House rules

If you break any of these rules, we may suspend your account. This means you won't be able to make requests or updates on WhatDoTheyKnow.

When rules are broken, our volunteers have to spend a lot of time fixing things. This could make it harder for mySociety to keep running this service.

• Only use WhatDoTheyKnow to request specific information. Don't use it to send general messages to public authorities or for personal messages.
• Don't include things that could be seen as harmful or untrue in your requests and comments. Don't make allegations.
• Don't post anything that is against the law, threatening, abusive, or offensive.
• Only request information that anyone could expect to get. If you have a special right to certain information, like your personal data, contact the public body directly. The same goes for personal information about your family members. Requests for your own data are called Subject Access Requests. The Information Commissioner (ICO) has advice on making these requests.
• Keep your messages short and focused on the information you want. Follow our tips for making good requests.
• Don't pretend to be someone else.
• Don't use language that might offend people in your requests and comments.
• No spamming.
• Write requests using both upper and lowercase letters.
• Don't make vexatious requests that have no real purpose or are meant to cause problems for a public body. The ICO has guidance on this type of request.
• Don't use WhatDoTheyKnow to ask for other people's personal information. Don't include this type of information in requests, comments or follow-ups, unless it's fair to do so.
• Don't try to get around the site limits or actions of site administrators. For example, don't make new accounts to avoid a ban or limits on how many requests you can make. Don't repost things you know moderators have removed.
• Commercial and for-profit use requires a WhatDoTheyKnow Pro subscription.

If you break these rules, you could be banned from the site. We may also remove your requests or annotations. We'll usually contact you first to give advice on how to use the service better.

If you use threats or abusive language, mySociety staff and volunteers will stop responding to you. You'll also be banned from using the site.