Age Assurance & Online Safety
This statement explains how Carfanz Ltd ("PYCL") keeps PYCL an adults-only (18+) service and our approach to online safety. It works alongside our Terms of Service, Community Guidelines and Privacy Policy, and supports our obligations under the Online Safety Act 2023. Contact: info@pycl.app.
1. Our service
PYCL is a user-to-user service: an 18+ social network where adults share and discuss cars. Users post photos, videos, comments and messages and interact with each other.
2. Adults only — our age gate
PYCL is strictly 18+ and gates all access. No one can use any part of the app until they have proven they are 18 or over. How the check works: 1. Facial age estimation (primary): the user takes a selfie which is assessed for apparent age. 2. Up to three attempts: if estimation cannot confirm 18+, the user can retry (good lighting, clear face). 3. ID-document check (fallback): after three unsuccessful estimation attempts, the user must verify with a photo ID. 4. Hard gate: a user who does not pass cannot proceed. Privacy by design: the check runs on our age-assurance provider's systems. PYCL stores only a pass/fail result and a reference — never the selfie, ID document, biometric data or date of birth. This keeps sensitive data off our systems while still keeping under-18s out.
3. Why this approach
Because PYCL does not permit under-18s at all, our aim is highly effective age assurance to exclude children, rather than age-gating individual features. We use facial age estimation with an ID fallback as a recognised, privacy-preserving method.
4. Tackling illegal and harmful content
• Prevention: we screen images and text with automated moderation before content is posted, to catch illegal or unsafe material. • Rules: our Community Guidelines prohibit illegal content, content sexualising or involving under-18s, hate, harassment, threats, dangerous-driving content that risks real-world harm, and fraud. • Reporting: users can report any content or account in-app or at info@pycl.app. • Action: we remove violating content and can warn, limit, suspend or ban accounts. Child sexual abuse material and credible threats to life are removed and reported to the relevant authorities. • Appeals: users can ask a person to review an enforcement decision.
5. Protecting users
• Private "possession" verification photos are stored privately and never displayed. • Users control whether their number plate is shown. • We provide blocking, muting and reporting tools. • We design features to discourage doxxing and harassment.
6. Governance
• The directors of Carfanz Ltd are responsible for online-safety compliance. • We keep our age-assurance method, moderation and these policies under review as Ofcom's codes of practice and guidance develop, and we carry out and record the risk assessments the Online Safety Act requires. • Point of contact for safety and regulatory matters: info@pycl.app.
Carfanz Ltd — info@pycl.app