1. Who This Applies To
This Acceptable Use Policy ("AUP") applies to all users of the Hawke's Bay Hub platform, including:
- General users browsing events or creating an account
- Business owners and their staff with portal access
- Event organisers listing events or selling tickets
- Anyone submitting reviews, content, or messages through Hub
By using Hub, you agree to this AUP. It forms part of our Terms & Conditions. Violations may result in content removal or account suspension without prior warning, depending on severity.
2. Prohibited Content
You must not post, submit, upload, or distribute any content that:
🚫 Is false or misleading
Fake events, fictional venues, fabricated ticket prices, or inaccurate business information.
🚫 Is offensive or hateful
Content targeting individuals or groups based on race, religion, gender, sexuality, disability, or ethnicity.
🚫 Is sexually explicit
Adult content of any kind is prohibited on Hub unless the event is clearly age-gated and approved by Hub.
🚫 Promotes illegal activity
Events or content promoting drug use, unlicensed gambling, illegal weapons, or any other unlawful activity.
🚫 Infringes intellectual property
Images, music, logos, or descriptions you do not have rights to use.
🚫 Is spam or gibberish
Repetitive, nonsensical, or automated submissions with no genuine event or business purpose.
🚫 Is defamatory
False statements of fact that damage the reputation of a person or business.
🚫 Exploits minors
Any content involving the sexual exploitation or endangerment of children. Will be immediately reported to NZ Police.
3. Prohibited Behaviour
In addition to prohibited content, the following behaviours are not allowed on Hub:
Fraud & Deception
- Listing events that do not exist or that you have no authority to host
- Collecting ticket payments for events you do not intend to deliver
- Misrepresenting ticket prices, inclusions, or event features
- Using Hub to collect personal information under false pretences
Impersonation
- Claiming to represent a business, organisation, or person you have no authority to represent
- Creating a listing that mimics a legitimate business to deceive users
- Posing as a Hub staff member or administrator
Platform Abuse
- Using automated tools, bots, or scripts to submit events, create accounts, or scrape data
- Creating multiple accounts to circumvent bans or restrictions
- Attempting to access, alter, or disrupt Hub's infrastructure or other users' accounts
- Sending unsolicited marketing or spam through Hub's messaging features
Fraud involving ticket payments will be reported to NZ Police and referred to the Serious Fraud Office where appropriate. Hub will cooperate fully with any investigation.
4. Business & Event Listing Rules
All business and event listings on Hub must meet the following standards:
Accuracy
- All information must be accurate and kept up to date
- Event dates, times, venues, and prices must reflect reality
- Business contact details must be genuine and reachable
Location
- Events listed on Hub must be located in or directly relevant to Hawke's Bay, New Zealand
- Events in other regions will be removed without notice
Images
- You may only upload images you own or have a licence to use
- Images must accurately represent the event or business
- Stock photos misrepresenting the nature of the business are prohibited
Reviews
See Section 5 for review-specific rules.
Hub's AI review system evaluates event submissions before they go live. See our
Event Approval Criteria for exactly what is approved and what is not.
5. Review & User Content Rules
Reviews and other user-generated content submitted to Hub must:
- Be based on genuine, first-hand experience with the business or event
- Represent your honest and personal opinion
- Not contain personal attacks, threats, or harassment directed at individuals
- Not be submitted by the business being reviewed, their employees, or their competitors
- Not include personal information about private individuals (names, addresses, contact details)
We reserve the right to remove any review that we reasonably believe violates these rules or the Fair Trading Act 1986. We may also remove reviews where there is evidence of coordinated review manipulation (either positive or negative).
If you are a business and believe a review is fake, defamatory, or in breach of these rules, contact us at
admin@hawkesbayhub.co.nz with evidence and we will investigate within 5 business days.
6. Enforcement Actions
When we identify a violation of this AUP, we may take one or more of the following actions depending on the severity and context:
⚠️
Content Removal
The specific content (event, listing, review, image) is removed from Hub without affecting your account. Typically used for first-time, low-severity violations.
📋
Warning
A formal warning is issued to your account. A record is kept. Repeated violations after a warning will result in escalated action.
⏸️
Temporary Suspension
Your account is suspended for a defined period (7–90 days). Existing approved events remain visible but no new submissions are accepted during the suspension.
🚫
Permanent Ban
Your account is permanently closed. Applied for serious, repeated, or fraudulent violations. Associated email addresses and devices may be blocked from creating new accounts.
🚔
Law Enforcement Referral
For illegal activity (fraud, exploitation of minors, threats), Hub will report to NZ Police and cooperate fully with any investigation, including providing user data when required by law.
We will attempt to notify affected users of enforcement actions by email where it is safe and appropriate to do so. We are not obligated to provide advance notice for serious violations.
7. Appeals
If you believe an enforcement action against your account or content was made in error, you have the right to appeal.
How to appeal
- Email admin@hawkesbayhub.co.nz with the subject line "AUP Appeal — [your account email]"
- Describe the enforcement action, why you believe it was incorrect, and provide any supporting evidence
- We will review your appeal and respond within 5 business days
Appeal outcomes
- Upheld: The original action is reversed. Your content is restored or your account reinstated.
- Partially upheld: Some content is restored or the severity of the action is reduced.
- Dismissed: The original action stands. We will explain our reasoning.
Appeals for permanent bans related to fraud or illegal activity will not be considered. All other enforcement actions are eligible for appeal.
8. Reporting Violations
If you see content on Hub that you believe violates this AUP, please report it to us:
We take all reports seriously. Reporting in good faith is always welcome, even if an investigation finds no violation. Do not use the reporting system to harass or target legitimate businesses or competitors.
9. Changes to This Policy
We may update this AUP from time to time as the platform grows and community standards evolve. When we make significant changes, we will update the effective date at the top of this page and notify registered business accounts by email. Your continued use of Hub after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.
10. Contact
For questions about this policy, to report a violation, or to appeal an enforcement action: