We can’t give 1:1 or emergency support for people in a crisis. If this is what you need right now, you can find ways to access it on our website.
I need urgent helpThis page outlines how we decide when to withdraw accounts on Side by Side.
We’re committed to being transparent, so we’ve shared the key principles that guide our decisions. However, this isn’t a complete list. Some situations may not fit neatly into these guidelines, and the core team may need to make case-by-case decisions based on the context.
Our 3 strike system
1: Accidental guideline breaks
If you break guidelines, mods will edit or hide content and message you. We know mistakes happen—feedback helps keep the community safe.
2: Repeated guideline breaks
If members keep breaking guidelines or post unsafely, they’ll get a warning that continued issues may lead to losing access to the service.
3: Ignoring moderator feedback
Where members have continued to ignore moderator feedback or use Side by Side in a way that is harmful to other members, we will withdraw access.
First suspension: 2 weeks
Second suspension: 1 month
Third suspension: permanent
Sometimes, someone’s access might be withdrawn immediately. This happens when the service is being seriously misused or used in an unsafe way, such as:
- Being abusive toward other members or moderators
- Intentionally sharing harmful content
- Misusing the service for something other than peer support
Automatic Suspensions
Side by Side is moderated from 8 am to midnight. Outside those hours, we use a flagging system to help keep the community safe.
Members can flag content they believe is unsafe. If 3 people flag the same post, or 5 people flag different posts or comments from the same member, that member will be automatically suspended.
If this happens, the core team will review the flagged content and contact the member by email.
An automatic suspension doesn’t always count as a strike in our 3-strike system—it depends on the situation and what was flagged.
Using Side by Side as a crisis service
Side by Side is a peer support service. Most members struggle with their mental health, but it is important that you are well enough to interact safely with others.
Some examples of unsage use of the service are:
- Regularly needing emergency services escalations
- Regularly posting while in crisis
- Sharing content that often worries others
- Putting pressure on the community to keep you safe
- Not able to use Side by Side to give and receive support
The Mind team will support you in using the service safely, but if you are not well enough to use Side by Side safely, we may need to withdraw your access.
Confidentiality
- Mind will never share details about members with the community. This includes information about account status, such as suspension.
- We understand it can feel difficult when a friend is no longer visible on the site, but please remember this can be for a number of reasons and does not always mean their account has been withdrawn.
- Talking about moderator decisions, including suspensions, is against community guidelines. This is because situations are often misrepresented, which creates speculation and mistrust.
How we communicate with members:
- For initial feedback, members will usually receive a direct message (DM) from a moderator
- Continued feedback or warnings can take place over either DM or email
- Sometimes, we will contact members before re-opening their account to confirm that they understand and agree to follow community guidelines. If this is not agreed to, the account will remain suspended.