Content
Policy.

This User Content Policy governs all content created, uploaded, or contributed to PuneCulture.com by members of the public — including community posts, establishment reviews, photographs, and comments. By submitting any content to Pune Culture, you agree to the terms outlined in this policy.

This policy applies to all users regardless of account type — casual readers, registered members, and verified business partners are all held to the same community standards.

The following types of user-contributed content are recognised by this policy:

• Reviews: Ratings and written assessments of PGs, Cafes, Hostels, or other listed establishments.
• Community Posts: Text posts, comments, and discussions submitted to our community boards.
• Photographs & Media: Images or videos submitted alongside reviews or community posts.
• Editorial Contributions: Long-form heritage articles or neighborhood guides submitted for consideration.
• Profile Information: Usernames, bios, and avatars visible to the community.

You retain full copyright ownership of all original content you submit to Pune Culture. By submitting content, you grant Pune Culture a non-exclusive, royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable, worldwide license to:

• Display, host, and distribute your content on PuneCulture.com and associated social channels.
• Resize, crop, or reformat media for platform optimisation without altering the original intent.
• Use community reviews and ratings in aggregate for editorial summaries and recommendations.

This license does not permit resale of your content to third parties. Pune Culture will always attribute editorial contributions to the original author where applicable.

We actively welcome and celebrate:

• Honest Reviews: Genuine first-hand experiences with specific details — good or bad.
• Cultural Commentary: Discussions on Pune's history, heritage, food, and neighbourhood character.
• Original Photography: Images that authentically capture the spirit of Pune — its streets, people, and places.
• Community Questions: Requests for recommendations, local advice, and neighbourhood guidance.
• Heritage Contributions: Research, family histories, and personal accounts related to Puneri culture.

The following content is strictly prohibited and will be removed upon detection:

• Hate Speech: Content targeting individuals or groups based on caste, religion, gender, ethnicity, or nationality.
• Fake Reviews: Reviews submitted by business owners about their own establishments, or by competitors about rival businesses.
• Spam: Repetitive posts, commercial solicitations, or unsolicited promotional content.
• Misinformation: Deliberately false historical claims or fabricated information about listed businesses.
• Doxxing: Posting personal identification information (addresses, phone numbers) of private individuals without consent.
• Copyright Infringement: Images, text, or media reproduced without the rights-holder's permission.
• Graphic or Adult Content: Any sexually explicit, violent, or otherwise unsuitable material.

Reviews are the cornerstone of Pune Culture's community trust. To maintain their integrity:

• Reviews must be based on a genuine, first-hand experience at the establishment.
• A reviewer may not submit more than one review per listing per six-month period.
• Reviews must not include personal attacks on staff members by name.
• Compensation received in exchange for a positive review must be disclosed.
• Star ratings must reflect the overall experience and be consistent with the written review.

For images and videos submitted to Pune Culture:

• Photos must accurately represent the subject — heavy filters that misrepresent condition or appearance are not permitted.
• You must have the legal right to use any image you submit (own work, licensed, or Creative Commons).
• Photos of minors require provable parental consent.
• Media must be in a supported format (JPG, PNG, WebP, MP4) and within platform file-size limits.
• Watermarks from competing platforms or commercial branding are not permitted.

Pune Culture employs a combination of automated filters and human review for content moderation:

• Pre-Publication: All editorial contributions are reviewed by a curator before publication.
• Post-Publication: Reviews and community posts are published immediately but subject to retrospective review.
• Automated Flags: Our system automatically flags content containing known hate speech patterns, spam signatures, or prohibited keywords.
• Response SLA: Flagged content is reviewed by a human moderator within 48 hours of receiving a valid report.

If you encounter content that violates this policy, you can:

• Use the "Report" button available on all community posts and reviews.
• Email our Trust & Safety team at [email protected] with the subject line: Content Report.
• Include the URL of the offending content and a brief description of the violation.

False reports submitted with malicious intent may result in action against the reporting account.

Violations are handled progressively based on severity:

• Level 1 (Minor): Content removed, warning issued to account.
• Level 2 (Moderate): Content removed, temporary posting suspension (7–30 days).
• Level 3 (Severe): Account permanently banned, all content removed, potential legal referral for hate speech or DMCA violations.

Hate speech, doxxing, and fake review fraud are classified as Level 3 violations with no prior warning.

You may request removal of your own content at any time by contacting [email protected]. To request removal of another user's content about you, you must provide:

• The URL of the content in question.
• Details of how the content violates this policy or your rights.
• A signed declaration that the information provided is accurate to the best of your knowledge.

We process removal requests within 5 business days. Removal requests based solely on disagreement with opinion (rather than policy violation) will not be actioned.

If your content has been removed or your account actioned and you believe this was done in error, you may appeal within 7 days of the action by:

• Emailing [email protected] with subject: Moderation Appeal — [Account Name].
• Clearly stating the grounds for your appeal and providing supporting evidence where applicable.

Appeals are reviewed by a senior member of the moderation team. The outcome of the appeal is final and binding.

For all content-related enquiries, reports, and appeals, contact our Trust & Safety team. Please include as much detail as possible to help us respond efficiently.