Community guidelines

Community Report exists to help missing people be seen and come home safely. These rules protect them, their families, and everyone else. Moderators apply them to every report, photo and video.

1. Nothing goes live right away

Every report, photo, video and update waits for a moderator. Until then it is visible only to the person who sent it, on their private status page, which shows "Uploaded: waiting for approval."

2. Every report is verified first

A moderator confirms at least one of these before a report is published:

• A police report or official case number, checked with the investigating agency.
• A family member, with documentation (a copy of the police report or a letter from the agency).
• An existing listing with a recognized missing-persons organization: NamUs, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, the Black and Missing Foundation, or the FBI.

Verification documents are seen only by moderators and are deleted as soon as the decision is made.

3. No doxxing, no private details

Don't post home or street addresses, phone numbers (other than the investigating agency's), email addresses, social media accounts, workplaces, or other private details, about the missing person or anyone else. Share only what is in the official record. Public places, like a school, a bus stop or a neighborhood, are fine.

4. No accusations

Don't name or suggest anyone as responsible unless they have been charged and the charge is public record. No rumors, no speculation.

5. No searching, following or confronting anyone

Community Report is an information and support resource, not a tip line or an investigation. Never search for, follow, or confront anyone. If you have information, call the agency listed on the person's page. In an emergency, call 911. For a missing child you can also call 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678).

6. Respect for families

Families can add information, mark the person found, or remove the report at any time from their private status page. When someone is found, their page says so and every photo and detail is deleted.

Who we list

Community Report focuses on missing Black people because they receive far less media attention, and that gap costs time. We never turn away a verified report about a missing child, of any background, from any state. Our "Needs more attention" spotlight goes to cases with little or no coverage.

Moderation

Moderators may edit text to remove anything that breaks these rules, decline photos or videos, ask for more information, or decline a report. Something wrong on a page? Tell us.