Frequently asked questions

No. You can submit reports without an account. However, creating an account lets you track your reports, receive updates, and participate in verification. Accounts don't require your real name—you'll get an auto-generated public name.

1. Go to the reports page
2. Select the type of activity (mining site, water pollution, etc.)
3. Mark the location on the map or use your GPS
4. Describe what you observed and add photos if you have them
5. Review and submit

Yes. Photos are helpful but not required. A detailed written description of what you saw, where, and when is valuable on its own. Only include photos if you can take them safely.

Photos you upload help document where illegal mining is happening. The location data in your photos is used to accurately place reports on the map—this is essential for the platform to work effectively. Your personal identity remains protected through anonymous accounts.

Reports are public on the platform map. Your account name (auto-generated or organization name) appears with the report. Personal contact details you've optionally provided are never displayed publicly.

Yes. To delete a report, contact us at support@galamseyreporter.org with your account username and the report you'd like removed. Some aggregated statistics may remain (like "X reports in this region") without identifying you specifically.

1. Your report is published immediately on the map
2. Community members can verify or dispute it based on their local knowledge
3. Reports are shared with partner organizations (environmental NGOs, government agencies)
4. Partners may investigate or take action based on the report

Verification is community feedback. Other users who know the area can vote "verified" (they can confirm the activity), "disputed" (they have contradicting information), or "unclear." This helps partners prioritize reports with community support.

Partners include environmental NGOs, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Minerals Commission, journalists, and researchers. They receive access to reports to support enforcement and advocacy. We verify partner organizations before granting access.

We can't guarantee it. We share reports with partners who can take action, but we don't control their responses. This platform makes information available—enforcement decisions are made by the relevant authorities.

Partially. You can start a report offline and save it as a draft. The draft is stored on your device and can be submitted when you have internet access. The map requires an internet connection to load.

We support recent versions of Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge. The platform is mobile-friendly and works on most smartphones.

If you provided an email during signup, use the password reset option on the login page. If you didn't provide contact details, we cannot recover your account—this is the tradeoff for maximum anonymity.

Yes. NGOs, CSOs, and verified organizations can display their organization name instead of an auto-generated name. Contact us to verify your organization.

To delete your account, contact us at support@galamseyreporter.org with your account username. You can choose to have your reports deleted with your account or kept anonymously. Account deletion is permanent and processed within 30 days.