By accessing or using PostScholar ("the Service"), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service ("Terms"). If you do not agree to these Terms, do not use the Service.
These Terms constitute a legally binding agreement between you and PostScholar. Your continued use of the Service following any changes to these Terms constitutes acceptance of those changes.
Description of Service
PostScholar is an online platform for scholarly discussion of published research. The Service allows users to:
Start discussions about academic papers identified by DOI or metadata
Comment on and engage in discussions about published research
Verify authorship via ORCID for specific discussions
Bookmark and follow discussions and users
Explore research discussions across academic disciplines
PostScholar is not a publisher and does not host full-text papers unless linked externally by users. We provide a platform for discussion, not publication.
Eligibility
You must be at least 13 years old to use PostScholar. By using the Service, you represent and warrant that:
You are at least 13 years of age
You have the legal capacity to enter into these Terms
You will comply with these Terms and all applicable laws
You have not been previously banned from the Service
Users under 18 should have parental or guardian consent to use the Service.
User Accounts
Account Creation
To access certain features, you must create an account. You may register using an email address and password, or via third-party OAuth providers (Google, GitHub, ORCID).
Account Security
You are responsible for:
Maintaining the confidentiality of your password
All activities that occur under your account
Notifying us immediately of any unauthorized use
Account Accuracy
You must provide accurate and complete information when creating your account. Misrepresenting your identity, affiliation, or credentials is prohibited.
Account Deletion
You may delete your account at any time via account settings. Upon deletion:
Your personal information will be anonymized
Your discussions and comments will remain visible but attributed to "Deleted User"
This action is irreversible
User Content
Ownership
You retain ownership of all content you post on PostScholar, including discussions, comments, and profile information ("User Content").
License to PostScholar
By posting User Content, you grant PostScholar a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free, sublicensable, and transferable license to use, reproduce, distribute, display, and perform your User Content in connection with operating and improving the Service.
Your Responsibilities
You represent and warrant that:
You own or have the necessary rights to your User Content
Your User Content does not infringe any third-party rights
Your User Content complies with these Terms and applicable laws
Public Nature of Content
All discussions and comments are public and visible to all users and visitors. Do not post content you wish to keep private.
Academic Conduct
Scholarly Discourse
PostScholar is intended for constructive academic discussion. We expect users to:
Keep discussions relevant to the paper at hand
Critique ideas, methods, and findings—not people
Engage in good faith with intellectual humility
Cite sources and acknowledge prior work
Respect disciplinary norms and conventions
ORCID Verification
ORCID verification badges indicate that a user has successfully verified their ORCID iD for a specific discussion. Verification:
Is voluntary and discussion-specific
Does not guarantee the user is a listed author (verification relies on ORCID's data)
Should not be misrepresented as institutional endorsement
Misrepresentation
You must not:
Falsely claim authorship of papers
Impersonate other researchers or institutions
Misrepresent your credentials, affiliations, or expertise
Prohibited Conduct
You must not use the Service to:
Harass or abuse: Target individuals with personal attacks, threats, or hate speech
Spam: Post unsolicited advertising, promotional content, or repetitive messages
Infringe rights: Violate copyright, trademark, privacy, or other rights
Post illegal content: Share content that violates applicable laws
Manipulate the platform: Use bots, scripts, or automation to manipulate votes, comments, or metrics
Disrupt the service: Interfere with the operation or security of the platform
Evade bans: Create new accounts to circumvent suspensions or bans
Moderation
Content Review
We reserve the right to review, monitor, and remove User Content that violates these Terms or our community standards. Users may report comments for moderation review.
Enforcement Actions
We may take the following actions for violations:
Warning: A notice of the violation with guidance
Content Removal: Deletion of violating comments or discussions
Temporary Suspension: Temporary restriction of account access
Permanent Ban: Permanent termination of account access
Appeals
If you believe moderation action was taken in error, you may appeal by contacting hello@postscholar.org within 14 days of the action.
Intellectual Property
PostScholar's Rights
The Service, including its design, features, code, and branding (excluding User Content), is owned by PostScholar and protected by copyright, trademark, and other laws.
Restrictions
You may not:
Copy, modify, or create derivative works of the Service
Reverse engineer or decompile any part of the Service
Use the PostScholar name, logo, or trademarks without permission
Scrape or harvest data from the Service using automated tools (without prior written consent)
DMCA Notices
If you believe content on PostScholar infringes your copyright, please send a DMCA notice to hello@postscholar.org with:
Description of the copyrighted work
URL of the infringing content
Your contact information
A statement of good faith belief
A statement under penalty of perjury that the information is accurate
Your physical or electronic signature
Disclaimers
No Warranty
The Service is provided "as is" and "as available" without warranties of any kind, either express or implied, including but not limited to warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement.
User Content Disclaimer
User Content reflects the opinions of individual users, not PostScholar. We do not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of User Content.
Third-Party Content
Paper metadata and links to external resources are provided for convenience. We do not guarantee the accuracy of third-party metadata (from CrossRef, DataCite, etc.) or control the content of external websites.
No Professional Advice
The Service is not a substitute for professional advice. Discussions on PostScholar should not be relied upon as legal, medical, financial, or other professional guidance.
Limitation of Liability
To the maximum extent permitted by law, PostScholar and its affiliates, officers, employees, and agents shall not be liable for:
Indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages
Loss of profits, data, use, or goodwill
Service interruptions or errors
User Content or third-party conduct
In no event shall PostScholar's total liability exceed $100 USD or the amount you paid to use the Service (if any) in the past 12 months.
Some jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion of certain warranties or limitation of liability, so these limitations may not apply to you.
Indemnification
You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless PostScholar and its affiliates, officers, employees, and agents from any claims, liabilities, damages, losses, and expenses (including legal fees) arising from:
Your use of the Service
Your User Content
Your violation of these Terms
Your violation of any third-party rights
Termination
Termination by You
You may stop using the Service and delete your account at any time via account settings.
Termination by Us
We may suspend or terminate your access to the Service at any time, with or without notice, for:
Violation of these Terms
Conduct that harms the Service or other users
Legal or regulatory requirements
Extended inactivity
Effect of Termination
Upon termination:
Your right to access the Service ends immediately
User Content may remain visible but anonymized (per our Privacy Policy)
Provisions regarding User Content licenses, disclaimers, and limitations of liability survive termination
Changes to These Terms
We may update these Terms from time to time. Material changes will be noted on this page with an updated "Last updated" date.
Continued use of the Service after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms. If you do not agree to the changes, you must stop using the Service.
For significant changes that materially affect your rights, we will provide additional notice via email or a prominent platform notification.
Governing Law and Dispute Resolution
Governing Law
These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of California, United States, without regard to conflict of law principles.
Dispute Resolution
Any disputes arising from these Terms or your use of the Service will be resolved through binding arbitration in accordance with the American Arbitration Association's rules, except that:
You may bring claims in small claims court if they qualify
Either party may seek injunctive relief in court for intellectual property infringement
Class Action Waiver
You agree to resolve disputes individually, not as part of a class action or representative proceeding.
Contact Us
If you have questions, concerns, or feedback regarding these Terms, please contact us: