Community Guidelines

1. Our Core Principles

GraffitAid is built on fundamental values that guide everything we do:

2. Community Values

Our community thrives when we all embrace these shared values:

Empathy and Understanding

• Listen to different perspectives with an open mind
• Seek to understand before seeking to be understood
• Recognize that everyone has unique experiences and challenges
• Show compassion for those facing difficulties

Constructive Engagement

• Focus on solutions rather than just problems
• Engage in respectful debate and discussion
• Support fellow community members in their causes
• Share knowledge and resources generously

Accountability and Growth

• Take responsibility for your words and actions
• Acknowledge mistakes and learn from them
• Accept feedback gracefully and implement improvements
• Hold yourself and others to high ethical standards

3. What We Encourage

We love seeing our community members engage in positive, meaningful ways:

Creative Expression

• Impactful Bricks: Create compelling visual content that raises awareness about causes you care about
• Storytelling: Share personal experiences and stories that inspire others to take action
• Educational Content: Provide informative materials that help others understand complex issues
• Cultural Celebration: Showcase diverse cultures, traditions, and perspectives

Community Building

• Meaningful Conversations: Engage in thoughtful discussions that advance understanding
• Collaboration: Work together on campaigns and initiatives
• Mentorship: Guide and support newer community members
• Resource Sharing: Share helpful tools, articles, and opportunities

Positive Action

• Awareness Campaigns: Create campaigns that educate and inspire action
• Fundraising: Support legitimate causes through transparent fundraising efforts
• Volunteering: Organize and promote volunteer opportunities
• Policy Advocacy: Engage in constructive policy discussions and advocacy

4. Content Standards

All content on GraffitAid should meet these quality and appropriateness standards:

Quality Guidelines

• Relevance: Content should be relevant to social causes, community issues, or positive change
• Accuracy: Information should be factual and well-researched
• Clarity: Messages should be clear, well-written, and easy to understand
• Originality: Prefer original content or properly attributed shared content

Appropriateness Standards

• Age-Appropriate: Content should be suitable for users aged 13 and above
• Professional Tone: Maintain a respectful, professional tone even when discussing controversial topics
• Cultural Sensitivity: Be mindful of cultural differences and avoid content that could be offensive to specific groups
• Constructive Purpose: Content should serve a constructive purpose rather than simply venting or complaining

5. Prohibited Content

The following types of content are strictly prohibited and will result in immediate removal:

Hate Speech and Discrimination

Violence and Harm

• Graphic Violence: Images or descriptions of graphic violence, gore, or death
• Threats: Direct or indirect threats of violence against individuals or groups
• Self-Harm: Content promoting suicide, self-injury, or eating disorders
• Animal Cruelty: Content depicting or promoting cruelty to animals

Harmful Misinformation

• Health Misinformation: False medical advice or conspiracy theories that could harm public health
• Election Misinformation: False information about voting processes, election results, or civic procedures
• Crisis Misinformation: False information during emergencies, natural disasters, or public safety incidents
• Conspiracy Theories: Harmful conspiracy theories that promote dangerous behavior or target individuals

Exploitation and Abuse

• Child Exploitation: Any content that sexualizes, endangers, or exploits minors
• Non-Consensual Content: Sharing private images, information, or communications without consent
• Sexual Exploitation: Content that promotes human trafficking or sexual exploitation
• Financial Exploitation: Scams, fraud, or deceptive financial schemes

6. Harassment and Safety

We take harassment seriously and work to create a safe environment for all users:

Types of Harassment We Prohibit

• Targeted Harassment: Repeatedly targeting an individual with unwanted contact or content
• Doxxing: Sharing someone's private personal information without consent
• Cyberbullying: Using the platform to intimidate, humiliate, or harm others
• Stalking: Obsessive or threatening behavior toward another user
• Coordinated Harassment: Organizing group attacks against individuals

Safety Measures

• Advanced content filtering and detection systems
• User blocking and reporting tools
• Privacy controls for personal information
• Rapid response team for urgent safety concerns
• Partnerships with safety organizations and law enforcement

7. Authenticity and Integrity

Identity and Impersonation

• Authentic Identity: Use your real name or a legitimate organization name
• No Impersonation: Don't pretend to be someone else, including public figures, organizations, or other users
• Verification: Apply for verification if you represent a notable organization or public figure
• Parody Accounts: Clearly label parody or fan accounts to avoid confusion

Information Integrity

• Fact-Checking: Verify information before sharing, especially on sensitive topics
• Source Citation: Cite sources for claims, statistics, and quoted material
• Transparency: Disclose conflicts of interest, sponsorships, or financial relationships
• Corrections: Promptly correct mistakes and misinformation

8. Intellectual Property

Respecting Copyright

• Original Content: Create and share your own original work
• Proper Attribution: Credit creators when sharing or referencing their work
• Fair Use: Understand and comply with fair use principles
• Permission: Obtain permission before using copyrighted material

Trademark Respect

• Don't use trademarked logos or brand names without permission
• Avoid creating content that could cause brand confusion
• Respect the intellectual property rights of organizations and individuals

For detailed information, see our Copyright and DMCA Policy.

