The license

RAQEB is offered as an open model. Qualified organizations may apply to license the platform at no cost, receive an onboarding package, and operate it independently within their own electoral context. This page describes what the license includes, who can apply, what's expected, and how to request a deployment.

1. What the license is

The RAQEB license is a free, non-exclusive, per-deployment license to operate the RAQEB platform for the purpose of monitoring online electoral discourse in a defined electoral context.

It is granted by SmartGov Société Civile to qualified organizations on a per-election basis. The license is not transferable. It does not confer ownership of the platform, the methodology, or any data produced by other deployments.

The license is governed by the principles described on this page and by the full methodology published on the methodology page.

The license is granted to organizations and institutions only — not to individuals. There is no individual observer credential; a person may act only as part of an approved organizational deployment, and the adopting organization is responsible for everyone acting under it.

2. What's included

Approved organizations receive the following at no cost for the duration of their licensed deployment:

Platform access

• A full instance of the RAQEB monitoring platform, configured to the electoral context of the deployment
• Access to all platform modules: media monitoring, social analysis, electoral oversight, misinformation detection, public dashboard
• An isolated per-deployment dataset (see the methodology, section 3 on data isolation)

Shared methodology

• The full RAQEB methodology, including framing and language guidelines, escalation routing logic, qualified-language principles, and verification standards
• Updates to the shared methodology as it evolves, with documented change logs

Onboarding package

• Implementation templates for configuring the platform to the deployment's electoral law and context
• Reviewer toolkits, including verification checklists and escalation references
• Framing and language guideline documentation
• Technical configuration support during onboarding
• Access to the shared resources library

Support during deployment

• Technical support during the initial configuration phase
• Methodology consultation when escalations or sensitive findings require additional review
• Inclusion in the network of deploying organizations for shared learnings

3. Who can apply

The license is available to organizations whose mandate, capacity, and operating principles align with RAQEB's purpose. The following types of organizations are eligible to apply:

• Independent electoral commissions and oversight bodies
• Civil-society watchdog organizations with experience monitoring electoral or media integrity
• International and domestic election observer missions
• Coalitions of journalists or media organizations engaged in investigative or accountability work
• Academic and research institutions conducting electoral integrity research
• Multi-stakeholder coalitions combining the above categories

Organizations outside these categories may apply, but should expect heightened review and may not qualify.

No individual applications

Individuals may not apply in a personal capacity. An application may be submitted only by an authorized representative of an eligible organization — which, not the individual, holds the license and is responsible for the deployment.

One coordinated deployment per country

RAQEB generally does not license more than one organization for the same country and electoral cycle where the deployments would substantially overlap in scope, sources, or reporting. Where several organizations from the same country apply, SmartGov may encourage or require coordination — a joint application, a coalition, or a clear division of complementary roles (for example, an election-observation body working alongside a media-monitoring organization).

4. Eligibility criteria

Every applicant is reviewed against the following criteria. These are not negotiable — they exist to protect the integrity of the shared methodology and the credibility of every deployment.

Operational independence

• The applicant organization operates independently of political parties, candidates, and political action committees
• The applicant does not receive operational direction from a government, party, or campaign
• The applicant's leadership and governance structure can demonstrate independence

Capacity

• The applicant can field a trained reviewer team during the licensed deployment period
• The applicant has access to legal and editorial expertise sufficient to apply the methodology
• The applicant can sustain operations across the full electoral cycle (campaign period through results)

Capacity is assessed in detail through the structured application form.

Non-partisanship commitment

• The applicant commits to applying the methodology to every actor under monitoring, regardless of political position
• The applicant will not selectively publish findings to favor one side
• The applicant accepts that the methodology, not the applicant's preferences, governs what is published

Transparency commitment

• The applicant commits to publishing the deployment's source list, configuration, and any deviations from the shared methodology — unless publication would create a serious legal, safety, privacy, or operational risk
• The applicant commits to maintaining a public audit trail for every published finding
• The applicant accepts that the deployment will be open to scrutiny

Legal standing

• The applicant is a legally constituted organization in its jurisdiction
• The applicant is in good standing with applicable regulatory bodies
• The applicant is not subject to active sanctions or restrictions that would compromise the deployment

Conflict of interest

• The applicant discloses any conflicts of interest that could affect the deployment
• The applicant maintains an internal process to identify and manage conflicts that arise during the deployment
• The applicant agrees that material undisclosed conflicts may result in license revocation

5. What's expected of adopters

Receiving the license is not a one-way grant. Adopting organizations commit to operating the deployment under the following principles for the duration of the license.

