Child Safety Standards Policy

At ASKfm, the safety and well-being of children and young people are fundamental priorities. We are committed to maintaining a safe online environment and preventing child sexual abuse, exploitation, harassment, and other forms of harm.

This Child Safety Standards Policy explains our standards regarding child protection, prohibited content, user reporting, safety enforcement, and cooperation with relevant authorities.

This policy applies to all users of the ASKfm website, mobile applications, and related services.

1. Our Commitment to Child Safety

ASKfm is committed to protecting children from sexual exploitation, abuse, grooming, harassment, and other harmful activities.

We maintain a zero-tolerance policy toward child sexual abuse and exploitation (CSAE) and child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

Any content or activity involving the sexual exploitation or abuse of children is strictly prohibited on our platform.

We are committed to reviewing reports of suspected child exploitation and taking appropriate action in accordance with applicable laws.

2. Prohibition of Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation

ASKfm strictly prohibits all forms of child sexual abuse and exploitation.

Prohibited activities include, but are not limited to:

• Creating, uploading, distributing, or sharing child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
• Sexual exploitation or abuse of minors.
• Grooming or attempting to establish inappropriate sexual relationships with minors.
• Soliciting sexual images, videos, or other explicit content from minors.
• Sexual harassment, coercion, or threats directed toward children.
• Encouraging or facilitating the sexual exploitation of minors.
• Sharing links or directing users to content involving child sexual abuse or exploitation.
• Using anonymous questions or other platform features to exploit or sexually harass minors.

Violations may result in content removal, account suspension, permanent account termination, and reporting to relevant authorities where required or appropriate.

3. Age Requirements and Protection of Minors

ASKfm is not intended for children under the age of 13.

Users must meet the minimum age requirements applicable in their country or region.

If we become aware that an account belongs to a child who does not meet the applicable minimum age requirement, we may take steps to restrict or terminate the account.

We encourage parents and guardians to discuss online safety, privacy, and responsible internet use with children.

4. Reporting Child Safety Concerns

ASKfm encourages users to report any content, behavior, or activity that may endanger children or violate our child safety standards.

Reports may include:

• Suspected child sexual abuse or exploitation.
• Inappropriate sexual communication with minors.
• Grooming or predatory behavior.
• Sexual harassment involving children.
• Threats, blackmail, or coercion involving minors.
• Accounts distributing or promoting CSAM.
• Other activities that may threaten child safety.

Users can report concerns through the reporting features available within ASKfm, where supported, or contact our designated child safety representative directly.

Child safety reports should include relevant details that help us investigate the concern. Users should not download, forward, or attach suspected child sexual abuse material.

5. Handling and Reviewing Reports

Reports involving potential child sexual abuse or exploitation are treated as high-priority safety concerns.

When a report is received, ASKfm aims to:

• Review the reported content or activity.
• Assess potential risks to children.
• Remove content that violates our policies.
• Restrict or terminate accounts involved in serious violations.
• Preserve relevant information when legally required.
• Cooperate with appropriate authorities when necessary.

Enforcement decisions depend on the nature and severity of the violation, available evidence, and applicable law.

6. In-App Reporting and User Safety Features

ASKfm supports user safety through reporting and moderation procedures.

Depending on the features available within the application, users may be able to:

• Report inappropriate questions and answers.
• Report abusive or suspicious user accounts.
• Block users who engage in harmful behavior.
• Manage anonymous question preferences.
• Remove unwanted content from their profiles.
• Contact the support team regarding safety concerns.

We encourage users to report harmful behavior rather than engaging with potentially dangerous individuals.

7. Content Moderation and Enforcement

ASKfm prohibits content that promotes, facilitates, or depicts child sexual abuse or exploitation.

When violations are identified, appropriate enforcement measures may be taken.

These measures may include:

• Removal of prohibited content.
• Restriction of harmful interactions.
• Temporary account suspension.
• Permanent account termination.
• Escalation of serious safety incidents.
• Reporting suspected criminal activity to appropriate authorities.

Users who repeatedly or seriously violate our child safety standards may be permanently prohibited from accessing our Services.

8. Cooperation with Law Enforcement and Authorities

ASKfm recognizes the importance of cooperating with relevant authorities to protect children from abuse and exploitation.

Where required by applicable law, we will report confirmed or suspected child sexual abuse material and related exploitation to the appropriate authorities.

We may cooperate with law enforcement agencies and authorized child protection organizations in accordance with applicable legal requirements.

Information may be preserved or disclosed when legally required to support investigations or protect individuals from harm.

9. Protection Against Grooming and Predatory Behavior

ASKfm strictly prohibits grooming, sexual solicitation, manipulation, or predatory behavior directed toward minors.

Users must not use ASKfm to:

• Solicit sexual content from minors.
• Pressure children into sexual conversations.
• Manipulate minors for sexual purposes.
• Threaten minors with exposure of private information.
• Encourage minors to participate in sexually exploitative activities.

Accounts associated with such behavior may be suspended or permanently terminated.

10. Privacy and Personal Information of Children

ASKfm recognizes the importance of protecting the personal information of children.

We do not knowingly collect personal information from children who are below the minimum permitted age.

When we become aware of such collection, we will take appropriate action in accordance with our Privacy Policy and applicable law.

Users are encouraged not to disclose sensitive personal information, including home addresses, phone numbers, school locations, or private contact details.

11. Anonymous Questions and Child Safety

ASKfm may allow users to submit questions anonymously.

Anonymous features must never be used to harass, threaten, exploit, or sexually solicit minors.

Anonymity does not exempt users from our safety standards or applicable laws.

We may take appropriate moderation and enforcement action against accounts that misuse anonymous communication features.

12. Education and Prevention

ASKfm encourages responsible online behavior and promotes awareness of child safety risks.

We encourage users, parents, and guardians to:

• Protect personal information.
• Use available privacy and blocking controls.
• Report suspicious or abusive behavior.
• Avoid sharing private or explicit images.
• Seek assistance from trusted adults when necessary.
• Contact appropriate authorities in emergencies.

We believe that awareness, responsible platform use, and effective reporting contribute to a safer online community.

13. Emergency Situations

If a child is in immediate danger or there is an urgent threat to their safety, users should contact local emergency services or law enforcement authorities immediately.

ASKfm reporting mechanisms are not a replacement for emergency assistance.

Users may also report the incident to our child safety representative.

14. Compliance with Applicable Laws

ASKfm is committed to complying with applicable child protection laws, regulations, and platform safety requirements.

Our child safety standards are intended to prohibit child sexual abuse and exploitation and establish procedures for addressing related safety concerns.

We may update our procedures to reflect changes in applicable laws and platform requirements.

15. Changes to This Policy

ASKfm may update this Child Safety Standards Policy to reflect changes in our safety practices, legal obligations, or platform features.

Updated versions will be published on our website or through other appropriate communication channels.

We encourage users to review this policy periodically.

16. Child Safety Contact and Representative

ASKfm has designated a representative for child safety-related communications and reports.

Users, parents, guardians, and relevant authorities may contact our designated representative regarding child safety concerns, suspected exploitation, or violations of this policy.

We are committed to reviewing child safety reports and taking appropriate action to protect users.