Child Safety Policy

1. Our Commitment

2. Age Requirements

Gists is designed for users aged 13 and older. Our platform is not directed at children under the age of 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 in compliance with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and similar international regulations.

• Users must be at least 13 years of age to use Gists
• Users between 13 and 17 should have parental or guardian consent
• No content on Gists is directed at or intended for children
• We reserve the right to terminate access for any user we believe to be under the minimum age requirement

3. Prohibited Content & Conduct

The following content and behaviors are strictly prohibited on Gists and will result in immediate enforcement action:

• Child sexual abuse material (CSAM) in any form, including visual, written, or AI-generated depictions
• Sexualized content involving minors of any kind
• Grooming behaviors — building trust with a minor for the purpose of sexual exploitation or abuse
• Solicitation of minors for sexual purposes, meetups, or exchanges of explicit material
• Sextortion — threatening or coercing a minor using intimate images or information
• Trafficking or promoting the trafficking of minors
• Sharing or requesting personal information of minors
• Content that normalizes, encourages, or instructs child abuse or exploitation
• Using the platform to facilitate any contact with minors for exploitative purposes

4. Content Moderation

Gists employs a multi-layered approach to content moderation designed to prevent, detect, and remove harmful content involving minors:

Automated Detection

• AI-powered content analysis to flag potentially harmful material before and after publication
• Keyword and pattern detection systems for known indicators of child exploitation
• PhotoDNA and hash-matching technology to detect known CSAM images

Human Review

• Dedicated trust and safety team trained in child safety protocols
• All flagged content reviewed by qualified human moderators
• Escalation procedures for urgent child safety matters

Proactive Measures

• Regular audits of content moderation effectiveness
• Ongoing updates to detection models based on emerging threats
• Participation in industry-wide child safety initiatives

5. Reporting Mechanisms

We encourage all users to report content or conduct that may involve the exploitation or endangerment of minors. Reports can be made through:

• In-App Reporting: Use the report button available on every story and comment to flag content directly within the app
• Email: Contact our child safety team at frankadu@beistandtech.com

All reports are treated with the highest priority. We review child safety reports within 24 hours and take immediate action on verified violations.

6. Law Enforcement Cooperation

Gists is committed to working closely with law enforcement agencies to protect children:

• Evidence Preservation: We preserve relevant data and content associated with child exploitation for a minimum of 90 days, or longer as required by law or law enforcement request
• Active Cooperation: We respond promptly to valid legal process from law enforcement agencies investigating child exploitation crimes
• International Collaboration: We cooperate with international law enforcement bodies and child safety organizations as applicable

7. Prevention & Safety Measures

Gists implements technical and design safeguards to minimize risk to minors:

• Anonymous by Design: Our platform does not use user profiles, follower systems, or direct messaging — reducing vectors for grooming and solicitation
• No Private Messaging: All interactions on Gists are public, preventing predators from establishing private channels with minors
• No Image or Video Uploads: Our text-only format eliminates the primary medium for sharing CSAM
• Device-Level Enforcement: We use device identifiers to enforce bans, preventing banned users from creating new anonymous sessions
• Rate Limiting: Content posting rate limits prevent mass distribution of harmful content

8. Enforcement Actions

When we identify violations of this policy, we take swift and decisive action:

• Immediate Content Removal: All content violating this policy is removed immediately upon discovery or verification
• Device Bans: Users who post CSAM or engage in child exploitation are permanently banned at the device level
• Law Enforcement Referral: All confirmed instances of CSAM or child exploitation are reported to relevant law enforcement agencies
• Data Preservation: Relevant account data and content are preserved for law enforcement investigation
• No Appeals for CSAM: Bans and content removals related to CSAM are final and not subject to appeal

9. Contact Information

For child safety concerns, reports, or questions about this policy:

If a child is in immediate danger, please contact your local law enforcement or emergency services immediately.

10. External Resources

If you or someone you know needs help, the following organizations provide support and resources: