Content Guidelines

Effective Date: April 20, 2026
Applies To: Hosts, property managers, homeowners, partners, contributors, vendors, and anyone submitting content to Lake.com

1. Purpose

Lake.com exists to help guests discover and book memorable vacations by the water, and to help hosts and property managers present their homes clearly, accurately, and fairly. These Content Guidelines explain what kinds of content are permitted on Lake.com and what kinds are not.

Our goal is simple: content on Lake.com should be helpful, truthful, safe, respectful, and relevant.

2. Scope

These Guidelines apply to all content submitted to, displayed on, or distributed through Lake.com, including:

• Listing titles and descriptions
• Property photos, videos, captions, floor plans, and virtual tours
• Amenity lists, house rules, availability notes, and pricing notes
• Host and property manager profile content
• Destination information or local area descriptions submitted by partners
• Messages, reviews, testimonials, or guest-facing content where applicable
• Promotional copy, social media content, newsletters, and editorial content produced by or for Lake.com

Where these Guidelines conflict with Lake.com Terms, Trust and Safety rules, local laws, or platform requirements, those other rules will also apply.

3. Our Standards

All content on Lake.com should meet these standards:

Accurate
Content must truthfully describe the property, destination, amenities, and experience being offered.

Relevant
Content must relate directly to the property, destination, host, or guest experience on Lake.com.

Respectful
Content must not harass, demean, discriminate against, exploit, or endanger others.

Lawful
Content must comply with applicable laws, regulations, rights of others, and Lake.com policies.

Trustworthy
Photos, descriptions, and claims must not mislead guests or create false expectations.

4. What Content Is Allowed

The following content is generally allowed, provided it is accurate, lawful, and relevant:

• Honest descriptions of a property, its features, and nearby attractions
• Clear descriptions of lake access, waterfront type, dock details, shoreline conditions, and seasonal limitations
• Photos and videos of the actual property and the surrounding area
• House rules and practical information for guests
• Statements about accessibility, pet policies, occupancy, and safety features when accurate
• Professionally edited photos that improve clarity, lighting, cropping, or composition without altering reality
• AI-assisted copy, translation, or media enhancement, so long as the final content remains accurate and does not misrepresent the property

5. What Content Is Not Allowed

The following content is not permitted on Lake.com.

A. Misleading or Inaccurate Content

You may not post content that misrepresents a property, destination, or host.

Examples include:

• Claiming a home is lakefront when it is not
• Describing amenities that do not exist or are not available to guests
• Failing to disclose material limitations, such as seasonal dock access, steep stairs, shared spaces, or water conditions
• Using outdated photos that no longer reflect the current condition of the home
• Using staged or edited imagery that hides damage, exaggerates views, removes nearby structures, or adds features that are not actually present
• Claiming proximity to a lake, park, beach, town, or event that is materially misleading

B. Off-Platform Solicitation or Contact Information

Public-facing listing content may not be used to drive guests away from Lake.com or to bypass Lake.com systems.

Examples include:

• Phone numbers, email addresses, website URLs, QR codes, social handles, or direct booking instructions in titles, descriptions, photos, or captions
• “Book direct and save” messages
• Requests to contact the host outside the platform before booking, unless expressly permitted by Lake.com in a designated field or workflow

C. Illegal, Harmful, or Unsafe Content

Content may not promote, depict, or facilitate illegal, dangerous, or harmful activity.

Examples include:

• Illegal occupancy or licensing arrangements
• Instructions to evade local rules, taxes, permits, or safety requirements
• Promotion of illegal drug activity
• Threatening, violent, or graphic content
• Content that encourages unsafe use of boats, docks, fireplaces, hot tubs, pools, or other property features

D. Discriminatory or Hateful Content

Lake.com does not allow content that discriminates against or excludes people based on protected characteristics, or that promotes hate, harassment, or demeaning stereotypes.

Examples include:

• “No families with children”
• “No guests of [protected group]”
• Derogatory descriptions of people, communities, or neighborhoods
• Language intended to intimidate, shame, or insult

Legally permitted property limitations may still be described in a neutral, objective, and lawful manner.

E. Sexually Explicit, Obscene, or Exploitative Content

Content may not contain explicit sexual material, nudity intended to arouse, exploitative imagery, or obscene language inappropriate for a general travel audience. Attire considered acceptable for photographs or video content includes solid or opaque fabrics (not see-through) that fit comfortably but not too tightly.

For women: Shirts must cover the bust and torso (no cleavage, midriff or belly buttons, i.e., no bikinis, pop tops, halters with exposed backs, etc.). Shorts, skorts, pants, and swim apparel must conceal the bikini area, buttocks, and upper thighs. We honor God in how we present people made in His image, which includes modest clothing.

For swimsuits, women must wear a modest one-piece that covers the bust, bikini, and buttocks area. Examples of classy women’s swimwear can be found at Jessica Rey. Swim dresses are encouraged.

