My County

My County is a community platform for Kenyan county residents. We are deeply committed to ensuring our platform is never used to harm, exploit, or endanger children. This page describes our standards, policies, and procedures against Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation (CSAE), including Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM).

These standards comply with the requirements of the Children Act 2022 (Kenya), Google Play's Child Safety Policy, and international standards for child protection online.

1. Prohibited Content & Conduct

The following are strictly prohibited on My County and will result in immediate account termination:

• Any image, video, text, or other material that sexually exploits minors (CSAM)
• Grooming of children — soliciting, building trust with, or luring minors for sexual purposes
• Sharing or distributing sexual content involving persons under 18
• Soliciting sexual contact with minors
• Any communication that sexualises or endangers children
• Content that normalises or promotes child sexual abuse

This prohibition applies to all content on My County including posts, comments, chat messages, marketplace listings, event pages, and profile information.

2. How We Prevent CSAE on My County

• ✓ User reporting — Every post, user profile, and account can be reported in-app. "Child sexual abuse or exploitation (CSAE/CSAM)" is the first and most prominent reporting option, treated as highest priority.
• ✓ Priority review — All reports flagged as child safety concerns are reviewed immediately by the developer/administrator.
• ✓ Account required — Users must authenticate with a verified Google account. Anonymous posting is not permitted.
• ✓ Content removal — Reported CSAE content is removed immediately upon verification.
• ✓ Account termination — Accounts found to contain or distribute CSAE are permanently terminated.
• ✓ Secure reporting data — All reports are stored securely in Firebase Firestore. Reports marked as child safety (`isChildSafety: true`) are retained for legal compliance.
• ✓ Blocking — Users can block other users to prevent unwanted contact.
• ✓ Age restriction — My County is not intended for children under 13. Our Terms of Service prohibit use by under-13s.

3. How to Report Child Safety Concerns

In-App Reporting (Recommended)

• Tap the ⋯ (more) button on any post in the feed
• Tap "Report"
• Select "Child sexual abuse or exploitation (CSAE/CSAM)" — this is the first option, highlighted in red
• Submit the report — it will be flagged as PRIORITY and reviewed immediately

To report a user's profile:

• Visit the user's profile page
• Tap the red 🚩 flag icon in the top right
• Select "Child sexual abuse or exploitation (CSAE/CSAM)"

Direct Contact:

4. Our Response Procedure

When a child safety report is received:

• Immediate (within hours): Report reviewed and content assessed by administrator
• If confirmed CSAE: Content removed, account permanently terminated
• Law enforcement referral: Case referred to Kenya National Police Service (KNPS) Cybercrime Unit and relevant child protection authorities
• NCMEC CyberTipline: CSAM content reported to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) CyberTipline as required by applicable law
• Record keeping: All reports and actions are documented and retained for legal purposes

5. Legal Compliance

My County is committed to compliance with:

• Children Act 2022 (Kenya) — Protection of children from abuse and exploitation
• Sexual Offences Act 2006 (Kenya) — Provisions relating to sexual offences against children
• Google Play Child Safety Policy — Platform standards for apps in the social category
• PROTECT Our Children Act (US) — NCMEC reporting obligations for electronic service providers
• UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) — International child rights framework

6. Education & Awareness

My County believes that community safety is a shared responsibility. We encourage all users to:

• Report any suspicious behaviour involving children immediately
• Talk to children about online safety and appropriate use of social platforms
• Never share personal information (location, school, phone number) of children online
• Be aware of signs of online grooming and report it immediately

External Resources:
NCMEC CyberTipline — Report child exploitation online
INTERPOL — International child protection resources
Kenya DCI — Directorate of Criminal Investigations (Cybercrime)

7. Designated Point of Contact

My County has a designated point of contact responsible for child safety compliance, CSAM prevention practices, and cooperation with authorities.

8. Policy Updates

This Child Safety Standards policy will be reviewed and updated regularly to reflect changes in technology, law, and best practices. The "last updated" date at the top of this page reflects the most recent revision.