Internet Court exists so real people can get an honest outside verdict on real disputes. That only works if the cases are genuine, the courtroom is safe, and nobody is weaponising this platform against a specific person. These are the rules. They apply to everyone.
What Makes a Good Case
The best cases on Internet Court are:
- Real — something that actually happened to you, told in your own words.
- Specific — enough detail that jurors can understand the situation and make a fair call.
- First-person — written from your perspective as someone genuinely involved in the dispute.
- Anonymous — referring to others by role, not name. "My roommate," not "Jake Thompson."
- Genuinely ambiguous — cases where reasonable people could disagree make the best verdicts.
Good categories: dating and relationships, friendship, family, workplace, money, social obligations, roommates, public behaviour, values conflicts.
What's Not Allowed
The following will get your content removed and may get your account banned:
🚫 Doxxing — Identifying Real People
- Do not include anyone's real full name, home address, phone number, email address, employer, school, social media handle, or any other detail that would let a reader identify a specific private individual.
- "My ex-boyfriend" is fine. "My ex-boyfriend David Chen who works at Shopify in Toronto" is not.
- This applies even if the information is technically public. Combining details to identify a private person is doxxing, full stop.
- Do not include photos or images of identifiable people without their consent.
🚫 Harassment & Targeting
- Do not use Internet Court to coordinate a campaign against a specific person.
- Do not submit cases designed to get the internet to pile on someone you're in a dispute with.
- Do not contact other users to pressure them about their votes or comments.
🚫 Hate Speech
- Do not post content that demeans, dehumanises, or calls for violence against any person or group based on race, ethnicity, religion, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, age, or other protected characteristics.
- Disputes about controversial social or cultural topics are allowed. Using the case format as a vehicle for spreading hate is not.
🚫 Sexual Content
- Sexually explicit content of any kind is not permitted.
- Any content of a sexual nature involving minors results in immediate permanent account termination and referral to law enforcement.
🚫 Threats & Self-Harm Content
- Do not post credible threats of violence against any person or group.
- Do not post content that promotes, glorifies, or provides instructions for self-harm or suicide.
- If you are struggling, please contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (call or text 988 in the US) or your local crisis service.
🚫 Impersonation
- Do not create an account or submit content that impersonates another person, public figure, or entity.
🚫 Fake Cases, Stolen Content & Spam
- Do not submit AI-generated or entirely fabricated disputes as if they were real.
- Cases must be about your own real-life situation — not stories lifted from Reddit, TikTok, news articles, podcasts, or any other platform. Presenting someone else's story as your own is grounds for immediate removal.
- Do not post screenshots, images, or text copied from third-party apps, websites, or media without the rights holder's permission.
- Do not create multiple accounts to vote on your own cases.
- Do not use the platform to post advertisements, promotions, or off-topic content.
- Do not coordinate off-platform campaigns to skew verdicts.
🚫 Illegal Content
- Do not post content that constitutes or facilitates illegal activity — including criminal threats, defamation, or content that violates intellectual property rights.
Remember: Content Is Public & Permanent
Once your case is approved and published, it is visible to all users of the app. Although cases are anonymous, you should write as if anyone could read it — because they can. Approved cases may remain on the platform indefinitely, even after you delete your account, in fully anonymised form. Think before you post.
How Moderation Works
Every case goes through a two-stage review before it appears in the jury feed:
- AI Review — The OpenAI Moderation API screens every submission for violations of these guidelines. Cases that clearly violate the rules are rejected automatically and never published. You'll be told if your case was rejected, but not always the specific reason.
- Human Review — Cases flagged by AI for ambiguous content, or that receive multiple community reports after publication, may be reviewed by a human moderator. We may remove, edit, or leave content at our discretion.
We aim to review flagged content within 24 hours. High-severity content (doxxing, credible threats, CSAM) is escalated immediately.
How to Report Content
If you see content that violates these guidelines:
- Cases & comments: Tap the three-dot menu (•••) on any case or comment → select Report → choose a reason.
- By email: Send a report to support@theinternetcourt.app with subject "Content Report." Include as much detail as possible.
All reports are reviewed. We may not reply to every one, but we take every report seriously. Reporting in bad faith — to silence legitimate content or target a specific user — may result in restrictions on your account.
Consequences
We use a three-strike system for standard violations. Severe violations skip straight to a permanent ban.
First violation — Content removed + in-app warning.
Second violation — Content removed + temporary account suspension.
Third violation — Permanent account ban. No refund of subscription fees.
The following result in an immediate permanent ban with no appeal:
- Doxxing — posting identifying information about a private individual.
- Credible threats of violence.
- Any sexual content involving minors (CSAM).
- Circumventing a prior ban by creating a new account.
Where required by law or where there is a credible threat of harm, we will report account information to the relevant authorities.
Appealing a Decision
If you believe your content was removed or your account was actioned in error, email support@theinternetcourt.app with subject "Moderation Appeal." Include your username and a description of the situation. We aim to respond within 5 business days. Permanent bans for severe violations are not subject to appeal.
Questions?
Email us at support@theinternetcourt.app. These guidelines may be updated from time to time — material changes will be announced in the app.