Safety, Scope, and Non-Misuse

This page outlines the safety principles, operational scope, and non-misuse expectations that govern Tessère Open Witness (TOW).

Civilian-only focus

TOW exists solely to document events that have observable impacts on civilian populations.

The program is not designed for military, intelligence, tactical, or operational use.

No attribution or targeting

TOW does not identify perpetrators, assign blame, or speculate on intent or responsibility.

Information produced by TOW must not be interpreted as identifying targets or actors.

Privacy protection

Privacy protection is a core design principle. As a result:

• locations are expressed approximately
• personal identities are excluded
• submissions are private by default

Non-misuse principle

Information published by TOW is provided for documentation, accountability, and public understanding only.

It must not be used for:

• targeting or operational planning
• retaliation or escalation
• military or paramilitary activity
• harassment, intimidation, or incitement

TOW may withhold, delay, or limit publication where disclosure could reasonably cause harm or increase the risk of misuse.