Policies Public-facing policies
Anti-Fraud and Misrepresentation Policy
What counts as fraud or misrepresentation on Map.ca and how Map.ca detects, responds to, and prevents it.
- Version
- 0.1.0
- Effective
- May 20, 2026
- Last reviewed
- May 20, 2026
- Review cycle
- every 6 months
- Master Policy Index entry
- §4 #55
Policy text
Misrepresentation on Map.ca — fake businesses, false credentials, fraudulent emergency claims, fabricated verification artifacts — damages neighbours, not just the platform. The Anti-Fraud and Misrepresentation Policy defines the fraud categories, the detection posture (signal-based, not punitive), the response ladder, the relationship with the Claim and Verification Policy, and the obligation to report identified fraud to the appropriate authority where required.
It applies to Map.ca trust-and-safety, moderation, partnerships, and any team that touches verification or commerce surfaces.
Principles this policy enforces
- AI assists, people remain responsible
- Consent must be meaningful
- Civic reporting must be useful without becoming a public shaming system
- Public data and personal data are not the same thing
- Pricing must be simple and honest
What it requires
- Detect fraud through signals, not assumptions.
- Route confirmed fraud through the documented response ladder.
What it forbids
- Do not let AI alone declare a fraud case closed.
- Do not use fraud allegations as a moderation shortcut.
How it applies
- Trust-and-safety team
- Moderation
- Partnerships
- Verification team
References
- Map.ca Policy Constitution §2 principle 8
Related policies
Claim and Verification Policy
How Pin claims are made, verified, disputed, and resolved — with anti-impersonation safeguards built in.
Community Standards
What behaviour is welcome across Pins, Civic Pins, events, Discovery Rooms, and Map Mail — and what gets removed.
Content Moderation Policy
How content is reviewed, when it is hidden, when it is removed, and how decisions are appealed.