Content Moderation Policy

1. Overview

MapleMarket is committed to maintaining a safe, trustworthy, and lawful marketplace for all users. This Content Moderation Policy explains how we review, monitor, and take action on content posted to the Platform, including listings, images, descriptions, messages, and any other user-generated content.

This policy should be read together with our Terms of Service, Prohibited Items Policy, and community guidelines. By using the Platform, you agree to comply with all applicable content standards and acknowledge our right to moderate content as described herein.

2. Our Approach to Moderation

MapleMarket employs a combination of methods to review and moderate content on the Platform:

• Automated Filtering: We use automated systems and technology to detect and flag content that may violate our policies. Automated filters screen listings for prohibited keywords, suspicious patterns, known scam indicators, and content that may breach Canadian law. Automated systems are designed to assist, not replace, human judgment
• User Reporting: We rely on our community of users to identify and report content that violates our policies. Every listing page includes a "Report this listing" button that allows any user to flag potentially harmful, illegal, or policy-violating content for review
• Manual Review: Our moderation team manually reviews flagged content, reported listings, and a random sample of new listings. Manual reviews are conducted by trained moderators who evaluate content against our policies, Terms of Service, and applicable Canadian law
• Proactive Monitoring: We may periodically review categories, user accounts, or content types that are at higher risk for policy violations. This includes monitoring for emerging scam patterns, fraud trends, and changes in regulatory requirements

3. What We Moderate

Our content moderation covers the following types of content on the Platform:

• Listings: Titles, descriptions, pricing, categories, and all other listing details
• Images and Media: Photographs, videos, and any other visual content uploaded to listings or profiles
• User Profiles: Display names, profile pictures, biographies, and contact information displayed publicly
• Messages: Content exchanged through the Platform's messaging system, where necessary to investigate reports of harassment, fraud, or illegal activity
• Reviews and Ratings: User reviews, ratings, and feedback left for other users or listings

4. Content Standards

All content on the Platform must comply with the following standards:

• Content must be truthful, accurate, and not misleading or deceptive
• Content must not violate any applicable Canadian federal, provincial, or municipal law or regulation
• Content must not infringe the intellectual property rights of any third party, including copyrights, trademarks, and patents
• Content must not contain or promote hate speech, discrimination, threats, harassment, or violence
• Content must not include sexually explicit material, obscenity, or content that exploits or endangers minors
• Content must not advertise items or services listed in our Prohibited Items Policy
• Content must not contain malware, phishing links, or other malicious software or deceptive links
• Content must not include personal information of third parties without their consent, including phone numbers, email addresses, home addresses, or government identification numbers
• Images must be original photographs of the actual item — stock images, images from other listings, and images copied from the internet are not permitted
• Content must be posted in the correct category and must accurately represent the item or service being offered

5. Listing Review Process

New Listings

When a new listing is submitted, it may undergo the following review process:

• The listing is screened by our automated filtering system for potential policy violations, including prohibited keywords, suspicious patterns, and blacklisted content
• Listings flagged by the automated system are queued for manual review by our moderation team
• In some cases, new listings may be held in a pending state until manual review is completed before they become publicly visible
• Listings that pass both automated and manual review are published and made visible to other users
• Listings that violate our policies are rejected with an explanation provided to the user where possible

Existing Listings

Published listings may be reviewed at any time based on user reports, automated detection, or proactive monitoring. If a published listing is found to violate our policies, it may be immediately removed without prior notice.