For men: Traditional swim trunks are encouraged. No Speedos or swimwear that shows the groin or buttocks area.

If photographs include children, the rules for women’s attire apply. Children must be clothed to protect sensitive areas and should not appear in any other attire. No babies in diapers, boys or girls without a shirt or shorts. 

F. Privacy Violations

You may not publish private or sensitive information about any person.

Examples include:

• Personal phone numbers or personal email addresses in public content
• IDs, license plates, passports, security codes, alarm instructions, or gate codes
• Private addresses where Lake.com does not permit public display
• Photos of guests, neighbors, children, or staff without appropriate permission
• Surveillance disclosures that are incomplete or misleading

G. Intellectual Property Violations

You may only upload content you own or have permission to use.

Examples of prohibited content:

• Photos copied from another listing or website
• Stock images used as though they depict the actual property
• Maps, brochures, illustrations, logos, or branded materials you do not have rights to use
• Music, video, or written content used without authorization

H. Spam, Manipulation, or Low-Quality Content

Content may not be repetitive, irrelevant, deceptive, or designed to game search visibility rather than inform guests.

Examples include:

• Keyword stuffing
• Repeating destination names unnaturally
• Misleading superlatives that cannot be supported
• Duplicate listings or duplicate media
• Placeholder text, incomplete sentences, all-caps headlines, or cluttered descriptions

6. Listing-Specific Requirements

Because property listings are central to guest trust, the following rules apply to all listings on Lake.com.

Titles

Listing titles should:

• Clearly identify the property and its strongest real feature
• Avoid excessive punctuation, all caps, emojis, or salesy language
• Not contain contact details, URLs, pricing claims, or unverifiable superlatives

Descriptions

Descriptions should:

• Describe the advertised unit only
• Be specific, readable, and useful
• Reflect the real layout, sleeping arrangements, privacy level, and access conditions
• Disclose any important limitations, including stairs, seasonal roads, shared amenities, water depth variability, algae conditions, construction nearby, or limited cell service where material

Amenities and Features

Hosts must:

• Only select amenities that are consistently available to guests
• Disclose restrictions or seasonal availability
• Clarify when an amenity is shared, off-site, extra-cost, or weather-dependent

Location and Waterfront Claims

Hosts must:

• Accurately describe whether the property is lakefront, waterfront, water-access, water-view, or near a lake
• Avoid ambiguous or inflated claims
• Be truthful about walking time, driving time, and direct access

7. Photo and Video Standards

Media should help guests understand the property and set clear expectations.

Photos and videos should:

• Show the actual property and relevant surrounding environment
• Be recent, well-lit, and high enough quality to evaluate the space
• Reflect the property’s current condition
• Include enough variety to show key rooms, exterior, bathrooms, sleeping areas, and waterfront access where applicable

Media may not:

• Include text overlays, promotional banners, watermarks, logos, QR codes, or contact details
• Be blurry, duplicated, heavily filtered, or unrelated to the property
• Be collages or composite images that obscure what is actually offered
• Hide defects, add features, or digitally alter the property in a misleading way

Drone photography is permitted if lawful, safe, and accurate, and if it does not violate privacy or misrepresent distance, lot boundaries, shoreline access, or surroundings.

8. AI-Generated or AI-Edited Content

AI tools may be used to assist with writing, translation, image cleanup, or formatting, but the submitter remains fully responsible for accuracy.

AI use is not allowed where it:

• Invents amenities, views, reviews, or location benefits
• Hides defects or safety concerns
• Alters a property so significantly that a guest would form a false impression
• Creates fictional testimonials or deceptive local recommendations

Lake.com may request original files or supporting evidence where authenticity is in question.

9. Reviews, Testimonials, and Claims

Where reviews or testimonials are permitted, they must reflect genuine experiences and may not be fabricated, selectively edited to mislead, or traded for compensation unless clearly disclosed and compliant with applicable law.

Claims such as “best,” “#1,” “private beach,” “walk to the lake,” “fully accessible,” or “family-friendly” should be supportable and not misleading in context.

10. Editorial and Platform Rights

Lake.com may:

• Review, reject, edit, truncate, reformat, or remove content
• Request clarification or supporting evidence
• Require changes before content is published or remains live
• Suspend, limit, or remove listings or accounts for repeated or serious violations

Lake.com is not obligated to publish all submitted content.

11. Reporting and Enforcement

If content appears misleading, unsafe, unlawful, or otherwise inconsistent with these Guidelines, it may be flagged for review.

Depending on severity, Lake.com may:

• Remove the content
• Ask the submitter to revise it
• Temporarily hide the listing or content
• Restrict publishing privileges
• Suspend or terminate the relevant account

12. Changes to These Guidelines

Lake.com may update these Guidelines from time to time to reflect legal requirements, product changes, trust and safety needs, or platform standards.