Content Policy

This Content Policy defines what is and is not permitted on the Witness platform. It exists to protect users, protect the integrity of the platform, and protect the people being reported on. Witness is a reporting and observation platform. It is not a neutral pipe. We actively build systems that reward honesty and surface falsehood, and we moderate content that causes harm.

The following content is prohibited without exception and will result in immediate removal and account termination:

• Child sexual abuse material (CSAM) in any form, including drawn, AI-generated, or described content involving minors in a sexual context
• Content that incites imminent violence against a specific identifiable person or group
• Fabricated reports submitted as genuine eyewitness accounts with the intent to deceive
• Doxxing: posting personally identifying information about a private individual without their consent, including home address, workplace, phone number, or financial information
• Coordinating real-world harmful action through the platform, as distinct from documenting real-world events
• Automated bot accounts submitting reports without explicit written authorization from Witness

The following uses of Witness data are prohibited regardless of technical method:

• Building facial recognition or biometric identification tools using Witness content or metadata
• Mass surveillance of individuals, groups, or protest participants
• Reselling or redistributing scraped Witness data without a written data license agreement
• Using Witness reports to target individuals for harassment campaigns

The following content is permitted on the platform but must be submitted with a content warning. Witness will apply content gates requiring user acknowledgment before display:

• Graphic imagery of casualties, serious injury, or death
• Footage from active conflict zones depicting violence or its aftermath
• Content depicting serious human suffering, including disaster aftermath and mass casualty events
• Content that may be disturbing to general audiences even if newsworthy

When submitting content in these categories, select the appropriate content warning in the submission flow. Submitting graphic content without a content warning is a violation of this policy.

During active election periods (defined as the 60 days before and 7 days after any national or regional election in any country), Witness applies heightened verification standards to reports related to that election. This includes:

• Mandatory evidence upload for reports about voting irregularities, ballot counting, or polling locations
• Elevated moderation review for reports claiming election interference or fraud
• No paid promotion of any political content
• No state-sponsored or government-funded content promotion of any kind

• You may use a pseudonym on Witness. Pseudonymous accounts are fully supported.
• You may not impersonate a real person, organization, journalist, or government entity.
• You may not claim to be a verified journalist or institutional account without completing Witness verification.
• AI-generated or AI-assisted content must be labeled as such. Submitting AI-generated images or video as genuine eyewitness footage is a violation of these Terms and may constitute fraud.

Witness is not a fact-checking organization. We do not determine what is true. We build systems through which the community can determine what is likely to be true. However, the following accuracy-related behaviors violate this policy:

• Submitting a report with fabricated location or timestamp data
• Reposting old content as if it is current
• Submitting content from a different geographic location than stated
• Coordinating with others to artificially corroborate false reports

Content that violates this policy is handled as follows:

Step 1: Any user may flag content using the in-app flag tool, selecting a violation category.

Step 2: Flagged content is reviewed by Witness moderation staff within 48 hours for standard flags, immediately for CSAM or imminent violence flags.

Step 3: Content found in violation is removed and the submitting account is notified.

Step 4: Repeat violators receive escalating consequences: warning, temporary suspension, permanent ban.

Step 5: Serious violations (CSAM, credible threats of violence) are reported to relevant authorities and to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) as required by law.

Any account may appeal a moderation decision within 48 hours of the action.

To appeal: email appeals@thewitnessapp.com with:

• Your account display name or user ID
• The content or action being appealed
• Your explanation of why the decision was incorrect

We will respond to all appeals within 48 hours. Appeals decisions are final.

Content policy questions: support@thewitnessapp.com

Moderation appeals: appeals@thewitnessapp.com

To report CSAM or imminent threat of violence: safety@thewitnessapp.com (monitored 24/7)