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Content guidelines

At OneLit, we believe in the power of storytelling. We want to create a space where people can freely share ideas, explore complex topics, and connect with others, while keeping our community safe and respectful for everyone.

These guidelines explain what you can post, how to rate your stories, and what content is not allowed on OneLit.

You should also read our Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, and our Copyright Policies so you have all the information you need to enjoy OneLit and help others enjoy it too!

1. Our approach

We allow a wide range of creative expression, including mature and challenging topics.

However, we remove content that is:

  • Exploitative or harmful
  • Intended to shock, glorify harm, or promote hate
  • Copyrighted works of others without their explicit legal consent

2. Before you post

OneLit is a public platform. What you share here can be read, shared, and remembered by others.

Before publishing, we encourage you to:

  • Think about your audience: is your content appropriate for the rating you’ve selected?
  • Protect your privacy and others: avoid sharing personal or identifiable information.
  • Be mindful of impact: content that may be harmful, exploitative, or misleading can be removed.
  • Real Person Fiction: stories featuring real people are welcome on OneLit but must be published responsibly. Stories will be removed if they involve non-consensual sexual content, private information (PII), targeted harassment, or non-consensual AI/deepfakes.
  • Create with intent: stories should contribute to the narrative, not exist solely to shock, harm, or abuse.

3. Content ratings

All creators must rate their stories appropriately.

Everyone

  • Suitable for all audiences.
  • No explicit or highly sensitive content.

Mature (17+)

  • May contain sensitive or intense themes such as:
  • Explicit sexual content
  • Self-harm or mental health themes
  • Graphic or intense violence

A mature rating is not an exception to our Content Guidelines. Even if a story is marked Mature, prohibited content is not allowed and will be removed.

Please note age requirements for Mature content may vary by region or local jurisdiction (e.g., 18+ in select locations). Users are responsible for complying with local legal requirements.

4. What’s allowed (and what’s not)

Below are examples to help guide you. These are not exhaustive, but they reflect how we make decisions.

Sexual content

Everyone/Allowed

  • Romantic or sexual relationships as part of a broader story
  • Non-explicit or implied sexual content

Mature

  • Explicit sexual scenes between consenting adults (18+ or as otherwise applicable under local, national or international laws)
  • Sexual content that supports the story, not the main purpose

Banned/Not allowed

  • Any sexual content involving minors. OneLit maintains zero tolerance for Child Sexual Exploitation Material (CSEM). We may report suspected CSEM directly to relevant law enforcement authorities worldwide.
  • Sexual exploitation, coercion, or non-consensual acts that are glorified
  • Sexual roleplay, solicitation, or messaging
  • Illegal sex acts in violation of applicable local and international laws, including but not limited to, bestiality, necrophilia, incest, or child sexual exploitation and abuse material

Violence

Everyone/Allowed

  • Mild or non-graphic violence
  • Conflict that supports a storyline

Mature

  • Graphic or intense violence within a narrative

Banned/Not allowed

  • Content created primarily to shock or glorify harm
  • Gratuitous or prolonged violence that doesn't support the broader narrative

Self-harm & suicide

Everyone/Allowed

  • General, non-graphic references

Mature

  • Stories that explore self-harm or suicide in a responsible, story-driven way
  • Recovery, survival, or awareness-focused narratives

Banned/Not allowed

  • Graphic depictions
  • Content that encourages, instructs, or glorifies self-harm or suicide

Hate, harassment & discrimination

Everyone/Allowed

  • Critical or educational discussions
  • Stories that challenge or condemn harmful behavior

Mature

  • Depictions of discrimination within a clear narrative context

Banned/Not allowed

  • Hate speech or promotion of hatred
  • Harassment, bullying, or targeting individuals or groups
  • Calls to harm, exclude, or discriminate

Real-world harm & extremism

Everyone/Allowed

  • Educational or critical discussion of real-world, non-violent events.

Mature

  • Educational or critical discussion of real-world violent events
  • Stories referencing, or describing, real-world harm in a thoughtful, non-glorifying way

Banned/Not allowed

  • Glorification or support of real-world violence, hate groups, or extremist ideologies
  • Content that promotes or imitates real-world harmful acts or actionable plans/steps on how to commit violent acts, illegal acts, or organize real-world violent crimes

Self-expression & sensitive topics

We recognize that storytelling often explores difficult themes, including trauma, abuse, addiction, and mental health.

Everyone/Allowed

  • Stories that handle sensitive topics responsibly
  • Narratives that show consequences, recovery, or growth

Mature

  • Survival stories that offer a sense of hope or support
  • Could contain graphic descriptions
  • Stories referencing or describing sensitive topics, in a non-glorifying way

Banned/Not allowed

  • Content that normalizes or glorifies harmful behavior
  • Content where harmful acts are presented as desirable or rewarding

5. Media (images, videos, and other content)

To support our writers in using imagery effectively, we’ve outlined the parameters for incorporating media into your stories.

Everyone/Allowed

  • Non-sexual nudity and artistic depictions of the body
  • Imagery related to legal substances and mild violence in a new or informational context

Banned/Not allowed

  • Explicit sexual imagery or nudity in a sexual context
  • Graphic depictions of violence, self-harm, or suicide
  • Images shared without consent (except public figures)

We may remove any media that does not meet these guidelines. Media (images, GIFs, covers, embedded videos) is typically subject to stricter standards to comply with global mobile app store distribution requirements.

6. Privacy & respect

We want OneLit to be a safe and respectful space.

Do not:

  • Share someone’s personal or private information
  • Post messages, images, or videos without consent
  • Harass, bully, or target other users
  • Use automated software, bots, or scraping tools to extract platform data, story text, or private user information

7. Spam, fraudulent & commercial content

Content that promotes products or services is not allowed.

Do not:

  • Post deceptive, misleading, or unsafe links anywhere on OneLit
  • Put misleading descriptions on links in story chapters or user profiles, setting deceptive click-through URLs on cover art or banner images
  • Embed links to pop-up ads, phishing sites, or unauthorized monetized destinations
  • Post promoting, facilitating, or soliciting the sale of illegal goods, drugs, firearms, or restricted substances

8. Unlawful use, reporting & enforcement

Users must comply with all local, national, and international laws when using OneLit. We maintain zero tolerance for illegal conduct and content, and actively cooperate with law enforcement authorities when necessary.

If you see content that violates these guidelines, please report it.

We may:

  • Remove or restrict content
  • Adjust story ratings
  • Temporarily restrict or close accounts
  • Report unlawful or illegal activity to law enforcement or other appropriate authorities

We reserve the right to take action on any content that we consider puts our community at risk.