6. User Reporting System

We encourage all users to report content that they believe violates our policies. Our reporting system works as follows:

• How to Report: Click the "Report this listing" button on any listing page. You may also report content by contacting us at support@maplemarketapp.com with the listing URL and a description of the concern
• Report Categories: When submitting a report, you will be asked to select a reason, such as: prohibited item, fraudulent listing, inaccurate description, offensive content, suspected scam, copyright infringement, or other policy violation
• Acknowledgment: We acknowledge all reports received. However, due to the volume of reports, we may not be able to provide individual updates on the outcome of every report
• Review Timeline: We aim to review all reports as promptly as reasonably possible. Reports involving immediate safety risks, illegal activity, or content exploiting minors are prioritized for urgent review
• Confidentiality: The identity of the reporting user is kept confidential and is not disclosed to the user whose content is being reviewed, unless required by law
• Good Faith Reporting: We expect all reports to be submitted in good faith. Submitting false, frivolous, or malicious reports may result in action against the reporting user's account

7. Enforcement Actions

When content is found to violate our policies, we may take one or more of the following actions at our sole discretion:

• Content Warning: For minor or first-time violations, we may issue a warning to the user and request that they edit or correct their listing to comply with our policies
• Content Removal: Listings, images, or other content that violates our policies will be removed from the Platform. The user will be notified of the removal and the reason, where possible
• Content Modification: In some cases, we may edit or modify content to bring it into compliance, such as removing a specific image or redacting personal information. We will notify the user when this occurs
• Account Warning: Users who violate policies will receive a formal account warning. Warnings are recorded and cumulative
• Feature Restriction: We may temporarily restrict a user's ability to post new listings, upload images, send messages, or access other features while a review is ongoing or as a consequence of policy violations
• Temporary Suspension: For serious or repeated violations, a user's account may be temporarily suspended for a defined period. During suspension, the user cannot access any Platform features
• Permanent Termination: For severe violations, persistent policy abuse, or illegal activity, a user's account may be permanently terminated. Terminated users are prohibited from creating new accounts
• Law Enforcement Referral: Content that appears to involve criminal activity, including but not limited to the sale of illegal goods, fraud, exploitation of minors, or threats of violence, will be reported to the appropriate Canadian law enforcement agencies. We will preserve and provide relevant information as required by law

8. Account Suspension and Termination Procedures

Temporary Suspension

• The user is notified of the suspension via email, including the reason for the suspension and its duration
• All active listings are hidden from public view during the suspension period
• The user retains access to their account data but cannot post, edit, or interact with other users
• Upon expiration of the suspension, the account is automatically restored, and the user may resume normal activity

Permanent Termination

• The user is notified of the termination via email, including the reason
• All listings are permanently removed from the Platform
• The user's profile and public information are removed
• The user may request a copy of their personal data in accordance with our Privacy Policy before deletion occurs
• Terminated users are prohibited from creating new accounts, and we reserve the right to use technical measures to enforce this restriction

9. Appeals Process

If you believe that your content was removed or your account was suspended or terminated in error, you may submit an appeal:

• Send an email to support@maplemarketapp.com with the subject line "Moderation Appeal"
• Include your account email, a description of the content or action in question, and an explanation of why you believe the decision was incorrect
• Appeals must be submitted within thirty (30) days of the moderation action
• Our moderation team will review the appeal and respond within a reasonable timeframe
• The outcome of the appeal review is final. We reserve the right to uphold, modify, or reverse the original decision at our sole discretion

10. Limitations and Disclaimers

While we strive to maintain a safe and policy-compliant marketplace, we acknowledge the following limitations:

• We cannot review every listing or piece of content in real time. Some policy-violating content may be temporarily visible before it is detected and removed
• Automated systems may occasionally flag content incorrectly (false positives) or fail to detect violations (false negatives). We continuously work to improve the accuracy of our systems
• Our moderation decisions involve human judgment and may not always align with a user's expectations. We apply our policies as consistently as reasonably possible
• The presence of a listing on the Platform does not constitute our endorsement, verification, or guarantee of its accuracy, legality, or quality
• We are not liable for any damages resulting from content posted by users, even if such content was not detected or removed promptly

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Content Moderation Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or Platform features. When we make material changes, we will update the "Effective Date" at the top of this page. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

12. Contact

If you have questions about this Content Moderation Policy, please contact us:

MapleMarket Inc.
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Email: support@maplemarketapp.com