THE PEOPLE’S VOICES
COMMUNITY STANDARDS AND MODERATION POLICY
Last updated: 7 September 2026
1. Our principle
The People’s Voices exists to provide a place for open, robust and sometimes passionate discussion.
We support freedom of expression and recognise that people will strongly disagree with one another.
Freedom of expression does not, however, mean freedom from responsibility.
You may challenge an opinion. You may criticise politicians, governments, businesses, organisations, public figures and ideas. You may express unpopular or controversial opinions.
You may not use The People’s Voices to threaten, intimidate, harass, abuse, exploit or unlawfully target another person.
2. Respect for the law
The People’s Voices operates under UK law.
Our service must not be used to commit, facilitate, organise, encourage or promote criminal activity.
Content or activity that we reasonably believe is unlawful may be removed and the account concerned may be restricted, suspended or permanently closed.
Where we are legally required to report particular material or activity to the appropriate authorities, we will do so.
Where appropriate, we will preserve relevant information and cooperate with lawful investigations by competent authorities.
Nothing in our commitment to freedom of expression prevents us from acting to protect our members, the public or the lawful operation of our service.
3. Abuse and harassment
We will not tolerate:
- threats of violence
- intimidation
- persistent harassment
- stalking or coordinated targeting
- discriminatory abuse
- sexual harassment or unwanted sexual approaches
- malicious publication of another person’s private information
- encouragement of others to harass or target somebody
- blackmail or extortion
- impersonation intended to deceive or harm
- scams, fraud or deliberate attempts to obtain money or information dishonestly
- other behaviour that we reasonably consider seriously abusive or dangerous
Strong disagreement is not, by itself, abuse.
Our moderators will consider the words used, their context, the behaviour of those involved and any relevant history before reaching a decision.
4. Profanity and offensive language
The People’s Voices is intended to be a civil community.
Persistent or gratuitous swearing, obscene abuse and language directed at another member for the purpose of insulting, humiliating or intimidating them is not acceptable.
We recognise that language and context matter. Moderation will therefore not be based solely upon an automated list of prohibited words.
Automated systems may assist us in identifying material for review, but significant moderation decisions should normally involve human judgement.
5. Illegal and dangerous content
Content involving or facilitating criminal activity is prohibited.
This includes, without limitation, credible threats, terrorism, child sexual exploitation or abuse, fraud, unlawful incitement to violence and other content whose publication or use is unlawful in the United Kingdom.
Serious matters may result in immediate removal of content and suspension of an account without a prior warning.
Where the law imposes a reporting obligation upon us, we will make the required report to the appropriate authority.
6. Truth, misinformation and disagreement
The People’s Voices will not attempt to become an arbiter of every disputed political, scientific or social opinion.
Members are entitled to be wrong. They are entitled to disagree with conventional opinion and with one another.
There is, however, a distinction between expressing an opinion or making an honest mistake and deliberately deceiving other members.
Fabricated evidence, fraudulent claims, impersonation, scams and repeated deliberate presentation of information known to be false may result in moderation action.
Where practicable, correction and discussion should be preferred to censorship when somebody has simply made an honest factual mistake.
7. Reporting content
Members will be provided with a straightforward means of reporting content or behaviour that they believe breaches these standards.
Reports will be considered by a moderator or other authorised person.
Knowingly submitting malicious or deliberately false reports against another member may itself constitute a breach of these standards.
8. How moderation decisions are made
Moderators are authorised by The People’s Voices to enforce these standards.
A moderator may:
- take no action
- provide advice or a warning
- ask a member to amend or remove content
- remove content
- temporarily restrict an account
- suspend an account
- permanently close an account
- refer the matter for further investigation or, where appropriate, to the relevant authorities
Moderation decisions will be based upon the circumstances of the individual case, the seriousness of the behaviour, its context, previous conduct and any risk to other people.
We will seek to apply these standards consistently regardless of a member’s political beliefs, status, popularity or relationship with The People’s Voices.
9. Immediate action
We do not operate a mandatory three warnings system.
Serious misconduct may result in immediate suspension or permanent removal.
Where we reasonably believe immediate action is necessary to protect another person, preserve evidence, prevent further abuse, protect the service or comply with the law, we may restrict an account while an investigation takes place.
10. Review of moderation decisions
A member who believes that a significant moderation decision was made incorrectly may request a review.
The review should, wherever reasonably practicable, be considered by somebody other than the person who made the original decision.
The member may provide relevant information or context that they believe was overlooked.
Following that review, The People’s Voices may confirm, vary or overturn the original decision.
Once that review has been completed, The People’s Voices’ internal decision is final.
Nothing in this policy removes any statutory or other legal right which cannot lawfully be excluded.
11. Moderator conduct
Moderators must not use their position to settle personal disagreements or suppress opinions merely because they disagree with them.
Moderators are expected to act impartially, proportionately and in accordance with these standards.
Where a moderator is personally involved in a dispute, another moderator should normally make the decision.
Appropriate records should be maintained for significant moderation decisions.
12. No entitlement to membership
Membership of The People’s Voices is subject to compliance with our Terms and Community Standards.
We reserve the right to restrict, suspend or terminate access where reasonably necessary to enforce those standards, protect the community, protect the service or comply with our legal obligations.
13. Adults only
The People’s Voices is an adults only service.
You must be aged 18 or over to hold an account.
Accounts reasonably believed to be operated by somebody under 18 may be suspended while their age is investigated and may be closed where the minimum age requirement is not satisfied.
14. Our responsibility
Moderation will never be perfect and no community can guarantee that objectionable or unlawful material will never appear.
Our commitment is that reports will be taken seriously, appropriate systems will be maintained, and matters will be dealt with proportionately and in accordance with our rules and applicable UK law.
These standards apply to members, moderators and administrators alike.