Community Content Policy

MyChefStack

Effective Date: March 17, 2026

MyChefStack is a community built around food, cooking, and shared culinary experiences. This Content Policy sets out what kinds of content and behavior are welcome on the platform, and what will not be tolerated. This policy applies to all content you submit or actions you take on MyChefStack, including recipes, photographs, comments, profile information, and use of community features.

This policy is part of and incorporated into our Terms of Use. Violations may result in content removal, account restrictions, suspension, or permanent termination.

1. What We Welcome

MyChefStack thrives when users contribute high-quality, authentic cooking content. We encourage:

• Original recipes, including traditional family recipes, adaptations, and creative experiments.
• Honest cooking photography and food images you have taken yourself or have rights to share.
• Constructive feedback, thoughtful reviews, and kind community engagement.
• Dietary modification suggestions that are helpful and clearly labeled.
• Respectful discussion of culinary traditions, techniques, and food cultures.
• Participation in challenges, leaderboards, and community events in the spirit of fun and fair play.

2. Content Standards

2.1 Recipes and Food Content

Content you submit should be related to food, cooking, ingredients, meal planning, or the culinary arts. Off-topic content is subject to removal.

While recipe instructions and ingredient lists are not copyrightable under U.S. law, original creative writing (headnotes, stories, personal narratives accompanying recipes) and photographs are protectable. Submit only content you have created or have rights to submit.

Nutritional claims should be reasonably accurate and clearly noted as estimates where applicable. Do not make medical or therapeutic health claims about food or recipes.

2.2 Images and Media

• Only upload images and media you have created or hold rights to share.
• Do not upload images from recipe websites, food publications, or other sources without rights.
• Images must depict food, cooking, or culinary subjects appropriate for a general audience.
• Images must not contain nudity, graphic violence, or inappropriate content.

2.3 Accuracy and Honesty

• Do not misrepresent your content. Do not present others' recipes as your own original creation.
• Attribution is encouraged when you have been inspired by or are adapting another source.
• Do not fabricate reviews, ratings, or community interaction (including using alternate accounts to upvote your own content).

3. Prohibited Content

The following content is not permitted on MyChefStack under any circumstances:

3.1 Harmful or Dangerous Content

• Recipes or instructions that could reasonably cause physical harm, including intentionally dangerous ingredient combinations, unsafe food handling practices presented as acceptable, or content encouraging others to consume allergens.
• Content encouraging disordered eating, extreme calorie restriction, or other harmful dietary behaviors.
• Dangerous or fraudulent health or medical claims about food.

3.2 Illegal Content

• Content that infringes on the copyrights, trademarks, or other intellectual property rights of others.
• Content promoting or facilitating illegal activities.
• Content depicting or facilitating the sexual exploitation of minors (CSAM). We will report such content to law enforcement and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).

3.3 Harassment and Hate

• Personal attacks, insults, or harassment directed at other users.
• Hate speech: content attacking individuals or groups based on race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or other protected characteristics.
• Threats of violence or intimidation.
• Doxxing: sharing private personal information of other individuals without consent.

3.4 Spam and Manipulation

• Commercial solicitation, unsolicited promotions, or spam content unrelated to the platform's purpose.
• Coordinated manipulation of votes, ratings, or leaderboards.
• Use of automated accounts or bots to generate content or interact with the platform.

3.5 Misleading Identity

• Impersonation of another user, public figure, brand, or MyChefStack staff.
• Creating multiple accounts to evade enforcement actions.

4. Moderation Process

All content submitted to MyChefStack goes through a two-stage review before becoming publicly visible to other users:

• Stage 1 — Automated review: AI systems scan content for violations of this policy. Content that clearly passes review is approved automatically. Content that may violate policy is flagged for human review.
• Stage 2 — Human review: Flagged content is reviewed by MyChefStack moderators, who make the final approval or rejection decision.

You will be able to see your own submitted content during the review period. Other users will not see it until it is approved. We aim to complete reviews within 48 hours for most content.

Trust Score: Users build a trust score through consistent submission of high-quality, policy-compliant content. High-trust users may have their content approved more quickly or automatically. Trust scores decrease when content is rejected or flagged by the community.

5. Reporting Content

If you encounter content that you believe violates this policy, you can report it using the report button available on recipes, comments, and profiles. Reports are reviewed by our moderation team.

Filing false or bad-faith reports is itself a violation of this policy.

You can also contact our trust and safety team at trust@mychefstack.com for urgent concerns.

6. Enforcement

When content is found to violate this policy, we may take one or more of the following actions depending on severity and history:

• Remove the violating content.
• Issue a warning to the account.
• Reduce trust score.
• Restrict posting or account privileges temporarily.
• Temporarily suspend the account.
• Permanently terminate the account.

We consider the severity of the violation, whether it was intentional, and the user's overall history. We reserve the right to permanently terminate accounts for severe violations (such as CSAM, threats of violence, or large-scale manipulation) without prior warning.

7. Appeals

If your content was removed or your account was actioned and you believe this was in error, you may submit an appeal to trust@mychefstack.com within 30 days of the action. Please include your account email, a description of the content or action, and why you believe the decision was incorrect.

We will review appeals and respond within a reasonable timeframe. Our decision following an appeal is final.

8. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Content Policy from time to time. We will post updated versions on the Service and notify users of material changes. Continued use of the Service after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

9. Contact

Trust & Safety: trust@mychefstack.com
mychefstack.com/content-policy