Transparency and ethics
Our stance Our responsibility Our guard rails
W3ltfrieden works with what people give of themselves, artificial intelligence and resources. This page sets out the rules that happens by, who decides, and where our limits run
Why ethics and transparency are central
W3ltfrieden comes out of the conviction that good intentions for peace are not enough. It takes acting responsibly.
Where technology, commitment, money and social effect come together, it takes clear values, decisions anyone can follow and human responsibility. If you take part, you should know what you are taking on.
Ethics and transparency are no addition for us. They are the ground we act on.
What we stand on
W3ltfrieden is a non-partisan platform for advancing constructive peace work, anchored in the rule of law. For us peace is a piece of infrastructure society has to build, not a political ideology.
What we act on
- the constitution of the Federal Republic of Germany
- the universal human rights
- applicable national and international law
- respect for human dignity, diversity of opinion and nonviolent dialogue
- transparency and accountability
W3ltfrieden is neither a protest movement nor a party-political initiative, and pursues no party-political goals. We are a structured platform for constructive, lawful and solution-focused peace missions.
We see ourselves as
- a platform for civilian conflict resolution
- an enabler of dialogue
- infrastructure for constructive initiatives
- a network for people who take responsibility
Peace is not a party-political project. Peace is a standing task for society.
What we rule out
Criticism of states, institutions, political parties and companies, as well as research and public education, are welcome. Our boundaries concern content and actions that promote violence, the denial of rights or dehumanisation.
We exclude the following content and actions
- the promotion of extremist ideologies that encourage violence or dehumanisation
- calls for political persecution or the denial of fundamental rights
- dehumanising, discriminatory or antisemitic content
- conspiracy narratives that dehumanise people or groups
- calls for violence, threats and the glorification of violence
We review content in context. Quotes, reports and critical discussion are not violations in themselves. Confirmed violations lead to the exclusion of the affected missions, content or partnerships. People make these decisions and explain their reasons.
Our basic ethical principles
W3ltfrieden follows five guidelines. They hold for missions, for partnerships and for the way we speak to each other.
Respect human dignity
We respect the dignity of every person. No one may be exploited to achieve the goals of a mission.
Act peacefully and responsibly
Our missions aim to protect life, promote understanding and defuse conflicts.
Welcome different perspectives
W3ltfrieden is independent of political parties and religions. We do not impose a worldview on anyone.
Help people act for themselves
We help people put their ideas into practice and decide for themselves how they want to contribute.
Work together
We share knowledge, support one another and put ideas into practice together.
AI at W3ltfrieden: support, not authority
W3ltfrieden uses artificial intelligence as a tool, not as a decision-maker. The processes hold that difference in place.
What our AI systems do
- structure information
- help with analysis and classification
- propose options
What they do not do
AI provides support; people make the decisions. They are responsible for which missions are published, how resources are used and how conflicts are resolved.
People review and decide
Every mission is reviewed before it is published:
The review and approval process
- The Ethics Bot provides input for the review.
- Moderators review the mission against our rules.
- They approve the mission, request changes or explain why it is rejected.
Ethics and legal review of missions
For us, ethics and law are not checks added afterwards. They are part of the system architecture: Ethics-by-Design and Law-by-Default. This means that ethical principles shape the platform from the outset, and applicable law provides the framework for our processes.
Every mission is reviewed on two counts: whether it agrees with our ethical foundations, and whether it is compatible with applicable law. Missions that do not meet those criteria are not published and not carried out.
What the review rests on
- transparent decision structures
- clearly defined exclusion criteria
- documented review processes
- governance rules anyone can follow
- technical prevention of misuse
The AI ethics bot reviews missions for agreement with our ethical and legal foundations. Final responsibility always lies with human decision-makers.
Not everything technically possible makes ethical sense. And not everything that seems sensible is permitted.
Transparent knowledge base
Work in progress: We are developing a documented knowledge base for our systems. We plan to bring together sources from three areas.
- law
- science
- publicly available specialist sources
Our aim is to select and verify sources carefully and make their origins and use clear.
Handling criticism, misuse and polarisation
W3ltfrieden thrives on ideas, dialogue and shared action. Criticism and differing opinions are part of that.
What we rely on
- clear values and rules
- moderated processes
- transparent decisions
Criticism can be direct and uncomfortable. We draw the line at threats, discrimination and targeted harassment. Our moderators review content in context and explain their decisions.
Transparency in how we handle data
We are sparing with data. Three principles always apply.
How we handle data
- We collect only the data needed to operate and secure the platform and provide its features.
- We do not sell your personal data.
- In your account, you can edit your profile details, manage your consents and request account deletion.
Your profile and the content you publish are publicly visible. You can find details about data processing and retention periods in our privacy policy.
Read the privacy policyWhere the funds go
Anyone who supports W3ltfrieden should be able to follow what happens to the money.
Support pays for
- building and running the platform
- education and public information work
- developing peace missions further
Transparency in development
- We plan to publish quarterly reports on income, spending and the development of W3ltfrieden.
- A planned public live dashboard will give everyone an overview of income and spending, updated on an ongoing basis.
A process that learns
We develop our guidelines through practical experience. Your questions, criticism and suggestions help us do this.
Tell us what we can improve. We review feedback and make significant changes clear.
Peace takes a stance.Technology takes responsibility.Effect takes transparency.
Next step
These guidelines apply from the first mission on
The peace mission bot asks about time, skills and interest, and proposes a mission from that. What is admitted and what is not is in the content rules.