Draft: not yet reviewed by a lawyer.
This document describes how Lissn is actually built and intended to operate, so it is a
realistic starting point rather than boilerplate. It still must be reviewed and finalised by
qualified counsel, and every [SQUARE BRACKET] placeholder filled in with the real
operating-entity details, before Lissn is offered to the public.
Lissn only works if people feel safe being honest. These rules apply to everyone, Seekers and
Buddies alike, and they form part of the Terms of Service.
For everyone
Treat the other person as a person. No harassment, slurs, threats, or
contempt, including about someone's mental health, gender, caste, religion, sexuality,
disability, or background.
No sexual content or solicitation. Lissn is not a dating or adult service.
Sexual advances toward someone who came here to talk about a hard time are a removal-first
offence.
Keep it on Lissn. Don't ask to move to WhatsApp, Instagram, or a personal
number. Off-platform, none of the safety tooling, reporting, or payment protection exists,
which is usually exactly why someone asks.
No recording without consent. Don't record, screenshot, or share a session
without the other person's explicit agreement.
Don't share what you heard. What someone tells you in a session isn't yours
to repeat.
No selling. No promoting products, courses, services, or your own practice.
For Buddies
Never present yourself as a licensed professional. You may share your lived
experience. You may not diagnose, prescribe, or describe yourself as a therapist, counsellor,
or psychologist unless you genuinely hold that licence and have told us.
Know when to step back. If someone needs clinical care, point them to
"Find a licensed professional" in the app. Losing the booking is the right outcome.
Follow the crisis protocol. If crisis language is flagged, you'll be shown
guidance. Follow it: share the helplines, stay calm, don't try to handle it alone.
Listen more than you talk. People come here to be heard, not advised.
Don't take on what you can't hold. Mark yourself unavailable when you need
to. Burnt-out listening helps nobody, and you're never penalised for going offline.
For Seekers
Buddies are people too. They can report behaviour, and those reports are
taken as seriously as yours.
Don't use Lissn as an emergency service. If you're in danger, call
14416. A Buddy cannot keep you safe; a crisis line can.
Don't demand contact details or continued free access outside a session.
What happens when someone breaks these rules
Behaviour
Consequence
Sexual solicitation, threats, exploitation, targeting a minor
Immediate permanent removal, and referral to authorities where the law
requires it
Claiming to be a licensed clinician
Immediate removal from the Buddy programme
Pushing a session off-platform
Warning, then removal on repeat
Rudeness, dismissiveness, poor listening
Warning; repeated reports lead to review
and possible deactivation
Spam or promotion
Content removed; account suspended on repeat
Reporting
Use the report option on any session, or email
safety@lissnapp.com. You can report during or after a session.
Reports are reviewed by a human. We will not tell the other person who reported them.
If you think a decision about your account was wrong, you can appeal. See
Contact & Grievances.