Safety
Reporting & enforcement.
How to report someone, what happens next, and how to appeal a decision.
SPOTR — REPORTING & ENFORCEMENT POLICY
Version 2.0 · Effective date: 01 September 2026
Applicable Law: POPIA Act 4 of 2013; Consumer Protection Act 68 of 2008; Electronic Communications and Transactions Act 25 of 2002
1. Purpose and Scope
This Reporting & Enforcement Policy (the "Policy") explains how SPOTR receives, assesses and responds to reports of conduct that breaches the Terms of Service, Community Guidelines, Safety Policy or any other applicable policy. It also sets out the enforcement actions SPOTR may take and the process by which users may appeal moderation decisions. This Policy applies to all content, conduct and activity on the Platform, including profiles, messages, community posts, events, marketplace interactions and any activity facilitated through the Platform.
2. Our Commitment
SPOTR is committed to operating a safe, respectful and lawful platform. Trust and safety are central to the SPOTR mission. SPOTR maintains a dedicated Trust & Safety function that reviews reports and takes proportionate, fair and consistent enforcement action. Moderation decisions are guided by:
The nature and severity of the conduct
Risk of harm to individuals or the community
Prior history of the reported user
Context and available evidence
Applicable South African law
3. How to Report
3.1 In-App Reporting
Every profile, message, community post, event listing and marketplace profile on the Platform has a "Report" option accessible through the three-dot menu or the flag icon. To submit a report:
Navigate to the content or profile you wish to report
Tap the report icon or "Report" option
Select the category that best describes the conduct
Provide any additional context or supporting information
Submit the report
3.2 Report Categories
| Category | Examples |
| Fake or Impersonation | Profile uses someone else’s identity or photographs; claims false qualifications |
| Harassment or Intimidation | Persistent unwanted contact; threatening messages; bullying |
| Hate Speech or Discrimination | Content targeting race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, disability, nationality |
| Sexual or Explicit Content | Non-consensual intimate images; sexual solicitation; explicit content |
| Scam or Financial Fraud | Requests for money; investment fraud; romance scams; fake services |
| Violence or Threats | Threats of physical harm; encouragement of violence |
| Spam or Unsolicited Promotion | Repeated commercial messages; fake reviews; bot activity |
| Unsafe Event or Meeting | Reports of unsafe conduct at a SPOTR-facilitated event |
| Child Safety | Any content or conduct involving persons under 18 |
| Illegal Activity | Criminal conduct, drug solicitation, weapon trade |
| Platform Abuse | Scraping; account sharing; circumventing enforcement |
| Other | Conduct not covered by the above categories |
3.3 Contacting SPOTR Directly
For matters that cannot be reported through the in-app tool, or for urgent safety concerns, users may contact the Trust & Safety team directly:
Email: support@spotr.co.za
For legal notices and law enforcement requests: support@spotr.co.za
4. How We Review Reports
4.1 Initial Triage
All reports are reviewed by the Trust & Safety team. Reports are triaged based on severity:
| Severity Level | Examples | Target Review Time |
| Critical — Immediate Threat | Imminent physical harm; child safety; active threats of violence | 24 hours |
| High — Serious Harm | Non-consensual intimate images; severe harassment; active scam | 48 hours |
| Medium — Policy Breach | Harassment; hate speech; explicit content; fake profiles | 3 business days |
| Low — Minor Breach | Spam; minor content issues; profile inaccuracies | 5 business days |
4.2 Investigation
SPOTR may, where appropriate:
Review profile information, content and account history
Review relevant message threads (limited to reported content and context)
Request additional information from the reporting user
Preserve relevant records pending investigation
Refer to external authorities where required by law
Personal information collected during investigations is processed under POPIA s.11(1)(f) (legitimate interests of SPOTR to maintain platform safety) and retained for a maximum of three years after case closure, in accordance with the Privacy Policy.
4.3 Confidentiality
Reports are treated confidentially. The identity of the reporting user will not be disclosed to the reported user except where required by law or by a competent court order.
