Freqently asked questions

About Whaddado

1. What is Whaddado?

   We all have opinions on the best places to go on vacation, our favorite restaurants or a great event. We all search listing sites and guides, see promotions for gigs, local events, exhibitions and venue offers. Why keep all this information to ourselves?

   Whaddado is a place for people to discover and share ideas for things to do and see who's up for doing what. It doesn't matter where you hear about or see an event or activity publicized, maybe you read it in on a listing site or saw it on a poster. You can submit ideas for things to do by bookmarking a webpage, sending in an SMS, a Tweet or an email. Whaddado gets to work building a page around the event or activity adding relevant pictures, videos, maps, reviews and even the weather. Best of all each of these pages is a Wiki, once created it's there to be improved and added to by the community.

   Whaddado's also a great place for discovering new ideas for things to do. It surfaces the best stuff according to your interests and locations and allows you to follow other people's lists to see what they're adding.

   Just to be clear, Whaddado is not a listing site, we don't have editors telling you what they think you might like, we only have content submitted by real people you know and share your interests, so Whaddado will try to only show you the events and activities that matter most to you.

2. How does it work?

   We've got a whole section on that, best you click here to read up on it.

3. How is Whaddado different from other event listings and social networking sites?

   Well for a start we only have content that has been submitted by other people, so you can be sure that what we do have has real people that think it's good enough to add to Whaddado. Although Whaddado is a community, we recognise that in most cases people are pretty happy using Facebook or MySpace and Twitter, so we've made sure that everything you do on Whaddado can be added to each of these social networking sites with no extra hassle. You can even bring your Facebook and Twitter profile and friends with you at the click of a button.

4. Does it cost money to use Whaddado?

   No it doesn't. It's Free!!

5. Is Whaddado international?

   Yes we are. Whaddado recognises your location and shows you events and activities added for where you are. We'll be adding more languages shortly, but for now, it's just in English.

6. What are Points and how do I collect them?

   Points are our way of saying thank you for adding content and generally contributing to the community. You can see how points are rewarded by clicking here. We'll be offering real prizes to top point scorers so it's worthwhile engaging with Whaddado and earning more points.

7. What is a Spotlight Profile and how do I get spotlighted?

   We like to give top contributors to the site a bit of fame, so we created the 'spotlight profile' found on the People Page. The best way to get spotlighted is to earn more points.

8. How can I find out about future site enhancements?

   We'll create a section shortly in our help pages to get people's feedback and comments on our existing site and upcoming enhancements.

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Adding Content to Whaddado

1. Why would I want to add 'ideas for things to do' to Whaddado?

   Whaddado is a great place to keep all the details about the things you find to do. If you see a poster or are given a leaflet advertising an event, where do you store that information now? What if a friend recommends a movie, hotel or restaurant - do you manage to remember it? If you find a website giving details about a fun activity, something you would like to do and you know friends would too - where do you keep a record of it and how do you share it with friends?

   Whaddado takes any event or activity you send it and automatically builds a page with pictures, videos, maps, reviews and even the weather, which saves you the trouble of having to search for the information on other websites and enables you to share a page with friends through Facebook, Twitter or email. Once Whaddado has built a page, it is there to be improved by our community by adding more pictures or editing the information. In time, we'll make this page work more like a Wiki so you'll be able to vote on the best pictures and videos too.

2. Can I add anything to Whaddado? What's the policy?

   Provided it's decent and is an event or activity - yes you can. Whaddado is specifically a place for recommending things to do to your friends and the wider community. It is not meant for articles, news stories or general shopping.

   You should add movies, restaurants, vacation destinations, concerts, museums, walks, courses, theatre shows and so much more. Although you can opt to keep what you add as private, we hope that you'll be happy to share your knowledge of what's good to do with the rest of the community. Don't keep the good stuff to yourself.

3. How do I add an event or activity I know of to Whaddado?

   If you're online:

   Click the 'Add a Whaddado' button on the navigation and start typing. Whaddado starts looking immediately and should find a website that matches. It's then a quick step to review the website Whaddado finds and check the information Whaddado is wanting to import - then click save and the page will be built immediately.

   You can grab a 'Whaddado it' button for your browser too, so when you're browsing the web and see something good to do, you can hit the 'Whaddado it' button to add it to Whaddado and share with friends and the community.

