# **Community Policy**

GNews looks to our contributors and partners to provide relevant content that enriches lives. We emphasize practicality and celebrate innovation, aspiration, and compassion. Together with thousands of publishing partners, we tell stories about community concerns that change lives.

Our shared success requires that we all adhere to an agreed-upon set of principles, standards, and guidelines. Our commitment to transparency keeps us vigilant in combating disinformation and misinformation. We reject inappropriate efforts by governments, advertisers, and other interested parties to influence our reporting. We avoid political and religious extremism and oppose racism and discrimination based on race, ethnicity, age, color, caste, national origin, immigration status, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, mental illness, disability, serious illness, socioeconomic class or veteran status. We disclose and right our wrongs.

In addition, GNews has developed detailed guidelines for each of the four categories of content in the ecosystem.

* Shared Community Guidelines
* Editorial standards and guidelines for contributors
* Publishers' Network Standards and Guidelines

These policies are part of a broader suite of policies that govern your use of our Platform, including our [Terms of Use](https://gnews.org/terms) and [Privacy Policy](https://gnews.org/privacy). Failure to comply with the guidelines listed here may result in disciplinary action, including reduction of distribution or removal from the Platform. These policies and guidelines are not exhaustive, and GNews reserves the right to remove content or profiles at any time at its sole discretion.

## **The principles of GNews.**

GNews is a safe space for people to come together, share reliable and relevant information, and share their thoughts on information. We hold ourselves and our partners to high editorial standards to ensure that our community can trust and rely on what they see on GNews, helping people deepen their connection to the community and foster a greater sense of belonging. These principles are designed to help the GNews community foster an environment of healthy, safe authenticity.

### **Accuracy**

GNews believes that the foundation of a healthy community is credible information. gNews takes the accuracy of the content on its platform very seriously and prohibits the posting of rumors, hearsay, or unverified information. This applies to all formats of written, video, audio, and still images.

### **Transparency**

Integrity is essential to building trust with our community. gNews expects publishers and community organizations to provide transparent information to the public about who controls, owns, or provides significant funding for their operations, and expects media outlets or individuals to maintain editorial independence from the influence of owners or funders. Publishers and funders must be who they say they are.

### **Accountability**

GNews expects publishers, contributors, community organizers and all users to be responsible for all information they post, including content they republish, aggregate, quote or embed, and GNews expects publishers, contributors or community organizations not to provide information for which they do not have the appropriate expertise.

### **Fairness**

GNews believes in highlighting diverse voices, stories, opinions and sources. We are in favor of presenting all relevant aspects of a story and providing all necessary context. It is also important that our contributors and partners do not arrive at false ethical standards where none exist. Respect for the speech of others is a cornerstone of our community. We seek to promote healthy debate within our community and to showcase a variety of opinions in our editorial content. All editorial opinions must be rooted in fact, clearly labeled, and not harmful to groups or individuals.

### **Security**

We want to do what's best for the communities we serve. We are an inclusive community that allows our readers to find reliable information, share ideas, and take care of each other. There is no place for hate speech or harassment on this platform. gNews seeks to eliminate discrimination by prohibiting discriminatory, defamatory, harassing, or derogatory language, especially when intended to threaten violence or incite violence, or on the basis of race, ethnicity, age, color, caste, national origin, immigration status, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, mental illness, disability, serious illness, socioeconomic class, or veteran status against individuals or groups that seek to minimize harm to the community.

## **Shared Community Guidelines**

GNews is a space where people come together to find credible and relevant information and share their thoughts about it. Our goal is to make this space safe and trustworthy so that people can deepen their connection to the community and foster a greater sense of belonging. The following guidelines were developed to help foster an authentic, healthy and safe environment for GNews users.

We expect all content posted to GNews to adhere to the following content policy. The examples below are illustrative and do not include all content. While your activity may not violate a policy, when called to attention, we will apply all policies to make a decision. Content and activity restrictions may apply to all content, including but not limited to images, videos, text, graphic descriptions, links to other sites or applications, comments, profiles, and embedded content.

