# Stitches - Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation (CSAE) Policy
**Last Updated:** November 11, 2025
**Effective Date:** November 11, 2025
## 1. Overview
Stitches is a private group photo and video sharing app designed for adults (18+) to share memories with people they already know - family, friends, and existing social circles. This policy outlines our zero-tolerance approach to Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation (CSAE) material.
**App Purpose:** Stitches is NOT a platform for meeting strangers or public social networking. It is a private sharing tool where users create invite-only groups with people they already know in real life.
## 2. Age Requirements
### Minimum Age: 18+
- Users must be 18 years or older to use Stitches
- Users are required to confirm they are 18+ during registration
- This is an adult-oriented app, not designed for or marketed to minors
## 3. Platform Design: Private Sharing, Not Public Social Network
### How Stitches Works
- **Private groups** are the default and primary use case
- Users create groups and invite specific people via invite codes
- Groups consist of people who already know each other (family, friends, coworkers)
- Content is **only visible to group members** unless a group is explicitly marked as public
- **No user discovery features** - you cannot browse or search for other users
- **No direct messaging between strangers** - the app does not facilitate meeting new people
### This Design Reduces Risk
Unlike public social platforms where strangers can interact, Stitches is designed for closed groups of known individuals, significantly reducing opportunities for exploitation or inappropriate contact.
## 4. What Content Is Allowed
### Acceptable Content
- Personal photos and videos shared among friends and family
- Travel memories, events, daily life moments
- Group activities and shared experiences
- Content appropriate for an 18+ audience
### Strictly Prohibited Content
The following content will result in immediate account termination and legal reporting:
- **CSAE Material:** Any content depicting, suggesting, or facilitating child sexual abuse or exploitation
- **Child Exploitation:** Content that sexualizes minors in any way
- **Illegal Content:** Content that violates federal or state laws
- **Grooming Behavior:** Any attempt to exploit or solicit minors
We also prohibit (but with less severe penalties):
- Explicit adult content in public groups
- Harassment, hate speech, or bullying
- Spam or malicious content
- Impersonation or fraud
## 5. CSAE Material: Zero Tolerance Policy
### Definition of CSAE
Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation (CSAE) material includes:
- Any visual depiction of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct
- Content that sexualizes, exploits, or endangers children
- Content created through the abuse or exploitation of children
- Solicitation or grooming of minors
- Any content that violates 18 U.S.C. § 2251-2260 (federal CSAE laws)
### Our Response to CSAE
When CSAE material is detected or reported, we take immediate action:
**1. Immediate Content Removal**
- Content is immediately deleted from our servers
- All copies and backups are permanently removed
**2. Account Termination**
- User account is permanently banned
- All user content is deleted
- User is blocked from creating new accounts
**3. Legal Reporting**
- Incident is reported to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) CyberTipline within 24 hours
- Report includes: user information, content details, timestamps, IP addresses, device information
- Full cooperation with law enforcement investigations
- Evidence preservation as required by law
**4. Prevention**
- User's email and device identifiers are permanently blacklisted
- Additional accounts from the same user are prevented
## 6. Content Moderation System
We employ a multi-layered approach to content safety:
### 1. Platform Design
- **Private by default:** Content is only shared within closed groups
- **No stranger interaction:** Users cannot discover or contact random people
- **Group-based:** Users share with people they already know
### 2. Administrative Tools
- Developers have admin access to review and remove content
- Ability to ban users and delete accounts
- Content removal capabilities across the platform
- User and group management tools
### 3. User Reporting
- **Email reporting:** Users can report violations to support@monicaquigg.com
- **Emergency CSAE reports:** Prioritized review and immediate action
- **Anonymous reporting:** Reports can be submitted confidentially
### 4. Manual Review
- All reports are manually reviewed by the development team
- High-priority review for CSAE reports (within 24 hours)
- Investigation of suspicious content or user behavior
### 5. Future Plans
As the platform grows, we plan to implement:
- Automated content scanning tools
- PhotoDNA or similar hash-matching technology
- Enhanced reporting mechanisms within the app
- Expanded moderation team
## 7. How to Report Inappropriate Content
### Email Reporting
**General violations:** stitches@monicaquigg.com
**Emergency CSAE reports:** stitches@monicaquigg.com (mark subject: URGENT - CSAE Report)
**Please include:**
- Description of the violation
- Group name or user information if known
- Any relevant screenshots (do not include CSAE material itself)
- Your contact information (optional, can be anonymous)
### Response Times
- **CSAE material:** Immediate action upon receipt, reported to NCMEC within 24 hours
- **Other violations:** Reviewed within 72 hours
- **General inquiries:** Responded to within 5 business days
### Anonymous Reporting
You do not need to provide your identity to report content. All reports are taken seriously regardless of whether you identify yourself.
