Moderation, Enforcement & Appeals
Effective 2026-10-03 · Version 2026-10-03
This explains how PawQuest reviews content and enforces its rules under moderation policy v1.
How content is checked
When automated moderation is active, text and images are checked by OpenAI's omni-moderation-latest model plus PawQuest's own checks (for example personal contact details, spam, real-animal photos, and rescue context). Items may be published, corrected, held for review, or quarantined depending on severity.
Levels and holds
Minor issues (like accidental contact details) ask you to correct the post and carry no strike. More serious content is hidden pending human review. The most serious categories are quarantined and may pause posting for 24–72 hours while reviewed.
Strikes need a human
Strike points are added only after a human moderator confirms a violation. Strikes count over a rolling 90 days; overturned decisions stop counting. Repeated confirmed violations can lead to longer posting pauses and, for the most serious patterns, admin review and suspension. Permanent bans are decided only by a human admin.
Protective and contextual review
Content suggesting self-harm is handled on a supportive, non-punitive track with resources. Graphic injury images posted in a rescue or medical context are reviewed in context without automatic penalties.
Child safety
Suspected child sexual exploitation is never sent to outside AI services. It is quarantined immediately, handled by restricted admin review, and reported to authorities where required by law.
Intimate images without consent
Reports of intimate images or intimate deepfakes shared without consent are treated as urgent and prioritized for removal. Moderators view such content only as much as needed to act.
Appeals
Open Profile → Account safety to see held items and pauses and ask for a review. Restricted accounts can still read, view their own content, access legal and safety pages, appeal, and request deletion.
Limits
Automated systems can make mistakes. PawQuest may remove or restrict content or accounts even for conduct not expressly listed when reasonably needed for safety, legal compliance, or platform integrity, subject to applicable law. Users have no entitlement to continued access. We may not disclose every reason where doing so would impair security, safety, child protection, fraud prevention, or legal obligations.