Staying Safe Online

On Side by Side, we encourage you to share experiences and make connections with others who understand what you’re going through. We love seeing friendships bloom here! But this service was always designed to be anonymous and online-only. To protect the safety and privacy of members, we ask that personal and identifiable information is not shared. All communication should stay on this site. This page answers some frequently asked questions about why we have this guideline.

Why is Side by Side anonymous?

Anonymity is a vital feature of Side by Side, and so the sharing of any identifiable information is not allowed.

We know that some people may feel more open to sharing if they don't have to share who they are.

It can allow people to share without the fear of being judged.

It ensures that what you share stays private and cannot be linked back to you outside of the community.

I've made a deep connection, is that ok?

We can develop deep connections with others online. However, please remember, Side by Side is anonymous, so you won't know exactly who you are talking to. People can use different names and details to share their mental health experience.

I want to make friends. How can I do this if I'm not allowed to share my contact details?

We know many members want to make friends and come to Side by Side to meet new people. Side by Side is a peer support website. This means it is a space to talk about your mental health with people who understand, and have these conversations moderated.

If you're looking to make friends to socialise with offline, or across other services, this is not the purpose of Side by Side.

If you'd like to make new friends, here are some services to look into:

Meet up- for meeting people with similar interests

Hub of Hope - finding local community initiatives

Mind Infoline - to connect with local services

I'm an adult, why can't I just decide who I connect with off of Side by Side?

Side by Side is an over 18s service; we know that members are adults and want to be in control of their own decisions.

We can moderate conversations that happen on Side by Side. We can give support and guidance on any unwanted experiences.

However, we cannot check or protect interactions that happen on other sites. For example, sites like WhatsApp or SnapChat or other online forums.

What if I want to meet someone in person?

Some members may make a deep connection, and want to meet this person in real life. We ask that members do not share personal details or arrange to meet up through direct messages. However, it's ok to post on the main wall to organise a meet up. This is because this content will be moderated, meaning our moderation staff will know that the meet up is happening.

If you'd like to arrange a meet up, please post on the main wall to share a public meeting location. This might be a shopping centre, park or community centre.

Top tips!

• Take a buddy! If you choose to attend a meet up, take a trusted friend or family member with you.
• Plan your route there and home. Think about how you can get home, and get your route prepared and planned.
• Let others know where you're going and what time you're planning to leave.
• If you don't feel comfortable, it's ok to leave the situation.

More information on online safety

You can find out much more on Minds website: