Apertrue

Content Policy

Last updated: February 2026

Apertrue exists to prove that photos and videos are authentic. We take our responsibility to prevent the misuse of our platform seriously. This policy sets out what content is prohibited, how we detect it, and how we report it to the relevant authorities.

Apertrue is a UK company subject to the Online Safety Act 2023, UK GDPR, and applicable international laws including 18 U.S.C. § 2258A (mandatory CSAM reporting for electronic service providers).

Zero tolerance: CSAM

Apertrue has an absolute zero-tolerance policy for child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Any detected CSAM is immediately blocked, logged, and reported to law enforcement.

Every upload is checked against known CSAM databases using PDQ perceptual hashing. This works even with our client-side encryption model: the perceptual hash is computed on the original image before encryption and checked server-side against databases from NCMEC, the IWF, and other sources.

If a match is detected within a Hamming distance threshold of 31 bits (out of 256), the upload is immediately rejected and the following actions are taken automatically:

  • The upload is blocked before any content is stored
  • The match is logged with the perceptual hash and IP address for law enforcement
  • A report is filed with NCMEC (National Center for Missing & Exploited Children) via the CyberTipline API
  • A report is filed with the NCA (National Crime Agency) via CEOP
  • A report is filed with the IWF (Internet Watch Foundation)

We do not notify the uploader of the specific reason for rejection beyond a generic “Upload rejected” message. We do not provide any mechanism to appeal CSAM blocks.

Terrorism content

Content that promotes, incites, or glorifies terrorism is prohibited. Detected terrorism content is reported to the CTIRU (Counter Terrorism Internet Referral Unit) operated by the Metropolitan Police.

We participate in industry hash-sharing initiatives to detect known terrorism content and will expand our detection capabilities as additional databases become available.

Synthetic & AI-generated media

Apertrue's core mission is distinguishing authentic camera-captured media from synthetic content. AI-generated images are accepted on the platform only when properly declared with a valid C2PA manifest identifying the generating tool.

The following are strictly prohibited:

  • Non-consensual intimate imagery (NCII) — synthetic or otherwise, of any person
  • Deepfakes of real individuals — without clear consent and disclosure
  • Synthetic CSAM — AI-generated child sexual abuse material is treated identically to photographic CSAM under UK law (Coroners and Justice Act 2009, s.62)

How our detection works

Apertrue uses client-side encryption, meaning the server never sees image plaintext. Our detection approach is designed around this constraint:

1. PDQ perceptual hashing

The client computes a PDQ hash of the original image before encryption. This hash captures visual similarity without being reversible to the original image. The server checks this hash against known illegal content databases.

2. Database sources

We check against hashes from NCMEC (via the Hash Sharing API), the IWF, and other law enforcement sources. Our database is updated regularly to include newly identified illegal content hashes.

3. Authority reporting

When a match is detected, reports are automatically created for each relevant authority. NCMEC reports are submitted via the CyberTipline API. Reports to NCA, IWF, and CTIRU are submitted through their respective portals.

Other prohibited content

In addition to the categories above, the following content is prohibited:

  • Content that incites violence or hatred against protected groups
  • Content that facilitates fraud, scams, or illegal trade
  • Content that violates intellectual property rights at scale
  • Spam, coordinated inauthentic behaviour, or platform manipulation

Report content

If you encounter content on Apertrue that you believe violates this policy, please report it:

Report to authorities

You can report illegal content directly to the relevant authorities:

Transparency

We are committed to transparency in our content moderation. We will publish periodic transparency reports covering:

  • Number of uploads blocked by hash matching
  • Number of reports filed with each authority
  • Number of user-submitted content reports and outcomes
  • Changes to our detection and moderation systems
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