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Side Qwest Child Safety Standards Policy

Effective Date: November 29, 2025 

Last Updated: November 29, 2025   

Side Qwest is an event advertising and discovery app designed to connect users with local and virtual events, allowing individualsand organizations to post, promote, and participate in a wide range of activities. We are committed to fostering a safe, inclusive, and positive
environment for all users, with a zero-tolerance policy toward child sexual
abuse and exploitation (CSAE), including any form of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). This policy outlines our comprehensive standards, practices,
and procedures to prevent, detect, report, and respond to any instances of CSAE/CSAM on our platform.

Our approach aligns with global best practices, including guidelines from organizations like the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), and complies with relevant laws such as the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) in the United States, the
General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the European Union, and other
regional child protection regulations. We regularly review and update this policy to reflect evolving threats, technological advancements, and legal requirements.

 Definitions

- Child: Any individual under the age of 18, or the age of majority in the relevant jurisdiction if higher.

- Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation (CSAE): Any activity that involves the sexual abuse, exploitation, or endangerment of a child, including but not limited to grooming, solicitation, trafficking, or the creation, distribution, or possession of CSAM.

- Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM): Any visual, textual, or auditory content that depicts or promotes the sexual abuse or exploitation of children, including images, videos, descriptions, or invitations to events that could facilitate such harm.

- User-Generated Content (UGC): Any events, posts, comments, images, or other materials submitted by users on Side Qwest.

- Moderation Team: Our dedicated internal team responsible for reviewing and enforcing content standards.

Prevention Measures 

To proactively prevent CSAE/CSAM from appearing on Side Qwest, we implement the following measures:

1. Age Verification and Restrictions:

   - Users must confirm they are at least 16 years old during account creation, in compliance with COPPA. For events involving sensitive topics or audiences (e.g., family-friendly or youth-oriented events), we may require additional age
verification, such as email confirmation or third-party tools.

   - The app is not intended for children under 16, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from them. Accounts suspected of belonging to underage users without parental consent will be suspended.

   - Event organisers
and advertisements must categorise events appropriately (e.g., "18+ only" for adult-oriented events), and we manually review 99.99% of all content to flag mismatched content.  

2. Content Guidelines and User Education:

   - All users agree to our Terms of Service and Community Guidelines upon signup, which explicitly prohibit CSAE/CSAM. These guidelines are accessible via the app's settings and
website.

   - Event postings
must not include any content that sexualizes children, promotes harmful
interactions, or targets minors inappropriately. Examples of prohibited content include:

     - Events
advertising "modeling" or "talent scouting" for minors without verifiable safeguards.

     - Descriptions,
images, or links implying sexual themes involving children.

     - Solicitations
for private meetings or communications with minors.

   - We provide in-app
tooltips and educational pop-ups during event creation to remind users of these
rules. 

3. Manual Reviews:

   - All UGC,
including event descriptions, images, and links, is manually reviewed to
identify potential CSAE/CSAM before publication.

   - High-risk content
(e.g., events tagged as "youth" or "family") undergoes enhanced scrutiny, including checks for red flags like unusual locations or vague descriptions. 

4. Partnerships and Training:

   - We collaborate with child safety organisations to stay informed on emerging risks.

   - Our moderation team will receive annual training on recognizing CSAE/CSAM indicators, cultural
sensitivities, and legal obligations.

 Detection and Moderation

1. Human Review Process:

   - A dedicated
moderation team reviews all event postings before they go live. This includes
manual checks for compliance with our guidelines.

   - Flagged content
from future automated tools is escalated for human review within 24 hours.

   - We monitor user
interactions, such as comments and RSVPs, for patterns indicative of grooming or exploitation.

2. Ongoing Monitoring:

   - Post-publication, we will use algorithms to detect unusual activity (e.g., high engagement on suspicious events) and conduct random audits.

   - Integration with external databases (e.g., NCMEC's hash lists for known CSAM) helps identify prohibited material.

 Reporting Mechanisms

We encourage users to report any suspected CSAE/CSAM
promptly:

1. Website Reporting Page:

   - Our website features a dedicated reporting form at https://sideqwest.com.au/pages/harassment-report. This form allows detailed submissions, is accessible worldwide, and is a direct contact to our team.

   - Non-users can also submit reports via this page.

2. Response to Reports:

   - All reports are acknowledged within 48 hours and reviewed by our moderation team.

   - Urgent cases (e.g., imminent harm) are prioritized and escalated to law enforcement immediately.

 Response and Enforcement 

1. Content Removal and Account Actions:

   - Confirmed CSAE/CSAM is removed immediately, and the responsible account is suspended or banned permanently.

   - We retain records of removed content for legal purposes, as required by law.

2. Reporting to Authorities:

   - Suspected CSAM is reported to NCMEC (via their CyberTipline) or equivalent regional authorities
(e.g., Internet Watch Foundation in the UK) within 24 hours of confirmation.

   - If a report indicates a child is in immediate danger, we contact local law enforcement without delay.

   - We cooperate fully with investigations, providing data as permitted by privacy laws.

3. Appeals Process:

   - Users can appeal enforcement actions via our support portal, with reviews conducted by a separate team.

 Compliance with Laws and Standards

Side Qwest complies with all applicable child safety laws, including:

- Reporting obligations under U.S. federal law (18 U.S.C. § 2258A).

- Data protection for minors under COPPA and GDPR.

- Regional requirements in markets where the app operates.

Australian obligations under the Online Safety Act 2021 (Cth), which requires online service providers to take proactive steps to prevent access to child sexual abuse material, implement industry codes for detection and removal, and report to the eSafety Commissioner.

We conduct annual audits to ensure ongoing compliance and adapt to new regulations.

 Policy Updates

This policy may be updated periodically. Changes will be posted here with the updated effective date. Users are notified of significant changes via in-app alerts or email.

By using Side Qwest, you agree to abide by this policy. We are dedicated to protecting children and appreciate your cooperation in maintaining a safe community.