logos, cartoon characters, celebrities, landscapes, or blank images are not permitted as profile photographs for individual accounts.
• Use your real name as it appears on your official identification documents.
• Provide accurate and truthful information about your skills, qualifications, university, course of study, and experience.
• Not include false or misleading claims, fabricated credentials, or invented experience.
• Not include offensive, inappropriate, or discriminatory content in any part of your profile.
• Keep your profile information current and up to date.

4.2 Showcase and Portfolio Items

The Showcase feature allows Students to display portfolio items, case studies, and work samples to demonstrate their skills and experience. When using the Showcase feature, Users must:

• Only showcase work that was genuinely created or substantially contributed to by the User.
• Obtain permission before showcasing work that was created for an Employer, where the Contract restricts portfolio use.
• Not misrepresent the scope of their contribution to team or collaborative projects.
• Ensure that showcased content does not infringe upon any third party's intellectual property rights.
• Redact or remove any confidential information from showcased work that should not be made public.
• Not showcase content that is offensive, inappropriate, or in violation of the Acceptable Use Policy.

5. Review and Rating Standards

Reviews and ratings are a critical part of the Intemso community, helping Users make informed decisions and maintaining accountability. The following standards apply to all reviews and ratings:

• Reviews must be based on your genuine, first hand experience with the other party during the relevant Contract. Do not leave reviews for Users you have not worked with.
• Reviews should be honest, fair, and constructive. Provide specific feedback that helps the other User understand what went well and what could be improved.
• Do not use reviews to make personal attacks, threats, or discriminatory remarks.
• Do not offer, solicit, or accept compensation, Connects, or other incentives in exchange for a specific rating or review.
• Do not threaten negative reviews as leverage during Contract negotiations, disputes, or revision requests.
• Do not coordinate with other Users to artificially inflate or deflate ratings.
• Accept that reviews, once submitted, cannot be edited by the reviewer. Consider your words carefully before submitting.

6. Respectful Communication Standards

6.1 Zero Tolerance for Harassment

Intemso maintains a strict zero tolerance policy for harassment in any form, on any feature of the Platform. Harassment includes, but is not limited to: (a) sending threatening, intimidating, or menacing messages; (b) engaging in sustained, unwanted contact after the other party has requested an end to communication; (c) making derogatory, demeaning, or belittling comments about another User's abilities, background, or personal characteristics; (d) sharing or threatening to share private or personal information about another User without their consent (commonly known as "doxxing"); (e) using sexually suggestive, explicit, or inappropriate language or imagery in communications; and (f) any other conduct that a reasonable person would find hostile, offensive, or intimidating.

6.2 Zero Tolerance for Discrimination

Intemso is committed to providing a platform that is free from discrimination. Users may not discriminate against other Users in hiring decisions, gig descriptions, communications, reviews, or any other interactions on the Platform on the basis of: race, ethnicity, national origin, colour, tribe, religion, creed, gender, sex, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, disability (physical or mental), marital status, pregnancy, medical condition, socioeconomic status, political affiliation, university, or any other characteristic protected under the laws of the Republic of Ghana.

6.3 Constructive Disagreement

Disagreements and differing opinions are a natural part of any community. When disagreements arise, Users are expected to: (a) focus on the issue, idea, or topic at hand, rather than attacking the person; (b) present their viewpoint with evidence, reasoning, and respect; (c) listen to and consider the other party's perspective before responding; (d) avoid escalating the disagreement through inflammatory language, personal insults, or ultimatums; and (e) if the disagreement cannot be resolved constructively, agree to disagree and disengage respectfully.

7. Content Moderation

7.1 Moderation Approach

Intemso employs a combination of automated tools and human review to moderate content on the Platform. Our moderation team reviews reported content, community forum posts, reviews, profiles, and other User Content to ensure compliance with these Guidelines, the Acceptable Use Policy, and the Terms of Service.

7.2 Reporting Violations

If you encounter content or behaviour that violates these Guidelines, please report it using the "Report" button available on profiles, community posts, reviews, messages, and gig listings. When reporting a violation, please provide as much detail as possible, including the nature of the violation and any relevant context. All reports are reviewed confidentially by Intemso's moderation team. The identity of the reporting User will not be disclosed to the reported User, except where required by law.

7.3 Moderation Actions

When a violation of these Guidelines is confirmed, Intemso may take one or more of the following actions, depending on the nature and severity of the violation:

• Issuing a warning to the User.
• Removing or hiding the violating content.
• Temporarily muting the User from community forums or messaging.
• Restricting specific features of the User's Account.
• Temporarily suspending the User's Account.
• Permanently terminating the User's Account.

Intemso aims to apply moderation actions that are proportionate to the violation. Minor first time offences will generally result in a warning, while serious or repeated violations may result in immediate suspension or termination. The enforcement framework and penalties described in Section 6 of the Acceptable Use Policy apply in full to violations of these Guidelines.

8. Protecting the Community

8.1 Safety

The safety of our Users is paramount. If you feel unsafe as a result of an interaction on the Platform, believe that another User poses a threat to your physical safety, or become aware of any illegal activity, please report the matter immediately through the Platform's reporting feature and, where appropriate, contact the Ghana Police Service or the relevant law enforcement authority. Intemso will cooperate with law enforcement authorities in the investigation of any credible threat to User safety.

8.2 Scam and Fraud Prevention

Protect yourself and the community by being vigilant against scams and fraud. Be cautious of: (a) gig postings that seem too good to be true or offer disproportionately high payment for simple tasks; (b) requests to share personal financial information, passwords, or identification documents through the messaging system; (c) requests to make or receive payments outside the Platform; (d) Users who pressure you to act quickly without giving you time to review the details; and (e) any other situation that feels unusual or suspicious. If you suspect a scam or fraudulent activity, report it immediately through the Platform.

9. Acknowledgement

By using the Platform, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to comply with these Community Guidelines. You further acknowledge that: (a) Intemso reserves the right to interpret and enforce these Guidelines in its sole discretion; (b) these Guidelines may not cover every possible scenario, and you agree to follow the spirit and intent of these Guidelines in addition to their specific provisions; (c) your participation in the community is a privilege that may be restricted or revoked if you fail to comply with these Guidelines; and (d) you are responsible for all content you post, messages you send, and interactions you have on the Platform.

10. Changes to These Guidelines

Intemso reserves the right to update or modify these Community Guidelines at any time. When we make material changes, we will provide reasonable notice to Users through the Platform. The updated Guidelines will specify the effective date. Your continued participation in the Intemso community after the effective date constitutes your acceptance of the updated Guidelines.

11. Contact Information

For questions or concerns regarding these Community Guidelines, please contact Intemso through the contact form available on the Platform or through any other official communication channel provided by Intemso.