   If you're out and about:

   You can send Whaddado a text message if you're out and about. Texts that you send in are stored in your 'ideas box' which can be found under the 'My Whaddado' section. When you're next signed into Whaddado, you'll be alerted to a new item in your 'Idea Box'. To flesh out the idea in to a full Whaddado Page, simply hit the 'Whaddado it' button next to the idea.

   First you need to tell Whaddado your mobile / cell phone number so it will recognise you and store your message for you. To do this go to Profile > Setting or click here now. To Once your 'phone number is linked you can text your messages to 0778 14821 2100.

   Yes we know the number is long and only for the UK at the moment. We will change it shortly. Oh also, texts cost your standard rate, we don't charge extra.

4. Can I add content to Whaddado through my cell / mobile phone?

   You can if you're in the UK (for now). See the section above entitled 'if you're out and about'.

5. How do I add content to Whaddado through my Twitter account?

   If you like to Tweet, you can link your Whaddado and Twitter accounts together. By doing this you'll be able to have Whaddado Tweet to your account the things you add and you'll also be able to add Tweets about things to do to your 'Ideas Box'.

   To link your Twitter and Whaddado accounts go to Profile > Settings or click here. To send Tweets to your Whaddado Ideas Box, simply add the #whaddaIdea to your tweet.

6. Can I add content through Facebook?

   You can if you're in the UK (for now). See the section above entitled 'if you're out and about'.

   We'll be launching a Facebook app shortly so you'll be able to add stuff to Whaddado more easily and have a 'Whaddado' feed on your profile.

   You can of course easily send anything you Whaddado to your Facebook profile, on every page we have a Facebook 'like' button as well as their share button.

7. If I've found a good webpage listing something 'good to do', how do I add it to Whaddado and share it with friends.

   You should grab our 'bookmarklet' or 'browser button' first. Once you've installed that adding things from other websites is easy as clicking 'Add a Whaddado'.

   If you'd rather not install the button, then you can copy and paste the website URL into Whaddado. Just hit the 'Add a Whaddado' button on the Whaddado navigation bar and paste the URL into the box provided. Whaddado will then look it up the page and get you to check the information it's obtained before creating a page.

8. Why do I need to say how everything relates to 'my interests' each time I add something to Whaddado?

   You should grab our 'bookmarklet' or 'browser button' first. Once you've installed that adding things from other websites is easy as clicking 'Add a Whaddado'.

   Whaddado basis its recommendations for you and according to your stated interests. By asking each time you add something to Whaddado how it relates to your interests we can build up a good picture of what you like and why and also help with our recommendations for other people too.

9. What if the event or activity I add to Whaddado has no date, time or location?

   That's fine. Often you'll want to add something to Whaddado that is available anywhere in the world, such as a movie to watch or maybe it's a restaurant you like. Clearly in these instances it is not an event and has no time limit. The information you enter is to help the rest of the community identify good things to do, wherever they are, so if there is a location, date or time, do spare a moment to add it.

   We're building more features to allow you to plan when you want to go to things and help you organise dates and times with your friends. However, for now, if there is no set date or time that is relevant to the general public, then just leave it blank.

10. Can I edit and update things that I've added?

    You can. If you're signed into Whaddado, you can click on the edit button that appears on the Whaddado Page (that's the page with all the pics, vids and maps).

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Lists

1. What are 'Lists' and why do I need them?

   Lists are just convenient containers for your to categorize and store your 'Whaddado's. By sorting the things you add into lists you can find them more easily yourself but also allow your friends and other community members to choose which of your lists they would like to follow to get recommendations for themselves.

   We've created five lists to start you off:

   • "things to do" - this is more a general list and by default things will be put here.
   • "places to go" - could be foreign cities, parks, museums or a famous tourist site.
   • "Upcoming events" - stuff you've found that looks good and is happening soon
   • "Movies to see" - for when you've heard of a good movie or want to recommend one.
   • "to do before I die" - all those things you need to tick off before you kick the bucket

   We resisted the temptation to create more and hope you'll think of other lists you can add. Perhaps something for gigs and concerts or a list of things to do with the kids. Check out to see what lists other people are creating through the 'Discover' section and choose to follow the most interesting lists.

