Be a person. Don't be a jerk.
Butterfly works only if students actually want to be in the chat. Six lines, no fine print.
Last updated May 5, 2026 · Applies to every chat, profile, and DM
The six rules.
Use your real name and your real .edu email. Don't impersonate anyone — classmates, professors, the school, or Butterfly itself.
Not okay: “Prof. Garcia” pretending to be the actual professor. Fake schools. Burner accounts to evade a ban.
Disagreements are fine. Targeted attacks aren't. Don't post anyone's personal info — phone numbers, addresses, schedules, photos — without their explicit consent.
Not okay: Pile-ons. Sustained insults. Screenshotting a private message and posting it publicly. Sharing someone's location.
Content that attacks people based on race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, age, or any protected characteristic doesn't belong here. Slurs, threats, and dehumanizing language are removed and may get you banned.
Not okay: Slurs in any form. Holocaust denial. Calling for violence against a group.
Any content that sexualizes anyone under 18 — drawn, generated, written, or photographed — is reported to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children and law enforcement. Accounts are removed permanently and reported across the platform.
Not okay: No exceptions, no “art,” no “satire.”
Profiles, peeks, group chats, and campus search exist so students can discover and meet each other in a low-pressure way. Sexually explicit content doesn't fit. Even in DMs, sending unsolicited explicit images is harassment.
Not okay: Unsolicited nudes. Explicit profile photos. Sexual content in the Say Hi or Reply opener. Anything you wouldn't put on your student ID.
Butterfly isn't a marketplace and it isn't a sales channel. Don't sell exam answers, push crypto, run pyramid schemes, hawk OnlyFans accounts, or recruit for shady “internships.” Don't scrape the app.
Not okay: “DM me to crush your finals 💯” — selling test answers. “Make $500/day from your dorm” — MLM recruiting. Bots.
How to report something
See something that breaks these rules?
- In a chat: long-press the message → Report.
- On a profile: tap the “⋯” menu → Report user.
- By email: send screenshots and a brief description to trust@butterflyapp.co. Real people review every report.
- If someone is in danger: contact local emergency services first, then send us what you can. We work with law enforcement on credible threats.
You can report anonymously. We don't tell the reported user who flagged them.
What happens when someone breaks the rules
We grade enforcement by severity. Most situations are first-offense and unintentional — those usually end with a warning. Severe or repeated violations escalate fast.
You'll see what was removed and why. The strike is on file.
24 hours to 7 days off the platform. Repeat-offender accounts can't be appealed in the same window.
Account terminated, removed from all chats, and where required, reported to law enforcement.
Appeals
If we made the wrong call, tell us. Email appeals@butterflyapp.co from the email associated with the affected account, with a short note about what you think we got wrong. A different reviewer than the one who issued the action will look at it. Most appeals are resolved within 5 days.
A note on judgment calls
Most reports aren't black and white. Two students arguing about a grade isn't the same as harassment. A meme about a professor isn't always defamation. We use judgment, we err on the side of keeping the chat usable, and we explain our reasoning where we can. If you've been on the receiving end of bad behavior and we didn't catch it, tell us. We'd rather hear about it than miss it.
Changes
We update these guidelines as the community grows and as new patterns emerge. Material changes are announced in-app. The “Last updated” date at the top of this page reflects the most recent change.
Contact
- Trust & safety: trust@butterflyapp.co
- Appeals: appeals@butterflyapp.co
- Law enforcement: legal@butterflyapp.co