Trust and safety
Youth safety is a design constraint, not a policy page
Rhizome is used by high school students. Privacy and moderation are built into the data model and every screen — not bolted on later.
Built-in protections
Six rules the platform enforces
Never display home addresses
No address field is ever shown publicly, in any view, to any role.
Never show exact planting locations
Certified gardens display at town, county, or general region level only — on profiles, club pages, and the national map.
No unrestricted private messaging
There is no open DM system. Communication happens through club leaders and approved adults.
Photographs are moderated
No uploaded photograph is published automatically. Every image is reviewed before it appears publicly, and photos of minors require consent.
Adult verification for younger users
Parent, guardian, teacher, or club leader verification is required where appropriate, including for public meeting attendance and in-person partnerships.
Human review of every submission
Certification and recognition decisions are made by administrators or approved club leaders — never automatically by upload.
Safe by design, so the work can stay in the field.
Youth-first standards
Policies
Policies and documents
The documents below are in effect as of August 2026. They govern how Rhizome handles member data, acceptable use, and parental involvement.
Privacy Policy
Rhizome’s full Privacy Policy is published at rhizomerestoration.org/privacy (last updated August 2026). It explains what data Rhizome collects, why it is collected, how long it is kept, and how a member or guardian can request deletion.
Terms of Service
Rhizome’s full Terms of Service are published at rhizomerestoration.org/terms (last updated August 2026). They describe acceptable use, submission accuracy requirements, and the consequences of falsified evidence.
Parental Consent
Members under 18 are shown an acknowledgment screen during signup that explains what data is collected. Parents and guardians are encouraged to review the Privacy Policy at rhizomerestoration.org/privacy.
Community Standards
Community standards are currently incorporated into the Terms of Service at rhizomerestoration.org/terms and will be published as a separate page soon.