Terms of Service

Effective Date: April 8, 2026 Version: 2026.02

These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your use of Gather Media, operated by Open Civic Systems ("OCS"), a California 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. By creating an account, uploading media, or otherwise using Gather Media, you agree to these Terms.

1. About Gather Media

Gather Media is a platform for communities to collect, organize, and display contributed media — photos, videos, and documents. Content is organized into collections, each managed by a collection team (administrators and curators). OCS builds and operates the platform infrastructure. OCS is a custodian of the platform and its data, not the owner of collection content.

2. Who Uses Gather Media

  • Collection teams (administrators and curators) create and manage collections. They decide what content is published, who has access, and how the collection is organized.
  • Members are authenticated users who contribute media, add comments, and participate in collections they belong to.
  • Anonymous contributors upload media through a share link without creating an account.
  • Visitors browse public collections without an account.

3. Eligibility

You must be at least 16 years old to create an account or upload media to Gather Media. By using the platform, you confirm that you meet this age requirement.

4. Accounts

4.1 Account Creation

You may sign in using Google OAuth or an email and password. You are responsible for maintaining the security of your account credentials.

4.2 Account Deletion

You may request deletion of your account at any time. Account deletion removes your personal information (name, email, profile). Your user ID is retained in anonymized form for referential integrity of collection records. Media you uploaded remains part of the collection under the license granted at upload (see Section 5). Comments are attributed to "deleted user."

5. Content Ownership and Licensing

5.1 Your Content and Copyright

If you are an authenticated user, you retain any copyright you hold in the media you upload. Uploading does not transfer ownership. You represent that you have the right to upload and share any content you submit. If you do not own the copyright, you are responsible for ensuring you have the necessary rights or permissions. Copyright disputes are handled through our DMCA Policy, and we will respond to valid claims in accordance with applicable law.

5.2 License You Grant

By uploading media to Gather Media, you grant the collection and OCS a perpetual, irrevocable, royalty-free, worldwide license to use, display, store, reproduce, and create derivative versions of your uploaded media as part of the platform and collection. This license survives account deletion.

For anonymous contributors: because there is no account or contact information associated with your upload, this license cannot be revoked. By uploading through a share link, you acknowledge this.

5.3 What "Derivative Versions" Means

Our current image processing pipeline converts uploaded images to WebP format at full size, then generates web-optimized, small, and thumbnail versions. The original file is not retained in its original format. For video uploads, a poster image is generated. This processing pipeline may evolve over time.

5.4 Metadata Processing

Photos and videos often contain hidden metadata (EXIF data) — information about where, when, and how a file was created. Gather Media automatically removes identifying metadata and re-encodes uploaded files. All derivative files contain no embedded metadata.

When a collection's metadata policy permits, specific information is extracted and stored separately in the database:

  • GPS coordinates (for map features)
  • Capture date and time (for timeline features)
  • Compass direction (for point-of-view visualization)
  • Device make and model (used for direction correction calculations)

All other metadata — camera serial numbers, software versions, device identifiers — is permanently deleted during processing. Contributors are informed of what metadata the collection requests before uploading.

5.5 Original Filename

The original filename of your upload (for example, IMG_1234.heic or flower.jpg) is stored in the database and used as a fallback display title when no title has been assigned by you or the collection team. This means the original filename may appear publicly on collection pages, in the gallery, on the asset detail page, and in the asset's expandable details block.

The original filename is shown as text only — it does not match the actual stored file URL. Files are re-encoded and renamed with random identifiers (for example, the served file is something like uuid.webp, regardless of what your upload was called). Curators and contributors with edit permission can replace the displayed title at any time.

5.6 Collection Team Content

Collection teams collectively own the curated arrangement of their collection — the organization, tags, entries, and descriptions they create. Collection teams grant OCS a license to host and display this content as part of the platform.

5.7 OCS Does Not Claim Ownership

OCS does not claim ownership of uploaded media or collection content. OCS owns the platform software, branding, and infrastructure.

