Community Code of Conduct

Last updated: February 7, 2026

1. Introduction

GetBooks is a community for book lovers — readers, reviewers, and anyone who enjoys discovering and discussing books. We are committed to providing a welcoming, inclusive, and respectful environment for everyone, regardless of background, identity, or reading preferences.

This Code of Conduct applies to all user interactions on GetBooks, including reviews, book clubs, buddy reads, shared lists, comments, and public profiles. By using GetBooks, you agree to follow these guidelines.

2. Our Standards

We expect all community members to:

  • Be respectful and considerate — Treat others the way you would like to be treated. Disagreements about books are natural, but personal attacks are not.
  • Engage thoughtfully — Contribute meaningful, constructive discussions. Take time to understand other perspectives before responding.
  • Give honest, constructive feedback — Reviews should reflect your genuine opinion. Critique the work, not the person. A negative review can be respectful and valuable.
  • Respect diverse tastes — People enjoy different genres, styles, and subjects. There is no "wrong" way to enjoy books.
  • Stay on topic — Keep discussions relevant to books, reading, and the community. Off-topic content may be removed.
  • Use content warnings — When discussing sensitive content in books, consider adding appropriate warnings so others can make informed choices about engaging with the discussion.

3. Unacceptable Behavior

The following behaviors are not permitted on GetBooks:

  • Harassment, bullying, or intimidation — Including sustained unwanted contact, threats, or targeting of individuals.
  • Hate speech or discrimination — Content that attacks or demeans individuals or groups based on race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, disability, age, or any other protected characteristic.
  • Spam and self-promotion — Unsolicited advertising, commercial solicitation, or repetitive promotional content. Sharing your own work is acceptable in appropriate contexts (e.g., author profiles), but aggressive self-promotion is not.
  • Spoilers without warnings — Revealing major plot points without clearly marking them as spoilers in reviews, clubs, or discussions.
  • Impersonation — Pretending to be another person, author, or organization.
  • Doxxing — Sharing the personal or private information of others without their explicit consent.
  • Review manipulation — Posting fake reviews, coordinating review brigading, or using multiple accounts to manipulate ratings.
  • Inappropriate content — Sexually explicit or gratuitously violent content that is unrelated to book discussion.

4. Reporting Violations

If you experience or witness behavior that violates this Code of Conduct, please report it. You can reach us through:

All reports are taken seriously and will be reviewed in confidence. We will not disclose the identity of the reporter to the person being reported, unless required by law.

5. Enforcement

Violations of this Code of Conduct may result in the following actions, depending on the severity and frequency of the behavior:

  1. Warning — A private written notice explaining which behavior violated the Code of Conduct and what is expected going forward.
  2. Content removal — Removal of offending reviews, comments, lists, or other content.
  3. Temporary suspension — A temporary restriction on account access for a defined period.
  4. Permanent termination — Permanent removal of the user's account and access to GetBooks.

We aim to apply enforcement proportionally and fairly. However, in cases of severe violations (such as threats, hate speech, or doxxing), we may proceed directly to suspension or termination without prior warning. All enforcement decisions are made at the discretion of the GetBooks team.

6. Scope

This Code of Conduct applies to all public areas of GetBooks, including but not limited to:

  • Book reviews and ratings
  • Book clubs and club discussions
  • Buddy reads
  • Shared reading lists
  • User profiles and bios
  • Comments and activity feeds

This Code of Conduct is in addition to our Terms of Service, which govern your overall use of GetBooks.

7. Changes to This Code of Conduct

We may update this Code of Conduct from time to time to address new situations or to clarify our expectations. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated date. Continued use of GetBooks after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the revised Code of Conduct.