2. Can I add a new 'List' and call it what I like?

   Yes you can. It's more useful to the rest of the community if you create a list name that other's will understand. For example 'My favorite restaurants' or 'Museum's worth a visit' could be good names to use. We will be showcasing popular lists soon, so you'll want to maximise the appeal of the name to get the most followers.

3. How do I edit one of my existing lists?

   It's simple. Go either to 'My Whaddado' or to 'My Profile' and in the left hand navigation you'll see all your lists. Select the one you want to edit, then when the page loads, next to the title of the list you'll see an 'edit' button. Click this to edit your list then click on 'Save' to save the changes.

4. Are 'Lists' location specific?

   Lists are whatever you want them to be. Whaddado gives you option to advise people following your lists if you intend to make it location specific. Perhaps you want a list of your favorite things to do in your city, or maybe you want to create a list to be your guide to a foreign city.

5. What is 'follow'

   It basically means you get to see in your recommendations all the things that that person adds to their Whaddado account, so it could be something they found out there in the big wide world or something someone else found that they liked and they hit the 'Add' button to add it to one of their own lists - a list you chose to be 'follow'.

   To follow someone, simply click the 'follow' button next to their name, you'll see it wherever you see someone's name or picture appear. You'll then be given the option which of their lists you want to 'follow'.

6. If I 'follow' a list, where can I see all the stuff added to that list?

   You can see all the lists you are following in your 'Recommendations'.

7. How can I 'unfollow' a list?

   Select the list, then click the 'unfollow' button that appears next to the list's title.

8. What new features are planned for 'lists'?

   We'll shortly be allowing you to share a list with a group, so you and others can add items to it. We think this will be useful if you're planning what to do for a holiday or weekend and want to invite friends to contribute ideas. We've got more up our sleeves on lists and will keep you posted on our plans.

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Recommendations

1. How does Whaddado find recommendations specific to me?

   By magic. Well Ok, not quite. You tell us what you like doing by entering in your 'interests'. Whaddado then searches through all the things that other people have been adding, checks out your location, and then serves up what it thinks might take your fancy. Overtime we'll get better at this, so be patient while we fine tune things.

2. What are 'Interests' and how do I edit 'Interests'?

   So 'Interests' are the name we've given to, well the things you're interested in. So your hobbies perhaps or something you're learning or something as vague as 'travel'. Whatever you're interested in, we're sure there are other people with the same interests as you, we'll try to match you up and let you share ideas for things to do.

3. Can I change my location or add more than one location?

   Of course you can. Currently we allow you to add just three locations which you can enter or edit by going to your 'Settings' page. Your locations also influence the 'Recommendations' Whaddado gives you, so do make sure you add all the places you often go.

4. My 'Recommendations' are irrelevant to me, how can I improve them?

   First check your 'interests'. Go to the 'Settings' page , which you can find linked from the main navigation. Review all the 'interests' you've entered and if there are any missing add some more. You will receive more recommendations by adding words that describe popular interests. For example: Music, Movies, Food, drinking, theatre, .

5. What is a tag?

   A 'tag' is any word, or in some cases group of words, used to help classify and describe content that is added to Whaddado. So for example, 'Music' is a tag that would be assigned to a concert. 'Food' is a tag that could be assigned to 'restaurant'. There is no limit to the number of tags that can be used to describe an event or activity on Whaddado. Tags simply help to identify what the item is about and help provide accurate recommendations of things to do for the rest of the Whaddado community.

6. How do I add a tag?

   You can add a tag by clicking on the 'edit' button that appears on the 'Whaddado Page' - that's the one with all the photos, videos and pictures. You will also be asked to add tags when you choose to add a 'Whaddado Page' to one of your lists. Simply click the 'Add' button on any Whaddado Page and a pop up box will appear prompting you to say which list to add the Whaddado Page to and how it relates to your interests.

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People

1. How do I 'Follow' someone?

   Go to the People Page or the Discover Page and have a browse around. Everything that is added to Whaddado has been added by someone real. If you like what someone is adding, then it might be worthwhile following them. Simply click the 'Follow' button that appears next to every user's name. You can see all the Whaddado's from people you're following by going to the 'My Whaddado' page.

