SCARY LEGAL REQUIREMENTS AND OTHER THINGS YOU AGREE TO DO AND NOT TO DO
There is a bit of a give and take here. We provide the Meaning Project without charge to you, but you have to agree to a few things to use it. By using the Meaning Project, you have to agree to everything below.
First, when we say “we,” “us,” and “our,” we are referring to the Meaning Project only. We are not referring to users of the Meaning Project or anybody else other than the Meaning Project.
When we say “you” (which includes “your”), that means you, the person who is reading this right now. If you are reading in this in a representative capacity (for example, you are the lawyer or other designated representative for a person, persons, or entity and are reading this as such a representative), “you” will include both you the reader and the person or entity you represent.
When we say “the Meaning Project,” that means everything we make available at www.themeaningproject.com, and everything included in the site or its operation.
“User” means anyone who registers to use the Meaning Project.
“Personal Information” means anything we collect about you personally, which is your name, email address, and age.
Content means anything you upload to the Meaning Project that would not be included in the definition of “Personal Information.” For example, if you upload a poem you wrote about your pet turtle, that would be Content, not Personal Information. Even if your poem includes your social security number and intimate details of your medical records, that is still Content because we didn’t ask you for any of that stuff and we don’t want it.
The Meaning Project Protects Your Privacy
We do a lot to protect your privacy. We do not sell your personal information to advertisers or anybody else. We can of course monitor any activity you do on the Meaning Project site to make sure you are not breaking the law using our website. Otherwise, we do not turn over any information other than as required by law.When you use the Meaning Project, even when you make your Content public, you can remain anonymous to anyone who sees your Content by using a pseudonym. We are okay with that, especially if that is the only way we can get you to make Content publicly available.
Use common sense. You agree not to upload to the Meaning Project any Content that includes sensitive personal, financial, medical, or other information about yourself that you would not want to be made public.
Although you can select what Content you want to make publicly available, and we will do our best to protect all information provided to us that has not been made publicly available, you should understand that no computer security system is perfect, as evidenced by government computers and corporate websites all too often being illegally accessed by outsiders.
Property Rights Involving Anything You Upload or otherwise actively place into the Meaning Project
What started as yours remains yours, and you have control over whether you want to make your Content publicly available. Here’s the deal:
Content that you upload to or otherwise share with The Meaning Project, including but not limited to your photographs, music, written works such as poetry, stories, and other written material, cartoons, and videos (“Content”) may allow you certain intellectual property rights under treaties, international law, or national laws. For example, in the hypothetical situation above in which you wrote a poem about your turtle, uploading that poem to the Meaning Project does not make it ours. It is still yours. We will not steal your turtle poem.
When you provide your Content to The Meaning Project, you are letting us use that Content. Accordingly, you expressly grant the Meaning Project the following permission, subject only to your _______________ settings: a license to use your Content, for which you specifically disclaim any royalties (“IP License”). That is, you agree that we can use your Content without paying you.
The IP License is a worldwide license, but it is not exclusive. That is, you can license your Content to others to use as well and we will never claim exclusive rights to your Content. The IP License is, however, freely transferable and sub-licensable by us without the need for permission from you.
This IP Rights License terminates when all your Content has been deleted from The Meaning Project. If you have not made your Content publicly available, the IP License will terminate when you delete the Content. If you have made your Content publicly available, the IP License will not terminate until all such Content has been removed from the Meaning Project.
When you delete Content that has not been made publicly available, it will be permanently deleted from the Meaning Project within a reasonable period of time.
When you go “Into the River,” that is, make your Content publicly available on the Meaning Project, your Content will indeed be publicly available, accessible by everyone, and therefore beyond the control of the Meaning Project with respect to what others may do with it.
Illegal and Unauthorized Activity
1. You promise not to use the Meaning Project in a manner that breaks any laws of the United States of America.2. You promise not to upload or otherwise place commercial communications on the Meaning Project without our express written permission. Any advertisement or communication, regardless of how characterized, through which funds may potentially be solicited, is a commercial communication. You agree that we may interpret “commercial communication” very broadly and may, at our discretion, immediately remove any such communications from the Meaning Project site without notification to you.
3. You promise not to use The Meaning Project to engage in any false, misleading, or deceptive advertising or marketing, or any other commercial purpose that is deceiving or likely to deceive. You agree that we have absolute discretion to remove any such communication or Content from the Meaning Project site without notification to you.
4. You promise not to engage in any data mining or harvesting of personal information by any means, not to upload any viruses or other harmful software, and not to engage in any action that can harm the Meaning Project site. We reserve the right to take any and all actions permissible by law in response, without notification to you, including notifying applicable authorities.
5. You promise not to use the Meaning Project in manner that harms or is intended to harm another user, including but not limited to harassment, abuse, and attempting to wrongfully access another user’s account. We reserve the right to take any and all actions permissible by law in response, without notification to you, including notifying applicable authorities.
Protection of Children
Children under the age of 13 are forbidden from using The Meaning Project. Convicted sex offenders are forbidden from using the Meaning Project. Uploading Content that contains that which is pornographic, as well as providing links, web addresses, or other means of access to such material is forbidden.Third Party Property and Privacy Rights
We respect other people’s rights, and expect you to do the same.1. Do not upload Content or otherwise use The Meaning Project in a manner that infringes upon intellectual or other property rights of others. If we have reason to believe you have violated any such rights, we will remove the Content, but provide you with an opportunity to rebut allegations of infringement.
2. Repeated infringement of intellectual property rights are grounds for termination of your account.
3. You shall not upload any sensitive information regarding other persons on The Meaning Project such as, but not limited to, financial data, identification documents, and medical records.
Amendments
We can change this Statement as necessary. You will be provided no less than seven days notice if we do so.Termination
We can disable or terminate any account at our discretion.Disputes
You agree to resolve any claims, whether in law, equity, or both, arising from or related to this Notice, or otherwise relating in any manner to your use of The Meaning Project (“claim”) in a state or federal court located in ____________County, _________. The laws of the State of ___________ govern this Notice, as well as any claim that might arise between you and us, without regard to treaties, national laws, or conflict of law provisions. You agree to submit to the personal jurisdiction of the courts located in _____________ County, _________ for the purpose of litigating all such claims.If anyone brings a claim against us related to your actions, content or information on the Meaning Project, you will indemnify and hold us harmless from and against all damages, losses, and expenses of any kind (including reasonable legal fees and costs) related to such claim.
Need a huge disclaimer of warranties here—depends on state law of the state you end up in.
Other
1. This Statement makes up the entire agreement between the parties regarding the Meaning Project, and supersedes any prior agreements.2. If any portion of this Statement is found to be unenforceable, the remaining portion will remain in full force and effect.
3. If we fail to enforce any of this Statement, it will not be considered a waiver.
4. Any amendment to or waiver of this Statement must be made in writing and signed by us. You agree not to allege oral representations by us purporting to amend or waive any part of this Notice, and you furthermore agree not to raise any claims or arguments in any legal action asserting alleged oral representations amending, waiving, or otherwise deviating from this Notice.
5. You will not transfer any of your rights or obligations under this Statement to anyone else without our consent.
6. All of our rights and obligations under this Statement are freely assignable by us in connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, or by operation of law or otherwise.
7. Nothing in this Statement shall prevent us from complying with the law.
8. This Statement does not confer any third party beneficiary rights.