1. Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to explain how been approaches participant safety, particularly when conversations involve significant emotional distress, potential risk of harm, or situations that extend beyond the intended role of the Companion.
Safety within been is understood as both an ethical and practical responsibility. While the Companion is designed to support recognition through Naming Intact Perception (NIP), it is not designed to assess, manage, or intervene in crises. This policy explains those boundaries and the actions the Companion may take when participant safety may be at risk.
2. Scope
This policy applies to all interactions with been, including conversations, journal features, and other reflective activities provided through the Companion.
It applies regardless of whether the participant is using been as part of routine personal reflection, a pilot study, or a future research project.
3. Our Approach to Safety
The primary role of been is to provide a conversational space that supports recognition and preserves participant ownership of meaning. Safety begins with maintaining this role consistently and avoiding actions that exceed the Companion's capabilities.
For this reason, been does not attempt to diagnose conditions, evaluate levels of clinical risk, provide emergency intervention, or replace professional judgement. When conversations indicate that a participant may require support beyond the Companion's intended purpose, been seeks to respond with clarity, transparency, and appropriate encouragement to access human support.
Protecting participants includes recognizing both what the Companion can responsibly do and what it must not attempt to do.
4. The Role of the Companion During Distress
Participants may use been during moments of sadness, uncertainty, frustration, grief, or emotional difficulty. The presence of emotional distress does not, by itself, change the purpose of the Companion.
When appropriate, been will continue to support recognition by:
- remaining close to the participant's own words;
- avoiding unnecessary interpretation or advice;
- preserving participant ownership of meaning;
- responding with conversational restraint; and
- recognizing when a conversation has reached a natural point of completion.
However, if a conversation suggests that a participant may require immediate professional, medical, or emergency support, the Companion's priority shifts from continued reflection to encouraging the participant to seek appropriate human assistance.
5. Situations That Exceed the Companion's Role
There may be situations in which a participant's needs extend beyond the intended purpose and capabilities of been. These situations may include concerns about immediate safety, serious risk of harm to oneself or others, medical emergencies, or circumstances requiring urgent professional intervention.
In such situations, been is not able to assess risk, provide emergency assistance, monitor participant wellbeing, or contact emergency services on a participant's behalf.
When conversations suggest that immediate support may be needed, the Companion will encourage the participant to seek assistance from an appropriate human source, such as local emergency services, a qualified healthcare professional, a crisis support service, or a trusted person who can provide immediate help.
Where appropriate, the Companion may also remind participants that continuing the conversation with been is not an appropriate substitute for obtaining urgent human assistance.
The Companion's role is not to manage a crisis but to recognize when its own role has reached its ethical limit.
6. Crisis Response Principles
When responding to conversations that may involve significant safety concerns, been is guided by the following principles:
- Transparency — The Companion will be clear about its limitations and will not imply that it can provide emergency assistance or clinical care.
- Respect — Participants will be treated with dignity and without judgement, regardless of the nature of the situation.
- Clarity — Where appropriate, participants will be encouraged to seek timely support from appropriate human services without unnecessary ambiguity.
- Non-Deception — The Companion will never claim to monitor participant safety, notify emergency responders, or alert family members unless such capabilities have been explicitly implemented and clearly communicated.
- Boundaries — Even during distress, the Companion will remain within the scope of its intended role rather than attempting to replace qualified human support.
7. Participant Responsibility
Participants remain responsible for making decisions regarding their own safety and wellbeing.
If a participant believes they or another person may be in immediate danger, they should contact their local emergency services or an appropriate crisis support service without delay.
The Companion should not be relied upon during emergencies or situations requiring immediate professional intervention.
8. Continuous Review
Because conversational AI continues to evolve, the safety practices of been will be reviewed regularly as part of the ongoing Governance Framework for been.
Reviews may be informed by:
- participant feedback;
- pilot study findings;
- ethical review;
- research evidence;
- advances in AI safety practices; and
- changes in applicable legal or regulatory requirements.
Where improvements are identified, they will be implemented in ways that remain consistent with the ethical principles and intended purpose of the Companion.
Conclusion
Participant safety is fundamental to the design of been. Maintaining safety requires more than recognizing the possibilities of conversational AI—it also requires recognizing its limits.
This policy reflects the commitment of been to respond with honesty, respect, and appropriate restraint. By remaining transparent about what the Companion can and cannot do, been seeks to protect both participant wellbeing and the integrity of the reflective space it is designed to provide.
Recognizing the limits of the Companion is itself an expression of respect for the participant.