Community Guidelines

コミュニティガイドライン

Building genuine bonds across cultures starts with mutual respect.

理 Our Philosophy

Kizuna (絆) means "bond" — and bonds are built on trust, respect, and genuine connection. This isn't just another social app. Kizuna exists to bridge Japanese people and international users through friendships, language exchange, cultural connection, and meaningful relationships of all kinds.

These guidelines protect that mission. Every member of our community — regardless of nationality, language, or background — deserves a safe and welcoming experience.

核 Core Values

敬

Cross-Cultural Respect

Embrace differences. Learn from each other. Never mock or fetishize another culture.

誠

Honest Communication

Be genuine in your intentions — whether you're here for friendship, language exchange, or romance.

守

Safety First

Protect yourself and others. Use our safety tools and report anything that feels wrong.

和

Inclusive Community

Kizuna welcomes everyone regardless of nationality, ethnicity, gender, or orientation.

正 Expected Behaviour

Be Authentic

Use your real name and recent photos. Your profile should represent who you actually are. Video verification is available to build trust — we encourage all members to complete it.

Respect Boundaries

If someone isn't interested, respect their decision gracefully. "No" means no — whether it's a declined connection request, an unanswered message, or an expired Kokuhaku letter. Persistent messaging after someone has indicated disinterest is harassment.

Be Culturally Thoughtful

Kizuna connects people from different cultural backgrounds. What feels normal in one culture may be uncomfortable in another. Approach interactions with curiosity and patience, not assumptions. Ask questions respectfully. This is a space for learning, not for stereotyping.

Communicate with Intent

Whether you're in Dating Mode or Social Mode, be clear about what you're looking for. Social Mode connection requests let you specify your intent — language exchange, travel companion, friendship — so use them honestly. Misrepresenting your intentions erodes trust for everyone.

禁 Prohibited Conduct

The following will result in content removal, strikes against your account, or an immediate ban:

  • Harassment & bullying — Threatening, intimidating, or repeatedly contacting someone who has asked you to stop.
  • Hate speech & discrimination — Content targeting nationality, race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or any protected characteristic.
  • Sexual content & nudity — Explicit, sexually suggestive, or pornographic material in profiles, messages, or media. This includes unsolicited sexual messages.
  • Violence & threats — Content that threatens, glorifies, or incites violence against any person or group.
  • Impersonation & catfishing — Pretending to be someone else, using fake photos, or misrepresenting your identity, age, or location.
  • Scams & commercial solicitation — Using Kizuna to promote products, services, or schemes. No spam, phishing, or requests for money.
  • Minors — Kizuna is for users aged 18 and over. If we discover an underage account, it will be immediately removed.
  • Cultural fetishization — Treating people as exotic curiosities or reducing them to stereotypes based on their nationality or ethnicity. "I only date Japanese people because of anime" is not a compliment.
  • Illegal activity — Any content or conduct that violates applicable laws in Japan, your country of residence, or internationally.
  • Doxxing & privacy violations — Sharing someone's personal information, screenshots of private conversations, or real-world location without consent.

質 Content Standards

Profile Photos

All profile photos are automatically screened using Google Vision SafeSearch technology. Images flagged as containing adult or violent content are rejected before they appear on your profile. Use clear, recent photos of yourself — no group photos as your primary image, no celebrities, no AI-generated faces.

Bio & Text Content

Written content (bios, about sections) is checked through OpenAI's content moderation system for hate speech, sexual content, and violent language. Keep your bio genuine and inviting. It's your first impression — make it count.

Messages

Messages between users are not automatically moderated — we respect the privacy of your conversations. However, any user can report a message through the in-chat context menu. Reported messages are reviewed by our team and may result in action against the sender.

罰 The Strike System

Kizuna uses a three-strike system for content and conduct violations:

1

First Strike

Warning issued. The violating content is removed.

2

Second Strike

Account temporarily restricted. Some features disabled.

3

Third Strike

Permanent ban. Your account is terminated.

Severe violations — including threats of violence, content involving minors, or illegal activity — may result in an immediate permanent ban without prior strikes.

Strikes are applied per violation. Each violation of our content policies (photo or bio rejection) increments your strike count. Three strikes trigger an automatic, permanent ban (is_banned = true).

報 Reporting & Blocking

How to Report

If someone violates these guidelines, you can report them through multiple paths:

  • In chat: Long-press any message → select "Report" from the context menu. A guided flow lets you choose a reason and provide details.
  • From a profile: Use the report option available on any user's profile.
  • By email: Contact us at hello@getkizunalink.com with details of the issue.

All reports are reviewed by our team. We take every report seriously — reporting is confidential and will not be shared with the person you report.

Blocking

You can block any user at any time. Blocking immediately:

  • Removes the match/connection from both users
  • Prevents the blocked user from seeing your profile
  • Stops all messages between you
  • Prevents future matching or connection requests

盾 Your Safety Tools

Safety Check-In

Meeting someone from Kizuna in person? Use our Safety Check-In feature. Set a timer and designate an emergency contact. If you don't confirm you're safe by the deadline, an automatic SOS text message is sent to your emergency contact with details of who you were meeting.

Video Verification

Complete our video verification process to earn a verified badge on your profile. It uses face detection technology to confirm you're a real person — building trust across the community. Verification is optional but highly recommended.

Presence Control

You control your online visibility. You can choose whether to show your online status to other users. Conversation muting lets you silence specific chats without unmatching.

訳 Language & Translation

Kizuna is a bilingual platform at its core — English and Japanese. We know language barriers can make cross-cultural connection harder, so we've built tools to help:

  • Real-time chat translation powered by DeepL — translate any message with a tap.
  • Bilingual interface — the entire app is available in both EN and JA, with automatic language detection.
  • Kakehashi (架け橋) language tools — tap any message for vocabulary breakdowns and grammar explanations to help you learn as you chat.

Don't let language stop you from connecting. Use translation tools, be patient with each other, and remember that making an effort — even imperfectly — is always appreciated.

季 Seasonal Spirit

Kizuna celebrates Japan's seasons as a living part of the app experience. From sakura in spring to snowfall in winter, the app transforms with each season — and so do features like Kokuhaku letters, which come in seasonal editions inspired by hanami, tsuyu, hanabi, koyo, and fuyu.

The seasons remind us that connections, like nature, grow and change. Nurture your bonds — inactive bonds lose XP over time, while active ones grow stronger. The seasons aren't just decoration; they're part of how Kizuna thinks about relationships.


改 Updates to These Guidelines

We may update these Community Guidelines from time to time to reflect changes in our platform, community needs, or legal requirements. Significant changes will be communicated through in-app notifications. Continued use of Kizuna after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated guidelines.

These guidelines work alongside our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy. For the full legal framework, please review those documents as well.


Last updated: October 5, 2026

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