Terms of Service

1. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing or using the Fides Standard Foundation's website, API, or Global Source Index (collectively, the "Services"), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service ("Terms"). If you do not agree to these Terms, do not use our Services.

If you are accessing the Services on behalf of an organization, you represent and warrant that you have the authority to bind that organization to these Terms.

2. Nature of the Standard

The Fides Standard is a decentralized framework for information verification. By using our Services, you acknowledge that:

• Informational Purposes Only: Trust Scores and Verification Badges (e.g., "AAA", "Verified") are algorithmic opinions based on data provenance. They do not constitute endorsements, guarantees of truth, or financial/investment advice.
• Immutable Metadata:The Fides Registry uses one-way cryptographic hashing (SHA-256). By minting an asset, you acknowledge that thehash of the content and its associated timestamp are permanent. You waive the right to demand the deletion of these non-PII cryptographic markers.

3. Acceptable Use & API Limits

You agree to use the Services only for lawful purposes. Specifically, you agree NOT to:

• Use the API to scrape the Global Source Index for the purpose of creating a competing commercial database.
• Attempt to manipulate Trust Scores through Sybil attacks, bot networks, or artificial traffic generation.
• Attempt to exploit security vulnerabilities within the consensus node infrastructure, while acknowledging that all core mathematical formulas and weighting logic are public and auditable.

API Rate Limits:Unauthenticated requests are limited to 100 calls per hour. We reserve the right to revoke API keys for excessive usage without notice.

4. Intellectual Property & Attribution

The Fides Standard name, logo, and the "Verified by Fides" badge are trademarks of the Foundation.

• License to Use:You are granted a limited, non-exclusive license to display Fides Trust Scores and Badges on your own content, provided you include a backlink to the Fides Registry.
• Data Rights:The Global Source Index metadata is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license.

5. Disclaimer of Warranties

THE SERVICES ARE PROVIDED "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE" WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT. WE DO NOT WARRANT THAT THE TRUST SCORES ARE ACCURATE, COMPLETE, OR ERROR-FREE.

6. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, the Fides Standard Foundation shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, including loss of profits or data, arising out of or in connection with your use of the Services.

7. Governing Law

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of Singapore, without regard to its conflict of law principles. Any legal action or proceeding arising under these Terms will be brought exclusively in the courts located in Singapore.

8. Modifications

We reserve the right to modify these Terms at any time. We will provide notice of significant changes by updating the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page or by posting a notice on the Registry standard log.

9. Contact Information

For legal inquiries regarding these Terms, please contact:

Legal Department
Email: legal@fidesstandard.com