2. What if I don't want people to 'Follow' me?

   When you create a list by default everyone on Whaddado will be able to see what you add, after all why wouldn't you want to tell everyone of a great bar, club, museum or vacation. By sharing what you like hopefully you'll get inspiration for things to do from others too.

   However, if you really do not want others to see what you are adding, then we've added some privacy options. When you create a new list or if you edit a list, you can change the privacy settings so that only 'Friends' or people you 'Invite' will be able to see your list's contents.

3. What is the difference between a 'Friend' and a 'Follower'?

   A 'Follower' is bit like a fan, e.g. someone who likes the stuff you're doing but has no relationship with you. A 'Friend' is someone who you know and who you wish to be kept up to date with what they're are adding and what they're up for doing. Soon you'll be able to read comments posted by your friends regarding things you have added to Whaddado.

4. How do I remove someone as a 'follower'.

   Right now, you can't remove a person as a 'follower'. We will add this functionality though and it will appear under the People Page. You can however 'unfollow' lists by selecting each list from 'My Whaddado' Page and clicking 'unfollow'.

5. How do I remove someone as a 'friend'.

   Right now, you can't. We will add this functionality though and it will appear under the People Page.

6. How can I search for a particular person I know is using Whaddado?

   Go to the People Page and search in the search box provided on that page using their name or user name.

7. How can I find out other users in my area and with similar interests?

   Right now, the best way is through the Recommendations page where Whaddado provides 'Handpicked' suggestions based on your 'Interests' and your 'locations'. Whaddado will show you things added by others that it think match your interests. Check out the people that added these and see if they look interesting and worth following.

8. Who can view my activity?

   Currently anything you add to Whaddado is public and is shown on the 'Discover Page'. We do aim to add more privacy features in the future, but for now do not anything to Whaddado that is not suitable for the public domain.

9. Can I invite my friends to Whaddado?

   Yes you can and please do. On the My Whaddado page on the left hand navigation you'll see an 'Invite Friends' button. Click this to send invitations to your friends. You can also indirectly invite friends by posting content from Whaddado to your Facebook or Twitter profiles as well as sending an email to friends to alert them to something you've found on Whaddado. To do this, simply click the appropriate 'Share' button that appears on most pages.

10. How do I send a message to another Whaddado'er?

    For now we do not have a feature enabling people to send one another messages. We suggest that you post content you like on Whaddado to your Facebook or Twitter accounts or copy a link to an email to alert people you know.

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Shouts

1. What is a 'Shout'?

   It's a short public message that you can write regarding any content on Whaddado. A 'Shout' has a short title, such as 'Love this place' and then it asks for a short description of 'Why?' and asks you to rate it from 'bad to great'. Shouts enable people to quickly let their views be known without the need to write long winded reviews.

2. What sort of things should I say in a 'Shout'?

   In the title have a headline grabbing statement such as 'This was the best fun I've had standing up in ages'. Be sure to keep it clean though. In the 'Why' you can explain your reasons for why it is particularly good, bad or average.

3. How do I find things my friends have 'Shouted' on?

   Right now, you'll be able to see your friend's shouts appear in the 'Discover' page. However, we will make it easier for you to find soon.

4. Why are there thumbs up and down next to 'Shouts'?

   This is so you can show your agreement or disagreement with other people's 'Shouts'. Shouts that the most people agree with will appear nearer the top whereas Shouts that don't meet with other approval will sink lower down and ultimately disappear.

5. Why has my 'Shout' disappeared?

   It's probably because there are new 'Shouts' to display on the page and your own 'Shout' didn't gain enough thumbs up to remain showing. Your Shout hasn't totally disappeared though and will soon be visible to your friends (once we had that particular bit of functionality).

   The other reason it might have disappeared is if it were marked as 'inappropriate' by another users, in which case it is automatically removed from the site and reviewed by a member of the Whaddado staff before either being reinstated or removed for being in breach of our terms of use.

6. How do I report offensive or inappropriate 'Shouts'?

   Click on the 'inappropriate' button that appears alongside each and every Shout.

7. Can I edit or delete my Shout from the site?

   You can not at present do this. If this is a feature you would like added, please let us know via the 'Feedback' form.

