Most people realize by now that the images portrayed by the people in their lives – friends, family, acquaintances, teachers, colleagues, etc. – are never quite the “truth.” However, until now there’s been no simple, safe way to warn others of dangerous or unsavory types lurking in plain sight. UNMASK gives its users that power; an anonymous and free platform, UNMASK is unique in the social network landscape. Its creators envision the site as a tool to help people protect themselves from harm before starting any kind of relationship with another person. Learn more at www.unmask.wiki or the site’s YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYMuCrmpp86QG4eHb-vHqkQ.

Anyone can join UNMASK anonymously and create profiles for other people they wish to “unmask.” Members can use full, legal names for these profiles; an important requirement is that users also upload any hard evidence – video, audio, photos, documents – to prevent false accusations. Once a profile is live, the user community can vote on the accuracy of material. Enough “False” votes will result in a profile deletion.

“The point of UNMASK is not just public shaming,” says Xavier Ares, creator of UNMASK.wiki. “It’s about safety and security by exposing the truth about others. No one wants to go to a church, job or school where someone in a leadership position has a sketchy past. We believe liars, cheaters and criminals should be forced to show their ‘true faces’ to the world, and now we have a platform and social network to do just that.”

Sex crimes offer a powerful example of the kind of service UNMASK looks to provide. According to the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network, nearly 300,000 sexual assaults happen in the U.S. every year. Almost half of those victims are under age 18. Surveys confirm that victims nearly always know their attacker. Furthermore, there remains a stigma associated with being a victim of sexual assault. UNMASK’s creators believe that victims are never at fault, and they’d like to see that stigma erased. Victims are not alone anymore.

Most sex crime perpetrators will never spend time in prison. They hide in the shadows, confident no one will ever know of their terrible deeds; indeed, this is why nearly every kind of crime happens – because the perpetrator believes they will never be held accountable. This is the power and importance of UNMASK – the platform provides a way to bring these criminals to light, enabling the public to steer clear of them.

While protection from sexual offenders is a major benefit of UNMASK, these aren’t the only kinds of transgressors who can expect to be “unmasked.” Cheaters, thieves, “closet” racists, sexists, corrupt officials, drug dealers, killers, fake friends, dishonest partners or colleagues, and unfaithful husbands or wives can all be exposed by users on the anonymous UNMASK platform. In all these cases, however, the mission is to keep innocent people safe from harm. For instance, a woman might discover that an otherwise eligible bachelor is a serial cheater and wisely avoid a relationship.

UNMASK will never collect or share personal information from its users. The team behind the site are firm believers in privacy and anonymity – except when that privacy protects criminals and their crimes.