Child Safety Standards

Last updated: October 2026

SurroundMe exists to keep children and teens facing serious health challenges connected to the people who love them. Their safety comes first in everything we build.

Zero tolerance

SurroundMe has zero tolerance for child sexual abuse and exploitation of any kind, including child sexual abuse material (CSAM), grooming, sextortion, or any sexual contact with or about a minor. Anyone who does this is permanently removed, their content is deleted, and we report them to the authorities.

Who can use SurroundMe

• You must be 13 or older to have a SurroundMe account. Children under 13 never get their own login; their parents share updates for them.
• Teens (13–17) join only through a parent’s invitation.
• Every circle is private and invitation-only. Strangers can’t search for, find, or contact a child.

Protections built into the app

• Parents are in charge. The child’s parents decide who joins the circle and can remove anyone at any time.
• Automatic moderation. Messages, photos, and posts are checked automatically for harmful content.
• Report and block. Messages, posts, and people can be reported or blocked in a couple of taps.
• Recorded calls are clearly marked. Everyone on a recorded call is told it’s being recorded, and recordings are deleted automatically.

How to report a concern

• In the app: tap ••• (or press and hold a message) and choose Report.
• By email: safety@surroundme.org
• If a child is in immediate danger, call 911 first.

What we do when something is reported

• We review child-safety reports as a top priority.
• We remove harmful content and suspend or permanently remove the account involved.
• We report apparent child sexual abuse material and exploitation to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) through its CyberTipline, as U.S. law requires, and we cooperate with law enforcement.
• We preserve information as required by law to support investigations.

Following the law

SurroundMe follows applicable child-safety laws, including U.S. federal reporting requirements for child sexual abuse material.

Child safety contact

Our designated child safety contact is Kelly Hoopes, who can be reached at safety@surroundme.org.

You can also report directly to NCMEC at report.cybertip.org or 1-800-843-5678.