Appeals and corrections

How to request a correction

Send an email to [email protected] with the subject line Flag correction request. Include:

• The service name and the flag headline you believe is inaccurate.
• A clear explanation of what you believe is wrong and why.
• Supporting evidence: public documentation, published policies, or other verifiable sources.
• Your name and role (so we can assess whether you represent the organisation named in the flag).

What evidence we consider

We consider publicly verifiable evidence. That means:

• Published privacy policies, terms of service, and data-processing agreements.
• Regulatory filings, court records, and audit reports.
• Reporting by credible journalism outlets or researchers.
• Official statements on company websites or public registries.

We do not treat off-the-record assurances, marketing materials, or contractual commitments that are not publicly verifiable as evidence for a flag correction. Claims that contradict published third-party reporting require strong documentary evidence.

Small projects and right-of-reply

For significant-concern flags (our most serious valence), we aim to notify smaller projects and open-source organisations before publication and give them a brief opportunity to respond. A project qualifies as “small” if it has no dedicated communications team and fewer than ten full-time-equivalent staff. The response window is typically seven days. This does not apply to flags sourced from public regulatory or court records, where the underlying facts are already public.

How disputes are recorded

Every correction request and its outcome is logged internally. Where a flag is corrected or withdrawn following a request, the flag's version history will reflect the change (viewable on its permalink page). Where a request is declined, the decision and reasoning are retained on file for editorial accountability.

We do not publish the names of requestors or details of private correspondence without consent.

Expected response time

We aim to acknowledge correction requests within five working days and to issue a substantive response (including a decision) within 30 days. Complex cases requiring additional research may take longer; we will communicate any delay.

Legal complaints

If you are making a formal legal complaint rather than an editorial correction request, please clearly state this in your communication and send it to [email protected] with the subject line Legal complaint — [service name].

We will acknowledge legal complaints within two working days and confirm our intended response timeline. Where a complaint raises a credible concern about a specific flag, we will consider whether interim suspension of that flag is appropriate while we investigate. Interim suspension does not constitute an admission that the flag is inaccurate.