Publishers and contributors must also follow the guidelines for their content categories. If we become aware that you have posted the content that violates these guidelines, we will remove it and give you a violation. In some cases, such as when someone uploads child sexual exploitation content on GNews, we will disable your account after only one occurrence. If you receive multiple violations, GNews may take further action, including disabling your account. We do not allow

* Acts of hate
* Violent Extremism
* Promotion of illegal activities and controlled goods
* Incitement to violence
* Fraudulent behavior
* Promotes suicide, self-harm, and eating disorders
* Harassment and Bullying
* Endangering minors
* False or misleading content
* Promote activities that undermine fair elections
* Violent and gory content
* Nudity or sexual content
* Infringement of intellectual property rights
* Invasion of privacy

These guidelines are not intended to prohibit news coverage of newsworthy events, or fact-based and informed analysis, commentary or opinion on newsworthy events.

### **Unacceptable behavior**

#### **Hate Acts**

We do not tolerate content with discriminatory, defamatory or derogatory language, particularly content that is intended to threaten or incite violence or discriminate against individuals or groups based on race, ethnicity, age, color, caste, national origin, immigration status, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, mental illness, disability, serious medical condition, socioeconomic class or veteran status.

We do not allow the glorification or promotion of hate groups or symbols and images associated with such movements, as codified by reputable organizations.

This policy is not intended to prohibit editorial coverage of worthwhile events involving the following topics, as long as it includes relevant context.

* Ridicule, humiliate insult, use excessive profanity, express contempt or disgust, and abuse an individual or group based on one or more of the above attributes.
* Ideologies that promote hatred. These ideologies show hostility toward people because of their protected attributes and go against the inclusiveness we strive for. This includes content with symbols, signs, slogans, images or other artwork, and objects associated with hateful ideologies.
* Denial of well-documented violence against protected groups (e.g. Holocaust denial) and other conspiracy theories designed to justify hateful ideologies.
* Contains inflammatory religious commentary intended to incite a violent response from readers.

### **Crime and violence**

Violent extremist terrorists and related organizations are not allowed to use GNews for any reason, including recruitment. Content that encourages, glorifies or promotes terrorism, such as content that glorifies acts of terror or incites violence, is likewise absolutely prohibited on our platform. Content that does not promote terrorism is permitted to be shared in editorial coverage of newsworthy events, and clear context is established. Content is permitted to be shared in educational, documentary, scientific or creative contexts, and to establish clear context.

**We do not allow the following content**

* To glorify, praise or honor terrorist organizations or terrorists, criminal organizations or criminals identified by well-known organizations
* Advocating or justifying terrorism or criminal activity
* are produced by the above-mentioned criminal or terrorist organizations
* Depict key images that symbolize terrorist organizations for the purpose of praising terrorist organizations
* Intent to radicalize or recruit individuals to join criminal or violent extremist groups
* Promotion of Illegal Activities and Regulated Goods

While we allow editorial coverage of newsworthy events, we do not allow content that has the potential to directly promote or advance illegal activities. The following list is not exhaustive and GNews will remove content when verified and alerted to other illegal activities.

**We do not allow the following content**

* Glorify or promote any organization or gang that engages in criminal activity, criminal acts of violence, human trafficking, or any criminal activity that is documented by reputable authorities.
* Provide guidance on how to conduct activities designed to kill or injure, for example, how to make a bomb.
* Promote or facilitate human trafficking.
* Show use of hard drugs, such as cocaine, heroin or methamphetamine, except for editorial coverage of newsworthy events.
* Explain how to create an illegal substance or object.
* The exploitation of others through extortion
* Contains any of the following content that promotes sales.
* Alcohol and tobacco products, except brands in the form of legal entity companies, such as retail companies, websites or brands
* Illegal drugs or unapproved medicines
* Supplements not approved by the FDA
* Alcohol
* Illegal gambling or betting
* Weapons, ammunition or explosives
* Adult Products or Services
* Multi-level marketing plans or prohibited financial services
* Counterfeit products
* Trafficking or hunting of endangered or threatened species
* Any form of human trafficking, including facilitating marriages to foreigners, such as "mail-order brides".

### Incitement to violence

Our goal is to prevent offline harm that is potentially linked to content on GNews. We do not allow the following content to be included.**

* Threatening to kill someone or a group
* The threat of sexual assault
* Threatening to harm others or committing acts of violence that could result in injury or death to people
* Statements advocating violence
* Demanding or otherwise inciting violence in targeted (explicit or unspecified) situations
* Credible threats that include the intent to inflict violence on a specific person or group of people through direct statements ("I will", "I plan to") or through conditional statements ("If you X, I will Y") will also be removed.