Apply the methodology faithfully

• Operate the deployment under the published shared methodology
• Document and publish any deviations from the shared methodology, with reasons
• Use the qualified-language standard described in the methodology, section 7 in all published findings

Maintain non-partisanship

• Apply the methodology to all actors under monitoring without political favor
• Resist external pressure to publish or withhold findings on partisan grounds
• Respond to correction requests under the published update policy

Maintain transparency

• Publish the deployment's source list and configuration
• Maintain a public audit trail for every published finding
• Publish update and withdrawal histories openly

Attribute the shared methodology

• Public-facing communications identify the deployment as operating under the RAQEB shared methodology
• The methodology link is visible from the deployment's public dashboard
• Materials produced by the deployment that reference the methodology attribute it appropriately

Contribute back

Because RAQEB is a shared methodology, host organizations are strongly encouraged to recommend refinements — to the detection logic and rules, the methodology, features, look and feel, and usability. Improvements you surface flow back to the whole network, so every deployment and the wider ecosystem benefit.

• Share learnings, refinements, and adaptations with the RAQEB network
• Participate in periodic methodology reviews if invited
• Report material issues encountered during the deployment so the shared methodology can be improved

Take responsibility for your team

• Ensure everyone acting under the deployment — staff, reviewers, analysts, volunteers, partners — follows the approved scope, methodology, confidentiality, conflict-of-interest, and non-partisanship rules
• Confirm that reviewers have completed onboarding and understand the qualified-language and update standards before they handle findings
• Restrict or remove access for anyone whose conduct creates a risk to the deployment's integrity, security, or independence

Respect data isolation

• Operate the deployment within its own isolated dataset
• Do not aggregate or share deployment data with other deployments without written agreement
• Comply with the deployment's own published privacy and data retention policies

6. Responsible use and conduct

Adopting organizations operate under a shared code of conduct. At a minimum, every deployment upholds:

• Independence from political direction, and non-partisanship in monitoring and publication
• Responsible, lawful use of the platform, within the approved electoral context
• Confidentiality of non-public information — including non-public methodology details, credentials, and security information
• Evidence-based verification, methodological consistency, and correction of material errors
• Disclosure and management of conflicts of interest
• Protection against misuse of the RAQEB platform, name, methodology, or outputs

Responsible public reporting

• Present outputs accurately and proportionately, clearly distinguishing signals, allegations, suspected issues, verified findings, and legal determinations
• Do not present findings as official legal judgments unless a competent authority has made that determination
• Include relevant limitations where needed, and reflect neutral findings and positive compliance — not only violations or risks

AI-assisted analysis and human verification

AI-assisted outputs are triage signals only — never final findings.

• No finding is published on the basis of automated classification alone; trained human reviewers review AI-assisted flags first
• Evidence is assessed before escalation or publication, and uncertainty is reflected in the language of findings
• Model and coverage limitations are considered, and misclassifications are corrected when identified

Prohibited uses

• No surveillance of private persons, doxxing, harassment, or voter targeting
• No political campaigning or partisan advocacy using the platform or its outputs
• No exporting, sharing, or reuse of deployment data outside the approved deployment
• No use of the platform for any purpose outside electoral monitoring, and no unlawful activity

7. Privacy, data and security

RAQEB monitors public discourse, not private individuals. Adopting organizations handle data and access responsibly and lawfully.

Privacy and data protection

• Comply with applicable privacy, data-protection, media, election, and cybersecurity laws in the operating jurisdiction
• Maintain a deployment-level privacy or data-use notice covering what is collected, why, retention and deletion practices, access controls, and cross-border transfers where relevant
• Handle citizen and observer submissions with care for source protection, and give special care to sensitive data and to minors or vulnerable persons where applicable

Security and access control

• Grant access only to authorized persons, protect login credentials, and remove access when a person no longer supports the deployment
• Report material security incidents to SmartGov Société Civile
• Avoid unauthorized export, sharing, or reuse of deployment data, and use the platform only within the approved scope

8. What can revoke the license

The license may be revoked by SmartGov Société Civile in the following circumstances:

• Material violation of non-partisanship — using the deployment to favor or oppose a specific candidate, party, or political position
• Material deviation from the shared methodology without disclosure
• Failure to maintain a public audit trail or to honor the update policy
• Loss of operational independence (e.g., the applicant organization comes under political direction during the deployment)
• Misuse of platform access — sharing credentials with unauthorized parties, exporting data outside the deployment, or using the platform for purposes outside electoral monitoring
• Failure to respond to substantive correction requests
• Material undisclosed conflicts of interest discovered after approval

The following may also lead to suspension or revocation where they materially affect the integrity, security, independence, or credibility of the deployment:

• Using RAQEB outputs for political campaigning or partisan advocacy
• Publishing RAQEB-related findings without the required human review
• Intentionally or recklessly publishing materially misleading RAQEB-related outputs
• Unauthorized use of the RAQEB name, logo, methodology, or public identity
• Serious breach of confidentiality, privacy, or data-protection obligations
• Failing to restrict access after known misuse by a person acting under the deployment
• Operating outside the approved electoral context or deployment scope

Revocation process

• Written notice of the concern, with specific basis
• A defined response period of 30 days from receipt of the written notice for the adopting organization to respond
• Review by SmartGov, with input from the editorial board where relevant
• Final decision communicated in writing, with reasons

The adopting organization may appeal a revocation decision once, in writing, within a defined period.

