CAREIMO
1. What CareIMO Is
CareIMO is a public health discussion and provider discovery platform. People come here to ask health questions, learn from community members and verified healthcare providers, and find providers they trust.
Everything on CareIMO is built around one idea: open, public conversation about health. When someone asks a question, the answers — from both providers and community members — are visible to everyone. That transparency is what makes the platform valuable.
CareIMO is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Discussions on the platform are for informational and educational purposes only. No doctor–patient or provider–patient relationship is created by using CareIMO. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 or your local emergency number immediately.
These Community Guidelines explain what is expected of everyone who uses CareIMO — regular users, verified providers, and guests. They are the plain-language version of the rules in our Terms of Service. If there is ever a conflict between these Guidelines and the Terms of Service, the Terms of Service control.
By using CareIMO, you agree to follow these Guidelines.
2. Be Respectful
Healthcare topics are personal. People on CareIMO are sharing real concerns about their health, their families, and their pets. Treat every conversation with the care it deserves.
What we expect
What is not allowed
Disagreement is welcome. Abuse is not. CareIMO reserves the right to remove content and take action against accounts that violate these standards.
3. Be Honest
Trust is the foundation of a health discussion platform. Every user is responsible for the accuracy of what they post.
Truthful discussion
No impersonation or credential fraud
Impersonation or credential fraud will result in immediate account termination.
No fabricated or altered materials
4. Protect Privacy
CareIMO is a public platform. Everything you post can be seen by other users, visitors, and search engines. Protect your own privacy and respect the privacy of others.
Your own information
Other people’s information
Discussions about providers
You may discuss your healthcare experiences in general terms — including treatment recommendations, pricing, billing, and standards of care. However, you may not identify specific providers, clinics, hospitals, or practices in connection with allegations of misconduct, malpractice, fraud, negligence, or wrongdoing.
This rule exists to protect both providers and users from unverified public allegations that can cause serious harm. CareIMO is a health Q&A platform, not a provider review or complaint forum.
If you believe a provider has engaged in misconduct, the appropriate channels are your state medical licensing board, professional regulatory body, or law enforcement — not a public forum post.
CareIMO may remove content that identifies providers in connection with negative allegations and may take action against accounts that repeatedly violate this rule.
5. Posting About Children
Parents and guardians may post health-related questions about their children. When you do, follow these rules:
Absolute rule: You may never upload images depicting the genitalia, pubic area, buttocks, or other intimate body parts of any person under 18 years of age. This applies regardless of context, purpose, claimed medical necessity, or your relationship to the child. There are no exceptions.
If you have a pediatric concern involving intimate areas, consult a licensed healthcare provider directly rather than uploading images to CareIMO.
Violation of the minor intimate imagery prohibition will result in immediate and permanent account termination. CareIMO will report apparent child sexual abuse material (CSAM) to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) and cooperate with law enforcement.
6. Posting About Pets and Animals
CareIMO supports veterinary providers and pet health discussions. When posting about an animal:
7. Clinical Images
CareIMO allows you to upload health-related images (such as photos of skin conditions, dental issues, X-rays, or other clinical findings) to support your questions and discussions. All images must follow these rules:
General rules
What is not allowed
CareIMO may remove, crop, blur, or modify any image at its discretion to protect privacy or maintain platform standards.
8. Rules for Verified Providers
Verified healthcare providers are a core part of CareIMO. Your answers help people learn, make informed decisions, and find providers they trust. With that visibility comes additional responsibility.
All of the rules in these Community Guidelines apply to providers. The following additional rules apply specifically to verified provider accounts.
Keep it educational and general
Participation on CareIMO does not create a doctor–patient, dentist–patient, therapist–client, or veterinarian–client–patient relationship.
Be accurate and transparent
No solicitation
CareIMO is a discussion platform, not a referral marketplace.
Professional conduct
Curbside
Curbside is a private discussion space available only to verified providers in good standing. When posting in Curbside:
Your professional obligations
CareIMO does not supervise or control your clinical decision-making. You remain solely responsible for complying with your state licensing laws, professional board regulations, malpractice obligations, and advertising rules. Nothing in these Guidelines limits your professional responsibilities.
