Risk Assessment Framework

1. Purpose of the Risk Assessment Framework

The purpose of this framework is to ensure that ReelCiety proactively manages risks that may arise from operating a large-scale, visual-first social platform. Risk assessment is an ongoing, organization-wide process designed to protect users, creators, partners, and the parent company Nexa-Group.

Risks assessed under this framework include, but are not limited to:

• User safety and wellbeing risks
• Child safety and exploitation risks
• Misinformation and societal harm
• Illegal content and criminal misuse
• Algorithmic amplification risks
• Data protection and privacy risks
• Platform manipulation and integrity threats
• Regulatory and legal exposure

2. Governance & Accountability

Risk oversight at ReelCiety is coordinated through cross-functional governance structures that include Trust & Safety, Legal, Security, Product, Engineering, and Executive leadership. Nexa-Group retains ultimate oversight responsibility for enterprise risk governance.

Key governance principles include:

• Executive accountability for systemic risk
• Independent escalation pathways for high-risk issues
• Documented decision-making and audit trails
• Regular reporting to senior leadership

3. Risk Identification

ReelCiety identifies risks through multiple channels, including internal monitoring, external reporting, regulatory guidance, academic research, and civil society engagement.

Identified risk domains include:

• Content risks (violence, abuse, exploitation, harmful imagery)
• Behavioral risks (harassment, coordinated attacks, grooming)
• Systemic risks (algorithmic bias, amplification loops)
• Operational risks (security breaches, outages)
• Legal risks (non-compliance, jurisdictional conflicts)

4. Risk Evaluation & Severity Classification

Identified risks are evaluated using a structured severity model that considers:

• Likelihood of occurrence
• Potential harm to individuals or groups
• Scale and speed of potential impact
• Legal and regulatory consequences
• Reputational impact on ReelCiety and Nexa-Group

Risks are classified into tiers (Low, Medium, High, Critical) to prioritize mitigation efforts and resource allocation.

5. Child Safety & Vulnerable Users Risk Assessment

Risks affecting minors and vulnerable populations receive heightened scrutiny. Child safety risk assessments focus on:

• Exposure to sexualized or exploitative content
• Grooming or predatory behavior
• Psychological harm from harassment or self-harm content
• Misuse of visual media involving minors

High-risk findings trigger immediate mitigation, enforcement actions, and where required, reporting to relevant authorities.

6. Misinformation & Societal Harm Risks

ReelCiety assesses risks related to misinformation, disinformation, and coordinated influence operations, particularly during sensitive events such as elections, public health emergencies, or crises.

Risk indicators include:

• Rapid virality of unverified claims
• Coordinated posting behavior
• Manipulated or synthetic media
• Content undermining public trust or safety

7. Algorithmic & Recommendation System Risks

ReelCiety evaluates risks associated with content ranking, discovery, and recommendation systems. Assessments consider whether systems may:

• Amplify harmful or borderline content
• Create echo chambers or polarization
• Disadvantage specific groups unfairly
• Encourage engagement at the expense of safety

Findings inform algorithmic adjustments, guardrails, and transparency disclosures.

8. Platform Manipulation & Abuse Risks

Risks related to spam, bots, and coordinated manipulation are continuously assessed. This includes:

• Fake engagement networks
• Automated account creation
• Commercial spam and scams
• State or non-state influence operations

9. Mitigation Measures

Identified risks are mitigated using a combination of:

• Policy enforcement and rule updates
• Product and design changes
• Algorithmic safeguards
• Human review escalation
• User education and controls
• Collaboration with external experts

10. Monitoring & Continuous Review

Risk assessment is not a one-time process. ReelCiety conducts:

• Ongoing monitoring of key risk indicators
• Periodic internal risk reviews
• Annual enterprise-wide assessments
• Post-incident evaluations

11. Incident-Driven Risk Reassessment

Significant incidents—such as large-scale abuse campaigns, security breaches, or regulatory interventions—trigger immediate reassessment of relevant risk areas and mitigation strategies.

12. Regulatory Alignment

This framework aligns with applicable legal obligations and best practices, including:

• EU Digital Services Act systemic risk requirements
• UK Online Safety Act risk assessments
• Data protection impact assessments (DPIAs)
• Industry trust & safety standards

13. Documentation & Auditability

Risk assessments, mitigation decisions, and outcomes are documented and retained for audit, regulatory review, and internal governance purposes.

14. Limitations

While ReelCiety strives to identify and mitigate risks comprehensively, not all harms can be predicted. The platform continuously improves its systems in response to emerging threats and new information.

15. Contact

Risk Office: risk@reelciety.com
Trust & Safety: safety@reelciety.com
Legal & Compliance: legal@nexa-group.org