Social network terms and conditions
This is a T&Cs template for social network websites. It should be used to indicate a website's rules and policies, and the rights and obligations of those who use the website.
T&Cs based on the template provide a limited licence to social network users, who are permitted only to view, download to a web browser cache and print pages from the social network site. Streaming and access to other website services may also be included in the permitted uses. Uses that may be expressly banned include republishing or selling website information and commercial uses.
The T&Cs contain additional restrictions on use of the social network site, which include prohibitions on uses that harm the website or harm people, that constitute fraud or are otherwise against the law, or that spread malware or that involve systematic data gathering. Other potential prohibitions include using robots and using information from the site for direct marketing.
The T&Cs require users wishing to access social networking functionality to register an account, and to secure their passwords. Users must be above a minimum age and a residency requirement may be included. By using the site, users implicitly agree to the T&Cs and they should be asked to expressly agree to the T&Cs upon registration.
Certain hazards are inherent in social networking. For instance, derogatory messages may be posted by users, including messages that might be actionable. The T&Cs contain an explicit agreement from the user that the user will not take action against the social network in respect of such posts.
Although users provide a licence to the social network and waive various rights with respect to what they post to the site, users remain responsible for their content. This content must observe strict limitations: in sum, user posts must not be contrary to law or deemed otherwise undesirable. The T&Cs provide further details on these restrictions, which prohibit in particular libel, obscenity, violations of intellectual property rights, negligence, hate speech and numerous other illegal and unlawful acts. The social network retains the right to edit or remove user content and to block a user's access to the site.
The social network will benefit from limitations on its liability; users agree that the social network will not be held liable for any damage caused by their violation of the T&Cs or their use of the social network site.
The social network may modify the T&Cs periodically in its discretion. The T&Cs provide the option as to how to notify users of any changes and obtain their agreement to the updated T&Cs. The social network may also transfer its rights under the contract in its discretion.
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Social network terms and conditions contents
- Introduction: document governs website use; consent to website document: implied; consent to website terms and conditions: express; website user minimum age.
- Copyright notice: UCC copyright notice; ownership of rights in website.
- Permission to use website: licence to use website; no downloading; website use: permitted purposes; no modification of website content; limitations on licence to use website; redistributable content; suspension or restriction of access to website.
- Feeds: access to feeds; accessing feeds and acceptance of document; feeds licence; feeds licence condition; revocation of feeds licence.
- Other social media platforms: website includes other social media features; functions of social media features; social media platform terms and conditions; no liability for other social media platforms; collection of information by social media platforms.
- Misuse of website: acceptable use: prohibitions; using contact details prohibited; veracity of information supplied.
- Registration and accounts: account eligibility; account registration process; no other person permitted to use account; notify on misuse of account; use of another's account.
- User login details: provision of login details; user ID rules and impersonation; password to be kept confidential; notify on disclosure of password; responsibility for password loss.
- Cancellation and suspension of account: rights of operator over free website account; cancellation policy for unused accounts; cancellation of free website account by user.
- Social networking: social networking features; no responsibility for user behaviour; no liability for defamatory posts.
- Personal profiles: profile information accurate etc; profiles to be kept up to date; personal profile as user content.
- Our rights to use your content: definition of user content; licence of user content; sub-licensing of user content; right to bring proceedings in respect of user content; waiver of moral rights in user content; user may edit own content; delete etc user content on breach.
- Rules about your content: user content warranty; no unlawful user content; user content rules; civility and user content; hyperlinking and user content; previous complaints and user content.
- Report abuse: request to report abuse; how to report abuse.
- Limited warranties: no warranties for information; right to discontinue website publication; no implied warranties or representations relating to website.
- Limitations and exclusions of liability: caveats to limits of liability; interpretation of limits of liability; no liability for free information or services; no liability for force majeure; no liability for business losses; no liability for loss of data or software; no liability for consequential loss; no personal liability.
- Indemnity: indemnity from website users.
- Breaches of these terms and conditions: consequences of breach; non circumvention of measures upon breach.
- Third party websites: third party websites: hyperlinks not recommendations; third party websites: no control or liability.
- Trade marks: trade mark ownership; third party trade marks on website.
- Competitions: competitions on website; competition terms and conditions.
- Variation: document may be revised; variation of website document: unregistered users; variation of website document: registered users.
- Assignment: assignment by first party; assignment by second party.
- Severability: severability of whole; severability of parts.
- Third party rights: third party rights: benefit; third party rights: exercise of rights.
- Entire agreement: entire agreement - use of website.
- Law and jurisdiction: governing law; jurisdiction.
- Statutory and regulatory disclosures: ecommerce regulations: trade register; ecommerce regulations: authorisation scheme; ecommerce regulations: professionals; ecommerce regulations: code of conduct; value added tax number.
- Our details: website operator name; company registration details; place of business; contact information.
Which licence should I choose?
| Version | 1.2 |
|---|---|
| First published | 1 Sep 2016 |
| Last updated | 1 Apr 2021 |
| Law | English law and EU law |
| Language | English (UK) |
| †Word count | 7,440 |
| †Template pages | 11 |