Content Moderation & Appeals Policy

Table of Contents

Introduction

Becoming Alpha, Inc. (the "Company," "we," "us," or "our") is committed to maintaining a safe, respectful, and compliant platform for all users. This Content Moderation & Appeals Policy explains how we enforce our Terms of Service, Acceptable Use Policy, and Community Guidelines, as well as how users can appeal moderation decisions.

This Policy applies to all content posted on Becoming Alpha's platform, including but not limited to user profiles, marketplace listings, comments, messages, and any other user-generated content. Our goal is to ensure fair, consistent, and transparent enforcement while protecting our community and complying with applicable laws.

This Policy should be read together with our Terms of Service, Acceptable Use Policy, and Community Guidelines, which set forth the rules and standards for using our platform.

Types of Enforcement Actions

When content or user behavior violates our policies, we may take one or more of the following enforcement actions, depending on the severity and nature of the violation:

1. Warnings

For minor or first-time violations, we may issue a written warning to the user explaining the violation and reminding them of our policies. Warnings do not restrict account access but serve as notice that further violations may result in more severe enforcement actions.

2. Content Removal

We may remove or disable access to specific content that violates our policies. This includes removing posts, comments, listings, images, videos, or other materials that are prohibited under our Acceptable Use Policy or Community Guidelines. Users will typically be notified when their content is removed and provided with information about why it was removed.

3. Feature Restrictions

We may temporarily or permanently restrict access to certain platform features, such as:

• Posting or creating new content
• Commenting on other users' content
• Messaging other users
• Participating in marketplace transactions
• Voting in DAO governance (if applicable)
• Accessing premium features

4. Temporary Suspension

We may temporarily suspend a user's account, preventing them from accessing the platform for a specified period (e.g., 24 hours, 7 days, 30 days). During a suspension, the user cannot log in or use any platform features. Suspensions may be accompanied by a warning that repeated violations may result in permanent termination.

5. Permanent Ban

For serious or repeated violations, we may permanently terminate a user's account, preventing them from ever accessing Becoming Alpha again. Permanent bans are typically reserved for:

• Repeated serious violations despite warnings
• Illegal activity or fraud
• Harassment, threats, or harm to other users
• Violations that create significant legal or regulatory risk
• Circumvention of previous enforcement actions

6. Shadow Limits and Rate Limiting

In some cases, we may implement "shadow limits" or rate limiting that restrict a user's activity without explicit notification. This may include limiting the number of posts, comments, or messages a user can send in a given time period. We use these measures to prevent abuse while allowing users to continue using the platform in a limited capacity.

7. Legal Action

In cases involving illegal activity, we may report violations to law enforcement authorities and cooperate with investigations. We may also pursue legal remedies against users who cause harm to Becoming Alpha, our platform, or other users.

Decision-Making Process

We use a combination of automated systems and human review to identify and address policy violations. Our moderation process is designed to be fair, consistent, and efficient while protecting our community.

Automated Detection

We employ automated tools and systems to detect potential policy violations, including:

• Content filtering systems that scan for prohibited content (spam, hate speech, illegal material)
• Pattern recognition systems that identify suspicious activity or behavior
• Fraud detection systems that flag potentially fraudulent transactions or accounts
• Duplicate content detection to identify spam or unauthorized copying

Automated systems may automatically remove content or flag it for human review. However, automated removals are typically limited to clear violations (e.g., spam, malware, obvious hate speech). More nuanced cases are generally escalated to human moderators.

Human Review

Our moderation team reviews reported content and flagged items to make enforcement decisions. Human reviewers evaluate:

• The context and intent of the content
• The severity of the violation
• The user's history and previous violations
• The impact on other users and the community
• Legal and regulatory considerations

Human reviewers follow clear guidelines and receive regular training to ensure consistent and fair enforcement. However, moderation decisions involve judgment calls, and reasonable people may disagree on whether certain content violates our policies.

User Reports

Users can report content or behavior that they believe violates our policies. Reports are reviewed by our moderation team, who will investigate and take appropriate action if a violation is found. We encourage users to report violations promptly, as this helps us maintain a safe platform.

Reports can be made through:

• In-platform reporting tools (e.g., "Report" buttons on content)
• Email to support@becomingalpha.world
• Our contact form (if available)

We investigate all reports in good faith, but we may not take action on every report if we determine that no violation has occurred or if the report appears to be made in bad faith (e.g., false reports designed to harass other users).