#### **Fraud**

GNews removes content that actively deceives, intentionally misrepresents, or similarly defrauds or takes advantage of the property, money, or other benefits of the community. This includes any activity that uses GNews to coordinate or promote such activities and behavior. We allow rebuttals and warnings or denunciations of such conduct as long as they do not violate other policies.

**We do not allow the following**
* Provide guidance on how to cheat or promote dishonest behavior, such as how to steal goods, how to bypass paywalls, how to hack social media accounts, how to use bots to exploit the system in unethical or illegal ways, stream sniping, etc.
* Product or reward scams, such as fake benefits, insurance, moral, credit or debt relief, and employment scams.
* Promote false identities, such as romantic, charitable or false business scams.
* Financial scams include loans, upfront fees, high-return investments, cash gifts, multi-level marketing and "get-rich-quick" scams (such as Ponzi or pyramid schemes).
* Credit card fraud and the use of stolen financial information to purchase products. We do not allow trading, selling or buying fake reviews, future exams (academic cheating methods), subscription service certificates and coupons.

### **Security**

**Promoting Suicide, Self-Harm and Eating Disorders**

GNews cares about its communities and their health. While we support community members in sharing their personal experiences with these issues in a safe manner to raise awareness and seek community support, we do not allow the promotion of any content that encourages self-harm, suicide, eating disorders, or substance abuse. We do not allow the following content.

* Promote or glorify or normalize suicide, self-harm or eating disorders in any way, or include instructions to do so.
* Sing the praises of harmful weight loss habits associated with eating disorders, normalize them, or otherwise promote them.
* To glorify, normalize, or otherwise promote the use of illicit drugs or the abuse of prescription drugs.

#### Harassment and bullying

Everyone has the right to use GNews without harassment, bullying or threats of violence. content that is personally harassing or bullying is not allowed. We also do not allow content that makes repeated or malicious comments about a person's inherent characteristics. These inherent characteristics include protected group status, physical characteristics, or a person's status as a survivor of exploitation of non-consensual intimate images, sexual assault, and domestic abuse, just to name a few. We do not allow the following.**

* Sexual harassment of the target. Examples of this include attempting unwanted sexual contact, demeaning another person's sexual activity, simulating sexual activity with another person, threatening to reveal one's sexual history and revealing one's sexual orientation without consent.
* Threats or those containing derogatory terms, excessive profanity or obscenity intended to ridicule, humiliate, intimidate or harm individuals may be removed.
* To threaten a person with a malicious or prolonged insult.
* Threatening to post or publish personal information about another person, such as his or her home address, without his or her permission.
* Contains language intended to humiliate, insult, or ridicule physical characteristics.
* Exploitation or extortion of others.
* Inciting others to harass or bully a clear target.

#### **Endangering Minors**

GNews is intended for users over the age of 13. We do not allow content that has the potential to put minors in danger, exploit them, or portray them physically or psychologically in a negative or harmful way. This includes animated, implied or dramatized situations. To protect this more vulnerable group, we have stricter guidelines where relevant. In most cases, content that violates these rules will be removed from the platform as soon as it is discovered.

**We do not allow the following content**

* Contain graphic details, pictures or videos of sexual abuse, murder, assault, mistreatment or any violent act involving minors (0-18 years old)
* Sexual acts (animated, implied or dramatized) against a minor or a person who appears to be a minor.
* Promote the involvement of minors in dangerous activities, such as playing with fire, explosives, knives, weapons, etc.
* Threaten, portray, praise, support, provide instructions or make statements of purpose, admit to participating in or share links or methods of obtaining material for the sexual exploitation of minors
* Contains inappropriate interactions with minors, such as diversionary behavior or plans to meet in real life; solicitation of sexual material, such as conversations or language with minors.
* It is mainly for children (under 13 years old).

* If you become aware of any child sexual abuse or exploitation material, please report to： [[e-mail]](mailto:[e-mail]). If you believe that a child is at risk, please contact law enforcement immediately.

