max / makenotwork

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1	# Appeal Process
2
3	How to dispute moderation decisions.
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5	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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7	---
8
9	## What Can Be Appealed
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11	You can appeal:
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13	- Content removal
14	- Account suspension
15	- Account termination
16	- Any other moderation action
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18	---
19
20	## How to Appeal
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22	Every appeal reaches the same person and gets the same review. How you send it
23	depends on what you're appealing.
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25	Account suspension: submit from your account dashboard. The form appears there
26	while the suspension is active.
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28	Content removal, account termination, and anything else: email
29	appeals@makenot.work. There is no dashboard form for these yet. If your account
30	was terminated you are signed out and cannot reach the dashboard at all, so email is
31	the only route, and it works.
32
33	Include:
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35	1. Your username or account email
36	2. What action you're appealing - What was removed or what restriction was applied
37	3. Why you believe the decision was wrong - Be specific
38	4. Any relevant context - Information we might have missed
39
40	Emailed appeals are not second-class. The dashboard form exists for suspensions
41	because that is where it was built first, and the rest are on the list.
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43	---
44
45	## What Happens Next
46
47	1. Acknowledgment - We confirm receipt (usually within 24 hours)
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49	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
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51	3. Decision - We notify you of the outcome with explanation
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53	4. If overturned - Content is restored or restrictions are lifted
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55	5. If upheld - We explain why and what options remain
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57	---
58
59	## An Appeal Can Only Lower the Outcome
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61	Review can affirm what was decided, reduce it to any lower outcome, or overturn it
62	entirely to no action. It can never raise the outcome, apply an aggravating factor the
63	original decision passed over, or reach a level the original decision did not.
64
65	This means appealing is never a risk. Every enforcement action is a ceiling from the
66	moment it is issued, so the only question you face is whether contesting it is worth
67	your effort.
68
69	If a review concludes the original decision was too lenient, nothing changes on your
70	case. The divergence is recorded as a defect in the rule text and feeds the next
71	version of the rules, which binds everyone from its effective date forward.
72
73	The outcome of a review is binding, not advisory.
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75	---
76
77	## Timeline
78
79	We resolve appeals within:
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81	- Content removal: 3-5 business days
82	- Account suspension: 5-10 business days
83	- Account termination: 10-14 business days
84
85	Complex cases may take longer. We'll keep you informed of delays.
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87	---
88
89	## What We Consider
90
91	When reviewing appeals, we look at:
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93	- Original context - Was important context missed?
94	- Policy interpretation - Was the policy applied correctly?
95	- Consistency - Is this consistent with how we've handled similar cases?
96	- New information - Did you provide information that changes the picture?
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98	---
99
100	## Data Access During Appeals
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102	Even if your account is suspended or terminated:
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104	- You can request a data export
105	- We preserve your data during the appeal window
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107	---
108
109	## Limits
110
111	Some decisions cannot be appealed:
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113	- Legal requirements - If we're legally required to remove content or terminate an account
114	- Imminent harm - If we believe content poses immediate danger to someone
115	- CSAM - Content involving minors is not subject to appeal
116
117	For these cases, we'll explain why the decision is final.
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119	---
120
121	## If You Disagree with the Appeal Outcome
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123	If your appeal is denied and you believe we made an error, you can appeal again after
124	30 days. Provide new information or arguments not considered the first time; your
125	case will be re-examined from scratch.
126
127	For suspensions the 30-day wait is enforced by the dashboard form, which will tell
128	you how many days remain. One appeal is open at a time; submit again once the
129	previous one has been decided.
130
131	The wait exists so that a second look is a genuine second look rather than the same
132	case resubmitted the same week. It is not a limit on how many times you can be heard.
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134	---
135
136	## See Also
137
138	- [Content Moderation](./moderation.md): How we make decisions
139	- [Acceptable Use Policy](./acceptable-use.md): What we enforce
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