Appeals Process

If you believe that a moderation decision (such as content removal, account suspension, or other enforcement action) was made in error, you may appeal the decision. We are committed to reviewing appeals fairly and providing users with a meaningful opportunity to contest moderation actions.

How to Appeal

To appeal a moderation decision, please submit an appeal request that includes:

• Your account information: Your username, email address, or account ID
• Description of the action: What enforcement action was taken (e.g., "My post was removed" or "My account was suspended")
• Date and time: When the action occurred (if known)
• Reason for appeal: Why you believe the decision was incorrect, including any relevant context or explanations
• Supporting information: Any additional information, screenshots, or evidence that supports your appeal

Appeals should be submitted via email to: appeals@becomingalpha.world

Appeals Review Timeline

We strive to review appeals promptly:

• Initial review: We typically acknowledge receipt of appeals within 2-3 business days
• Full review: Most appeals are reviewed and resolved within 5-10 business days
• Complex cases: More complex appeals (e.g., those requiring legal review or additional investigation) may take 14-30 business days

We will notify you of the outcome of your appeal via email. If we determine that an enforcement action was taken in error, we will reverse it and restore your content or account access as appropriate.

Appeal Outcomes

After reviewing your appeal, we may:

• Uphold the original decision: If we determine that the enforcement action was correct, we will explain our reasoning and confirm that the action stands
• Reverse the decision: If we determine that the enforcement action was incorrect, we will reverse it and restore your content or account access
• Modify the action: We may decide that a different enforcement action is more appropriate (e.g., reduce a permanent ban to a temporary suspension)

Our decisions on appeals are final within Becoming Alpha's internal process. However, if you believe that our moderation or appeals process violates applicable law or your legal rights, you may have recourse through external channels (see "Contact Information" section below).

Limitations on Appeals

Please note the following limitations on our appeals process:

• Time limits: Appeals should be submitted within 30 days of the enforcement action. Appeals submitted after this period may not be reviewed.
• One appeal per action: We generally review each enforcement action once. Repeated appeals for the same action without new information may not be reviewed.
• Finality: Our appeals decisions are final within Becoming Alpha's process, though users may have external legal recourse in appropriate cases.
• Bad faith appeals: Appeals submitted in bad faith (e.g., knowingly false claims or harassment) may result in additional enforcement actions.

Repeat Violations

Users who repeatedly violate our policies face increasingly severe enforcement actions. Our escalation ladder is designed to give users opportunities to correct their behavior while protecting our community from persistent violators.

Typical escalation process:

1. First violation: Warning or content removal
2. Second violation: Feature restriction or temporary suspension (7-30 days)
3. Third violation: Longer temporary suspension (30-90 days)
4. Fourth or serious violation: Permanent ban

However, we may skip steps in the escalation ladder for serious violations (e.g., illegal activity, threats of violence, fraud) and proceed directly to permanent termination.

We also consider:

• The severity and nature of violations
• Whether violations appear intentional or accidental
• The time period over which violations occurred
• Whether the user has shown a pattern of ignoring warnings
• The impact on other users and the community

Users who have been permanently banned may not create new accounts or attempt to circumvent the ban. Any attempt to do so may result in immediate termination of new accounts and may be reported to law enforcement if it involves illegal activity.

Transparency Commitment

Becoming Alpha is committed to transparency in our moderation and enforcement practices. While we cannot share specific details about individual enforcement actions to protect user privacy and prevent gaming of our systems, we are committed to:

• Clear policies: Maintaining clear, accessible, and comprehensive policies that explain what content and behavior is prohibited
• Fair process: Providing users with notice of enforcement actions and opportunities to appeal decisions
• Consistent enforcement: Applying our policies consistently and fairly across all users
• Regular review: Regularly reviewing and updating our policies and enforcement practices to ensure they remain effective and fair
• Aggregated reporting: Publishing aggregated statistics about enforcement actions when feasible (e.g., number of removals, types of violations, appeals outcomes) without compromising user privacy

We may publish transparency reports in the future that provide high-level statistics about our moderation activities, such as the number of content removals, types of violations addressed, and appeals outcomes. These reports will be designed to protect user privacy while providing meaningful insights into our enforcement practices.

If you have suggestions for improving our moderation or appeals processes, or if you believe our policies or enforcement practices should be updated, please contact us using the information provided below.

Contact Information

For questions about this Content Moderation & Appeals Policy, to report violations, or to submit appeals:

For legal matters or if you believe our moderation practices violate applicable law, you may also contact us at the address above or consult our Terms of Service for information about dispute resolution procedures.

For more contact options and additional ways to reach us, please visit our Contact page.