Community Standards

1. Where these apply

These standards apply everywhere on The Fifth Wind — at tables, in messages, in the Society feed, in clubs and tournaments, and in reviews of a gathering. They form part of the Terms of Service.

They describe a floor, not a ceiling. A club may hold its members to something stricter. No club may hold them to something looser.

2. Respect at the table

Treat other members the way a good host treats a guest. Disagreement is fine; contempt is not.

• No slurs, harassment, or abuse based on race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, disability, age, sex, gender identity, or sexual orientation.
• No sexual advances, comments about appearance, or contact after someone has asked you to stop.
• No coaching that turns into criticism. Correct a rule, not a person.
• A host may ask anyone to leave their table. That decision stands for the day.

3. Showing up

A held seat is a promise to three other people. Plans change, and releasing a seat early is always better than not arriving.

Release a seat

Any time before the start, from the gathering screen

Late arrival

Message the host. After 15 minutes the seat may go to the waitlist

No-show

Recorded by the host after the gathering

Three no-shows in 90 days

Seat requests need host approval for the next 60 days

4. Hosting well

Hosting is the heart of the Society, and it comes with responsibilities.

• Describe the table honestly — level, format, duration, fee, and what to bring.
• Say up front whether there are stairs, pets, or alcohol, and whether the space is step-free.
• Publish your cancellation window before you take payment, and honour it.
• Take seat fees through the app. Asking for cash or a transfer off-platform removes the protections both sides rely on.
• Cancel as early as you can if you must. Guests are refunded in full when a host cancels.

5. Honest play

Scores build a record that other members rely on. Enter results as they happened, confirm them promptly, and raise a disagreement while everyone is still at the table.

• No collusion, no signalling between players, and no playing on someone else’s account.
• The host’s ruling on a disputed hand is final for that gathering. If you think a result is wrong, dispute it in the app rather than re-litigating it in messages.
• House rules may differ from the published card. The host says which is in use before play starts.

6. Money at the table

Seat fees cover the cost of hosting — space, refreshments, and time. They are not stakes.

• No gambling for stakes arranged through the app.
• No soliciting members for unrelated businesses, investments, or fundraising.
• Tips are optional and never expected.
• Tournament entry fees and prizes are the organizer’s responsibility and must be lawful where the tournament is held.

7. Messages and the Society feed

Message requests exist so that nobody has to receive unwanted contact. A declined request is an answer.

• No bulk messaging, chain messages, or promotional posts.
• Post photographs only with the consent of the people in them, and never a photograph of someone’s home interior without the host’s permission.
• Do not repost private messages, and do not screenshot a conversation into the feed.

8. Other people’s privacy

An address shared for a gathering is shared for that gathering only. Do not pass it on, publish it, or keep a list. Do not record audio or video at a table without saying so and getting agreement first. Do not share another member’s health information, employment, or family circumstances, even in passing.

9. Safety in person

Most gatherings are exactly what they appear to be. These habits are worth keeping anyway.

• If you are unsure about a venue, ask to meet at a public table first. Clubs and cafés host most weeks.
• Tell someone where you are going and when you expect to be back.
• Leaving early is always acceptable and needs no explanation.
• If you are in immediate danger, call 911 first, then report it to us.

10. Being who you say you are

One person, one account, with a photograph that is actually of you. No impersonating another member, a club, or us.

Verification marks confirm a contact detail or an ID. A background-check mark means a screening returned clear on the date it was completed. Neither is a guarantee about anyone’s conduct, and neither replaces your own judgement.

11. What happens when a standard is broken

We aim to be proportionate, to explain which rule was applied, and to leave room for people to do better. Serious harm skips the ladder.

A quiet word

A first, minor lapse — nothing on the record

Content removed

A post, photograph, or message that breaks a standard

Discovery limits

Repeated no-shows or low-level friction

Hosting paused

Listing problems, off-platform payment, venue safety

Suspension

Harassment, dishonest play, privacy breaches

Removal

Threats, violence, sexual misconduct, fraud, or evading a prior removal

12. Reporting and appeals

Report from a profile, a message, a post, a gathering, or the Safety centre. Tell us what happened and when; screenshots help. Reports are confidential — the person reported is never told who reported them.

We acknowledge every report and tell you when the case closes. We cannot share what action was taken against another member, or their response.

Urgent — threats or immediate risk

Reviewed within hours

Harassment, discrimination, unsafe behaviour

Reviewed within 1 day

Dishonest play, misrepresentation, payment issues

Reviewed within 2 days

No-shows and spam

Reviewed within 5 days

Appeals

Within 7 days of a decision, to privacy@fifthwindmahj.com

13. Clubs and organizers

Organizers set the tone for everyone who plays with them. Publish your chapter rules, apply them evenly, and keep a record of decisions that affect a member’s standing.

Escalate anything involving safety, discrimination, or money to us rather than handling it alone. We would always rather be told early.

14. When something is more than a standards matter

Some things are for the authorities, not for a moderation queue: violence, threats, theft, and sexual misconduct. Call 911 if you are in danger. We cooperate with lawful requests from law enforcement and, where we are permitted to, we tell the member concerned.