Complaints Procedure

Last updated: 3 April 2026

This procedure describes how you can make complaints about content or moderation decisions on Highku, and how those complaints are handled. It fulfils the requirement under section 17(5) of the Online Safety Act 2023.

What you can complain about

You can make a complaint if you believe:

• Content on the service is illegal or breaches the community guidelines and has not been acted on after you reported it
• A moderation decision was wrong — for example, your haiku was removed but you believe it did not break the guidelines
• The service is not meeting its safety duties under the Online Safety Act
• You have a privacy or data request — including subject access, deletion, or correction requests under UK GDPR

How to submit a complaint or request

All complaints and requests are submitted through the in-app support form:

1. Open Profile > Contact us
2. Select the category that best describes your issue
3. Describe your concern in the text field
4. Submit the form

You do not need to include any personal information. You will receive a response in the app via a push notification.

How to report content

To report a specific haiku:

1. Open the haiku you wish to report
2. Tap the report option
3. Select the reason that best describes the issue
4. Submit the report

Your report will be reviewed by the service operator. Action will be taken where content breaches the community guidelines or is illegal.

If you believe reported content has not been addressed, use the in-app support form to follow up.

How to appeal a moderation decision

If your haiku was removed or you received a strike and you believe the decision was incorrect, you can appeal directly in the app:

1. Open Profile > Strikes and bans
2. Tap the strike you wish to appeal
3. Select the reason that best explains why you disagree with the decision
4. Submit the appeal

Each strike can only be appealed once.

What happens next

• Your appeal will be reviewed by the service operator
• You will receive a push notification when a decision is made
• If the appeal is overturned, your strike will be removed and your haiku restored to the feed. Any ban resulting from the strike may be lifted.
• If the appeal is upheld, the original decision stands and you will be notified

If you disagree with the outcome of an appeal, you can submit a follow-up via the in-app support form.

How to complain about the service's safety practices

If you believe Highku is not meeting its duties under the Online Safety Act — for example, if you think the service is not doing enough to prevent illegal content — use the in-app support form and select "Safety concern" as the category.

If you are not satisfied with the response, you may contact Ofcom:

• Ofcom online complaints
• Ofcom, Riverside House, 2a Southwark Bridge Road, London SE1 9HA

Response times

Complaint type	Target response time
In-app content reports	Reviewed as soon as reasonably practicable, within 30 days
Moderation appeals	Within 30 days
Safety or general complaints	Within 30 days
Privacy and data requests (UK GDPR)	Within 1 month (extendable to 3 months per Article 12(3))

Record-keeping

All complaints and their outcomes are recorded. Records include the nature of the complaint, date received, actions taken, and outcome and date of resolution. These records are retained for the purposes of regulatory compliance and are available to Ofcom on request.

Contact

All complaints and requests should be submitted using the in-app support form (Profile > Contact us).