COMMUNITY GUIDELINES

Untitled Media exists to document and amplify the voices of young Kenyans. We are a community built on authenticity, respect, and the belief that every story matters. These Community Guidelines define the standards we expect from everyone who participates in our community — whether you are submitting a story, commenting, sharing content, or engaging with other community members.

These guidelines apply to all content submitted to or published on Untitled Media's Platform, including articles, stories, opinions, questions, confessions, experiences, tips, comments, video content, and any other user-generated material. By participating, you agree to uphold these standards.

We value authentic voices above everything else. The most powerful stories are the honest ones — your genuine experiences, opinions, and perspectives. Share what you know, what you have lived, and what you believe.

We do not accept fabricated stories, misleading content, or deliberately false information. If you are writing fiction or creative work, that is welcome — but be transparent about it. Do not present fiction as fact, and do not misrepresent your identity or experiences.

You can be critical without being cruel. You can disagree without being disrespectful. Healthy debate and honest critique are essential to a thriving community. But we draw a clear line at content that demeans, harasses, or attacks individuals or groups.

We do not tolerate:

• Hate speech or content that attacks people based on race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or any other protected characteristic

• Harassment, bullying, or targeted intimidation of any individual or group

• Threats of violence or content that encourages violence against individuals or groups

• Doxxing — publishing private personal information about someone without their consent

• Content that exists solely to humiliate, mock, or degrade another person

Whether you publish under your name or anonymously, stand behind what you say. We offer anonymous publishing because we understand that some stories are sensitive — and speaking out can carry real risk. We take anonymity seriously and will protect it.

But anonymity is not a shield for abuse. Content that exists solely to harm others, spread misinformation, or avoid accountability for harmful behavior violates these guidelines, regardless of whether it is published under a real name or anonymously.

If you choose to publish anonymously, do it because you have something meaningful to contribute — not because you want to say something you would not stand behind publicly.

Submissions should be genuine contributions to our community, not advertisements or spam. We welcome content from creators, entrepreneurs, and anyone building something — but your submission should offer value to readers, not just promote your product, service, or personal brand.

Examples of what is not allowed:

• Content whose primary purpose is to drive traffic to a commercial website or product

• Repeated submission of identical or near-identical content

• Content consisting primarily of links or calls to action with minimal original writing

• Fake engagement — creating multiple accounts to artificially promote content

• Unsolicited commercial messages sent through our platform's contact or submission features

We welcome difficult conversations about mental health, relationships, politics, society, and personal struggles. These are some of the most important stories we publish. But sensitive topics require sensitivity in how they are handled.

When discussing topics like suicide, self-harm, sexual violence, trauma, or other deeply personal subjects, please provide appropriate context and avoid graphic descriptions that could be harmful to readers. If your story involves other people's trauma or experiences, consider whether you have the right to share those details publicly.

We may add content warnings, resource links, or editorial context to stories dealing with particularly sensitive subjects to ensure our community is informed and supported.

Submit your own work. Do not submit content that you did not create or that infringes on the intellectual property rights of others — including copyright, trademark, and rights of publicity or privacy.

If you are quoting, referencing, or drawing inspiration from someone else's work, give proper credit. Cite your sources. Plagiarism — presenting someone else's words or ideas as your own — is unacceptable.

We will remove content that:

• Is copied in substantial part from another source without permission or attribution

• Uses copyrighted images, video, or audio without proper licensing or fair use justification

• Impersonates another creator's identity, style, or voice in a way that is misleading or deceptive

Do not submit content that violates Kenyan law or the laws of your jurisdiction. This includes but is not limited to content that is defamatory, fraudulent, incites illegal activity, or violates court orders or legal restrictions.

If we receive a valid legal request to remove content — such as a court order or a notice under Kenya's data protection or cybercrime laws — we may comply with that request after reviewing it.

Respect the privacy of others. Do not share personal information about someone else — including but not limited to their full name, address, phone number, email address, workplace, or location — without their explicit consent.

When telling stories that involve other people, consider whether identifying them is necessary and whether it could cause them harm. Where possible, obtain consent from people who feature prominently in your stories, even if you are not legally required to do so.

We take our community's privacy seriously. Do not use our platform to collect, store, or share personal information about other community members without authorization.

We believe in the power of stories to inform, challenge, and inspire. When you engage with other community members' content — whether through comments, responses, or shared articles — do so constructively.

Constructive engagement means:

• Critiquing ideas, not attacking people

• Adding to the conversation rather than shutting it down

• Acknowledging when someone has made a good point, even if you disagree overall

• Being open to having your own views challenged

• Reporting content that violates these guidelines rather than engaging with it negatively

We take these guidelines seriously. Our editorial team reviews content before publication, and we reserve the right to make decisions about what we publish, edit, or remove.

When content violates these guidelines, we may take one or more of the following actions:

• Reject the submission and provide feedback explaining why it was not accepted

• Edit the content to address specific issues while preserving the core message, with the author's consent

• Remove previously published content that is later found to violate these guidelines

• Suspend or permanently terminate the contributor's ability to submit content to the Platform

• Report illegal content to the relevant authorities when required by law

If you believe we made a mistake in moderating your content, you can appeal by contacting us. Provide the specific content in question and explain why you believe the decision should be reconsidered. We review all appeals seriously and will respond within a reasonable timeframe.

We also welcome feedback on these guidelines themselves. If you believe a guideline is unclear, unfair, or could be improved, tell us. These guidelines are living documents that should evolve with our community's needs.

We will apply these guidelines fairly and consistently. We will not moderate content based on political viewpoint, subject matter, or the identity of the contributor — so long as the content itself complies with these guidelines. We will be transparent about our moderation practices and provide clear explanations when we take action on content.

We are committed to maintaining a space where young Kenyans can speak honestly about the things that matter to them — without fear of harassment, without censorship of legitimate viewpoints, and without the chaos that turns so many online spaces toxic.

If you have questions about these Community Guidelines, need to report a violation, or want to discuss a moderation decision, we want to hear from you.

• Email: community@theuntitledmedia.com

• Twitter/X: @UntitledMedia

• Through the contact form on the Platform

• Submit feedback through our Submit page at /submit