At Ascent Dating, we are dedicated to helping you build genuine connections
while prioritizing your safety. Whether you are a new or seasoned online dater,
we believe that education and awareness are some of your best tools for a safe
dating experience.
We employ moderation tools and rely on our community to report bad actors.
Please review these simple guidelines to help reduce your risk of harm when
meeting your matches, both online and in person.
How We Protect Our Community
Ascent Dating is committed to fostering a respectful environment. We use a
layered approach to keep our platform secure:
– Secure Infrastructure: We safeguard your personal information with
industry-standard encryption (SSL) to protect your data in transit and at
rest.
– Community Reporting: We empower our users. If a user is reported for
violating our Terms of Use, our moderation team manually reviews the account
and takes swift action to remove bad actors.
– Active Moderation: We utilize automated filtering and human review to detect
scams, inappropriate photos, and red-flag language to keep our community
safe.
– Zero-Tolerance Policies: We strictly prohibit minors, prostitution, scams,
and harassment on our platform.
Making A Safe Dating Profile
– Limit The Details You Share: Your personal details, including your full
name, home address, place of work, and favorite local hangouts should remain
a mystery. Keep your profile fun and focused on your personality, not your
private data.
– Use Original Photos: It’s easy for someone to do a reverse image search on
Google. If your dating profile uses the exact same photo as your public
Instagram or LinkedIn, someone can easily find your social media accounts.
Use unique photos for Ascent Dating.
– Block & Report: Nip uncomfortable conversations in the bud. If someone makes
you feel uncomfortable, asks for money, or behaves inappropriately, use the
in-app tools to block them and report them to our team immediately.
Ready to Meet? Real-World Safety Tips
Here are a few important steps you can take in preparation for your first
in-person meeting:
1. Always meet in a public place. Never meet at someone’s home, invite them to
yours, or go to a secluded location for a first date. If your date pressures
you to meet privately, cancel the date.
2. Tell a friend. Let a trusted friend or family member know the details of
your date: who you are meeting, where you are going, and when you expect to
be home.
3. Arrange your own transportation. Drive your own car or use a rideshare app
(like Uber or Lyft) to get to and from the date. Do not let your date pick
you up at your home.
4. Ensure your cell phone is fully charged. Make sure your battery is full
before you leave, and consider sharing your GPS location with a trusted
friend for the evening.
5. Always keep an eye on your food and drinks. Never leave your drink
unattended. If you have to use the restroom, finish your drink first or
order a fresh one when you return.
6. Stay sober. Limit your alcohol intake. Becoming impaired makes you
vulnerable and clouds your judgment.
7. Trust your gut. If your instincts are telling you something is wrong,
believe them. Don’t worry about being “polite”—if you feel unsafe, have an
excuse ready and leave immediately.
Ascent Dating’s Zero-Tolerance Safety Policies
We maintain strict rules regarding who can use our platform and how they behave.
Ascent Dating will permanently ban users who engage in the following:
– Minors: You must be 18 or older to use Ascent Dating. We report all
suspected child exploitation to the National Center for Missing and
Exploited Children (NCMEC) and local law enforcement.
– Prostitution: Ascent Dating is for genuine romantic
connections. Solicitation, escorting, or prostitution is strictly prohibited.
– Scams & Fraud: Asking other members for money, gift cards, or wire transfers
is an immediate ban. Never send money to someone you meet on a dating app.
– Harassment & Hate Speech: Bullying, stalking, intimidating, or using hateful
language against any member will result in account termination.
– Off-Service Conduct: If we receive verifiable evidence that an Ascent Dating
member has committed a severe offense offline (such as assault, violence, or
theft) during a date, we will immediately suspend their account pending
investigation and cooperate fully with law enforcement.
Photo & Video Guidelines
To keep Ascent Dating respectful and authentic, all uploaded photos must adhere
to our guidelines. Photos that violate these rules will be removed, and your
account may be suspended.
Photos MUST:
– Be a clear representation of you.
– Include your face in your primary profile picture.
Photos MUST NOT:
– Include minors (no photos of your children, nieces, or nephews).
– Contain nudity, sexually explicit content, sheer clothing, or suggestive
poses.
– Feature illegal content, weapons, or drug paraphernalia.
– Display personal contact information (no phone numbers or social media
handles overlaid on the image).
Sexual Health & Consent
A safe dating experience requires respect and clear communication.
Consent is Mandatory Consent means actively agreeing to be sexual with someone.
Without consent, sexual activity is sexual assault. Consent must be:
– Freely given: No pressure, manipulation, or coercion. You cannot legally
consent if you are drunk, high, or unconscious.
– Reversible: Anyone can change their mind at any time.
– Specific: Saying yes to making out does not mean saying yes to anything
else.
– Enthusiastic: Silence is not consent.
Sexual Health We encourage our members to have open, honest conversations about
their sexual health, STI testing, and protection before engaging in sexual
activity.
How to Report a Member
We depend on our community to help us maintain a safe platform. Please report
members who violate our policies immediately.
When to Report:
– If a member asks you for money, gift cards, or financial information.
– If a member offers or requests sexual acts in exchange for money.
– If a member is underage or asks for photos of minors.
– If a member behaves aggressively, harasses you, or makes you feel unsafe.
– If a member’s profile is fake or uses stolen photos.
How to Report:
1. Use the “Report” button located directly on the user’s profile or in your
message thread.
2. For severe safety concerns, email our Trust & Safety team directly at
Emergency Resources (U.S. Only)
– If you are in immediate physical danger, call 911.
– If you have been a victim of sexual assault, contact the National Sexual
Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
– If you suspect human trafficking, contact the National Human Trafficking
Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or text “HELP” to 233733.
Contact us
Ascent Dating Customer Support is available to assist you. If you have questions about these guidelines, please contact us at info@ascentdating.com.