Sonata Amplification Policy

Table of Contents

Overview

Amplification is the system Sonata uses to encourage and allow the free expression of all users, even when these expressions start to become less socially acceptable. Any content which meets the definitions described within this policy will have an appropriate violation applied to it, which will have consequences relating to the amount that Sonata promotes and spreads this content, as well as all further content from that user for a specified duration. The content itself will forever remain de-amplified, even after the time of user de-amplification expiry.

As with our prohibited content policy, our amplification policy is split into groups called schedules. Higher schedules (1 is the highest, 6 is the lowest) are more serious and will meet a corresponding response.

Repeated infractions of a certain schedule may see later infractions moved to the next schedule above.

Amplification violations never escalate into prohibited content violations and can therefore never result in a user being permanently banned from the platform.

When a user is issued an amplification policy violation, their account is immediately de-amplified and remains in this state until the full duration of all existing violations has been exceeded. Multiple violations expire concurrently, however a multiplier is assigned to a violation's duration, based on the total number of existing violations, their remaining durations and their schedule.

For example, having many schedule 1 violations will cause new schedule 4 violations to have much longer expiries. On the other hand, multiple schedule 4 violations will have a much lesser modifying effect on a new schedule 2 violation.

The formula for this will be provided within this document before the release of Sonata 1.3, expected in 2024.

Schedule Descriptions

This schedule is used to combat the most serious breaches of socially unacceptable content.

Posting any schedule 1 content will incur an immediate policy violation, with long durations before expiry.

Content of this schedule is very close to the line of Prohibited Content: Schedule 5.

Appeal time: 1 month

This schedule is used to combat very serious breaches of socially unacceptable content.

This schedule is used to combat serious breaches of socially unacceptable content.

Appeal time: 1 month

This schedule is used to combat breaches of socially unacceptable content.

Appeal time: 1 week

This schedule is used to combat less serious socially unacceptable content.

Appeal time: 1 week

This schedule is currently unused.

Appeal time: 1 week

Schedule Articles

1. Glorification or Encouragement of Dangerous Ideologies or Behaviours

Promotion of certain ideologies which have been shown to be of exceptional danger to certain groups of people, or to to society as a whole. De-amplified ideologies:

• Naziism
• Fascism
• Islamic Extremism
• White supremacy

2. Glorification or Encouragement of Violent or Otherwise Dangerous Groups

De-amplified groups:

• Cartels, particularly South American
• Gangs, particularly North American, South American

3. Misogyny

Expressing views or using terminology derogatory to women.

4. Hate Speech

Using hateful language, directed at a group, culture, nation or race.

5. Using Unacceptable Language Within Account Handles

See our Handle Policy for more details

1. Intentionally Posting, Sharing or Re-noting False Information Which Encourages People to Reject Internationally Condoned or Professionally Obtained Medical Advice

Content containing information that is verifiably wrong and that encourages a person to perform an action which could lead to harm to themselves or others, or that could lead a person to reject professionally recommended medical treatment.

This covers:

• Non accredited or evidence backed treatments or cures for a life threatening illness such as cancer.
• Demonstrably false information regarding vaccines.

2. Incitement to Non Targeted Violence

Incitement to violence which is not directed specifically at a person or a group.

Examples:

• 'Make sure you rough up anyone who looks at you the wrong way'

1. Promotion of Eating Disorders

2. Harassment (Tier 3)

Attacking or making excessive unwanted attempts at communication towards an individual.

Examples:

• Repeated angry or hateful messages
• Repeatedly asking for personal contact information
• Creating new accounts to evade blocks or mutes

Excessive interaction with an individual with messages intended to put down or insult.

Examples:

• Replying 'you're an asshole' to every post they make

Additional consequences:

• If a new account can be argued to have been created exclusively for the purpose of evading a block, following harassment, it may be disabled.
• A non removable block may be enforced between the harassed user and the de-amplified user.

3. Sharing of Deepfakes That Go Beyond Reasonable Parody

Faked or edited media, with or without the use of AI, which is realistic enough to apparently represent the depicted person, without any attribution or accompanying description that the material is not real.

4. Glamorising the Death of an Individual Who is Not a Notable Public Figure

Sharing comments or content which promotes or makes light of a specific individual's death.

5. Posting Content of a Sexual Nature Without The Correct Use of Flags

Non flagged sexual content carries a risk of being displayed to minors, so much be correctly flagged by the posting user.

Additional consequences:

• After the second occurrence within a 3 month span, all content posted by this user will forcibly be flagged as sexual content for 3 months.

6. Attempting to Use Hashtags or Other Platform Features to Share Content to Inappropriate Audiences

Misusing Sonata platform features in an attempt to get Sonata to promote content inappropriately is not permitted.

Examples:

• Using anime or gaming hashtags to promote sexual content, taking advantage of the fact that many people enjoying these topics may also be interested in sexual material.

7. Sharing or Disseminating Conspiracy Theories Which Have a High Likelihood of Causing Harm to People, Property, Animals or the Environment

Some conspiracies theories go beyond rational thought and into dangerous misinformation. The following will face de-amplification:

• Climate change denial
• Covid-19 misinformation

Political conspiracies concerning elections must be dealt with more carefully, so as to avoid issues within countries with frail democracies where the losing party of an election contests the official result. Any such theory must be named directly in this document in order to be de-amplified.

• Claims of voter fraud in the 2021 USA presidential election.

1. Posting Content of a Sensitive Nature to Individuals or Groups That Will Clearly Find it Inappropriate

Examples:

• Posting or replying with sexual content to school groups, government institutions.
• Posting or replying with violent content to local groups.

Additional consequences:

• After the second occurrence within a 3 month span, all content posted by this user will forcibly be flagged as sensitive content for 3 months.

1. Posting Content of a Sensitive Nature Without the Correct Use of Flags

The content flagging system is implemented for the protection and well-being of users and must not be ignored.

Additional consequences:

• After the second occurrence within a 3 month span, all content posted by this user will forcibly be flagged as sensitive content for 1 month.

2. Calling For Someone to be de-platformed

Directly calling for a specific person to be removed from a platform on which they freely express themselves.

Fair rebuke and expressing opinions about a person's ability use a platform are not covered by this article.

Currently Unused.