The Sonder Ethical Charter
Last Updated: October 14, 2025
Our Belief
We believe every human life is vivid, complex, and worthy of being remembered. Sonder exists to honour stories — not exploit them. We are not a social media company. We are a stewardship platform for human legacy, built with care, humility, and deep respect for privacy and consent.
1. Our Commitments
Your voice is yours. All content created on Sonder belongs to the user. We claim no ownership.
Private by default. Your stories are private unless you explicitly choose to share them.
We will never sell your data. No ads. No third-party sales. No tracking.
Consent is sacred. You control how your stories are accessed — now and after you're gone.
Transparency is non-negotiable. We commit to clear, accessible communication at every stage.
2. Data Handling & Privacy
Stories are stored securely, with encryption and audit controls.
AI is used only to serve the storyteller (transcription, metadata) — never to profile or influence.
We do not collect behavioural data for algorithmic manipulation.
Your data is never used to influence your decisions, politics, or purchases.
3. Cultural & Generational Responsibility
Sonder honours ancestral knowledge, intergenerational wisdom, and cultural sovereignty.
Cultural heritage projects are opt-in and shaped by the communities who own those stories.
We will never commercialise or extract value from cultural content without consent.
4. Technology with Integrity
AI tools (Whisper, GPT-4) are used transparently and ethically.
We disclose what AI sees, understands, and interprets from your data.
All metadata is available for user review and control.
5. Moderation & Community Care
We prioritise human-centered moderation, not automated policing.
Community members can flag content, and moderators act with care and discretion.
We aim for restorative approaches when harm occurs — not punishment alone.
6. Legacy & Afterlife
Stories can be passed on posthumously only if users opt in.
We offer time capsules, private inheritance tools, and family tree linking — with full control.
Sonder exists as a custodian of memory, not a gatekeeper of identity.
Final Word
We are building Sonder for the long haul — a place where stories live on with dignity. This charter will evolve with our community, but its heart remains the same: to serve humans, not systems.
If at any point we fall short of this standard, we invite accountability and correction.