Terms of Service

1. Acceptance of terms

By creating an account or using CivicForge, you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service, our Privacy Policy, and any additional guidelines posted on the platform. If you do not agree to these terms, you may not use CivicForge.

2. Account requirements

To use CivicForge, you must:

• Be at least 18 years old -- CivicForge is designed for adult community members
• Provide accurate information -- Your display name, community, and contact information must be truthful. You do not need to use your legal name, but you may not impersonate another person
• Complete phone verification -- To maintain trust and reduce abuse, we require phone number verification during signup. Each phone number may only be associated with one account
• Keep your account secure -- You are responsible for maintaining the security of your account credentials. Notify us immediately if you suspect unauthorized access

3. Acceptable use

CivicForge is a community platform built on trust. You agree not to:

• Spam or solicit -- Post unsolicited commercial content, advertisements, or bulk messages. CivicForge is for genuine community needs and offers, not commercial promotion
• Harass or threaten -- Engage in harassment, bullying, intimidation, hate speech, or threats of violence against any person or group
• Post illegal content -- Share content that violates any applicable law, including but not limited to content that promotes illegal activity, violates intellectual property rights, or constitutes fraud
• Engage in commercial solicitation -- Use the platform to sell products or services, recruit for businesses, or conduct commercial transactions. Genuine offers of help (including skilled help) are welcome; commercial advertising is not
• Manipulate the platform -- Create multiple accounts, manipulate reputation scores, abuse the matching system, or interfere with other users' experience
• Misrepresent yourself -- Claim qualifications, certifications, or affiliations you do not hold, particularly for offers involving professional skills

4. User content

When you post content on CivicForge (including needs, offers, photos, and profile information):

• You own your content -- You retain all ownership rights to content you create and post on CivicForge
• You grant us a license -- By posting content, you grant Wicks LLC a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide license to display, distribute, and reproduce your content solely for the purpose of operating and improving CivicForge. This license ends when you delete your content or account (subject to our data retention policy)
• We can moderate -- We reserve the right to review, edit, or remove content that violates these terms, our community guidelines, or applicable law. We may also use community-based moderation as described in the trust tiers section below
• You are responsible for your content -- You represent that you have the right to post any content you share, and that your content does not infringe on any third party's rights

5. AI features

CivicForge uses artificial intelligence to enhance your experience. You understand and agree that:

• AI is an assistant -- AI features (including matching suggestions and writing assistance) are tools to help you, not replacements for your judgment. AI suggestions may be inaccurate or inappropriate
• You review before posting -- Any AI-assisted content is presented to you for review before being posted or shared. You are responsible for all content posted under your account, whether AI-assisted or not
• No guarantees -- We do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or appropriateness of any AI-generated content or matching suggestions. Matches are suggestions, not endorsements
• AI does not replace professional advice -- AI features are not a substitute for professional, legal, medical, or financial advice. Use your own judgment when responding to needs or offers

6. Trust tiers and community moderation

CivicForge uses a trust tier system to foster safe communities:

• Reputation is earned -- Trust is built through positive interactions, verified identity, and community engagement. Reputation is context-specific and cannot be transferred or traded
• Community moderation -- Experienced, trusted community members may be granted moderation capabilities within their community. Moderators are expected to act in accordance with community guidelines
• Appeals -- If your content is removed or your account is restricted by a community moderator, you may appeal the decision to the CivicForge team
• No gaming -- Attempting to artificially inflate your reputation or trust tier (through fake interactions, multiple accounts, or collusion) is a violation of these terms

7. Termination

You may delete your account at any time through your account settings. We may also suspend or terminate your account if:

• You violate these Terms of Service
• You engage in behavior that harms other users or the community
• We are required to do so by law or to protect the safety of our users
• Your account has been inactive for more than 24 months

Upon termination, your right to use the platform ceases immediately. Data deletion follows the process described in our Privacy Policy.

8. Disclaimers

9. Governing law

These terms are governed by the laws of the State of Delaware, United States, without regard to conflict of law principles. Any disputes arising under these terms shall be resolved in the courts located in the State of Delaware.

10. Changes to these terms

We may update these terms from time to time. When we make material changes, we will notify you via email and/or a prominent notice on the platform at least 30 days before the changes take effect. Your continued use of CivicForge after the effective date constitutes acceptance of the updated terms.

11. Contact us

If you have questions about these terms, contact us at:

legal@civicforge.org

Wicks LLC
Operating CivicForge