Our policies play an important role in maintaining a positive experience for our users. Please follow these policies when using Google Chat ('Chat') and Google Hangouts ('Hangouts'). Be sure to check back from time to time, as these policies may change. Please also refer to Google's Terms of Service for more information.
Spam and commercial use
Do not send or facilitate the transmission of spam, large numbers of commercial messages, or automated messages or calls. Spam includes, but is not limited to, unwanted promotional or commercial content and unwanted or mass solicitation. Do not make calls that violate laws that prohibit unsolicited marketing calls (e.g. 'Do not call' laws).
- Learn how to block users in Chat.
- Learn how to block users in Hangouts.
Fraud, phishing and other deceptive practices
Do not use Chat or Hangouts for phishing. Refrain from soliciting or collecting sensitive data, including, but not limited to, passwords, financial details and national insurance numbers. Do not use Chat or Hangouts to trick, mislead or deceive other users into sharing information under false pretenses.
Do not impersonate another person or otherwise misrepresent yourself or the source of a Chat or Hangouts message or call.
Malware
We do not allow the transmission of malware, viruses, Trojan horses, corrupted files, destructive code, or anything that may harm or interfere with the operation of the networks, servers or other infrastructure of Google or others.
Child safety
Do not use Chat or Hangouts in any way that exploits children. This includes child sexual-abuse imagery or content that presents children in a sexual manner. Google has a zero-tolerance policy against this content. If we become aware of such content, we will report it to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, as required by law. We may also take disciplinary action, including terminating the Google Accounts of those involved.
This also includes child grooming, which comprises any actions aimed at establishing a connection with a child to lower the child's inhibitions in preparation for sexual abuse, trafficking or other exploitation.
If you believe that a child is in danger of or has been subject to abuse, exploitation or been trafficked, contact your local law enforcement immediately.
If you have already made a report to law enforcement and still need help, or you have concerns that a child is being or has been subjected to grooming on Chat or Hangouts, you can report the behaviour to Google. Please remember that you can always block any person that you do not want to be contacted by on Chat or Hangouts.
Harassment
Do not use Chat or Hangouts to harass, threaten or intimidate others. Do not incite others to engage in this behaviour.
Personal and confidential information
Do not distribute other people's personal and confidential information, such as credit card numbers, national insurance numbers or account passwords, without their permission.
Illegal activities
Do not use Chat or Hangouts to promote, organise or engage in illegal activities.
Policy enforcement
Google may disable accounts that are found to be in violation of these policies. If your account is disabled and you believe that it was a mistake, please follow the instructions on this page.
Additional terms for Hangouts Invitations, Publicly Shared Hangouts and Hangouts on Air
- Send Hangouts invitations
- Participate in publicly shared Hangouts or Hangouts on Air
We depend heavily upon users to let us know about content that may violate our policies. After we are notified of a potential policy violation, we may review the content and take action, including restricting access to the content, removing the content, refusing to print the content, and limiting or terminating a user’s access to Google products. Note that we may make exceptions to these policies based on artistic, educational or documentary considerations, or when there are other substantial benefits to the public from not taking action.
We occasionally modify these policies, so please check back here for any updates.
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Hate speech
Our products are platforms for free expression, but we don’t permit hate speech. Hate speech is content that promotes or condones violence against, or has the primary purpose of inciting hatred against, an individual or group on the basis of their race or ethnic origin, religion, disability, age, nationality, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or any other characteristic that is associated with systemic discrimination or marginalisation. - Sexually explicit material
Do not distribute sexually explicit or pornographic material. Do not drive traffic to commercial pornography sites.We do allow naturalistic and documentary depictions of nudity (such as an image of a breastfeeding infant), as well as depictions of nudity that serve a clear educational, scientific or artistic purpose.
Please note that your Google profile photo cannot include mature or offensive content. For example, do not use a photo that is a close-up of a person's buttocks or cleavage.
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Violence
It's not okay to share violent or gory content that's primarily intended to be shocking, sensational or gratuitous. If posting graphic content in a news, documentary, scientific or artistic context, please be careful to provide enough information to help people understand what's going on. In some cases, content may be so violent or shocking that no amount of context will allow that content to remain on our platforms. Lastly, don't encourage others to commit specific acts of violence. -
Regulated goods and services
Our products enable discussion of many topics, but we do not allow content that facilitates the sale of regulated products and services, including alcohol, gambling, pharmaceuticals and unapproved supplements, tobacco, fireworks, weapons or health/medical devices. -
Impersonation and misrepresentation
Do not use Hangouts with the intent to deceive, mislead or confuse users by either impersonating any person or organisations that you do not represent, or concealing your ownership or primary purpose. This includes directing content about politics, social issues or matters of public concern to users in a country other than your own, if you misrepresent or intentionally conceal your country of origin or other material details about yourself. We're not saying that you can't publish parody, satire or use a pseudonym/pen name – just avoid content that is likely to mislead readers about your true identity. -
Use of multiple accounts
Do not create or use multiple accounts to evade our policies or bypass blocks or otherwise subvert restrictions placed on your account. For example, if you've been blocked by another user, don't create a replacement account that engages in similar activity.