Membership Guidelines
Application and Review Process
Developers who wish to join The Lantern Guild can submit an application through our website. Applications are reviewed by the Membership Board.
Application Requirements
- Tool name and description – which mission area it serves
- Working tool URL or access – must be live and functional
- Platform availability – easily accessible to Mac and/or Android users
- Code of Ethics compliance statement – confirmation of all ten principles
- Disclosure of funding and ecosystem – full disclosure of any funding, partnerships, or ties to paid products or services
- Contact information – primary point of contact
Evaluation Criteria
- Code of Ethics compliance (all ten principles, no exceptions)
- Mission alignment (scam detection, misinformation evaluation, tech literacy, or privacy/security safeguarding)
- Accessibility (Mac and/or Android)
- Quality and safety (reliable, actively maintained, vulnerabilities addressed promptly)
- Brand integrity (no promotion of other products/services, not a sales funnel)
- At this stage, preference given to tools that do not generate revenue; revenue-generating tools must disclose and explain independence
Approval and Membership
Upon approval, member:
- Gains right to display The Lantern Guild seal on their website
- Is listed on The Lantern Guild website with link to their tool
- Agrees to ongoing Code of Ethics compliance
- Commits to maintaining the tool responsibly and keeping it free
Member Responsibilities
- Maintain tool and patch vulnerabilities promptly
- Notify The Lantern Guild of any changes in funding, partnerships, or commercial ties
- Respond to user reports and concerns
- Continue complying with Code of Ethics
- Not use The Lantern Guild name or seal in misleading ways
Removal from The Lantern Guild
A member may be removed if they:
- Violate any Code of Ethics principle
- Abandon or allow tool to become unsafe or unmaintained
- Engage in deception about funding, partnerships, or capabilities
- Use affiliation to promote commercial products or services
- Refuse to address reported vulnerabilities or user concerns
Member will be notified and given opportunity to respond before final decision.
🔖 The Lantern Guild Seal
Members in good standing may display the seal on their website. The seal conveys:
- This developer has contributed a free tool to The Lantern Guild
- The tool meets our Code of Ethics and serves the greater good
- The tool is independently maintained and free from hidden commercial purpose
Displaying the Seal
For dark backgrounds
For light backgrounds
Approved members receive both versions and a ready-to-use embed code by email. Display rules:
- Use the version that matches your page background; do not recolor, crop, stretch, rotate, or add effects
- Display at a minimum of 120px wide so the text remains legible
- The seal must link to The Lantern Guild homepage
- Place it only on properties for the approved tool, not on unrelated sites or products
- Do not present the seal as an endorsement of anything other than the approved tool
- Remove the seal within 30 days if membership ends