Moderation rubric
Every moderation decision on a witness-submitted sighting cites one rule from the list below. Each decision is recorded permanently in an append-only audit log with the cited rule, the moderator's user id, and a timestamp. The rules below are the full set of grounds on which a sighting can be published, withheld, or removed.
Sighting describes a real-world observation consistent with the platform scope, with enough structured detail to be cite-able. Publish.
First-hand account with verifiable context (occupation, location, time, duration). Publish even if no media.
Sighting is too vague (no clear time/place/duration) or lacks enough structured detail for the record to be defensible if cited externally. Withhold; invite the witness to amend.
Sighting describes an event that an obvious conventional explanation (aircraft, weather balloon, Venus) would account for, and the witness did not address that alternative. Withhold pending follow-up.
Submission is commercial spam, conspiracy theorizing, or unrelated to the platform scope. Remove.
Submission contains targeted harassment, doxxing, or other content that violates community standards. Remove.
Submission is an obvious fabrication, plagiarized from another source, or a duplicate of an existing record. Remove.