How we keep teens safe

Players aged 13 to 17 play in a separate teen city. They only ever meet other teens there: adults can't see them, find them, message them or send them anything, and teens can't see adults.

We ask for a date of birth when an account is made, and it can't be changed later. Nobody under 13 can make an account. On their 18th birthday a teen's account moves to the adult city overnight with their game money, homes and look, and their teen links end.

• Other players find a teen only by typing their exact @username.
• Where a teen is and whether they're online shows only to their contacts (people who added each other).
• New chats come from contacts only. Someone who isn't a contact can send one short text request a day, and only from an account at least 3 days old.
• Knocks, invites, gifts, groups, rides and private game-table invites are between contacts only.
• Voice notes work only between contacts of 7 days or more, and only if the other person says yes.
• Sending game money between players is off for teens.

Phone numbers (even spelled out or spaced), links, emails, @handles and usernames from other apps and games can't be shared in chats, requests, Lagos Gist or anything said out loud. A gentle hint suggests rewording, and nothing is sent.

Betting and the casino, money tables, real-money purchases, clubs and bars, drinking, dating and romance, crime, voice chat rooms, and the city's 18+ places. They don't appear on a teen's map or phone at all. There are no photos in the game for anyone.

Lagos Gist posts and comments are checked by our rules before other teens see them, and anything not yet checked stays hidden from teens. Chats, requests and things said out loud go through the same filters as they're sent.

No notifications between 10 pm and 7 am (Lagos time), and a teen's notifications never show message text. A quiet reminder appears after an hour of play in a day, and a break nudge after 45 minutes in one go.

Tap ⚑ Report on a player, a chat or a post. Teens can pick reasons like I think they're an adult, Asked me for photos or Asked to meet up. Every report blocks the other player too.

A report that someone seems to be an adult, or that they asked for photos or to meet, limits that account to its existing contacts at once while the team looks. Signs of grooming do the same automatically. Teen reports go to the team's teen queue first.

Anything sexual involving a minor is removed, the account is closed, and we report it to the relevant authorities.

To ask what we hold about a teen, or to have their account deleted, write to support@lagoslife.app with their @username. You can also use the report form without an account.

Contact your local emergency services first (112 in Nigeria). If you're going through something hard, talk to someone you trust, or find a free helpline near you at findahelpline.com.

More about your data is in the privacy policy, the rules everyone follows are the Community Guidelines, our standards against child sexual abuse and exploitation are the Child Safety Standards, and general help is on the help page.