### **Integrity and authenticity**

**False or Misleading Content**

GNews is not a place for misinformation or false information. We want all information on GNews to be credible, so we prohibit the dissemination of false or misleading content that could harm the well-being, safety or trust of our users or the public. We do not allow misinformation and false information impersonation
* Accounts and posts where the author pretends to be another person, brand or organization to confuse or deceive others may be permanently deactivated.
* Hazardous to public health
* We do not allow content that is dangerous to public health. We want to protect our community from content that causes harm to the real world.

**We do not allow the following content**
* Claims that substances or treatments can have health benefits without citing any reputable medical journals or studies
* Promote the consumption or insertion of non-edible items that do not have a legitimate medical purpose.
* Contains non-expert health claims that endanger public health and safety, such as promoting false treatments or anti-vaccine recommendations
* Presents scientific, medical, or health-related information without appropriate context for the nature of the research behind the claim. Appropriate context includes a clear statement of the institution behind any research, the methods used, and the status of the research.
* Presenting scientific, medical, or health-related information in an exaggerated manner that does not provide the proper context in the headline withholds key information or otherwise generates an overwhelming emotional response with the intent of getting clicks.

**Spam**
Spam is content designed to deceive or mislead users in order to increase viewership? This creates a negative user experience and discourages their authentic engagement. Any abuse of GNews product features to disrupt the user experience is prohibited.

**We do not allow**
* Excessive frequency or a high volume of posting, sharing and other engagement, content or accounts that automatically or with high-frequency increase views, manipulate rankings, or mass distribute content for profit.
* Sell or exchange live accounts or account privileges on GNews.
* Ask for participation, likes or shares as a prerequisite to get more content.
* Encourage participation in exchange for false promises.
* Deceptively use the engagement feature on GNews to improve your ranking
* Non-platform goods/service offers masquerading as community reviews.

### **Sensitive content**

**Violent and gory content**

We prohibit content that glorifies or incites violence.

* Praise any criminal or terrorist organization that engages in violence (including attempted violence)
* Video, still images, or graphic depictions of violent crimes resulting in death or bodily injuries, such as homicide, shooting, assault, robbery, street fighting, sexual assault, or torture, in which the weapon, violence, or injured victim is visible, except when the details of the incident are newsworthy.
* Content featuring natural disasters, the aftermath of war, burnings, protests or riots, or other such situations, is intended to be exploitative, shocking or distasteful, rather than editorial coverage of a worthwhile event.
* The footage, images or graphic depictions of the human body for the purpose of disgust or shock, including cadavers or severed body parts, gratuitous bodily fluids, footage of medical procedures, images of open wounds, or exploitative displays of medical conditions. Exceptions are made for editorial coverage of newsworthy events.
* Depictions of animal abuse, cruelty, or violence that are intended to glorify, promote, or shock, rather than provide editorial coverage of a worthwhile event. This includes glorification of animal abuse or slaughter, and footage, images or graphic depictions of humans forcing animals to attack each other, such as dog fighting, animals attacking humans, causing serious injury or death; fights or attacks between animals where excessive blood or severed body parts can be seen.
* Exposed female breasts, nipples, buttocks or genitals and exposed male buttocks or genitals. This includes minimal coverage of the above where the images are not in the context of a beach, swimming pool, red carpet or show, etc.
* Content with nudity or sexual content that is not appropriate for minors must be clearly labeled and preceded by a warning. We do not allow it.
* Footage or images of inanimate sexual objects (e.g., sex toys, replicas of sex organs, etc.)
* The footage, images, or graphic depictions of sexual intercourse, genital or anal stimulation, or other by-products of sexual activity, including illustrated, simulated, and animated.
* Content that promotes or provides links to pornographic, adult or X-rated websites.
* Nudes in photographs, paintings and sculptures whose images focus on the genitals.
* Content that promotes or facilitates human trafficking or paid sex in any way.
* Explicit or implied sexual solicitations, requests for sex, sexual partners, sexual chats or sexual imagery

### **Content Rights**

#### Intellectual Property

GNews takes intellectual property rights seriously, they are the backbone of a community that is allowed to express itself creatively. When posting on GNews, please make sure you have the right to do so. We do not allow the improper use of the intellectual property and will remove the following content after processing reports from rights holders or authorized representatives.

