Community & Safety Guidelines
Rules for a safe, respectful, and responsible Unity Links community.
Effective: July 18, 20261. Our Mission
Unity Links exists to help communities share responsible awareness, support families, promote prevention and safety education, and help connect the public with verified information about missing persons.
Every person who accesses or participates in Unity Links is expected to act with care, integrity, compassion, and respect.
2. Eligibility and Account Responsibility
- Community accounts are intended for adults who are at least 18 years old.
- Do not create an account for a child or allow a child to use your account.
- You are responsible for activity performed through your account and for keeping your login credentials secure.
- Do not impersonate another person, family member, organization, law-enforcement officer, service provider, or Unity Links representative.
Public safety-education content may be viewed by families, but minors should not submit personal information or participate in community features without appropriate parental or guardian involvement.
3. Respectful Communication
Members must communicate respectfully, especially when discussing missing-person cases, children, families, trauma, or public-safety concerns.
The following are prohibited:
- Harassment, bullying, stalking, threats, intimidation, or abusive language.
- Hate speech or attacks based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, disability, age, or another protected characteristic.
- Blaming, interrogating, shaming, or publicly accusing families or victims.
- Graphic, humiliating, sensationalized, or exploitative discussion of a case.
- Spam, unrelated promotion, repetitive posting, or disruptive behavior.
4. Zero Tolerance for Child Exploitation or Harm
Unity Links prohibits any content or behavior involving or promoting:
- Child sexual abuse material, sexual exploitation, grooming, trafficking, abuse, or endangerment.
- Requests for sexualized images or private contact with a minor.
- Jokes, fantasies, threats, or encouragement involving harm to a child.
- Attempts to identify, contact, manipulate, or exploit a vulnerable child or family.
Content may be removed immediately. Accounts may be suspended or permanently terminated, and information may be preserved or disclosed to law enforcement or child-protection authorities when permitted or required by law.
5. No False Reports, Hoaxes, or Unverified Accusations
- Do not create or share a false missing-person report.
- Do not knowingly post misleading, altered, outdated, or fabricated information.
- Do not publicly accuse a person of a crime or involvement in a disappearance without verified official information.
- Do not use Unity Links for revenge, custody disputes, harassment, attention, fundraising scams, or personal conflicts.
False reporting can endanger families, interfere with investigations, and expose the person making the report to account action and possible civil or criminal consequences.
6. No Vigilante Activity
Unity Links does not authorize users to investigate, pursue, confront, detain, surveil, or track another person.
Do not:
- Approach a suspected individual or enter an unsafe location.
- Organize an unofficial search that conflicts with law-enforcement instructions.
- Publish private addresses, license plates, phone numbers, school information, medical records, or other sensitive personal data.
- Encourage others to threaten, confront, or take unlawful action.
Report a sighting or credible tip directly to the investigating law-enforcement agency listed on the case. Call 911 when there is an immediate danger.
7. Posting and Sharing Standards
Appropriate content may include:
- Verified missing-person alerts and links to official sources.
- Responsible safety education and prevention information.
- Supportive community messages and lawful outreach information.
- Updates approved by the family, authorized representative, investigating agency, or official source.
Do not post:
- Graphic violence, sexual content, threats, or instructions for wrongdoing.
- Private or unnecessary identifying information.
- Fundraising links that have not been authorized or verified.
- Copyrighted photos, videos, or documents you do not have permission to use.
- Content that interferes with an active investigation or violates a court order.
When sharing an alert, preserve the original source, case number, agency contact details, and current status whenever available.
8. Privacy and Personal Information
Only share the minimum information necessary for legitimate awareness and safety purposes. Do not publish:
- Social Security numbers, financial information, passwords, or identification-document numbers.
- Exact home addresses, real-time private locations, daily routines, or school schedules.
- Confidential medical, educational, legal, or child-welfare records.
- Private contact information unless the person has authorized its public display.
Information that is publicly included in an official missing-person alert may be reshared responsibly, but it must not be expanded with speculation or unrelated private details.
9. Direct Messages and Off-Platform Contact
Direct or private messaging may be available only in areas enabled by Unity Links. Messaging must never be used to:
- Contact or attempt to meet a minor.
- Request sensitive case details, money, favors, passwords, or identification documents.
- Pressure a family, witness, volunteer, or member to move a conversation off-platform.
- Impersonate law enforcement or claim authority you do not have.
- Harass, groom, exploit, threaten, or manipulate another person.
Never arrange an in-person meeting with a stranger through Unity Links. Report suspicious messages and block the sender where that option is available.
10. Personal Safety and Scam Prevention
- Do not send money, gift cards, cryptocurrency, banking information, or login credentials to another user.
- Be cautious of anyone who creates urgency, asks for secrecy, claims to have exclusive case information, or asks you to contact them privately.
- Do not rely on a profile badge, title, photo, or statement as proof of identity or authority.
- Verify case information through the listed investigating agency or another official source.
- Take breaks and seek support when exposure to difficult cases affects your emotional well-being.
11. Reporting and Moderation
Use the report or flag option where available, or email contact@unitylinks.org, to report:
- Child-safety concerns, exploitation, threats, scams, harassment, or impersonation.
- False alerts, doxxing, graphic content, or other violations of these Guidelines.
- Technical issues that could expose sensitive information.
Unity Links may review reports, remove or restrict content, limit features, issue warnings, suspend or terminate accounts, preserve relevant records, and contact authorities when appropriate. We may take immediate action for serious safety concerns without first issuing a warning.
12. Enforcement and Appeals
Enforcement decisions may consider the severity, context, risk, history, and potential impact of the conduct. Actions may include content removal, account restrictions, temporary suspension, permanent termination, or referral to appropriate authorities.
To request a review of a moderation decision, email contact@unitylinks.org with your account email, the decision being challenged, and a concise explanation. A review is not guaranteed to reverse the decision.
13. Changes to These Guidelines
Unity Links may update these Guidelines as the platform, safety practices, or legal requirements change. The effective date at the top of this page will be revised when material updates are made. Continued use after an update means you agree to follow the revised Guidelines.