Community Guidelines & Safety
Honest, and safe.
This is a place to tell the truth about hard things without handing anyone a blueprint for harm. These rules exist so that people at their lowest can read here safely.
Be The Reason is a peer storytelling community, not a crisis service, therapy, or medical advice. If you’re in immediate danger, call your local emergency number, or use the “Need help now” button at the bottom of any page for 24/7 crisis lines.
Please do
- Speak from your own experience — “this is what happened to me.”
- Add a content note when your post touches suicide, self-harm, abuse, grief, or addiction.
- Keep hope in view: where you are now, what helped, what you’d tell someone behind you.
- Reply to advice posts with warmth, not diagnosis.
- Use a first name, initials, or Anonymous — whatever keeps you safe.
- Report anything that worries you, even if you’re not sure.
Please never
- No methods, means, doses, locations, or graphic self-harm detail.
- No encouraging, romanticizing, or pressuring anyone toward harm.
- No naming other people, workplaces, schools, or posting private information.
- No medical, medication, diagnostic, or legal advice.
- No harassment, hate speech, threats, or contempt for anyone’s identity.
- No selling, recruiting, spam, or unrelated links.
Safe messaging, briefly
Research shows how we talk about suicide changes outcomes. Describe the feeling, not the act. Say “died by suicide,” not “committed.” Focus on the turning point and what helped. Avoid step-by-step detail of a crisis. Include where support came from. Moderation edits or holds posts that don’t meet this — always with a note explaining why.
What happens if a rule is broken
- First time, minor: the post is edited or a content note is added, and you’re told.
- Unsafe content: the post is removed and you get an explanation.
- Repeated or deliberate harm: posting access is removed.
- Immediate risk to someone: crisis resources are sent and, if legally required, emergency services are contacted.
Think a decision was wrong? Reply through Contact and it will be reviewed again.
Every post is reviewed
Stories, advice, prayers, songs, and quotes are reviewed before they appear publicly. Nothing auto-publishes.
Safe messaging standards
Safe messaging guidelines for suicide and self-harm are enforced: no methods, no means, no graphic detail, no framing of suicide as a solution. Sensitive posts carry a content note.
Reporting on every card
Any piece of community content can be reported in two taps. Reports are confidential and reviewed, usually within 24 hours.
Anonymity by default
You can post under a first name, initials, or “Anonymous.” I ask you never to include full names, addresses, schools, workplaces, or anything identifying about another person.
Crisis escalation
If a post suggests someone may be in immediate danger, it is prioritized and answered with crisis resources. Peer support is never a replacement for emergency services.
Your data stays small
Saved items live in your own browser’s storage on your device. I collect as little as possible, and never sell anything.
How reporting works
- Tap “Report” on the story, reply, prayer, song, quote, or reason.
- Choose a reason and add any context. Your report is confidential.
- It is reviewed — normally within 24 hours, faster for risk-of-harm reports.
- Outcomes range from adding a content note, to editing, hiding, or removing the post and restricting the account.
- Where someone may be at immediate risk, crisis resources are shared and, where legally required, emergency services are contacted.
Content notes and trigger warnings
Posts touching suicide, self-harm, grief, abuse, disordered eating, addiction or trauma carry a gold “Content note” banner listing the themes, so you can choose before you read. When you post, you’re asked to add these yourself, and moderation adds any that are missing.
Privacy and your data
Saved stories, songs and quotes are stored only in your browser on this device, never on a server. Posts are published under whatever name you choose, including “Anonymous”. You can ask for anything you posted to be removed at any time via Contact. Full details are in the Privacy Policy.
Report a security or privacy issue
Found a vulnerability or a data problem? Please report it through Contact with the details and steps to reproduce. Please don’t access other people’s data while testing. I’ll acknowledge responsible reports and won’t pursue good-faith researchers.