Terms of Use
Plain-language terms for using Civitas Lens. Last updated: October 2026.
What this service is — and isn't
Civitas Lens is a community reporting and verification map for Baltimore, Maryland. It is not an emergency service and is not operated by the City of Baltimore. In an emergency, call 911. A report on this map does not guarantee a city response and does not replace a Baltimore 311 request.
Report conditions, not people
Reports must describe a condition — dumping, waste, damage, an unsecured property, a broken light. Do not post reports about a person's identity, and do not use the map to harass, follow, or target anyone. Reports that target people, contain threats, or are knowingly false may be removed, and accounts may be suspended.
Accounts
Reporting, verifying, following, and bounty features require an account. There are no anonymous accounts: you are responsible for activity under your account, and one person may hold one vote per issue. Creating accounts to manipulate verification counts is prohibited.
Photos and content you post
You keep ownership of photos and text you post, and you give Civitas Lens permission to display them publicly as part of the report and its timeline. Only post photos you have the right to share, and leave out faces and license plates where you can. Do not upload anything illegal, and never trespass or put yourself in danger to document a condition.
Verification and moderation
"Still a Problem" and "Resolved" votes are community signals, not official findings. Moderators may correct categories, merge duplicates, or remove reports that break these terms. Linked 311 statuses are the city's data and may differ from community verification.
Bounty pledges
Some issues display a bounty pledge from a sponsor. In this phase, pledges are recorded commitments — Civitas Lens does not hold, escrow, or transfer money in the app. Type A cleanup pledges are honored only after residents verify the fix and an administrator approves it; Type B pledges go to the named neighborhood organization when the city's fix is verified. Never attempt a repair that belongs to the city or a utility, and never enter private property to earn a pledge.
No warranty
The map is provided as-is. Locations, categories, city statuses, and timelines can be wrong or out of date. Always use your own judgment about safety, and call the appropriate service — 911, 988, 211, or 311 — when it matters.