Circle Naming Policy

# Circle Naming Policy ## Purpose Circle names are the first impression of your community. They must be welcoming, appropriate, and reflect the spirit of thoughtful reading. ## What's Allowed ✅ ### Book-Based Names - "Dune Discussion Circle" - "The Sci-Fi Readers" - "Classic Literature Club" ### Vibe-Based Names - "The Midnight Readers" - "Slow & Thoughtful" - "Chapter by Chapter" ### Location-Based Names - "Boston Book Club" - "NYC Night Owls" - "Bay Area Readers" ## What's NOT Allowed ❌ ### Hate Speech & Slurs - Any racial, ethnic, or religious slurs - Derogatory terms for protected groups - Coded hate speech or dog whistles **Why**: We're building an inclusive community. Hate has no place here. **Examples Blocked**: - Names containing slurs - References to hate groups - Coded supremacist language ### Threats & Violence - References to violence or harm - Intimidating language - Glorification of violence **Why**: Reading is a safe space. Threatening language creates fear. **Examples Blocked**: - "The Purge Club" - Names referencing weapons/violence - Intimidating military terminology ### Vulgar & Obscene - Profanity or sexual content - Crude references - Deliberately offensive language **Why**: Keep it welcoming for all ages and backgrounds. **Examples Blocked**: - Profane words - Sexual references - Crude humor ### Spam & Misleading - Brand promotions - Fake "official" circles - Click-bait names **Why**: Circles are communities, not advertisements. **Examples Blocked**: - "Buy Books Here!" - "Official ThinnestBook Circle" (unless it actually is) - "FREE BOOKS DOWNLOAD" ## Enforcement ### Automatic Checks When you create a circle, our system checks the name against: - Known hate speech databases - Profanity filters - Spam patterns - Threat keywords ### Human Review Borderline cases are reviewed by our team within 24 hours. ### Appeals Process If your name is rejected and you believe it's an error: 1. Email: support@thinnestbook.com 2. Subject: "Appeal: Circle Name" 3. Include: - Your proposed name - Why you believe it's appropriate - Context we might have missed We respond within 2 business days. ## Changing Circle Names Hosts can change their circle name, but the new name goes through the same checks. **Note**: Frequent name changes may be flagged as suspicious behavior. ## Gray Areas ### Religious Content - ✅ "The Christian Book Club" - ✅ "Islamic Fiction Readers" - ❌ "Godless Heathens" (disrespectful) ### Political Content - ✅ "Political Thriller Fans" - ✅ "Historical Politics Circle" - ❌ "[Politician] Fanclub" (not a reading circle) ### Humor - ✅ "Overthinking Everything" - ✅ "The Plot Twist Survivors" - ❌ Jokes at expense of protected groups **Rule of thumb**: Would you be comfortable saying this name to a stranger at a library? If yes, probably fine. ## Why This Matters Circle names appear in: - Public directory - Search results - Social sharing - Member profiles A bad name reflects poorly on: - Your circle - ThinnestBook as a platform - The reading community ## Updates to This Policy We review this policy annually and after significant incidents. Changes: - Are announced via email - Take effect 30 days after announcement - Apply to new circles immediately - Give existing circles 30 days to comply ## Questions? Email: support@thinnestbook.com