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Whaddado Wiki Pages (Wiki Pages)

1. What is a 'Whaddado Wiki'?

   It's the name we've given to the page Whaddado generates from your ideas. It's the page with all the pictures, videos, reviews, shouts, maps and even the weather. We call it a 'Wiki' as we allow other trusted users to edit it and improve it.

2. How are these Wiki pages created?

   Whaddado attempts to understand the content on the page and then goes off to find the most appropriate pictures, review, maps and videos from our partner sites. Obviously it can't always get it right and that's why we call it a 'Wiki' page as it's there to be edited and improved by our users.

3. What if I don't want it to say 'I found it first'?

   If you feel strongly about this, let us know and we'll add a privacy feature in the future. However, for now, if you add something

4. How can I edit a 'Wiki?

   If you 'found it first' and added it yourself you should see 'edit' buttons appear in the top section of the Wiki page. Click the 'edit' button to input any changes. If you weren't the person that 'found it first' and the page was already created, then you may find that you cannot edit the page. We will be reviewing the rules for editing pages shortly.

5. Why is it showing videos and pictures that are not relevant?

   Whaddado does it's best to understand the content. The title of the page is the most important as this is used as the main search terms within our partner sites. If you have permission to edit a Wiki page try to ensure the title is clear, not too long yet still relevant. For example 'Tom's Kitchen, Chelsea' would bring back pictures and videos for this well known restaurant in Chelsea, where as 'tom's kitchen' may bring in irrelevant content.

6. Can I upload videos?

   Not directly just yet. However if you have a YouTube account you can upload videos to YouTube and tag it with the relevant key words so that Whaddado brings it in automatically next time the Wiki page loads.

7. Where do the reviews come from?

   They come from Yelp.com, a local review site where real people can go to write reviews about any local business. The reviews are therefore the opinions of real people. Go to www.yelp.com to find out more.

8. What if I don't agree with the reviews? How can I give my opinion?

   Go to www.yelp.com and write your own review. Whaddado only pulls in the top few reviews from Yelp so it may take a while for your review to appear on Whaddado. Alternatively you could write a 'Shout'.

9. Why are some of the reviews irrelevant?

   We're still working on fine tuning our automated search, so it's possible that some reviews are displayed that just aren't relevant to the topic of the Wiki page. We hope this will improved soon. Let us know your feedback though as it will help us improve.

10. How can I edit the maps to make them more accurate?

    If you have permission to 'edit' the Wiki page, you can click the 'edit' button that will appear next to the address fields. When you save your changes and refresh the page the maps will reload and hopefully be more accurate.

11. Why has the Wiki page changed since I last saw it?

    The Wiki page is dynamic. Each time it loads up Whaddado researches our partner sites to bring in the most relevant content. It could be that a new video that matches our search terms was added to YouTube or a new picture to Flikr. We'd like to know your feedback on this. Do you like it that Whaddado keeps updating its pages with new content or would you prefer to be able to choose the best videos and pictures to display?

12. What if I don't want others to be able to edit a Wiki Page I created?

    We will be improving the way the Wiki pages are edited and moderated that will give you a level of control over editorial rights. Ultimately though we hope that by allowing our trusted community members to edit and change content, the information displayed will only improve in accuracy in interest.

13. Can I stop others from changing things on a Wiki, even if I didn't create it first?

    If the subject of the Wiki page is regarding an event you organise, sell or are otherwise involved with then the short answer is yet - but not just yet. We will be creating a way for businesses to take ownership of pages and thereby ensure their accuracy.

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Photos

1. How do I add my photos to a place or event?

   Firstly make sure you are signed into Whaddado, then browse to the Wiki page in question. Once there, you will be able to click the 'Add your photos' button and browse to upload your pictures from your computer. Any new pictures you upload will appear after a short while on the Wiki page.

2. How do I add a photo to my Profile?

   Under the Settings Page you will see a section entitled 'Profile'. If you signed in via Facebook, then there will likely already be a photo of you. You can change this or upload a photo from your computer if none is shown by clicking the 'Upload' link. You'll then need to browse your hard drive to find a suitable picture.

3. What kind of photos can I upload?

   Firstly the picture should be of you and decent. The picture can be in the format of jpg, gif, png and should have a file size of no more than 150k if its a profile picture. Wiki images can be larger but it will take longer to upload so please be patient.

