# **bitvid Community Guidelines**

Welcome to **bitvid**, a decentralized video-sharing platform built on Nostr. These Community Guidelines outline the types of content allowed and prohibited on the platform. As bitvid is still in early access, enforcement will occur at the client level, meaning violations will result in content being blocked from display rather than removed from relays. These policies will evolve as we implement robust user blocking and reporting features.

## **1. Content Principles**

bitvid aims to support **free expression** while maintaining a platform where users feel safe and respected. To achieve this balance, the following principles guide our moderation approach:

- **Decentralization:** We do not host videos directly but enable peer-to-peer sharing through WebTorrent and Nostr.
- **User Moderation:** Users have control over their feeds through subscriptions, blocking, and reporting.
- **Transparency:** Enforcement actions at the client level are visible, and policy updates will be communicated openly.

## **2. Allowed Content**

bitvid encourages a wide range of content, including but not limited to:

- **Educational and informative videos** (tech tutorials, history, science, etc.).
- **Entertainment** (music, gaming, comedy, reviews, etc.).
- **News and journalism** (independent reporting and discussions).
- **Creative works** (art, animations, short films, open-source projects, etc.).
- **Discussions and opinions** (provided they adhere to respectful discourse).

## **3. Prohibited Content**

To maintain a functional and ethical platform, the following types of content are blocked at the client level:

### **3.1. Illegal Content**

- Content that violates applicable laws, including but not limited to:
  - **CSAM (Child Sexual Abuse Material)** (immediate report and block enforcement).
  - **Human trafficking, exploitation, or abuse.**
  - **Direct threats or incitements to violence.**
  - **Explicit doxxing or leaking of private information without consent.**
  - **Fraudulent or scam content (e.g., Ponzi schemes, fake giveaways, impersonation).**

### **3.2. Spam and Low-Quality Content**

- Mass-uploaded, repetitive, or bot-generated content intended to flood the platform.
- Clickbait thumbnails/titles that mislead viewers.
- Excessive self-promotion with no meaningful engagement.

### **3.3. NSFW and Sensitive Content**

- **Pornographic material** (non-artistic sexually explicit content is not allowed at this stage).
- **Extreme gore or graphic violence** (unless in an educational or journalistic context).
- **Hate speech, racism, or targeted harassment.**
- **Calls for harm against individuals or groups based on race, religion, nationality, gender, or sexual orientation.**
- **Encouragement of self-harm, suicide, or dangerous activities.**

### **3.4. AI-Generated and Deepfake Content**

- **Deepfake impersonations** of real people used for deceptive purposes.
- AI-generated content must be **clearly labeled** to avoid misinformation.

## **4. Enforcement Actions**

Until robust reporting and user moderation features are fully implemented, bitvid will enforce these guidelines at the **client level**:

- **Content Filtering:** Prohibited content will not be displayed within the client, though it may still exist on relays.
- **Account Restrictions:** Users violating guidelines may be **blocked from the whitelisted early access list**.
- **Reporting Mechanism:** Users are encouraged to report violations via NIP-56 reports, which will be reviewed manually.

## **5. User Moderation Features (In Development)**

We are working on features that will give users more control over their experience, including:

- **Personal blocklists** (prevent content from specific creators from appearing in feeds).
- **Community-curated moderation lists** (opt-in to trusted content curation groups).
- **Tag-based filtering** (users can toggle visibility of certain content categories).

## **6. Appeals and Feedback**

As we refine the moderation system, we welcome feedback from early users. If you believe your content was unfairly blocked, you can appeal by reaching out through bitvid’s Nostr channels.

## **7. Final Notes**

bitvid is committed to **free speech and open platforms** while acknowledging the need for responsible content moderation. These guidelines will continue to evolve as we develop better tools for user moderation and decentralized governance.

Thank you for being part of the early bitvid community!
