NIMGC Community Guidelines

Last updated: 2026-07-22

NIMGC is a community for people who care about specialty coffee — baristas, roasters, cafe owners, and the aficionados who hunt the best cup in every city. These guidelines set the bar for how we treat each other and what kind of content belongs here. Following them keeps NIMGC useful for everyone.

These Guidelines are part of our Terms of Service. Violating them may result in content removal, account suspension, or permanent ban.

What belongs here

Honest recommendations and reviews of specialty coffee shops and roasters
Photos of coffee, spaces, and equipment you took or are authorized to share
Check-ins at shops you actually visited
Constructive comments and questions about the craft
Invitations to people who genuinely care about specialty coffee

What doesn't belong here

Zero-tolerance (removed on sight, likely account termination)

Illegal content — anything depicting or facilitating a crime.
Sexual or nude content, including sexually suggestive material.
Child sexual abuse material — reported to NCMEC and law enforcement immediately.
Violence or graphic gore, threats of violence, or glorification of violence.
Hate speech targeting people based on race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, caste, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, age, or serious illness.
Harassment, bullying, or doxxing — revealing someone's private information without consent.
Sexualization of minors of any kind.

Not allowed (removal, warning, escalating to ban on repeat)

Impersonation of another person or business.
Spam — repetitive posts, bulk invitations, link dumps, or off-topic promotion.
Fake shops or fake reviews, including paid reviews.
Fake check-ins — posting check-ins where you are not physically present.
Misinformation about a business (e.g., false allergen info, made-up hours).
Copyright or trademark infringement — photos or content you don't own or have a license to use.
Scams, fraud, or manipulation — fake prize offers, fake urgency, phishing attempts.
Manipulation of community features — coordinated follow/unfollow, reporting in bad faith, issuing invitation codes en masse to inflate your network.

Please keep out

Politics and religion unless they're directly relevant to a coffee business's story.
Posts not related to specialty coffee.

Photos and pictures

Photos on NIMGC should be:

Taken by you, or posted with the clear permission of whoever took them.
Focused on coffee, the space, or the experience — not on people's identifiable faces without their permission.
Free of watermarks, heavy filters that obscure the subject, or promotional overlays.

How moderation works

Anyone signed in can tap the ⋯ on a check-in, photo, or shop listing to report it.
We review reports within 24 hours, faster for egregious content.
Outcomes: Dismissed (content stays), Reviewed (content stays, but we've noted it), Actioned (content hidden, user warned or banned).
We don't always notify reporters of the specific outcome, but we act on every report.
Egregious violations (CSAM, credible threats, doxxing) result in immediate account termination and, where required, referral to law enforcement.

Blocking

You can block another user from their profile page. Blocking:

Removes any existing follows between you in both directions.
Prevents them from following you or sending you follow requests.
Hides their profile from your interaction paths.

Blocking does not tell the other person you blocked them.

Appeals

If your content is removed or your account is suspended and you think we got it wrong, email hello@nimgc.com with the subject line "Appeal" within 30 days. A different moderator will review the decision. We'll respond within 14 days.

If you see something dangerous

If someone is in immediate danger, contact local emergency services first. For credible threats, CSAM, or other content that warrants law enforcement, email hello@nimgc.com with the subject line "Safety" in addition to using the in-app report.

Questions

We read everything at hello@nimgc.com.