I.1. Imminent violence

Policy Rationale

Our aim is to prevent the potential dangers of content on Hahalolo from affecting the real world. We understand that people often express disdain or discord by threatening or joking and pretending to call for violence in non-serious ways. That's why we also try to consider the language, context and detail in order to distinguish casual statements from content that constitutes a credible threat to public or personal safety. In determining whether or not a threat is credible, we may also consider additional information like a person's public visibility and weaknesses of the targeted person. We remove content, disable an account, and work with law enforcement agencies when we believe there is a genuine risk of material harm or direct threats to public safety.

Do not post the following threatening contents:

Statements that express the will and carry conditions related to violence to against:

  • Any vulnerable group;
  • Public figures, if reliable (unless that person is convicted of a crime or a member of a dangerous organization);
  • Vulnerable person(s), if reliable;
  • A group of people or specific person(s) not named, if reliable;
  • Location, if reliable.

A reliable statement of intent to commit violence against any person, group of people or place (province / city or smaller scale). We value reliability based on the information we have and often consider words to be credible if there are the following factors:

  1. Target (person, group of people or location) and one of the following:
    • Bonus / payment needs, or;
    • Mention or specific weapon image, or;
    • Offer to sell or request to buy weapons, or;
    • Clear spelled out address or building name.
  2. A target and two or more details below (can be two of the same detail):
    • Location;
    • Timing;
    • Method.

Any statement of intent to commit violence against vulnerable people (identified by name, title, image or other reference information) or vulnerable group, including ( but not limited to) heads of state, witnesses and confidential  informants, social activists and journalists.

Calling for violence or declaring pro-violence for the following targets (identified by name, title, image or other reference information):

  • Any vulnerable person or group, including (but not limited to) heads of state, elected officials, witnesses and confidential informants, social activists and journalists ;
  • Public figures if reliable as defined above;
  • A group of people or specific person(s) not named, if reliable;
  • Location, if reliable;
  • In case no target is specified but there is an icon indicating the target or a weapon image.

Threats that could lead to death (and other forms of high-severity violence) targeting people or places where threat is defined as any of the following:

  • Statements of intent to commit high-severity violence; or
  • Calls for high-severity violence including content where no target is specified but a symbol represents the target and/or includes a visual of an armament to represent violence; or
  • Statements advocating for high-severity violence; or
  • Aspirational or conditional statements to commit high-severity violence

Content that asks or offers services for hire to kill others (for example, hitmen, mercenaries, assassins) or advocates for the use of a hitman, mercenary or assassin against a target.

Admissions, statements of intent or advocacy, calls to action, or aspirational or conditional statements to kidnap a target.

Threats that lead to serious injury (mid-severity violence) towards private individuals, unnamed specified persons, minor public figures, high risk persons, or high risk groups where threat is defined as any of the following:

  1. Statements of intent to commit violence; or
  2. Statements advocating violence; or
  3. Calls for mid-severity violence including content where no target is specified but a symbol represents the target; or
  4. Aspirational or conditional statements to commit violence; or
  5. Content about other target(s) apart from private individuals, minor public figures, high risk persons, or high risk groups and any credible:
    • Statements of intent to commit violence; or
    • Calls for action of violence; or
    • Statements advocating for violence; or
    • Aspirational or conditional statements to commit violence; or
    • Instructions on how to make or use weapons to incite violence.

Threats that lead to physical harm (or other forms of lower-severity violence) towards private individuals (self-reporting required) or minor public figures where threat is defined as any of the following:

  • Private individuals (name and/or face match are required) or minor public figures that includes:
    • Statements of intent, calls for action, advocating, aspirational or conditional statements to commit low-severity violence
    • Imagery of private individuals or minor public figures that has been manipulated to include threats of violence either in text or pictorial (adding bulls eye, dart, gun to head, etc.)

Any content created for the express purpose of outing an individual as a member of a designated and recognisable at-risk group

Instructions on how to make or use weapons if there’s evidence of a goal to seriously injure or kill people, through:

  • Language explicitly stating that goal; or
  • Photos or videos that show or simulate the end result (serious injury or death) as part of the instruction; or
  • Unless the aforementioned content is shared as part of recreational self defense, for military training purposes, commercial video games, or news coverage (posted by Page or with news logo).

Providing instructions on how to make or use explosives: Unless there is clear context that the content is for a non-violent purpose (for example part of commercial video games, clear scientific/educational purpose, fireworks, or specifically for fishing).

Any content containing statements of intent, calls for action, or advocating for high or mid-severity violence due to voting, voter registration, or the outcome of an election.

Misinformation and unverifiable rumors that contribute to the risk of imminent violence or physical harm.

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