# Appeal Process

How to dispute moderation decisions.

*Makenotwork is currently a one-person operation. Appeals are reviewed directly by the founder. Independent review by a separate decision-maker is planned once the team grows.*

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## What Can Be Appealed

You can appeal:

- Content removal
- Account suspension
- Account termination
- Any other moderation action

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## How to Appeal

Every appeal reaches the same person and gets the same review. How you send it
depends on what you're appealing.

**Account suspension:** submit from your account dashboard. The form appears there
while the suspension is active.

**Content removal, account termination, and anything else:** email
**appeals@makenot.work**. There is no dashboard form for these yet. If your account
was terminated you are signed out and cannot reach the dashboard at all, so email is
the only route, and it works.

Include:

1. **Your username** or account email
2. **What action you're appealing** - What was removed or what restriction was applied
3. **Why you believe the decision was wrong** - Be specific
4. **Any relevant context** - Information we might have missed

Emailed appeals are not second-class. The dashboard form exists for suspensions
because that is where it was built first, and the rest are on the list.

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## What Happens Next

1. **Acknowledgment** - We confirm receipt (usually within 24 hours)

2. **Review** - Your appeal is reviewed with fresh eyes. Currently, appeals are reviewed by the founder. Once the team grows, appeals will be reviewed by someone other than the original decision-maker

3. **Decision** - We notify you of the outcome with explanation

4. **If overturned** - Content is restored or restrictions are lifted

5. **If upheld** - We explain why and what options remain

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## Timeline

We resolve appeals within:

- **Content removal:** 3-5 business days
- **Account suspension:** 5-10 business days
- **Account termination:** 10-14 business days

Complex cases may take longer. We'll keep you informed of delays.

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## What We Consider

When reviewing appeals, we look at:

- **Original context** - Was important context missed?
- **Policy interpretation** - Was the policy applied correctly?
- **Consistency** - Is this consistent with how we've handled similar cases?
- **New information** - Did you provide information that changes the picture?

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## Data Access During Appeals

Even if your account is suspended or terminated:

- You can request a data export
- We preserve your data during the appeal window

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## Limits

Some decisions cannot be appealed:

- **Legal requirements** - If we're legally required to remove content or terminate an account
- **Imminent harm** - If we believe content poses immediate danger to someone
- **CSAM** - Content involving minors is not subject to appeal

For these cases, we'll explain why the decision is final.

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## If You Disagree with the Appeal Outcome

If your appeal is denied and you believe we made an error, you can appeal again after
30 days. Provide new information or arguments not considered the first time; your
case will be re-examined from scratch.

For suspensions the 30-day wait is enforced by the dashboard form, which will tell
you how many days remain. One appeal is open at a time; submit again once the
previous one has been decided.

The wait exists so that a second look is a genuine second look rather than the same
case resubmitted the same week. It is not a limit on how many times you can be heard.

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## See Also

- [Content Moderation](./moderation.md): How we make decisions
- [Acceptable Use Policy](./acceptable-use.md): What we enforce