Community standards
This platform only works if every listing is real, every referral gets a response, and every member acts in good faith. Accountability runs both ways — here is exactly how we hold the line.
Verification — before you go live
Every listing is reviewed by a person before it appears in the directory. Applicants attest the business is Black-owned; the community can flag any listing they believe doesn't belong (including a dedicated "not Black-owned" report reason), and flagged listings are re-reviewed.
Annual re-confirmation — no stale listings
Once a year we ask every business to confirm its details are still accurate — one click from your dashboard. We remind you 30 days and 7 days ahead. If a listing goes unconfirmed 30 days past its review date, it is temporarily hiddenfrom the public directory (never deleted) until the owner confirms or our team re-verifies it. Stale directories die; ours won't.
Referral responsiveness
Referrals are real customers. A referral left unanswered for 72 hours is automatically marked "no response" and lowers the business's public reliability score. Three unanswered referrals in 90 days earns a strike. Responding — even with "not a fit" — always protects your standing.
Strikes — transparent and temporary
Moderation actions carry strikes: hidden content earns a minor strike (expires in 90 days), removed content or a suspension earns a major strike (expires in 1 year). You are notified of every strike, you can see your standing on your account page, and strikes expire automatically. While a strike is active it also lowers where a business ranks in search — that demotion lifts on its own as strikes expire. Reaching the threshold (weight 5: minors count 1, majors count 2) suspends the account or listing pending review — never silently.
What gets moderated
Spam, harassment, misinformation, impersonation, fake or misleading listings, and content that isn't professional. Anyone can report a listing, review, post, or comment; reporters are notified of the outcome. Moderator identities are never revealed, and every action is logged in an immutable audit trail.
Appeals
Think we got it wrong? Reply to the notification you received or email support@blkbizness.com — a person reviews every appeal, and revoked strikes restore your standing immediately.
These standards apply to everyone — including us. The platform commits to reviewing every application, every report, and every appeal, and to never paywalling your presence in the directory.