Data Ethics

Archive//X documents events that include racial violence, forced labor, exploitation, dispossession, and systematic harm. Many of the individuals named in these records were subjected to serious injustice. We hold this responsibility seriously. Trauma-informed practice in Archive//X means: • Centering the humanity of individuals named in records, not just their victimization • Providing contextual framing that situates events within systems of power, not as isolated incidents • Not presenting graphic details of violence beyond what is necessary to accurately describe an event • Acknowledging the ongoing significance of documented harms to descendants and communities • Recognizing that some records may be painful for researchers and communities to engage with

All records in Archive//X are required to meet dignity standards reviewed by the editorial team: 1. Individual naming: People named in records are described in terms of their agency, roles, and full humanity, not only as subjects of violence or administrative processes. 2. Passive voice avoidance: Records describe who did what, not "events that happened." "Memphis police and white rioters killed at least 46 Black civilians" — not "46 Black civilians were killed in the disturbance." 3. Context requirements: Records documenting violence, exploitation, or harm are required to include or link to contextual summaries explaining the systemic conditions in which events occurred. 4. Descendant sensitivity: Records naming individuals who may have living descendants are treated with particular care. Editors may redact or limit certain fields in exceptional circumstances.

Some source materials contain language that was common in their era but is deeply offensive today, including racial epithets, dehumanizing terminology, and discriminatory legal language. Archive//X policy on quoted language: • Offensive language is not sanitized when it constitutes direct evidence (e.g., verbatim legislative text or direct quotation from testimony) • Quoted excerpts containing offensive language are prefaced with a contextual note • Summaries and structured record fields do not reproduce offensive terminology • Tags, titles, and search-facing content do not include offensive language Users who encounter offensive language in quoted material can report it via the Corrections workflow if they believe it is used gratuitously or without appropriate context.

Archive//X is designed for historical research, journalism, education, and public understanding. It is explicitly not designed for: • Surveillance or monitoring of individuals • Commercial profiling • Use in legal proceedings without independent verification • Genealogical identification of living persons Users are reminded that records describe documented events at specific historical moments. They should not be used to make claims about individuals' descendants, ethnic groups, or contemporary communities. Archive//X confidence scores and editorial assessments are not legal standards of proof. They are research tools.

Archive//X provides a reporting mechanism for users who identify: • Records that violate dignity standards • Offensive language used without appropriate context • Factual errors that misrepresent historical events • Records that may cause harm to identifiable communities Reports are reviewed by the editorial team within five business days. All reports are treated confidentially. Substantiated reports result in record revision, contextual notes, or (in rare cases) temporary withdrawal for editorial review. To report a concern, use the "Propose Correction" workflow on any record detail page, or contact us directly via the Contact page.