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Child protection standards

Standards against child sexual abuse and exploitation (CSAE) · Last updated: August 2026

1. Our principle

PaceMate is an app for finding training partners for running, cycling, hiking and gym training. We maintain a zero-tolerance policy towards child sexual abuse and exploitation (CSAE) in any form. Content or conduct that sexualises, endangers or exploits children is strictly prohibited on PaceMate and leads to the immediate and permanent suspension of the account.

2. Prohibited content and conduct

The following are prohibited on PaceMate in particular:

• child sexual abuse material (CSAM) — creating, uploading, sharing, requesting or linking to such content;
• any sexualisation of minors, whether in images, text or chat messages;
• grooming — deliberately contacting minors with the aim of sexual acts or obtaining sexual content;
• sextortion — extorting people with intimate content;
• arranging meetings with minors for sexual purposes;
• human trafficking and any form of commercial sexual exploitation of minors.

3. Minimum age

PaceMate may only be used from the age of 16. Accounts evidently operated by younger people are suspended and deleted.

4. Protective mechanisms in the app

• Reporting: violations can be reported directly in the app from the profile of the person concerned. Reported content is reviewed promptly.
• Blocking: users can block other users at any time. Blocked people are permanently removed from suggestions and chats; a block cannot be lifted by the other side.
• Reporting by email: violations — including by third parties who do not use the app — can be reported at any time to abuse@pacemate.de.

5. Handling violations (CSAM)

If we become aware of CSAM or CSAE-related violations, we take the following steps without delay:

• immediate removal of the content concerned;
• immediate and permanent suspension of the accounts involved;
• preservation of the relevant evidence within the legally permitted scope;
• reporting to the competent law enforcement authorities (in Germany in particular the Bundeskriminalamt) and to recognised reporting bodies such as the NCMEC CyberTipline and jugendschutz.net.

6. Compliance with legal requirements

We comply with the applicable laws protecting children, including the provisions of the German Criminal Code (in particular sections 176 et seq. and 184b StGB), the German Interstate Treaty on the Protection of Minors in the Media (JMStV) and the requirements of the European Union’s Digital Services Act (DSA). We respond to official information and removal requests without delay.

7. Child safety point of contact

This English version is provided for convenience. In case of discrepancies, the German version prevails.