## 8. Enforcement Actions
### CSAE Material (Zero Tolerance)
- Immediate permanent account ban
- All content deleted
- Reported to NCMEC within 24 hours
- Full cooperation with law enforcement
- No appeals - decision is final
### Other Serious Violations
- Content removal
- Account suspension or permanent ban
- Warning or probationary period depending on severity
### Minor Violations
- Content removal
- Warning notification
- Account review
## 9. Group Owner Responsibilities
While Stitches provides the platform, group owners also have responsibilities:
### Group Owners Must:
- Only invite people they know and trust
- Remove members who violate community standards
- Report inappropriate content to Stitches immediately
- Not allow minors in their groups
- Moderate content in public groups appropriately
### Group Owners Should NOT:
- Share invite codes publicly where strangers can access them
- Create groups for illegal purposes
- Tolerate or ignore violations of this policy
## 10. Technical Safety Measures
### Data Security
- HTTPS encryption for all connections
- Secure authentication and password storage
- Regular security updates and patches
- Database encryption for stored content
### Privacy Controls
- Private groups by default
- User-controlled content visibility
- Invite-only group access
- No public user profiles or directories
### Future Technical Measures
We are committed to implementing additional safety technologies as we grow:
- Automated CSAE detection tools (PhotoDNA, etc.)
- Machine learning content classification
- Enhanced monitoring for public groups
- Improved reporting mechanisms
## 11. Legal Compliance & Cooperation
### Federal Law Compliance
Stitches complies with:
- 18 U.S.C. § 2251-2260 (CSAE material prohibitions)
- 18 U.S.C. § 2258A (NCMEC reporting requirements)
- CAN-SPAM Act
- Computer Fraud and Abuse Act
- All applicable federal and state laws regarding illegal content
### NCMEC Reporting
We are committed to reporting all CSAE material to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children:
- **CyberTipline:** www.cybertipline.org
- **Reporting timeline:** Within 24 hours of detection
- **Report contents:** User information, content details, timestamps, technical data
- **Follow-up:** Full cooperation with any subsequent investigation
### Law Enforcement Cooperation
- Respond to valid subpoenas and court orders
- Preserve evidence as requested
- Provide information in accordance with legal requirements
- Proactive reporting of illegal activity
## 12. User Responsibilities
All users must:
- Be 18 years or older
- Only share appropriate, legal content
- Report violations immediately
- Not use the platform to facilitate illegal activity
- Respect other users and follow community guidelines
By using Stitches, you agree to:
- Report any CSAE material you encounter
- Not upload, share, or distribute illegal content
- Accept permanent ban for CSAE violations
- Understand that violations may be reported to law enforcement
## 13. Transparency & Accountability
### Annual Reporting
We commit to publishing an annual transparency report including:
- Number of CSAE reports received and filed with NCMEC
- Number of accounts banned for violations
- Number of law enforcement requests and responses
- Platform safety improvements implemented
### Policy Updates
- This policy will be reviewed annually and updated as needed
- Users will be notified of material changes
- Policy updates take effect immediately upon publication
## 14. Contact Information
### Report Violations
**Email:** stitches@monicaquigg.com
**Website:** https://www.monicaquigg.com/stitches
### NCMEC CyberTipline (Direct Reporting)
If you encounter CSAE material anywhere online:
- **Website:** https://www.cybertipline.org
- **Phone:** 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678)
### Developer
Monica Quigg
Email: stitches@monicaquigg.com
## 15. Acknowledgment
By using Stitches, you acknowledge that:
- You have read and understood this CSAE policy
- You are at least 18 years of age
- You will immediately report any CSAE material you encounter
- You understand that CSAE violations result in permanent bans and legal reporting
- You will not use the platform for illegal purposes
## 16. Platform Philosophy
Stitches is designed as a **private sharing tool for existing relationships**, not a public social network. Our design choices reflect this:
✅ **Private groups with people you already know**
✅ **No user discovery or stranger interaction**
✅ **Content stays within closed groups by default**
✅ **Invite-only access**
✅ **18+ adult users only**
This approach creates a lower-risk environment focused on personal memory sharing among trusted groups.
**For questions about this policy, contact:** stitches@monicaquigg.com