Although the goal of the Flipnote Archive is to preserve the state of Flipnote Hatena as it was prior to its shutdown, we recognize that some archived Flipnotes may contain personally identifying information that warrants removal from public view.
Our primary goal is preservation. As such, we generally do not remove archived content except in cases involving personally identifying information (PII) or similar privacy concerns.
How do I submit a takedown request?
Currently, users can submit a takedown request by sending a DM to the SudoModMail bot on the Sudomemo Discord server, or by sending an email to [email protected].
When submitting a takedown request, make sure to include:
- Your Flipnote Studio ID
- The URLs to any Flipnotes that should be reviewed
- Which frames of those Flipnotes contain personal information
- A brief explanation of the information to be removed
Once we have received your takedown request, we will investigate your case and act accordingly. We may also ask for verification to prove that you created those Flipnotes or are otherwise affected by the content.
What happens to removed Flipnotes?
When a Flipnote is removed from the Flipnote Archive, that Flipnote will be hidden from public view.
When a user visits a removed Flipnote, they will see a message indicating that the Flipnote has been removed, although some information – such as a list of spin-offs – may still be present.
We understand that a user may prefer for us to hide the existence of a Flipnote entirely, however this decision has been made with our goal of preservation in mind.
What can be removed from the Flipnote Archive?
The Flipnote Archive exists for preservation purposes, and we generally do not remove archived content simply because a user no longer wishes for it to be available.
Currently, we will only be accepting takedown requests for Flipnotes that contain personally identifying information (PII). Requests are evaluated on a case-by-case basis, and submission of a takedown request does not guarantee removal.
Examples of information that may qualify for removal include:
- Banking information
- Home address
- Phone number
- Personal email address
- Government identification numbers, such as Social Security Numbers or National Insurance Numbers
- Passport number
- Driver’s license number
- Real picture(s) of a person’s face, especially when the person is a minor or is otherwise identifiable
- Full date of birth, especially when combined with other identifying information
- Sufficiently precise location information, such as an address, school, workplace, or other specific identifying location
Information that does not ordinarily qualify for removal includes:
- Usernames or Flipnote Studio IDs
- General geographic regions
- First names or common names without additional identifying information
- Content that is old or embarrassing, or that no longer reflects the creator’s present views or interests
- Information that was publicly shared by the creator and does not constitute sensitive personal information