Safety guidelines

Your location

Your exact location never leaves your device. When you share it, your device snaps it to an area first, and only that area is sent and saved:

• Neighborhood: about 1 km across
• City: about 5 km across
• Region: about 40 km across

Your pin sits at the center of that area, and your profile shows a general place name. There's no “exact” option. You can choose a bigger area or turn off “Show me on the map” any time in Settings → Privacy, and we delete your area from your public profile.

In a quiet area, even a neighborhood can narrow things down. If that worries you, choose city or region.

Protect your personal information

• Keep your home address, phone number and personal email off your profile. Anyone can read it.
• Be careful what your videos and photos give away, like your street, your building or your car's plates.
• Never share bank details, passwords or login codes.
• Use a strong password you don't use anywhere else.

Check who you're talking to

• Look at their linked socials. Do they match their IRLZ profile, and do they have real history?
• Be wary of profiles with almost nothing on them, or accounts that were created yesterday.
• Have a video call before meeting in person.
• If someone pretends to be someone else, report them.

Meeting in person

The golden rules

• Meet in public, somewhere busy, like a café or a coworking space.
• Tell someone where you're going, who you're meeting and when you'll check in.
• Trust your gut. If something feels off, leave. You don't owe anyone an explanation.
• Stay sober and keep a clear head the first time you meet.

Before you go

• Get to know them through their socials and a video call first.
• Arrange your own transport, so you can leave whenever you want.
• Share the plan with a friend and set a time to check in.
• For a bigger shoot, bring a friend along.

While you're there

• Meet during the day for a first meeting.
• Keep your phone charged and with you.
• Don't leave your drink or your gear unattended.
• Don't go somewhere private or to a second location the first time.

Red flags

• They push to meet right away, or somewhere private or isolated.
• They won't video call or show who they are.
• Their story doesn't match their profile or socials.
• They get personal, flirty or pushy when you're there to work.
• They ask for money, a deposit or your financial details.
• They ask you to keep the meeting secret.

Paid work

IRLZ doesn't handle payments. If you agree to paid work:

• Agree on the job and the price in writing before you start.
• Use a payment service you trust, and be wary of requests for money up front.
• If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Blocking

Block anyone who makes you uncomfortable, no explanation needed: open their profile and tap Block. While you're both signed in, you disappear from each other's map, Nearby list and profiles. They aren't told. You can unblock people in Settings → Blocked users.

Reporting

Open their profile and tap Report. You can block them at the same time. Report people for:

• Harassment or bullying
• Spam or a scam
• Inappropriate photo or profile
• Pretending to be someone else
• Threats or a safety concern
• Something else

Our team reviews every report. Depending on what happened, we may dismiss it, warn the person, or ban their account, which hides their profile everywhere on IRLZ. We never tell people who reported them.

If you're in danger or a crime has happened, contact the police first. Then report the person on IRLZ so we can act.

Help lines (US)

• Emergency: 911
• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: call or text 988
• Crisis Text Line: text HOME to 741741
• RAINN Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-4673
• National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233

Outside the US, contact your local emergency services.