What it is the Best Practices Seal?
The WiredTrust Best Practices Seal identifies organizations that have proven to be among the most responsible and professional Web 2.0 industry members; with a commitment to safety and risk management.
What are the requirements of the Best Practices Seal?
In order to qualify for the seal, organizations must meet the standards set out by WiredTrust and endorsed by leading experts, covering both legal compliance and best practice expectations.
The requirements for all sites include:
- A law enforcement liaison officer and a twenty-four hour contact for law enforcement.
- A law enforcement investigators guide.
- Compliance with The CyberTipline and other international child protection agencies reporting procedures.
- Must retain all data for a minimum of six months.
- Monitoring, reviewing and spot checking user generated content.
- Multiple privacy settings to meet the needs of the user and tutorials on how to use them.
- Report abuse facility on every page and links to WiredTrust to report safety and compliance complaints.
- Vetting and formal training for employees and volunteer moderators.
- Process for dealing with users who repeatedly break the terms of service.
- Responsible advertising.
- A time frame for responding to high-risk reports including: ID theft, cyberstalking, harassment and sexual exploitation; and prioritizing these reports.
- Procedures for dealing with and escalating high risk behavior and threats.
- A privacy policy that covers all of the above.
- Notification to WiredTrust of:
- Any official enquiries/investigations.
- Expansion/withdrawal from new markets, demographics and countries.
- Any changes to safety, security, privacy or reporting practices.
- Any significant commercial change.
- In addition: for sites with a target audience and user bases of sixteen and under:
- COPPA compliance.
- A cyberbullying policy and procedure.
- A child sexual exploitation policy and procedure.
- A parent’s guide, liaison and dedicated e-mail address.
- A dedicated schools e-mail address and liaison.
- A school and educators guide, covering how schools can report to the site.
