Ethics & Responsible Practices

Our Ethical Foundation

At Veritas, we connect indie hackers and startup founders with investors. We understand the profound vulnerability of sharing your early-stage product, revenue numbers, and dreams with potential investors. This document outlines how we protect founders while facilitating genuine investment relationships built on truth and respect.

1. Founder Vulnerability Protection

1.1 Early-Stage Product Privacy

• Controlled Visibility: You choose exactly which metrics and details are public vs private
• No Forced Disclosure: Revenue, MRR, or user numbers shared only when you're ready
• Stealth Mode Support: Build in private before public launch
• No Idea Theft Protection: We monitor for copycats and provide tools to report suspicious behavior

1.2 Financial Data Sensitivity

• Revenue and MRR data is encrypted with extra security layers
• You control who sees financial metrics (public, investors only, or completely private)
• No aggregate financial data sold to market research firms
• Fundraising history stays private unless you choose to share

2. Investor-Founder Balance

2.1 Equal Platform Access

• No Investor Advantage: Investors don't get aggregate platform data that creates information asymmetry
• Fair Discovery: Algorithmic ranking doesn't favor certain investors or certain founders
• No Pay-to-Win: Premium features enhance tools but don't buy unfair visibility
• Founder Protection First: In any conflict between investor convenience and founder privacy, we side with founders

2.2 Anti-Exploitation Measures

• Monitor for predatory investor behavior (excessive message spam, pressure tactics)
• Founders can block investors without explanation
• Report suspicious investment offers or scam attempts
• Clear warnings about common founder exploitation patterns

3. Portfolio Management Ethics

3.1 Investor Portfolio Privacy

• Private by Default: Investor portfolios and investment history are private unless shared
• No Public Performance Metrics: We don't publicly rank investors by portfolio performance
• Confidential Deal Terms: Investment amounts and terms stay between parties
• Lightweight Tools: Portfolio tracking helps investors without creating excessive reporting burden on founders

3.2 Update Request Ethics

• Investors can request updates, but founders control frequency and detail
• No shame mechanics for founders who don't provide regular updates
• Update templates suggested but never required
• Founders can pause updates during difficult periods without penalty

4. Metrics & Traction Transparency

4.1 Honest Growth Representation

• No Vanity Metrics Encouragement: We encourage meaningful metrics over inflated numbers
• Context Over Numbers: Support for explaining the story behind the metrics
• Realistic Expectations: Educational content about healthy growth rates for indie products
• No Pressure to Exaggerate: Platform culture emphasizes authenticity over hype

4.2 Verification Without Exploitation

• Optional metric verification through integrations (Stripe, analytics) for credibility
• Verified data encrypted and never used for platform analytics
• Verification is optional - unverified products welcome too
• No differential treatment based on verification status in discovery algorithms

5. Community Authenticity

• No Fake Products: We verify that products are real, not just landing pages
• No Vote Manipulation: Upvotes and engagement must be genuine, not bought
• No Astroturfing: Fake comments or reviews result in immediate ban
• Real Feedback Only: Community feedback is constructive, not toxic competition

6. Financial Integration Protection

• Stripe Data Security: Revenue data from Stripe receives maximum encryption
• Read-Only Access: We only read financial metrics, never modify account settings
• Revocable Anytime: Disconnect Stripe without losing Veritas product data
• No Cross-Sharing: Your revenue data is never aggregated or shared with third parties

7. Fair Platform Economics

• No Success Fees: We don't take a cut of investments made through connections on Veritas
• Transparent Pricing: Clear subscription costs for founders and investors
• No Bait and Switch: Free tier remains genuinely useful, not artificially crippled
• Data Portability: Export your product data, metrics, and investor connections anytime

8. Messaging & Connection Ethics

• No Cold Outreach Spam: Rate limits and quality controls on investor messages to founders
• Mutual Interest Required: Investors can't message unless founder shows interest
• Blocking Without Explanation: Either party can end communication without justification
• No Message Content Analysis: We don't read your private conversations for marketing purposes

9. Failure & Pivot Support

• No Shame for Shutdowns: Products that close down are treated with respect, not hidden
• Pivot-Friendly: Changing direction doesn't penalize your profile or visibility
• Post-Mortem Support: Space for founders to share learnings from failed projects
• No Permanent Penalties: Try again with new products without historical disadvantage

10. Contact & Concerns

Building in public and seeking investment requires deep trust. If you have concerns about privacy, unfair treatment, or predatory behavior on the platform, please reach out.