* Any infringement of another's intellectual property rights, including copyrights, patents, trade secrets, publicity rights, or trademark rights.
* Copyright infringement (including plagiarism, music, unlicensed images, etc.)
* Trademark infringement
* Other legal intellectual property rights

#### Privacy

Privacy and the protection of personal information is key to making our community feel safe. GNews may remove content, including but not limited to content that violates applicable privacy laws or our [privacy policy](https://gnews.org/privacy), upon proper notification to [[e-mail]](mailto:[e-mail]). Please note that this email address is reserved for individuals who report possible privacy violations regarding their image on GNews.

GNews also prohibits the publication of non-public personal information, such as an individual's phone number or address, unless consent is obtained from said individual

We remove the following: sharing, providing or soliciting personally identifiable information or other private information that could result in physical or financial harm. For example, financial, residential or medical information, and illegally obtained private information. Because private information may be made public through news reports, court documents and press releases, we may allow such use.

* A government-issued number, such as a national ID number. Examples include Social Security numbers, passport numbers, and government ID cards.
* Identification numbers and individual names are used to identify individuals' personal information. This information includes civil registration information, such as marriage certificates, driver's licenses and immigration documents.
* Digital IDs. these include email addresses with passwords and separate passwords that allow further access to information, or those with digital IDs.
* Medical information that contains psychological, physical or genetic, or biometric details of another person.
* Personal contact information, such as address and telephone number, unless volunteered by the owner in certain circumstances.
* Residential information, including an image of a person's private residence combined with GPS coordinates, or further identification of the residents of said residence.
* Disclosure of safe house addresses or identifiable information about the house or its residents.

## **Editorial standards and guidelines for contributors**

Our contributors are an important part of our efforts to provide our community with credible and trustworthy information about the world around them. Because we value quality, GNews requires each contributor to adhere to editorial standards and guidelines to ensure the safety of our community. Our editorial standards and guidelines for contributors apply to all contributors to GNews. Failure to adhere to the guidelines listed here may result in disciplinary action, including reduced distribution or removal from the platform.

### **Reporting Guidelines**

#### **Accuracy and Facts**

GNews takes the accuracy of the content on its platform seriously. GNews prohibits contributors from publishing rumors, hearsay, and unvetted or unverified information. Attempts to introduce misinformation or false information are grounds for account termination. The introduction of verifiable false information in a story is also grounds for account termination.

All contributors are responsible for fact-checking their stories. Our internal editorial team may remove stories that do not appear to have been properly GNews strictly prohibits the fabrication of information. False information presented as fact will result in immediate removal from the platform.

All contributors should strive for truth and accuracy. It is important to show all relevant aspects of a story. Contributors should not intentionally omit information that provides important context for the story. Contributors should only mention a person's race, gender or sexual orientation if it is relevant to the story.

Especially for journalist contributors or those doing stories in their work, there must be a reasonable amount of time for organizations, officials, and/or individuals mentioned in the story to comment before publication.

When citing other stories, there must be hyperlinks, and videos, tweets, posts and photos should be embedded, unless these sources are not credible. Use of unnamed sources in all stories is permitted only if two unnamed sources corroborate the same information. Granting confidential status to unnamed sources requires approval from the content team. In non-journalistic contexts, such as advice or relationship columns, contributors must never pass off the experiences of others as their own when recounting them.

Contributors must cite individuals, sources, and/or documents accurately and never take quotes out of context. If a citation is shortened for length, contributors should use an ellipsis to indicate this.

**Prohibited tampered media content**

Prohibits the publication of media that is tampered with for the purpose of confusing, harming or misleading. Media may not be edited in such a way as to alter its meaning or provide a false context that would confuse the audience.

## **Publishers' Network Standards and Guidelines**

GNews connects and empowers audiences, contributors and businesses with the goal of helping people around the world live safer, more vibrant and truly connected lives. We provide communities with accurate information so they can make important decisions about their own lives. Professional editorial outlets, especially those focused on original reporting and cultural reporting, are an important part of the GNews ecosystem. Publishers provide a diversity of voices, stories and perspectives. gNews values quality and supports organizations that have a reputation in the markets in which we operate.

