API Appeal stuck in escalation for 2.5 months - Deeply regretful of the misunderstanding

Hello OpenAI Team and Community,

I’m reaching out here with the hope that a staff member might be able to help me look into an API appeal that has been pending for over two and a half months.

Back in December, my account was deactivated by the safety filters. Looking back, I can completely understand why the system flagged my requests, and I want to express my deepest apologies for the alarm it must have caused. I was asking for coding assistance for a chatbot project that included some mature string handling, which triggered a severe safety flag.

It was a genuine misunderstanding on my part regarding how the API should be used and what kind of code context is acceptable. I deeply regret the situation and want to assure the team that I have completely removed all of those elements from my project. Moving forward, I am absolutely committed to strictly adhering to the safety guidelines.

I submitted my appeal explaining the context, but the process seems to have stalled:

  • Dec. 29, 2025: Submitted my detailed appeal via email.
  • Jan. 4, 2026: Received the automated confirmation.
  • Jan. 12, 2026: Received an update from support stating: “We’ll need assistance from a colleague to move this forward.”
  • March 16, 2026: No further updates since.

I know these escalated reviews take a lot of time and care, but I was really hoping someone could take a look at my account. I’ve learned my lesson and would love nothing more than to just get back to building safely.

Account Details:

  • User ID: redacted

Thank you so much for your time, patience, and understanding.

Best regards,

Tom