Crisis and Safety

Our Commitment to Safety

Autonomic is committed to supporting cognitive performance, wellbeing, resilience, and student success. We recognize that users may occasionally share experiences involving significant stress, emotional distress, crisis situations, or concerns about their own safety or the safety of others.

To help support users and maintain a safe environment, Autonomic utilizes a combination of artificial intelligence systems, trained personnel, operational protocols, and institutional support resources.

Our approach is designed to identify potential safety concerns, connect individuals with appropriate support resources, and respond appropriately when significant risks are identified.

Important Limitations

Autonomic is not:

• An emergency response service
• A crisis hotline
• A suicide prevention service
• A healthcare provider
• A mental health treatment provider
• A replacement for professional medical, psychological, psychiatric, or counselling services

Users should not rely on Autonomic for emergency assistance.

How Safety Monitoring Works

Autonomic combines automated systems and authorized human review processes to help identify potential safety concerns.

Certain user submissions may be reviewed for purposes including:

• Detecting potential crisis situations
• Identifying possible risks of harm
• Assessing safety-related concerns
• Supporting users with appropriate resources
• Maintaining platform safety and integrity
• Complying with legal and institutional obligations

Not all content is reviewed by a human. Human review may occur when safety concerns, operational concerns, Community Standards issues, or other circumstances warrant additional assessment.

Human Review and Escalation

Autonomic maintains human-in-the-loop review processes designed to support safety and quality assurance.

When a potential safety concern is identified, authorized personnel may review relevant information to:

• Better understand the situation
• Assess the seriousness of the concern
• Determine whether escalation is appropriate
• Support referral to appropriate resources
• Protect users and others from harm

Access to user information is restricted to authorized personnel and governed by role-based access controls, training requirements, confidentiality obligations, and operational procedures.

Crisis Situations

A crisis situation may include circumstances where a user appears to be experiencing significant emotional distress, overwhelming psychological challenges, severe impairment, or other conditions that may require additional support.

Examples may include:

• Expressions of hopelessness or despair
• Significant emotional distress
• Statements suggesting self-harm or harm to others
• Severe psychological difficulties
• Requests for emergency assistance
• Other circumstances reasonably suggesting a need for intervention or support

When a potential crisis situation is identified, Autonomic may:

• Escalate content for review
• Provide support resources
• Encourage the user to seek professional assistance
• Coordinate with designated institutional support personnel where appropriate
• Take other actions reasonably necessary to support safety

The response taken will depend on the information available and the nature of the concern.

Imminent Threat Situations

Certain situations may present a heightened concern where there appears to be a credible and immediate risk of serious harm to a user or another person.

When assessing potential imminent threats, Autonomic may consider factors including:

• Statements expressing intent to cause harm
• References to a specific plan or method
• References to a specific time or timeframe
• References to a specific location or target
• Evidence suggesting access to means or capability
• Other contextual information indicating increased risk

Where a credible imminent threat may exist, Autonomic may take additional actions reasonably necessary to protect safety.

After-Hours Monitoring and Response

Autonomic maintains procedures designed to identify certain high-risk situations outside of normal business hours.

While Autonomic does not provide continuous real-time monitoring of all user activity, certain content may trigger after-hours review when automated systems identify indicators of a potential imminent threat involving serious harm to the user or another person.

In such situations, designated authorized personnel may be notified to conduct an assessment and determine whether escalation is necessary.

Depending on the circumstances, actions may include:

• Review by authorized personnel
• Contacting designated institutional representatives
• Contacting emergency contacts where appropriate
• Contacting emergency responders
• Contacting healthcare providers where legally permitted
• Contacting law enforcement where legally required or reasonably necessary to protect safety

Users should not rely on Autonomic as an emergency response system.

Working with Educational Institutions

Many Autonomic users participate through colleges, universities, schools, or other organizations.

Where permitted by law, contractual obligations, institutional agreements, or safety considerations, Autonomic may communicate with designated institutional representatives regarding significant safety concerns.

Examples may include:

• Student support services
• Counselling services
• Wellness teams
• Dean of Students offices
• Campus security
• Other designated institutional contacts

Any information shared will be limited to what is reasonably necessary to address the identified concern.

Privacy and Safety

Autonomic is committed to protecting user privacy.

Most user information remains confidential and is handled in accordance with our Privacy Notice.

However, privacy obligations may be limited in situations involving:

• Risk of serious harm
• Imminent threats
• Emergency situations
• Legal obligations
• Court orders
• Regulatory requirements
• Safety-related interventions

When disclosures occur, Autonomic seeks to limit the information shared to what is reasonably necessary to address the specific situation.

Artificial Intelligence and Safety

Autonomic uses artificial intelligence and machine learning systems to help identify patterns, prioritize content for review, and support safety processes.

These systems assist authorized personnel but do not replace human judgment.

Where appropriate, safety-related decisions may involve review by trained personnel before action is taken.

Community Safety

Autonomic is committed to maintaining a respectful, supportive, and safe environment.

Users are expected to comply with our Community Standards and Terms of Use.

Behavior involving threats, harassment, abuse, violence, or other conduct that compromises safety may result in warnings, suspension, removal from the platform, or additional actions as described in our Terms of Use.

Support Resources

If you are struggling, we encourage you to seek support from qualified resources, including:

• Campus counselling services
• Student support services
• Healthcare providers
• Mental health professionals
• Employee assistance programs
• Community support organizations
• Crisis hotlines
• Emergency services

Seeking support is a sign of strength, and help is available.

Questions

Questions regarding Autonomic's crisis and safety practices may be directed to:

For information regarding privacy practices, please review our Privacy Notice.

For information regarding platform conduct requirements, please review our Community Standards and Terms of Use.