handle policy

last updated: July 1, 2026

Your handle (e.g., thewav.music/@yourname) is your identity on thewav. This policy covers who can claim one, what’s off-limits, and how disputes get resolved.

1. eligibility

Handles are first-come, first-served at signup.
One handle per account. You can change your handle in settings, subject to cooldown limits we may apply to prevent abuse (e.g., squatting a handle then immediately dropping it).
Handles must follow our formatting rules (length, allowed characters) shown at signup.
We can reclaim, rename, or suspend a handle that violates this policy, at our discretion, with notice where practical.

2. impersonation is prohibited

You may not create a handle, profile, or account that impersonates another person, artist, venue, brand, or organization in a way that’s likely to mislead others — including using someone else’s name, likeness, or trademark without a real connection to them.

Parody, fan, and commentary accounts are allowed if they’re clearly labeled as such (e.g., “unofficial,” “fan page”) in the handle or bio, and don’t claim to be the real person, artist, or venue.

Report suspected impersonation via the in-app report tool or support@thewav.music. See community safety for our general reporting process.

3. verification

Artists, venues, and public figures can apply for verification to confirm their profile is authentic. Verification is a badge, not a handle guarantee — but verified accounts get priority in handle disputes involving their real name or established stage name (see section 5).

To apply: [PLACEHOLDER — verification request flow / form link]. We’ll ask for proof of identity or authority to represent the artist/venue (e.g., a linked official website, existing verified social account, or booking agent confirmation).

4. dormant-handle reclaim

If an account has been inactive for 12 consecutive months (no login, no content updates) and someone else requests that handle, we may reclaim and reassign it. Before reassigning:

we’ll make reasonable efforts to notify the original account’s email on file
the original owner has a window to log in and retain the handle before it’s released — details of that window will be included in the notice
accounts with any verification badge or active EPK are not subject to automatic reclaim; a manual review applies instead

Reclaim requests can be submitted to support@thewav.music once the 12-month threshold has passed.

5. trademark disputes

If you hold a registered trademark and believe a handle on thewav infringes it in a way that misleads users (not fair use, parody, or commentary), email support@thewav.music with:

the trademark registration number and jurisdiction
the handle in question and how it’s causing confusion
your contact information and relationship to the mark

We’ll review and may rename, suspend, or transfer the handle. We aim to balance trademark rights against legitimate fan, parody, and independent-artist use of similar names — a shared name alone isn’t automatically infringement.

6. reserved words

Certain handles are reserved and not available for general signup, including:

thewav, admin, support, help, security, official, and close variants/misspellings intended to confuse
generic terms core to the product (e.g., “shows,” “venues,” “artists,” “api,” “settings”)
terms that are obscene, hateful, or reserved for legal/regulatory reasons

Reserved handles may be released for specific verified partners (e.g., an official venue chain) at our discretion.

7. enforcement

Violations of this policy may result in a forced handle change, account suspension, or termination, per our terms of service. We’ll aim to notify you and give a chance to resolve minor issues before taking action, except in cases of clear impersonation, abuse, or harm.

8. contact

Handle disputes, verification questions, or reclaim requests: support@thewav.music.

This document is a working draft prepared for launch planning. It has not been reviewed by a lawyer.

Handle Policy