1. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing or using VocalWitness, you agree to be legally bound by these Terms. If you disagree, you must not use the platform.

2. Our Mission & Role

VocalWitness operates as an un-manipulated distribution medium — a public square where citizens can share testimonies and evidence. We are not a publisher, we do not endorse content, and we do not act as a court of law.

3. Trust & Verification Tiers

We use a layered trust model to strengthen the quality of discourse:

• Citizen Talk — Open to all users (basic signup).
• Trust Circle — Unlocked via verification.
• True Witness — Highest tier, earned through consistent participation and advanced verification (including Zero-Knowledge proofs where implemented).

Higher tiers unlock greater responsibilities and capabilities (e.g., group creation, higher visibility).

4. User Responsibilities & Conduct

• ✅ You are solely responsible for all content you post.
• ✅ You must share content you genuinely believe to be true and act in good faith.
• ❌ You must not post illegal, defamatory, harassing, violent, hateful, or sexually exploitative content.
• ❌ You must not manipulate evidence or impersonate others.

5. Content Ownership & License

You retain full ownership of your content. By posting on VocalWitness, you grant us a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free, perpetual license to host, display, distribute, and archive your content on the platform and its mirrors.

6. Groups, Circles & My Network

Users may create or join Groups and personal networks subject to their trust tier. Group creators and moderators are responsible for enforcing community standards within their spaces. VocalWitness reserves the right to intervene in cases of serious violations.

7. Donations & Sponsorship

VocalWitness is sustained entirely through voluntary community donations, transparent support funds, and direct non-custodial cryptographic contributions. Donations are non-refundable and do not grant special governance privileges or ownership over the platform.

8. Limitation of Liability

The platform is provided on an "as-is" and "as-available" basis without warranties of any kind. VocalWitness, its developers, and its stewards shall not be held liable for any indirect, incidental, or consequential damages arising from the use or inability to use the platform.

9. Changes to Terms

We may modify these Terms from time to time to reflect changes in our infrastructure or legal obligations. Continued use of the platform after updates constitutes your acceptance of the revised terms.