Guidance on searching for witnesses and publishing listings

1. Role and responsibility of suchen.expert

suchen.expert provides a digital platform where users can search for witnesses to accidents or other events, or offer information as witnesses themselves.

The platform serves solely to connect people and establish contact.

Important notice:

suchen.expert is not a public authority or an investigative body. Users are responsible for their listings; the platform’s statutory duties and legal responsibility remain unaffected.

Using the platform does not replace a report to the police, public prosecutor or another competent body.

2. Users’ responsibility for listings

2.1 Responsibility for content

Users act on their own responsibility when publishing listings.

This applies both to:

- searching for witnesses, and

- offering witness information or observations.

Listings must comply with the laws of the Federal Republic of Germany.

2.2 Lawfulness of content

The following are prohibited in particular:

- false or deliberately misleading information,

- unsupported suspicions or accusations,

- insulting, defamatory or criminal content,

- publishing personal data without a legal basis or consent.

Users must carefully check their listings before publication.

3. Legal compliance and truthfulness

3.1 Compliance with the law

All published content is subject to applicable legal requirements, particularly:

- truthfulness requirements,

- protection of personality rights,

- criminal law, for example concerning false accusations, defamatory allegations or deliberate defamation,

- data protection rules, including the GDPR.

3.2 Users’ responsibility

suchen.expert does not review listing content in advance.

Users bear legal responsibility for their own content and wording. This does not exclude any additional statutory responsibility of the platform.

4. Safety and responsible use

4.1 Protecting personal data

Users should not publish sensitive personal information, particularly:

- private addresses,

- telephone numbers,

- identity document details,

- data relating to uninvolved third parties.

Contact should preferably take place through the platform’s internal communication features.

4.2 Community and prevention of misuse

suchen.expert should be a safe space for factual information.

The platform must not be used for:

- publicly shaming people,

- prejudging guilt,

- private investigations beyond lawful limits.

5. Support and guidance

suchen.expert provides supplementary information, guides and help texts to assist users in using the platform lawfully.

These do not replace individual legal advice.

Legal consequences and liability risks

6. Liability

6.1 Liability of suchen.expert

For user content, relevant matters include:

- accuracy,

- completeness,

- legal admissibility.

Whether and to what extent the platform is liable depends on the applicable law. The hosting exemption in Article 6 DSA applies only under the conditions specified there. These include rules on knowledge of illegal content and prompt action to remove it or disable access. No blanket exclusion of liability is declared here.

6.2 Users’ liability

Users publishing unlawful content may face:

- civil claims, such as damages or injunctions,

- criminal liability, for example for false accusations or deliberate defamation.

7. Truthfulness in witness information

7.1 False information and court testimony

Under the relevant statutory conditions, deliberately false publications may constitute false accusation (§ 164 StGB), defamatory allegations (§ 186 StGB) or deliberate defamation (§ 187 StGB). False unsworn testimony (§ 153 StGB) concerns testimony as a witness or expert before a court or another body authorised to examine witnesses or experts under oath. Perjury (§ 154 StGB) requires a false oath before a competent body. A publication on the platform alone is neither such testimony nor an oath.

Truthfulness protects the people affected and the integrity of the rule of law.

7.2 Cooperation with authorities

For relevant incidents, witnesses should:

- inform the competent law enforcement authorities,

- testify truthfully when questioned, unless statutory rights to refuse testimony or answers apply.

suchen.expert may provide support but does not replace a report to an authority.

Conclusion

suchen.expert provides a technical means for connecting witnesses and exchanging information.

The platform depends on users’ responsibility, factual approach and legal compliance.

Following this guidance helps make the search for witnesses:

- effective,

- safe,

- lawful.