9. Platform Integrity

Spam and Manipulation

• No Spam: Avoid repetitive, irrelevant, or unsolicited content
• Authentic Engagement: Don't use bots, fake accounts, or artificial means to inflate metrics
• Vote Manipulation: Don't artificially inflate likes, shares, or other engagement metrics
• Cross-Platform Spam: Don't use GraffitAid primarily to drive traffic to external sites

Technical Guidelines

• API Compliance: Follow our API terms if using automated tools
• Security: Don't attempt to hack, breach, or compromise our systems
• Malware: Don't upload or link to malicious software or code
• System Abuse: Don't overload our systems or attempt to circumvent rate limits

10. Legal Compliance

Illegal Activities

Content promoting or facilitating illegal activities is strictly prohibited:

• Drug trafficking or illegal substance promotion
• Weapons sales or illegal arms trafficking
• Human trafficking or exploitation
• Money laundering or financial crimes
• Terrorism or extremist activities

Regional Compliance

• Content must comply with laws in your jurisdiction
• Respect local cultural norms and legal requirements
• Be aware of varying free speech protections globally
• Understand that content may be restricted in certain regions

11. Reporting Violations

How to Report

What to Include in Reports

• Specific Content: Direct links to problematic content or profiles
• Clear Description: Explain how the content violates our guidelines
• Screenshots: Provide screenshots if content might be deleted
• Context: Include any relevant background information
• Impact: Describe how the violation affected you or others

Our Response Process

• Acknowledgment: We'll confirm receipt of your report within 24 hours
• Investigation: Our team will review the reported content within 3-5 business days
• Action: We'll take appropriate action based on our findings
• Follow-up: We'll notify you of the outcome when appropriate

12. Enforcement Actions

Progressive Enforcement

We believe in education and rehabilitation when possible:

Immediate Actions

Some violations result in immediate account suspension or termination:

• Threats of violence or terrorism
• Child exploitation or endangerment
• Doxxing or sharing private information
• Coordinated harassment campaigns
• Repeated severe violations after warnings

Content Actions

• Content Removal: Immediate removal of violating content
• Content Restriction: Limiting visibility of borderline content
• Account Restrictions: Limiting features like posting, commenting, or messaging
• Shadow Restrictions: Reducing content reach for policy violations

13. Appeals Process

Your Right to Appeal

If you believe an action was taken in error, you have the right to appeal:

• Content Appeals: Appeal content removals within 30 days
• Account Appeals: Appeal account suspensions or terminations
• Policy Clarification: Request clarification on policy interpretations
• New Evidence: Submit additional context or evidence

Appeals Process

1. Submit Appeal: Use our appeals form or email appeals@graffitaid.com
2. Provide Details: Include your account information, the specific action, and why you believe it was incorrect
3. Review Process: Our appeals team will review your case within 7-14 business days
4. Decision: We'll notify you of our decision and any corrective actions
5. Final Review: Serious cases may be escalated to our senior policy team

Appeal Guidelines

• Be respectful and professional in your appeal
• Provide specific, factual information
• Don't submit multiple appeals for the same issue
• Accept decisions gracefully if your appeal is denied

14. Special Considerations

Cultural and Regional Differences

• Global Perspective: We recognize that social norms vary across cultures and regions
• Context Matters: We consider cultural context when reviewing content
• Local Laws: Content may be restricted in certain jurisdictions due to local laws
• Language Nuances: We account for language differences and translation issues

Crisis and Emergency Situations

• Breaking News: We may relax certain restrictions during breaking news events
• Emergency Communications: Critical safety information may receive priority treatment
• Crisis Support: We provide additional support during natural disasters or emergencies
• Mental Health: Special protocols for users experiencing mental health crises

Accessibility and Inclusion

• Disability Rights: We protect users with disabilities from discrimination
• Accessibility Features: We encourage use of alt-text, captions, and other accessibility features
• Inclusive Language: We promote the use of inclusive, respectful language
• Accommodation Requests: We consider reasonable accommodation requests for policy enforcement

15. Resources and Support

Educational Resources

• Guidelines Training: Interactive modules on community guidelines
• Best Practices: Tips for creating effective, compliant content
• Case Studies: Examples of policy applications in real situations
• Webinars: Regular educational sessions on platform policies

Support Services

16. Updates and Changes

Policy Evolution

Our community guidelines evolve to address new challenges and community needs:

• Regular Reviews: We review and update guidelines every six months
• Community Input: We consider feedback from users, experts, and advocacy groups
• Transparency Reports: We publish regular reports on policy enforcement
• Advisory Councils: We consult with external advisory boards on policy matters

Notification of Changes

• Major Changes: 30-day advance notice for significant policy changes
• Email Notifications: Direct notifications to all users for important updates
• In-App Announcements: Prominent notices within the platform
• Community Discussion: Open forums for discussing proposed changes

Feedback and Suggestions

We welcome your input on our community guidelines:

• Policy Feedback: policy@graffitaid.com
• Community Forum: Community Feedback Hub
• Advisory Board: Applications for our Community Advisory Board
• Research Participation: Opportunities to participate in policy research