Terms & Conditions

Welcome to SpeakState ("we", "our", "us"). By accessing or using the SpeakState mobile application or website (collectively, the "Platform"), you agree to be bound by these Terms & Conditions. If you do not agree, please do not use the Platform.

1. About the Platform

SpeakState is a civic engagement platform that enables citizens to:

• View profiles and performance data of elected representatives (MLAs and MPs)
• Report and track civic issues in their communities with location tagging
• Post anonymously about governance, infrastructure, and public service concerns
• Rate and review elected officials
• Explore civic issues on an interactive map

SpeakState is not an official government platform. Information is sourced from public records, media reports, and user contributions.

2. Account Registration

To use certain features of the Platform, you must create an account. You agree to:

• Provide accurate and complete registration information
• Keep your login credentials confidential
• Be responsible for all activity under your account
• Notify us immediately if you suspect unauthorized access to your account

3. Acceptable Use

You agree to use the Platform only for lawful purposes and in a way that does not:

• Violate any applicable law or regulation
• Infringe on the rights of others
• Spread hate speech, harassment, threats, or incitement to violence
• Post false, misleading, or defamatory content
• Distribute spam, malware, or harmful content
• Attempt to hack, disrupt, or overload the Platform
• Impersonate any person, organization, or government official

4. User-Generated Content

When you submit posts, reviews, comments, or other content on SpeakState, you are solely responsible for that content. You agree that:

• Your content is truthful to the best of your knowledge
• Your content does not contain defamatory, hateful, obscene, or illegal material
• Your content does not violate the privacy or rights of any individual
• You grant SpeakState a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to display, distribute, and use your content on the Platform

All posts are published with anonymous handles by default to protect user identity. You acknowledge that while we take measures to protect anonymity, absolute anonymity cannot be guaranteed.

5. Content Moderation, Reporting & Blocking

SpeakState provides tools for users to report inappropriate content and block other users.

• Reporting: You can report posts that you believe violate our community guidelines. Our team reviews all reports and may remove content or take action against violating accounts.
• Blocking: You can block other users to prevent seeing their content in your feed. This action is immediate and cannot be reversed from within the app.
• Moderation: We reserve the right to review, edit, or remove any content that violates these Terms, applicable laws, or basic standards of decency, without prior notice.

6. Account Deletion

You may delete your account at any time from the Profile screen in the app. Deleting your account will permanently and irreversibly remove all your data including your profile, posts, reviews, comments, likes, and notification tokens. This action cannot be undone.

7. Location Data

Certain features of SpeakState require access to your device's location. Before requesting location access, we will display a clear disclosure explaining why location data is needed. You can grant or deny location permission at any time through your device settings. For full details, see our Privacy Policy.

8. Information Accuracy & Disclaimer

While we strive to provide accurate and up-to-date information about elected representatives, civic issues, and public governance, we do not guarantee the completeness, accuracy, or reliability of any information on the Platform.

Data may be based on public sources, media reports, or user submissions. You should independently verify any information before relying on it for important decisions.

9. Push Notifications

With your permission, SpeakState sends push notifications about activity related to your posts (new likes, comments) and important platform updates. You can disable push notifications at any time through your device settings.

10. Intellectual Property

The SpeakState name, logo, design, and all original content created by SpeakState are our intellectual property. User-generated content remains the property of the respective users, subject to the license granted in Section 4.

11. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, SpeakState and its owners shall not be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, consequential, or special damages arising out of or in connection with:

• Your use of or inability to use the Platform
• Reliance on any information provided on the Platform
• User-generated content or third-party content
• Actions of other users, including content they post or their use of moderation tools
• Any third-party websites or services linked from the Platform

12. Account Termination

We may suspend or permanently terminate your access to the Platform if we believe you have:

• Violated these Terms & Conditions
• Engaged in illegal or harmful behavior
• Repeatedly posted content that violates community guidelines
• Attempted to attack, hack, or disrupt the Platform

13. Third-Party Links

The Platform may contain links to third-party websites such as news portals, government pages, or other resources. We do not endorse, control, or take responsibility for the content or practices of those websites.

14. Changes to These Terms

We may update these Terms & Conditions from time to time. When we do, we will post the updated version on this page with a revised "Last updated" date. Continued use of the Platform after changes constitutes acceptance of the revised terms.

15. Governing Law

These Terms & Conditions are governed by the laws of India. Any disputes shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts in New Delhi, India.

16. Contact

If you have any questions regarding these Terms & Conditions, please contact us at:

📧 contact@speakstate.com