Moderation Policy

Last Updated: 13 Jan 2026

Our Commitment

Pollyrate is committed to fostering constructive political discourse while maintaining a safe, respectful environment for all users. Our moderation team works to balance free expression with community safety, ensuring the platform remains a valuable resource for democratic engagement.

What We Moderate

Our moderation team reviews user-generated content including:

Politician reviews and ratings
Comments and discussion posts
Campaign proposals and issue submissions
User profiles and biographical information
Reported content flagged by community members

Prohibited Content

The following types of content will be removed and may result in account sanctions:

Hate Speech: Content that promotes violence or hatred against individuals or groups based on protected characteristics
Threats and Violence: Threats of physical harm, calls for violence, or encouragement of illegal activities
Harassment and Doxxing: Targeted harassment, intimidation, or sharing of private personal information without consent
Spam and Manipulation: Coordinated inauthentic behavior, bot activity, or attempts to manipulate ratings and reviews
Defamation: Knowingly false statements intended to damage someone's reputation
Explicit Content: Pornographic, sexually explicit, or excessively violent content
Misinformation: Deliberately false or misleading information presented as fact

Moderation Process

1. Automated Screening

Our automated systems flag potentially problematic content based on keywords, patterns, and user reports. Flagged content is prioritized for human review.

2. Community Reporting

Users can report content that violates our policies. Reports are reviewed by our moderation team, typically within 24-48 hours. High-priority reports (threats, doxxing) are escalated immediately.

3. Human Review

Trained moderators review flagged content in the context of our policies and community guidelines. Moderators consider intent, context, and severity when making decisions.

4. Action and Appeals

If content violates our policies, we may remove it, issue a warning, or suspend the account. Users can appeal moderation decisions through our appeals process.

Enforcement Actions

Depending on the severity and frequency of violations, we may take the following actions:

Content Removal: Removal of specific posts, reviews, or comments
Warning: Notification of policy violation with no account restrictions
Temporary Suspension: Temporary restriction from posting or commenting (1-30 days)
Permanent Ban: Permanent termination of account access for serious or repeated violations
Legal Referral: Reporting to law enforcement for illegal activity such as threats or doxxing

Appeals Process

If you believe your content was removed or your account was suspended in error, you may appeal the decision:

Submit an appeal through your account settings or via email to moderation@pollyrate.com
Provide a clear explanation of why you believe the decision was incorrect
A different moderator will review your appeal within 5-7 business days
You will receive a response explaining the final decision

Appeal decisions are final. Repeated frivolous appeals may result in loss of appeal privileges.

Transparency and Accountability

We are committed to transparency in our moderation practices. We regularly publish moderation reports detailing the volume and types of content removed, reasons for removal, and enforcement actions taken. We continuously review and improve our policies based on community feedback and evolving best practices.

Contact Our Moderation Team

For questions about our moderation policies or to report urgent safety concerns, contact us at moderation@pollyrate.com.

Prohibited Content

The following types of content will be removed and may result in account sanctions:

Hate Speech: Content that promotes violence or hatred against individuals or groups based on protected characteristics

Threats and Violence: Threats of physical harm, calls for violence, or encouragement of illegal activities

Harassment and Doxxing: Targeted harassment, intimidation, or sharing of private personal information without consent

Spam and Manipulation: Coordinated inauthentic behavior, bot activity, or attempts to manipulate ratings and reviews

Defamation: Knowingly false statements intended to damage someone's reputation

Explicit Content: Pornographic, sexually explicit, or excessively violent content

Misinformation: Deliberately false or misleading information presented as fact

Moderation Process

1. Automated Screening

Our automated systems flag potentially problematic content based on keywords, patterns, and user reports. Flagged content is prioritized for human review.

2. Community Reporting

Users can report content that violates our policies. Reports are reviewed by our moderation team, typically within 24-48 hours. High-priority reports (threats, doxxing) are escalated immediately.

3. Human Review

Trained moderators review flagged content in the context of our policies and community guidelines. Moderators consider intent, context, and severity when making decisions.

4. Action and Appeals

If content violates our policies, we may remove it, issue a warning, or suspend the account. Users can appeal moderation decisions through our appeals process.

Enforcement Actions

Depending on the severity and frequency of violations, we may take the following actions:

Content Removal: Removal of specific posts, reviews, or comments

Warning: Notification of policy violation with no account restrictions

Temporary Suspension: Temporary restriction from posting or commenting (1-30 days)

Permanent Ban: Permanent termination of account access for serious or repeated violations

Legal Referral: Reporting to law enforcement for illegal activity such as threats or doxxing

Appeals Process

If you believe your content was removed or your account was suspended in error, you may appeal the decision:

Submit an appeal through your account settings or via email to moderation@pollyrate.com

Provide a clear explanation of why you believe the decision was incorrect

A different moderator will review your appeal within 5-7 business days

You will receive a response explaining the final decision

Appeal decisions are final. Repeated frivolous appeals may result in loss of appeal privileges.

Transparency and Accountability