4. When I click on Upload Photo nothing happens

   Please report any problems you have with this feature via our Feedback button. If you can include some details like the browser (Firefox/Internet Explorer 7) and operating system (mac/windows 7)

5. How do I view another users photos?

   Currently there is no central place to view all the photos upload to Whaddado by one user. If this is a feature you think would be good, let us know via the Feedback button.

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Community guidelines, reporting abuse, etc

1. When Shouts or photos are reported for being 'inappropriate' , are they automatically deleted?

   If something is reported as 'inappropriate' then it is removed from public display on the site immediately. The reported content is then reviewed by Whaddado staff who will either reinstate it to public view or delete it depending on whether the content contravenes Whaddado's community guidelines.

2. Why was my Shout/photo deleted?

   It could be that someone reported it as 'inappropriate'. The content will be reviewed by Whaddado staff and either reinstated or deleted.

3. What should I do if I find content that might be illegal or in violation of Whaddado's guidelines?

   Please report it immediately you see it by clicking the 'inappropriate' link next to the content - this is the best way. You may also report content through our 'Feedback' link, however this is not as good as the content will not be removed until a member of Whaddado's staff has had a chance to review it.

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Your Profile

1. What do I need to create a Whaddado profile?

   You need a valid email address and to verify that you are indeed human. It's pretty simple really. If you have Facebook or Twitter account then it's even easier as you can sign in using your Facebook or Twitter username and password.

2. Why do I need create a Whaddado profile?

   To get the most out of Whaddado you'll want to add content yourself or customise recommendations for things to do based on your interests and location. To do this, we need know a little bit about you and that's why we ask you to create a profile.

3. Why is my user profile pic just a picture of a squirrel?

   This is the default image used when we haven't got a picture of you. You can upload a picture under your 'settings page'. See the FAQ section on Photographs.

4. Can I upload a new picture?

   You can. Go to your 'Settings Page' or see the FAQ section on Photographs for more information.

5. Why do I need to enter my full name

   The only reason we ask this is so that people who know you can find you on Whaddado. Whaddado is all about real people sharing ideas for things to do and it's more fun if you can share this with your friends too.

6. Why do you ask for my date of birth, gender and Interests?

   We're not trying to be big brother here, so you do not have to enter this information. However, it's just if we know a bit more about you then the recommendations Whaddado can give you for things to do that will interest you will be that much more relevant.

7. Can I change my username?

   I'm afraid you can't. You could create a new account if it bothers you that much, or else get in touch with us via the 'Feedback' link and we'll see if we can help out.

8. Are there any restrictions on the characters I can use for my username?

   Give it a try and see. Generally usernames should be at least 6 characters long though.

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Your Account

1. I've forgotten my password

   You can request for your password to be reset via the 'Forgotten Password' link on the 'Join' page. An email will then be sent to the email address you registered with Whaddado previously. Once you have your new password ( which will be a random string of letters and numbers) you should sign in again, but this time with the new password provided. It is then advisable that you head to your 'Settings' page to update your password to something more memorable.

2. How do I change my email address?

   Go to your 'Settings' page and under the 'Profile' section you'll be able to enter in your new email address in place of your old address. Remember to check it twice to make sure it is correct, then click on 'Save'.

3. How do I change my password

   Go to your 'Settings' page and under the 'Password' section you'll be able to enter in your old password followed by your new password (x2 to be sure). Remember to click 'Save'.

4. How do I add or change my linked cell / mobile number

   Go to your 'Settings' page and under the 'Sharing' section you'll be able to enter in your cell / mobile number. Be sure to get the country code correct.

5. How do I link my Facebook and Twitter accounts?

   Go to your 'Settings' page and under the 'Sharing' section you'll be able to click on the Link Facebook or Link Twitter buttons and then follow the instructions to link your account.

6. How do I unlink my Facebook or Twitter accounts?

   You'll need to do this via your Facebook or Twitter accounts.

7. How do I set up my email notifications?

   We're still working on email notifications so we'll keep you posted as soon as we launch this feature.

8. I don't seem to be receiving my email alerts.

   Right now, we've not activated the email alerts feature. We'll let you know as soon as we get it up and running.

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