These standards and guidelines apply to all publishers of GNews. Failure to comply with these guidelines may result in serious action, such as restriction of publication and/or removal from the platform. If publishers do not comply with these policies, their content may be removed.

All of these policies and guidelines are not exhaustive, and GNews reserves the right to remove content or profiles at any time.

As the owner, creator or licensor of work, you are responsible for adhering to these policies for all content sent to GNews on your site.

All publishers on GNews must adhere to the Shared Community Guidelines, as well as the publisher-specific guidelines below.

**Original content**

GNews gives preference to original reporting and prohibits plagiarism of any kind. When work comes from a third party, whether used open-source or licensed, the source must be properly credited and the source must be clearly identified to the user at all times.

Official announcements or press releases must follow the same pattern and make clear the agency from which they originated. Police lists should make it clear that they are such and should not include photographs of people who have been arrested or charged but not convicted. In terms of how content is amplified and disseminated, GNews prioritizes original reporting over such aggregation.

* Verbatim press releases are designed to look like original reporting by adding bylines, editorial-style headlines, or lack of references to the source of the press release.
* Police notepads that are not clearly labeled
* No additional information or reported photos or arrest files
* AI-generated press releases or rewrites of original stories from other organizations.
* Aggregate the work of others without proper attribution.

* Expertise

GNews seeks to create a trustworthy ecosystem for its users by providing content from trusted sources that have proven expertise and are responsible for the content they provide Content intended to mislead is not allowed. To establish credibility and accountability, all content on GNews must clearly identify contributors through attribution or credit. If the content is created by entities and individuals, or is anonymous, there must be discoverable policies that explain this choice of origin channel.

**Commercial and promotional content**

Sites that are entirely commercial in nature, such as brands, stores or professional services, are not allowed as publishers or contributors to GNews, even if they have an editorial board. Publishers whose sole purpose is to sell the commercial services they offer (e.g. travel reservations, financial services, real estate) are not allowed. This policy applies to any content on our platform, including verbal statements, presentations or depictions of names, signatures or likenesses.

* Contributors, publishers and community organizations should avoid the excessive use of obscene, profane or vulgar language that may be inappropriate for audiences under the age of 18.
* Gross profanity, obscenity, and vulgarity in headlines. Exceptions may be made for editorial coverage of newsworthy events where profane, obscene or vulgar content is appropriately self-regulated.
* There is an excessive amount of unblocked obscene, profane and vulgar content throughout the text.
* Unrestricted vulgar gestures or vulgar actions. Exceptions may be made for editorial coverage of newsworthy events, in which case the gesture or action will be appropriately edited or a content warning will be included before the gesture or action is viewed.
* Exceptions are made for editorial coverage of newsworthy events, in which case obscene, profane or vulgar content is appropriately self-regulated.
* The style guide \
Content on GNews must be readable, understandable, and easily seen by most users Content must also be in one of the languages we support. \
For any posting as a contributor, publisher, or official organization, there must not be excessive grammatical or typographical errors that would cause readers to question the validity of the posted content. GNews prefers content from publishers or contributors that meets or exceeds the following guidelines
* Clear, complete and concise headlines or titles
* Use headings or sentence cases for headings and avoid excessive use of emoticons, capitalization or another typographical emphasis.
* The article contains a clear header image and the video contains a thumbnail.
* All images or videos in the article are directly related to the content.
* Articles contain a byline indicating the author's name, preferably at the top of the article.
* All content on GNews should be focused primarily on the topic indicated by the title or headings.

**Guide for Community Organizations**

The content on GNews must be readable, understandable, and easily seen by most users. The content must also be in one of the languages we support.

For anyone posting as a contributor, publisher, or official organization, posts must not have excessive grammatical or typographical errors that cause readers to doubt the authenticity of the posted content.

* The post title is clear, complete and concise (preferably no more than 20 words)
* The title of the post uses the case of the headline or sentence and avoids excessive use of emoticons, capital letters or another typographical emphasis.
* All images or videos in the post are directly related to the content.
* All posts contain information about who wrote them, as well as relevant links.

All informational posts on GNews should focus primarily on the topic indicated by the post title. We discourage click-through ads, overly promotional content, or content that encourages exaggerated accidental click-throughs.