5. Enforcement Actions
SPOTR may take the following actions, alone or in combination, proportionate to the severity and nature of the conduct:
| Action | Description | When Applied |
| Warning | Formal written notice that conduct breaches policy | First or minor breach; low-severity issues |
| Content Removal | Removal of specific content, posts, images or listings | Content that breaches policy |
| Feature Restriction | Temporary restriction of messaging, posting or marketplace access | Repeated or escalating breaches |
| Temporary Suspension | Account suspended for a defined period (24 hours to 30 days) | Serious or repeated policy breaches |
| Permanent Ban | Permanent account termination | Severe conduct; criminal activity; threat to safety; egregious repeat breaches |
| Law Enforcement Referral | Report to SAPS or relevant authority | Where criminal conduct is identified or suspected |
| Civil Action | SPOTR may pursue civil remedies where appropriate | Significant damage to the platform or users |
SPOTR reserves the right to take immediate action without prior warning where safety or legal compliance requires it.
6. Child Safety — Zero Tolerance
Any content or conduct involving the sexual exploitation or abuse of children (CSAM), or that facilitates access to minors for harmful purposes, will result in:
Immediate permanent account ban
Preservation of all relevant records
Mandatory report to the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the Film and Publication Board (FPB) in accordance with the Films and Publications Act 65 of 1996 (as amended by the Films and Publications Amendment Act 11 of 2019)
Cooperation with all law enforcement requests
7. Gender-Based Violence (GBV) — Dedicated Pathway
SPOTR operates a dedicated GBV reporting category in recognition of the particular risks facing South African users. Reports of GBV, intimate partner violence, stalking or sexual assault are escalated immediately to the Critical/High severity tier. SPOTR will, where appropriate:
Provide the reporting user with referrals to GBV support resources
Preserve evidence to support any legal proceedings
Cooperate fully with SAPS and the National Prosecuting Authority
GBV Support Resources (available in-app): GBV Crisis Line: 0800 428 428 (24/7, toll-free) | TEARS Foundation: 0800 055 555 | SAPS: 10111 | Thuthuzela Care Centres: www.npa.gov.za
8. Law Enforcement Cooperation
SPOTR will cooperate with lawful requests from South African law enforcement and regulatory authorities, including:
SAPS and the National Prosecuting Authority
The Information Regulator
The Film and Publication Board
The South African Revenue Service (SARS) where applicable
All law enforcement requests must be submitted in writing to support@spotr.co.za and must comply with applicable South African law. SPOTR will notify affected users of law enforcement requests where legally permitted to do so.
9. Appeals Process
9.1 Right to Appeal
Users whose content has been removed or whose accounts have been restricted or suspended may appeal the decision. Permanently banned users who believe the ban was applied in error may also submit an appeal.
9.2 How to Appeal
Submit an appeal by emailing support@spotr.co.za with the subject line "Enforcement Appeal — [your account email]" within 30 days of the enforcement action. Include:
Your account details
Description of the enforcement action
Reasons why you believe the decision was incorrect
Any supporting evidence
9.3 Appeal Review
Appeals are reviewed by a member of the Trust & Safety team who was not involved in the original decision. Target response times:
Critical/permanent ban appeals: 5 business days
All other appeals: 7 days
9.4 Outcome
Appeals may result in: (a) the original decision being upheld; (b) the enforcement action being reduced; (c) the enforcement action being reversed and the account restored. SPOTR’s decision on appeal is final.
10. Prohibited Retaliatory Reporting
Using the reporting tool to harass, target or silence other users through false or malicious reports is a breach of these Terms and may itself result in enforcement action, including account suspension or ban.
11. Platform Transparency
SPOTR publishes periodic transparency reports summarising aggregate enforcement statistics. These reports do not contain individually identifiable information.
12. POPIA Compliance
The following personal information may be collected during the reporting and enforcement process:
Reporter identity (kept confidential)
Reported user’s account information and activity
Content subject to the report
Investigation notes and enforcement decisions
This information is processed under POPIA s.11(1)(c) (legal obligation) and s.11(1)(f) (legitimate interests) and retained for a maximum of three years after case closure. Users may request access to their own enforcement records by emailing support@spotr.co.za.
13. Updates
This Policy may be updated from time to time. Material changes will be communicated by in-app notification or email at least 14 days before taking effect.
14. Contact
All enquiries, including Trust & Safety, legal notices and general support: support@spotr.co.za | +27 64 967 1289
Information Officer: Kyle Crawford (support@spotr.co.za) | Information Regulator: enquiries@inforegulator.org.za | 010 023 5200