1. Matchmaking Features: Flame vs. Discover

1.1 What is the difference between "Flame" and "Discover"?

• Flame (Quick Match): A fast, fun, and visual way to browse potential matches. You review photos and slide them into the "Heart (Like)" or "X (Skip)" pile. If two members mutually like each other, BiCupid instantly triggers an email and chat notification. Skipping someone does not mean they are hidden from you forever.
• Discover (Advanced Search): Allows you to execute custom, unlimited searches based on your ideal preferences. You can filter users by gender, age, location distance, physical characteristics, lifestyle habits, and relationship desires.

1.2 Proximity & Distance Search

To search by distance, go to Discover → Search, select your target country/state, and a distance adjustment slider bar will appear. Upgrading to Premium unlocks advanced distance filters to fine-tune your local matchmaking.

1.3 Interaction Tools: Winks, Chat Pins & Unsending Messages

• Flirty Winks: A quick way to show interest using preset canned responses. Standard members can send up to 20 winks/day (first 3 days) or 40 winks/day (after 3 days). Premium members enjoy unlimited daily winks.
• Pinning Messages (Premium Only): Pin chats from your favorite users to the top of your inbox. On PC, click the Pin icon in the chat window; on mobile devices, simply swipe left on the chat conversation list.
• Unsend Message: Hover or tap a message/photo within 5 minutes of sending, click the ellipsis (...), and select "Unsend". The recipient will be notified that a message was unsent, but the content will be permanently removed.

2. Photo Guidelines, Verification & Privacy Control

2.1 Public vs. Private Photo Albums

Every free member can upload up to 26 public and 26 private photos. Public photos appear in search results, while your Private Album gives you complete control over who views your images.

• Requesting Private Access: To view someone's private photos, click "Request Access" on their profile and wait for their approval notification.
• Sharing Your Private Album: While chatting or viewing a member's profile, click the three dots (...) and select "Share My Private Album".
• Revoking Access: To immediately remove someone's access to your private photos, open their chat window, click (...), and select "Unshare Private Album" (or manage via Profile → Private → Photo Requests From Others).
• Moving Photos: You can move secondary public photos to your private album by clicking (...) on the specific photo. Note that your primary public profile photo cannot be moved directly to private.

2.2 Photo Upload Requirements

All photos are manually reviewed within 24 hours. To avoid rejection, ensure your uploads meet these criteria:

• Formats must be GIF, JPG (JPEG), or PNG, sized over 200x200 pixels (330x440 recommended) and under 50MB.
• You must appear clearly in your primary photo. Avoid hats, sunglasses, dark lighting, red-eye effects, busy distracting patterns, or crowded backgrounds.
• Strictly NO pornography, nudity, images of children, copyrighted material, or visible contact info (such as license plates, emails, or phone numbers).
• Modifying a photo caption or resetting your main photo will place it back into the approval queue.

2.3 Safe Profile Verification (Selfie Video)

Verifying your profile proves to the community that you are genuine and serious about finding a real match.

• How to Verify: Click "Verifications" under your profile icon, select "Main Photo", and tap "Verify by Selfie Video". Follow the 3-8 second on-screen movement prompts. Verification is reviewed within 24 hours.
• Strict Privacy Protection: Your verification video is strictly confidential. It is used solely by staff for verification and cannot be viewed by anyone else on the platform, including yourself.
• Discreet Verification Option: If you value maximum privacy and do not want your face visible in your public profile, you can upload your clear face photo to your Private Album instead. We can complete verification from your private album while keeping your public search profile face-free.

3. Community Standards, Safety & Anti-Scam Policy

3.1 Anti-Scam Policy & Reporting Violations

BiCupid enforces a zero-tolerance policy for scammers, spammers, commercial solicitation, and fake profiles. Violators are held legally liable for damages to the platform.

• How to Report: If you suspect a profile is fake or violates our Terms of Use, navigate to their profile or chat window, click the ellipsis (...) in the top-right corner, click "Report", choose the reason, and submit. Our customer care team investigates swiftly.
• Profile Status Icons: A green dot indicates a user is actively online; a green circle with a white center means they were active within the last 3 days; a Crown symbol denotes a paid Premium subscriber.
• "User Unavailable" Notice: If a chat or profile suddenly states a user is unavailable, it usually means the member has voluntarily hidden their profile to take a break, or they have been immediately banned due to a security violation.

3.2 Safety Tips for Online Dating

1. Never post or share personal contact info (phone numbers, home address, workplace) early on.
2. Never share bank details, financial information, or listen to cryptocurrency/financial advice. Report anyone soliciting funds immediately.
3. Do not let anyone pressure you into revealing details or moving off-platform before you feel comfortable.
4. If a user makes you feel unsafe, stop communicating immediately. Click (...) in their chat and select "Hide" or "Block".

3.3 Blog Community Etiquette

Every member gets a personal Blog Homepage to share thoughts. To maintain a healthy environment, please follow these guidelines:

• Treat others with respect. Abusive, defamatory, obscene, racist, or threatening comments will be removed, and repeat offenders will be banned.
• Keep blog posts on-topic. Personal ads, spam, copyright infringement, and external business advertisements are strictly forbidden.

4. Account Management, Visibility & Hiding Profiles

4.1 Hiding vs. Blocking Members

• Hide Conversation / Hide From Search: Hiding a conversation or hiding a profile from your search parameters means you will no longer see them in your results or active tab. However, they can still view your profile and message you. (Restore via Settings → Hidden Conversations).
• Absolute Hide (Block): Both parties become completely invisible to one another. Neither can send messages, view status updates, browse profiles, or view interactive videos.
• Hiding Your Entire Profile (Premium Only): Premium users can hide their profile entirely from the public platform under Settings → Privacy. You remain hidden from search results but can still chat with existing contacts.

4.2 Leaving Discussion Groups

You can toggle your group browsing visibility status to "Invisible" so you do not appear in the active member lists. To completely opt-out of a discussion topic group and cut off alerts, go to Chats → Open the Group → Click (...) at the top right → Select "Leave Group".

4.3 Account Deactivation, Deletion & Age Corrections

• Deactivating or Deleting Your Account: Go to Settings → My Account → Click "Click here to deactivate or delete your account" and enter your password. Deletion removes your public profile instantly. Logging back in within 6 months automatically restores your account; after 6 months, data is permanently deleted from our databases.
• Correcting an Error in Your Age: For profile security, age changes require verification. You must contact support with a selfie video holding a written note displaying our website name, your registered email address, and the current date.

Need Technical Troubleshooting?

If you forgot your password, click "Forgot Password" at login for a 24-hour reset link. If the site feels slow, check your internet connectivity or try an alternate device. For platform errors, take a screenshot and email our technical helpdesk at support@bicupid.app along with a short description.