VSCO contains ads for all users with free accounts. Ads show up on the Feed, Discover, and Profile pages. Ads either include VSCO’s new features or third-party products. Users can disable targeted cookies in “Your Privacy Choices.” This means that the user will continue to see ads, but they won’t be personalized.  

Information about how VSCO collects users’ data: Privacy Policy 

Users need to be 13 years or older.  

VSCO does not offer age-related content filters. VSCO requests new users provide a birthdate but doesn’t include further age verification.  

The only default privacy setting on VSCO is within Messaging. Users under 18 years of age have a default setting to “Only allow messages from people I follow.”

It’s important to note that all VSCO profiles are public; there is no option to make an account private. Individuals who do not have a VSCO account have limited access to content on the website version of VSCO. 

VSCO offers different methods for users to control their feeds: 

• Reporting: Users can report inappropriate videos or photos, messages, Spaces, or entire VSCO profiles. 
• Blocking: When a user blocks another individual, they will not be able to receive messages from that person. That individual also won’t be able to follow them, see content they post or repost, or engage with their content anywhere on the app. 
• Discussions: Only Plus and Pro Members can take part in Discussions, but Discussions can be viewed by all users, both those who pay for the app and those who don’t. Users can enable or disable their viewing of Discussions per each individual post. 
• Location: Users can turn their location off if they don’t want other users to know where the images they posted were taken. 
• Reposts: Every image or video that a user publishes to their own profile can be “liked” and reposted by other users. If users aren’t comfortable with their content in Reposts, they can remove it following these instructions. 
• For more information, see How to Keep Your Account and Information Safe 

Besides reporting and blocking, VSCO offers additional  safety guidance surrounding Messaging: 

• “Ignore” a message (vs. “Accept,” which allows a conversation to start) removes a message from a user’s Messages inbox 
• “Mute” a conversation means that a user will no longer get any notifications from that interaction 
• “Leave” a conversation means that the interaction will be temporarily gone from a user’s inbox. Note that “Leaving” doesn’t mean that a user can’t reach out in that message chain/interaction again. 
• Here are some links with tips from VSCO about how to message safely.
  • Messaging Red Flags and How to Spot Them 
  • Staying Safe with Messages 

All VSCO users have access to unlimited conversations with other users who follow them and up to 3 conversations/day for users who don’t follow them. Users with a paid membership (Plus or Pro) can send an unlimited number of messages to anyone on the app. 

VSCO does not offer nighttime settings.

VSCO does not offer nudges to take a break. 

There is a Parent Guide for VSCO, but there are no specific controls that parents/caregivers can enact. There are just the default privacy and safety features mentioned above and the ability to block, report, and ignore content. 

VSCO does not offer time limits.