Takedown Process

Intake

GradeDate is a dating app with user-generated profiles. We take prompt action to remove content or accounts that violate our Acceptable Use Policy, Terms of Service, or Community Rules. This page documents our takedown process. Violations reach us through three channels:

• In-app structured reports from any user covering profiles, photos, or messages, with specific reason categories and optional detail.
• Automated flags from our photo and message moderation systems. Every uploaded photo is scanned; flagged photos are automatically quarantined in a private, access-controlled store and never published. Messages are scanned with heuristics and a moderation provider; content matching high-risk patterns is hidden or triggers an account lock. Moderation is fail-closed: if scanning is unavailable, content is not approved.
• Law enforcement requests submitted through our Law Enforcement & Legal Requests process.

Automated protective action

Reports or flags involving suspected minors, CSAM, solicitation, trafficking, or exploitation trigger immediate protective action before human review: the affected content is hidden or quarantined and the account is locked pending review. Evidence is preserved, and for CSAM or trafficking we report to NCMEC and/or law enforcement as required by 18 U.S.C. § 2258A and permanently remove the account. Our Acceptable Use Policy states zero tolerance for these violations.

Review queue

All reports and automated flags enter a prioritized, fully audited review queue. Access is role-limited (owner/admin), protected with multi-factor authentication, and least-privilege. Flagged photos are held in a private quarantine store, viewable only through short-lived, case-bound signed links, with a default 30-day retention.

Determination

A reviewer either clears the report or takes action scaled to severity: hide or remove the content, suspend the account for a defined duration, or permanently remove the account for zero-tolerance violations. Every action and decision is recorded in an immutable audit log.

User notification and appeal

The affected user is notified of the action and may submit one appeal within 14 days. The appeal is reviewed by an authorized team member and may result in reinstatement or confirmation of the original action.

Retention

Safety reports are retained for 12 months after resolution, privileged audit records for 24 months, and quarantined content per the 30-day default retention schedule — all subject to our Privacy Policy and legal obligations.

Copyright and law enforcement takedowns

Copyright removals follow our DMCA process; law enforcement requests follow our Law Enforcement & Legal Requests process. Both are linked from this page.