Our Commitment to Online Safety

Airsoft.Bio is built for the airsoft community. We want this platform to be a space where players can connect, share kit, find game days, and build their airsoft identity without worrying about harassment, abuse, or harmful content.

As a global platform with a significant UK userbase, we comply with the Online Safety Act 2023. But this page isn't about ticking regulatory boxes. It's about being transparent with you, our community about what we do to keep the platform safe, why certain features work the way they do, and how you can help.

What risks we identified

We carried out a formal risk assessment of our platform, looking at the types of harmful or illegal content that could appear on Airsoft.Bio given our features and user base. Here's what we found:

Our platform is low-risk overall. We're a niche airsoft community, not a general social network. We don't host video, livestreaming, or anonymous content. Our DMs are text-only with no image sharing.

Our highest areas of attention are private messaging and user-generated content. Any platform with DMs and free-text profiles carries a baseline risk of harassment, unwanted contact, or abuse. We've designed our safety measures around these areas.

Airsoft content needs context. Our platform features images of Realistic Imitation Firearms as part of a legitimate sport. We recognise that this content can be misinterpreted by people unfamiliar with airsoft, and we've taken steps to address that.

What we've done about it

Reporting

Every piece of user-generated content on Airsoft.Bio from profiles, images and DMs to team pages and feed posts has a report button. If you see something that concerns you, tap it. You don't need to be certain it's illegal. If it feels wrong, report it and we'll review it.

Reports go into a moderation queue where they are reviewed, actioned, and logged. We aim to review all reports within 48 hours. Every report and every action we take is recorded and retained as part of our compliance obligations.

Blocking

You can block any user on Airsoft.Bio. When you block someone, they can no longer see your profile, send you messages, or interact with your content. It's as if you don't exist to each other. Blocking is silent, the other person is not notified. You can review and reverse your blocks at any time from your settings.

Messaging safeguards

DMs on Airsoft.Bio are text-only. You cannot send images, files, or link previews in private messages. This is a deliberate design choice to reduce the risk of harmful content being shared privately.

New accounts have a 48-hour waiting period before they can initiate direct messages. This gives us time to identify and act on accounts created with malicious intent before they can contact other users.

All users are limited to starting 5 new conversations per day. This prevents spam and reduces the risk of targeted mass-messaging.

Content context for new visitors

If you're new to Airsoft.Bio or visiting without an account, you may see a brief notice explaining that the platform contains airsoft content, including images of replica firearms used in a sporting context. This exists to prevent misinterpretation, not to alarm you. If you're here, you probably already know what airsoft is, but not everyone who lands on the site will, and we want to make sure the context is clear.

Community Guidelines

We maintain clear Community Guidelines that set out what is and isn't acceptable on the platform. These cover everything from prohibited content (illegal material, harassment, hate speech) to airsoft-specific rules about how RIF content should be presented. You can read them in full here: Community Guidelines

Terms of Service

Our Terms of Service set out the legal agreement between you and the platform, including the full list of prohibited content, our enforcement process, and your rights. Read them here: Terms of Service

Why some things work the way they do

You might notice features on Airsoft.Bio that feel like friction. Here's why they exist:

"Why can't I DM people straight away?" New accounts have a 48-hour waiting period before DMs are enabled. This is one of our most effective tools against spam and abuse. Accounts created to harass or scam tend to act fast, the waiting period slows them down and gives us a window to catch them.

"Why is there a limit on new conversations?" To prevent mass-messaging and spam. Five new conversations per day is more than enough for genuine community use.

"Why did I see a notice about airsoft content?" First-time visitors see a brief explanation that the platform contains airsoft content featuring replica firearms. This helps people who aren't familiar with the sport understand the context. It also demonstrates to regulators that we've thought about how our content might be perceived.

"Why are DMs text-only?" To reduce the risk of image-based abuse and harmful content being shared in private channels. This is a safety-by-design decision.

How you can help

The airsoft community is tight. Most of us already look out for each other at game days, on Discord, and in Facebook groups. The same applies here.

Report anything that concerns you. You don't need to be sure it's illegal. If a message, profile, or image makes you uncomfortable, flag it and let us review it. Every report helps us understand the risks on the platform and improve our response.

Add context to your content. When sharing content mention the event/site, add detailed a caption that makes the sporting context clear. This helps the whole community.

Be a good ambassador. How we behave on this platform reflects on the airsoft community as a whole. Keep it welcoming.

Our ongoing commitment

Online safety is not a one-time exercise. We review our risk assessment at least once a year, and before any significant change to the platform (such as launching new features). We monitor the effectiveness of our safety measures and adapt them as the platform grows.

We are a small team building something for a community we care about. We don't have the resources of a large tech company, but we take our responsibilities seriously. If Ofcom or any other regulator contacts us, we will respond promptly and cooperatively.

If you have questions, concerns, or suggestions about safety on Airsoft.Bio, contact us at: hello@airsoft.bio