Urgent temporary suspension

Where urgent action is needed to prevent serious harm, a security compromise, unlawful use, or damage to the RAQEB methodology or network, SmartGov Société Civile may temporarily suspend platform access or RAQEB association before the full process concludes — followed by written notice of the basis and next steps.

9. Duration, renewal, and closure

The license is granted for a defined electoral cycle — from platform configuration through 90 days after election results are certified. Specific dates are set per deployment based on the electoral calendar.

Renewal for subsequent electoral cycles is not automatic. Organizations seeking to operate RAQEB for a new election must submit a renewal application. Renewal review begins 90 days before the existing license's expiration; the decision is communicated at least 60 days before expiration.

Renewal review considers the adopting organization's adherence to the shared methodology, fulfillment of transparency commitments, responsiveness to correction requests, continued alignment with the eligibility criteria, and the documented retrospective from the prior deployment. Renewal criteria are published openly alongside the application criteria.

End-of-license closure

• Publish final updates, corrections, or withdrawals where needed
• Preserve public audit trails according to the deployment's published policy
• Restrict unnecessary platform access
• Retain, delete, or archive deployment data in line with applicable law and the deployment's own privacy and data-retention policies
• Share a documented retrospective where required for renewal review or methodology improvement

10. Intellectual property and attribution

Platform and methodology

• The RAQEB platform and the shared methodology remain the property of SmartGov Société Civile
• The license grants use rights, not ownership
• The license does not permit modification of the platform's core methodology logic without written agreement

Findings published by the deployment

• Verified findings published by a deployment are the editorial output of the adopting organization
• The adopting organization is responsible for the accuracy, framing, and publication of its own findings
• Findings published by one deployment are not adopted, endorsed, or republished by SmartGov or any other deployment

Attribution

• Public-facing materials produced by the deployment include a visible attribution: "Operated under the RAQEB shared methodology" or equivalent
• A link to the RAQEB methodology page is visible from the deployment's public dashboard
• The shared methodology is openly accessible to all readers of the deployment's public output

No implied endorsement

Attribution must be accurate and must not imply that SmartGov Société Civile endorses any individual finding, editorial judgment, or publication decision of the deployment, unless SmartGov has stated so in writing.

11. Liability and disclaimers

The following disclaimers apply to every licensed deployment:

• Findings published by a RAQEB deployment are data-driven analyses produced under the shared methodology. They are not legal judgments and do not constitute formal determinations of breach by any electoral or regulatory authority.
• The adopting organization is responsible for compliance with the laws and regulations of its operating jurisdiction.
• SmartGov Société Civile is not responsible for findings published by individual deployments or for the consequences of those publications in the operating jurisdiction.
• The license is provided without warranty of fitness for any particular purpose beyond the scope described on this page.

12. How to apply

Organizations interested in deploying RAQEB may apply through one of two paths:

Request deployment

Submit a deployment request through the application form. The application captures the organization's profile, the electoral context, monitoring scope, team capacity, and contact details.

Talk to us first

Organizations that want to see the platform demonstrated or discuss whether RAQEB is right for their context before formally applying may schedule a conversation. Use the unified contact form, or write to contact@raqebinitiative.org for general inquiries.

What happens after application

• SmartGov Société Civile reviews the application against the eligibility criteria
• Initial response is typically provided within 15 business days (approximately 3 weeks) from submission
• Approved applicants are sent the full license agreement for review and signature.
• Once the license agreement is signed, the onboarding phase begins — beginning with platform configuration to the electoral context and reviewer training.
• Declined applicants receive a written explanation and may reapply for a subsequent cycle

Application integrity

Applications must be submitted by an authorized representative and provide accurate, complete information. Honest, incomplete answers are preferable to inflated or misleading ones — false or materially incomplete submissions may result in rejection, disqualification, suspension, or revocation.

Review outcomes

• Approval — the applicant proceeds to license agreement review and onboarding
• Conditional approval — the applicant may proceed once specified conditions are met
• Request for additional information — clarification or supporting documents are requested before a decision
• Decline — the applicant is not approved for the current cycle

13. Core commitments

By accepting a RAQEB license, an adopting organization commits to:

• Operate independently and remain non-partisan
• Apply the RAQEB methodology faithfully, and only within the approved electoral context
• Maintain trained, responsible deployment personnel
• Verify findings before publication, using qualified, evidence-based language
• Protect data and platform access, and report security incidents
• Publish corrections and updates where necessary, and maintain transparency and auditability
• Disclose and manage conflicts of interest
• Respect the RAQEB name, methodology, and intellectual property
• Comply with applicable law and accept responsibility for its own deployment and public outputs

14. Contact

Questions about the license, eligibility, or the application process:

• License inquiries: license@raqebinitiative.org
• General inquiries: contact@raqebinitiative.org
• Methodology questions: methodology@raqebinitiative.org
• Corrections to a published finding (handled by the relevant deployment, not by SmartGov directly — see the methodology, section 15)

SmartGov may review serious allegations that an adopter is materially violating the license, misusing the RAQEB name or methodology, or breaching confidentiality or data-protection obligations. This is a compliance safeguard only — not a public complaints system, and not an appeal channel for declined applicants.