Overview

There are two primary aims for this policy, the first, and paramount goal, is to prevent harm to individuals resulting from content that has been posted to the Unpress platform. The second is to ensure that Unpress remains a safe environment where people feel comfortable to create, share and engage.

We understand that people use hyperbole and can become passionate in expression that leads to statements that may imitate threats or calls for violence but have no real intent. We try to consider context in distinguishing between casual statements and legitimate risks. Part of this consideration is the visibility of a creator and the situation they are reporting on. Those covering conflict zones or situations of tension are at a particular risk of harm. As a result, we must always err on the side of caution. Words have power and we must all be responsible and accountable for what we say.

We will remove content, reduce platform functionality or disable accounts if we feel that there is a credible risk of physical harm, threat to public safety or transgression of the law. In these instances we will also collaborate with the appropriate law enforcement agencies.

What is not allowed?

Any activity that could clearly be identified as illegal.

Violent threats, defined as statements with an intent to kill, injure, or kidnap a specific person or group of people are not permitted. Incitement, defined as statements or actions that encourage others to produce a credible violent threat, as defined above, are also not permitted.

Intent is exemplified by declarations of the form “I will”, “I’m going to”, or “I plan to.” Conditional statements such as “If you do <something>, I will…” also fall under intent. Incitement is similar, with declarations of the form “You should,” “we need to,” “someone needs to,” or “if they do <something>, you should.” Other statements of intent may be pictoral in nature, such as a symbol representing a target displayed with an instrument of violence, such as a firearm.

Prohibitions under the community standards include, but are not limited to:

• encouraging self harm;

• threats to kill, injure, maim or seriously hurt a person or a group of people, and/or commit an act that could lead to death or serious injury, even when a target of the violence is not clearly identified;

• threats of sexual assault;

• asking for or offering services for hire to inflict violence on a specific person or group of people. For example, assassins, mercenaries or hitmen;

• threats to kidnap or abduct or that promotes, supports or advocates for kidnapping or abduction;

• content that depicts violence, kidnappings or abductions if it is clear the content is not being shared for journalistic, informational or awareness raising purposes;

• directly advocating for violence due to voting, voter registration or the administration or outcome of an election

• Coded statements where the method of violence or harm is not clearly articulated, but the threat is veiled or implicit. We look at the subtext to determine whether there is a threat of harm in the content.

• Doxing, demonstrated intent to dox, threats to dox, or expose private personal information about a person or group of persons without their consent. Private personal information includes, but is not limited to:

  • Home address(es)

  • Workplace details

  • Personal phone numbers

  • Social security numbers

  • Financial information such as bank accounts or credit cards

  • Private correspondence

  • Criminal history

  • Private health care history or information

  • Personal photos

  • Embarrassing personal details

Terrorist threats, defined as statements with an intent to cause fear, terror, intimidation or panic through an act of violence or destruction, or an incitement to acts of terror.

• Statements of intent to commit terrorist acts, or

• Calls for terrorist acts, or

• Statements advocating for terrorist acts, or

• Aspirational or conditional statements to commit terrorist acts

• Statements of intent or advocacy, or aspirational or conditional statements to bring weapons to locations, including but not limited to places of worship, educational facilities, polling places or locations used to count votes or administer an election (or encouraging others to do the same)

What is not in violation of this policy?

Statements

• of hyperbole or speech where it is clear that there is no abusive or violent intent

• that express a wish or hope that someone experiences harm, or where threats of vague, indirect or actions are unlikely to cause serious or lasting injury are unlikely to be actioned under these standards, however they may be reviewed

Content that

• is shared as part of recreational self defense, for military training purposes, commercial video games, or news coverage

• is clearly provided for non-violent purposes

• is meant to report on or cover events or actions of importance to the public good