1. Who these rules cover
These Rules apply whenever an adult requests, joins, co-hosts, or hosts an in-person observing event through DarkScout. They supplement the Community Guidelines. You must be at least 18 years old to participate through DarkScout’s event tools.
2. Make your own safety decision
DarkScout provides planning and communication tools; it does not inspect venues, verify identities, screen hosts or attendees, supervise events, guarantee access, or provide emergency monitoring. Every participant is responsible for assessing the people, place, route, weather, equipment, and conditions before attending and may leave or cancel at any time.
3. Before you go
- Use a lawful, appropriate observing location and verify opening hours, permits, parking, and access rules.
- Review the forecast, terrain, wildlife, temperature, wind, visibility, and mobile coverage.
- Tell a trusted person where you are going and when you expect to return.
- Arrange your own reliable transportation. Do not use DarkScout event chat to arrange rides or lodging.
- Bring a charged phone, suitable clothing, water, lighting, and any medication or accessibility support you need.
- Choose a public place and, especially for a first meeting, consider attending with someone you trust.
4. Protect the exact meeting point
Exact meeting details are limited to accepted members. Do not copy, screenshot, forward, publish, or reuse those details outside the event. Hosts should provide the minimum precise information needed and use a separate approximate area for public discovery. Never use a private residence unless every participant has independently agreed and can make an informed safety decision.
5. At the event
- Respect personal space, property, equipment, quiet hours, and all venue and local rules.
- Do not attend while impaired or pressure anyone to consume alcohol or other substances.
- Use lights, tripods, cables, batteries, lasers, fires, and vehicles lawfully and without endangering others.
- Do not share another attendee’s name, image, live location, or contact details without permission.
- Leave immediately if the place, conditions, or another person’s behavior feels unsafe.
6. Host responsibilities
- Publish truthful timing, capacity, access, terrain, weather, equipment, and known hazard information.
- Keep attendance within capacity and use join approvals, removals, blocks, and reports responsibly.
- Send prompt updates when the location, time, access, or conditions change.
- Cancel when safe access or reasonable event conditions are no longer available.
- Never charge admission, collect money, or require a purchase through a Community event.
A host coordinates the listing; hosting does not make someone a trained guide, security professional, or emergency responder.
7. Weather, cancellation, and leaving
Forecasts and sky scores can be incomplete or wrong. Treat severe weather, road closures, fire restrictions, unsafe terrain, poor visibility, or loss of lawful access as reasons to cancel or leave. No photograph or observing target is worth continuing in unsafe conditions.
8. Emergencies and incidents
DarkScout is not an emergency service and reports are not monitored as emergency calls. In immediate danger, move to safety and contact local emergency services. After the immediate risk has passed, preserve relevant information and use the app’s report and block tools so DarkScout can review Community access.
9. Prohibited event uses
Do not use Community events to involve minors, arrange transport or overnight lodging, sell tickets, collect fees, solicit payments, promote illegal activity, evade venue rules, or expose protected location details.
10. Changes and acceptance
The effective date and version above identify this release. DarkScout records the version accepted with your account. When a required version changes, you may need to review and accept it before joining or hosting another event.
11. Contact
For non-emergency safety-policy questions, contact sebastianmraz@gmail.com. See the Privacy Policy for information about event data and reports.