Community Guidelines: Safety Standards
Whistlr Network's Community Guidelines establish the standards for safe, respectful, and lawful interaction on our platform. These comprehensive policies reflect our commitment to user safety, free expression within legal bounds, and accountability as a technology company. All users must comply with these guidelines, which apply globally across all Whistlr features and services. Violations result in enforcement actions ranging from content removal to permanent account disablement.
Violence and Dangerous Organizations: Zero Tolerance Policy
We do not allow individuals or organizations on our platform that procure, commit, or promote violence. We remove content containing credible threats or hate speech, content targeting people or inciting violence, and accounts associated with terrorism or violent extremism. Prohibited content includes credible threats against individuals or groups, promotion of terrorist organizations as designated by the U.S. State Department, depictions of sexual violence or torture, coordination of harm or criminal acts, glorification of violent events, instructions for creating weapons or explosives, and livestreaming of violent acts.
Enforcement for violence-related violations is swift and severe. First violations result in immediate content removal. Repeat violations lead to account suspension or permanent ban. Severe threats trigger immediate reporting to law enforcement agencies including FBI, local police, and international authorities as appropriate. We preserve all evidence for law enforcement investigation and cooperate fully with criminal proceedings.
Hate Speech and Harassment: Creating an Inclusive Environment
We define hate speech as content that directly attacks people based on protected characteristics including race, ethnicity, national origin, religious affiliation, sexual orientation, caste, sex, gender, gender identity, and serious disease or disability. We also prohibit targeted harassment, bullying, doxxing, and coordinated harassment campaigns. Prohibited behaviors include slurs and dehumanizing language, calls for exclusion or discrimination, denial of violent historical events, targeted harassment based on protected characteristics, posting private residential information, coordinated pile-on attacks, death wishes or celebration of suffering, and sexualized unwanted advances.
- Child Safety (CSAM): Zero tolerance for child sexual abuse material with immediate permanent ban, mandatory reporting to NCMEC within 24 hours, evidence preservation for law enforcement, and possible criminal referral
- Suicide and Self-Harm: Content removal for promotion of self-harm methods, account restrictions for repeated violations, crisis resources provided to users, and wellness checks initiated for imminent danger
- Nudity and Sexual Content: Removal of pornography and non-consensual intimate imagery, permanent ban for revenge porn with legal referral, permission for artistic nudity and educational content with appropriate warnings
- Graphic and Disturbing Content: Content warnings required for graphic violence, restriction to 18+ for disturbing imagery, removal of content mocking victims, and allowance for newsworthy content with context
- Authenticity and Impersonation: Account removal for fake accounts, permanent ban for impersonation, law enforcement referral for identity theft, and clear labeling requirements for parody accounts
- Misinformation: Content labels and reduced distribution for false information, account restrictions for repeated violations, permanent ban for coordinated disinformation campaigns, and fact-checking partnerships
- Spam and Inauthentic Behavior: Content removal for spam, account suspension for fake engagement, network-wide bans for coordinated campaigns, and machine learning detection systems
- Intellectual Property: Content removal upon valid DMCA notice, account termination for repeat infringers, counter-notification process for disputed claims, and fair use evaluation
Our Community Guidelines balance free expression with safety and legal compliance. We believe in creating spaces where diverse voices can be heard while protecting users from harm, harassment, and illegal content. Our enforcement approach prioritizes education and proportional response, with severe penalties reserved for serious violations that threaten user safety or legal compliance. We continuously refine these policies based on user feedback, expert consultation, and evolving societal norms.
Regulated Goods and Services: Legal Compliance Requirements: To comply with federal and state law, we prohibit the sale, exchange, or promotion of certain regulated goods including firearms and ammunition, illegal drugs and controlled substances, prescription medications without proper licensing, alcohol and tobacco to individuals, endangered species, online gambling except licensed operators, human organs or body parts, and fraudulent financial schemes. Violations result in content removal, account restrictions for repeated violations, and law enforcement referral for illegal sales.
Platform Manipulation and Security: Protecting System Integrity
We protect the integrity and security of our platform and users. Prohibited activities include unauthorized access to accounts or systems, distribution of hacking tools or credentials, attempts to bypass security measures, exploitation of platform vulnerabilities (which should be reported via security@etapx.com), creation of malware or phishing schemes, and DDoS attacks or service interference. Violations result in account suspension, with severe violations leading to permanent ban and legal action. Security researchers following responsible disclosure are not penalized and may receive recognition through our bug bounty program.
Context and Newsworthiness Considerations: We recognize that context matters in content moderation. Content that would normally violate guidelines may be permitted when it serves a newsworthy purpose, provides educational value, raises awareness of important issues, or documents human rights violations. Journalists, educators, and activists may share sensitive content with appropriate warnings and context. We evaluate each case individually, considering intent, audience, and potential harm when making moderation decisions.
Reporting Violations and Community Responsibility
All users share responsibility for maintaining community standards. Report content that violates guidelines using the report button available on every post, profile, and message. Provide specific information about the violation, including which guideline is violated and any relevant context. Reports are reviewed by trained moderators typically within 48 hours, with priority given to child safety and violence reports. False reporting or report abuse may result in restrictions on your reporting privileges.
Policy Updates and Community Input: These guidelines evolve to address new challenges, incorporate user feedback, and reflect societal changes. We announce significant policy updates through platform notifications and transparency reports. Users can provide feedback on policies through community forums, direct communication with our policy team, and participation in policy consultation processes. We believe that effective community governance requires ongoing dialogue between platform operators and the communities we serve.