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Child Safety & CSAE Standards (16+)

Effective date: September 13, 2025

App: Winker (Social · 16+)

Audience: Users 16 years and older only. Users under 16 are not permitted.

Winker is a social app for ages 16+. We maintain zero tolerance for Child Sexual Abuse & Exploitation (CSAE), including grooming and CSAM, and we operate robust user-generated content (UGC) safety controls. This page sets our standards for prevention, detection, removal, and reporting, and describes how teens (16–17) are protected.

This page complements our Terms of Use, Community Guidelines, and Privacy Policy. If there's a conflict, the strictest rule that protects minors applies.

1) Zero-Tolerance Policy (Scope & Prohibition)

We explicitly prohibit CSAE and related conduct on Winker, including grooming, sextortion, trafficking, sexualization of minors, and any child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Violations trigger immediate enforcement, including removal, permanent bans, device/account fingerprint blocks, and escalation to authorities where required.

2) In-App Reporting & Blocking (Feedback Mechanism)

  • Report: From any profile → Report
  • Block/Mute: On every profile and chat; effective immediately
  • Contact: In-app Help & Safety, or email abuse@winker.io

We triage "Child Safety" reports 24/7 with expedited review.

3) Prevention & Moderation (Detection & Deterrence)

  • Age gate at sign-up (blocks <16); risk-based re-checks (e.g., when reported as underage) via liveness selfie or government-ID age confirmation; refusal/failure → suspension or removal.
  • Teen safeguards (16–17): default private accounts; adult→teen DMs require mutual connection or explicit approval; stricter content filters; no precise real-time location sharing; safety nudges before sharing personal info; visible Report/Block everywhere.
  • Automated screening for known/likely CSAM indicators (including hash-matching), grooming patterns, and nudity flags; rate limits and friction against spam/harassment.
  • Human moderation with specialist escalation; device/account fingerprinting for repeat offenders.

4) Response to CSAE & CSAM (Appropriate Action)

Upon actual knowledge or credible indication of CSAE/CSAM in Winker, we will:

  • Remove content quickly; disable accounts/devices tied to the violation.
  • Preserve minimal necessary data for lawful requests/evidence.
  • Report confirmed CSAM to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (CyberTipline) or the relevant regional authority, consistent with applicable laws (e.g., 18 U.S.C. §2258A for U.S. providers).
  • Cooperate with lawful law-enforcement requests.

5) Legal Compliance

We comply with applicable child-safety and CSAM laws and maintain internal procedures to meet those duties, including mandatory reporting to NCMEC (U.S.) or regional authorities where required. We review our practices periodically against industry guidance.

6) Data Handling (Safety & Age Verification)

Artifacts collected for CSAE prevention or age/identity checks are encrypted, access-controlled, used only for safety/fraud prevention, and retained only as long as needed for legal or operational obligations. We never use age-verification artifacts for advertising or unrelated profiling.

7) Teen Mode (16–17) — Defaults & Controls

For users identified as 16–17 (including via platform age-range signals where available), Winker applies Teen Mode by default:

  • Private account; follows require approval.
  • DM limits: adult→teen messages require mutual connection or explicit teen approval.
  • Content filters: teen-visible spaces exclude 18+ content; stricter nudity/mature-theme filters.
  • Location safety: no precise real-time location shown to other users.
  • Safety nudges before sharing phone/address/location; quick links to safety tips.

8) Point of Contact (Child Safety/CSAE)

Name/Role: Yuval Katz, Trust & Safety Lead
Email: abuse@winker.io

General support: support@winker.io

9) Changes to These Standards

We may update this page as laws and platform policies evolve. Material changes will be communicated in-app and/or on our website.

For more information about how we operate, please review our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.