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Research Bin
Draft for the beta. This text has not yet been reviewed by a lawyer. Details in [square brackets] are still to be completed by the service operator.

Research Bin Terms of Service

Last updated: [date] · Effective: [date]

1. Who we are and what these terms cover

Research Bin ("Research Bin", "we", "us") is operated by [legal entity name], [entity type], registered at [address]. These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your use of the Research Bin website at researchbin.com and the application at app.researchbin.com (together, the "Service"). By creating an account or using the Service you agree to these Terms. If you use the Service on behalf of a university or other organization, you confirm you are authorized to accept these Terms for it.

2. The beta

The Service is currently offered as a free beta. During the beta:

  • Features may change, break or be removed without notice.
  • We do not promise any level of availability, and data loss, while we work to prevent it, is possible. Keep your own copies of important material.
  • We may limit storage, AI usage, number of projects, or the number of beta participants, and may end the beta at any time.
  • We may ask for your feedback. If you give feedback, we may use it to improve the Service without obligation to you.

If we introduce paid plans, we will notify you by email at least [60] days before any charge applies to your account. You will never be charged without actively choosing a paid plan.

3. Eligibility and accounts

You must be at least 18 years old. You may not use the Service if you are located in, or are a resident of, a country or region subject to comprehensive sanctions applicable to us, or if you are on a sanctions list. You are responsible for keeping your login credentials secure, for activity under your account, and for providing accurate account information. Tell us promptly at [security email] if you believe your account has been compromised.

4. Your research content

"Research Content" means files, text, codes, memos, and other material you upload or create in the Service.

  • You own it. You keep all rights you have in your Research Content. We claim no ownership.
  • Licence to operate the Service. You grant us a limited, non-exclusive, worldwide licence to host, store, copy, process, and display your Research Content only as needed to provide, secure, and support the Service for you, and as you direct (for example, when you enable AI features or share a project).
  • No training. We do not use your Research Content to train AI models, and we do not sell it.
  • Your responsibilities. You confirm that you have the rights, consents, and approvals needed to upload and process your Research Content, including any approvals from an ethics board, institutional review board, data owner, or research participants. You are responsible for deciding whether particular material is appropriate to store in the Service.

5. Confidential and human-subject data during the beta

During the beta, you agree not to upload identifiable personal information about research participants, or any data your institution, funder, or ethics approval prohibits from being stored with a third-party service. Use synthetic data or appropriately de-identified material. Each project records a data classification you choose; you are responsible for choosing it accurately. We will announce when, and under what conditions, confidential data may be uploaded.

The Service is not designed for, and we do not represent it as compliant with, HIPAA, FERPA or any specific institutional certification, unless we state otherwise in writing.

6. AI features

AI features are off by default for each project. If you turn them on, selected excerpts, codes, and memos from that project are sent to the third-party AI provider named in the consent screen and in our Privacy Policy. AI-generated questions may be inaccurate, incomplete, or biased. They are prompts for your own reflection, not findings, and you remain responsible for all interpretations, analyses and conclusions in your research.

7. Acceptable use

You agree not to:

  • Upload content you have no right to use, or that infringes others' rights.
  • Upload malware, or attempt to probe, scan, or test the vulnerability of the Service without our written permission. (Good-faith security reports are welcome at [security email].)
  • Access other users' data, or attempt to bypass access controls or usage limits.
  • Use the Service to harass, surveil, or identify research participants against their consent.
  • Resell or provide the Service to others without our permission.
  • Use automated means to access the Service except through interfaces we provide.

8. Export, deletion and ending your account

You can export your Research Content at any time using the export features. You can delete projects or your account in Settings. Deleted items are removed from active systems after a grace period of [30] days for items and [14] days for accounts, and from backups as those backups expire, as described in our Privacy Policy. We may suspend or end your access if you materially breach these Terms, or if required by law; where reasonable we will notify you first and give you at least [30] days to export your content.

9. Intellectual property in the Service

We and our licensors own the Service, including its software, design and branding. These Terms do not give you any rights in them other than the right to use the Service as described here.

10. Disclaimers

[Counsel to adapt for consumer-protection laws.] The Service is provided "as is" and "as available" during the beta. To the extent permitted by law, we disclaim implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose and non-infringement. Nothing in the Service is legal, ethical-review or methodological advice.

11. Limitation of liability

[Counsel to set the cap and carve-outs.] To the extent permitted by law, neither party is liable for indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, or lost profits or data, and our total liability arising from the Service is limited to the greater of the amount you paid us in the 12 months before the claim or [US$100]. Some jurisdictions do not allow these limits, so they may not apply to you, and nothing in these Terms limits liability that cannot be limited by law.

12. Indemnity

[Counsel to decide whether to include, given academic users.] You agree to defend and indemnify us against third-party claims arising from Research Content you uploaded without the necessary rights or consents.

13. Changes to these Terms

We may update these Terms. For material changes we will notify you by email or in the app at least [30] days before they take effect. If you keep using the Service after that, the updated Terms apply. If you disagree, you may export your content and close your account.

14. Governing law and disputes

[Counsel to choose: governing law, venue, and whether to include arbitration or a class-action waiver. Note that consumers in the EU/UK usually keep the protection of their local law and courts.] These Terms are governed by the laws of [jurisdiction].

15. Other terms

If a provision is unenforceable, the rest remains in effect. These Terms, the Privacy Policy, and [the Data Processing Agreement, where applicable] are the entire agreement between us about the Service. You may not transfer your rights under these Terms without our consent; we may transfer them in connection with a merger or sale of the Service, with notice to you.

16. Contact

[Legal entity name], [address] · [support email] · [security email]