Trust & Safety Policy
A curated marketplace only works if both sides can trust it. Here's how we vet the cohort, keep quality high, and handle problems.
1. A vetted cohort
indie.ugc is invite-only. We review every brand and creator application before granting access, so briefs come from genuine businesses and creators are real people who can deliver. Fresh creators are welcome — vetting is about authenticity and intent, not portfolio size.
2. What we expect from everyone
- be who you say you are, and represent your brand or work honestly;
- communicate and deliver within the timelines you agree to;
- keep transactions on-platform so escrow can protect both sides; and
- treat other users with respect — no harassment, discrimination, or abuse.
3. Content standards
Content on the platform must be original and lawful. It must not:
- infringe anyone's intellectual property, including music, footage, or likeness;
- be misleading, defamatory, or make false claims about a product;
- contain hateful, explicit, or unsafe material; or
- feature people who have not consented to appear.
4. The strikes system
When a user breaches these standards, our team can issue a strike against their account. Strikes record what happened and escalate with repetition — from a warning, to withheld payouts pending review, to suspension or removal from the platform for serious or repeated violations. Where a strike was issued in error or the issue is resolved, it can be pardoned.
5. Disputes and reviews
Delivery and quality disputes go to a human review queue rather than being decided automatically. We look at the brief, the deliverable, the revision history, and the messages between both sides before deciding whether to release or refund escrowed funds, as described in our Refunds & Cancellations policy.
6. Payment safety
All money moves through escrow with Razorpay and stays on-platform. Attempts to take payment off-platform remove that protection and are a violation of these standards and our Terms of Service.
7. Reporting a problem
If something feels wrong — a suspicious brief, off-platform payment request, or content that breaks these standards — tell us at hello@indieugc.com. We review every report and act to protect the cohort.