9. No Spam or Commercial Exploitation
CareIMO is a discussion platform, not a marketplace or advertising channel.
What is not allowed
If you have a financial or professional interest related to a topic being discussed, do not misrepresent yourself as a neutral participant.
10. No Illegal Activity
Do not use CareIMO to engage in or facilitate illegal activity. This includes:
CareIMO may report unlawful conduct to law enforcement and professional licensing boards.
11. Emergencies
CareIMO is not for medical emergencies. If you or someone else is experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 or your local emergency number immediately.
Do not rely on CareIMO for urgent medical decisions. The platform is a discussion forum. Responses may not be immediate, and information shared on CareIMO may not be accurate or appropriate for your specific situation.
If you or someone you know is in crisis: Call the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (call or text 988), or text HOME to 741741 (Crisis Text Line).
12. Reporting Violations
If you see content or behavior that violates these Community Guidelines, please report it. Reporting helps keep CareIMO safe for everyone.
How to report
What happens when you report
CareIMO will review reports and take action as appropriate. We do not guarantee a specific response time or a particular outcome. We may not be able to share the details of actions taken in response to your report.
Good-faith reporting
Reports must be made in good faith. Do not abuse the reporting system to silence opposing viewpoints, harass other users, or suppress legitimate discussion. Misuse of the reporting system may result in action against your account.
13. What Happens When You Violate These Guidelines
If you violate these Community Guidelines, CareIMO may take one or more of the following actions:
| Action | When it may be used |
|---|---|
| Warning | First-time or minor violations. We’ll explain what went wrong and what to do differently. |
| Content removal | Content that violates these Guidelines may be removed, hidden, or restricted. |
| Feature restriction | Access to specific features (such as posting, replying, or uploading images) may be temporarily restricted. |
| Account suspension | Temporary suspension of your account for repeated or serious violations. |
| Account termination | Permanent removal from CareIMO for severe or repeated violations, including impersonation, credential fraud, CSAM, or threats of violence. |
| Reporting to authorities | CareIMO may report unlawful conduct to law enforcement, NCMEC, or professional licensing boards as required or deemed appropriate. |
The action we take depends on the severity of the violation, whether it is a pattern of behavior, the risk to other users, and the overall impact on the platform. CareIMO may take any of these actions at its sole discretion, and failure to enforce at any time does not waive our right to enforce later.
14. Appeals
If CareIMO takes action against your content or account and you believe the decision was made in error, you may appeal.
How to appeal
What to expect
CareIMO will review your appeal and respond within a reasonable timeframe. We may uphold the original decision, modify it, or reverse it. Appeal decisions are made at CareIMO’s discretion. Not all appeals will result in a reversal.
Some actions are not eligible for appeal, including account terminations for CSAM violations, credible threats of violence, or credential fraud.
15. Important Disclaimers
16. Relationship to Other CareIMO Policies
These Community Guidelines supplement and are incorporated into CareIMO’s Terms of Service at www.careimo.com/terms. The Terms of Service contain the full legal rules, including provisions on content licensing, intellectual property, limitation of liability, indemnification, arbitration, and dispute resolution that apply to all use of the platform.
If there is a conflict between these Community Guidelines and the Terms of Service, the Terms of Service control.
For information about how CareIMO handles your data, see our Privacy Policy at www.careimo.com/privacy, our Consumer Health Data Privacy Policy at www.careimo.com/consumer-health-data-privacy, and our Cookie & Tracking Technologies Policy at www.careimo.com/cookies.
17. Changes to These Guidelines
CareIMO may update these Community Guidelines from time to time. If we make material changes, we will update the effective date at the top and provide notice through the Services. Your continued use of CareIMO after changes take effect means you accept the updated Guidelines.
18. Contact Us
If you have questions about these Community Guidelines, contact us at:
Email: support@careimo.com
Website: www.careimo.com