6. Acceptable Use

6.1 Prohibited Content

The following content is prohibited on Gather Media and will be removed immediately:

  • Child sexual abuse material (CSAM) or any exploitation material
  • Content that is illegal to possess or distribute
  • Malicious files (malware, exploits, or files designed to harm systems)
  • Content uploaded to harass, stalk, or intimidate a specific individual
  • Explicit or adult content (prohibited platform-wide)

6.2 Content Subject to Collection-Level Review

The following content is addressed first by the collection team, with OCS intervening if necessary:

  • Copyrighted material the uploader does not have rights to share
  • Spam or bulk uploads of irrelevant content
  • Content that violates another person's privacy (e.g., intimate images shared without consent)
  • Content that does not meet a collection's stated purpose or standards

6.3 Your Representations

By uploading media, you represent that:

  • You have the right to share the files you upload
  • The media does not violate any law or these Terms
  • You have not deliberately falsified metadata (dates, locations)

Gather Media cannot verify the originality or ownership of uploads, especially anonymous contributions. The DMCA process (see our DMCA Policy) is the remedy for copyright disputes.

7. Moderation and Enforcement

7.1 Collection-First Moderation

Collection teams are responsible for moderating their own content. Anyone can report content through the platform's reporting tools or by contacting OCS directly.

7.2 Escalation

  1. Reports are reviewed by the collection's curators and administrators
  2. Collection teams can approve, hide, or queue content for deletion
  3. If a collection team is unresponsive or uncooperative, OCS may intervene
  4. OCS can hide individual assets, suspend a collection, or shut it down entirely
  5. For CSAM or illegal content, OCS acts immediately without waiting for the collection team

7.3 Account Actions

OCS may suspend or terminate your account if you repeatedly or seriously violate these Terms.

8. OCS Reviewer Access

Operating the platform sometimes requires authorized OCS reviewers to look at collection content, member records, or database information that is not publicly visible. This section explains when that happens and what limits apply.

8.1 When Reviewers Access Non-Public Content

Authorized OCS reviewers may access non-public collection content, member information, or activity records in response to a specific need, including:

  • Support requests from a collection team or member
  • Reports of content or behavior that may violate these Terms or our Code of Conduct
  • Security or abuse investigations (for example, suspected account compromise, malicious uploads, or platform integrity issues)
  • Operational issues (for example, broken records, failed processing jobs, or storage problems)
  • Legal requirements when OCS is compelled to respond

Access is reactive and investigative, not routine. Authorized OCS reviewers do not browse draft or unlisted collections for general interest, do not perform algorithmic scanning of content, and do not proactively monitor private activity.

8.2 Who Has Access

Access is limited to a small number of authorized OCS reviewers — staff or trusted volunteers who have been granted administrative responsibility for the platform. Reviewers are bound by these Terms and our Privacy Policy in their handling of any information they access.

8.3 Notification

When access to a non-public collection is triggered by a support request or report from a third party, OCS will, when reasonable, notify the affected collection administrator that a review took place. Notification may be omitted for security or abuse investigations where notice could compromise the investigation or tip off a bad actor.

8.4 Public Content

Content in public collections is, by design, visible to anyone. This section concerns access to content and records that are not publicly visible.

9. Collection Deletion

When a collection administrator requests deletion of a collection:

  1. The collection is frozen (read-only) for 30 days. The collection team may export their data during this period.
  2. After 30 days, the collection is hidden from all users.
  3. An archive is generated if the collection team has not already exported.
  4. At 90 days, all media files are permanently deleted from storage.

A deletion request may be cancelled during the 30-day freeze period.

10. Token Upload Disclosure

Anonymous contributors access Gather Media through share links provided by collection teams. The share link page displays:

By uploading you grant this collection a perpetual, irrevocable license to use, display, and create derivative versions of your files. Uploaded files are processed: device metadata (EXIF) is removed, and location/date information may be extracted. You represent that you have the right to share these files.

Anonymous contributors must confirm they have read this disclosure and are at least 16 years old before uploading.

11. File Storage and URLs

Media files are stored in cloud storage with unique, unpredictable URLs that cannot be guessed or enumerated. Collection visibility controls determine who can browse the gallery. File access can be revoked through the platform's content management and deletion tools.

12. Service Availability

Gather Media is provided "as is" and "as available." OCS does not guarantee uninterrupted access or permanent data preservation. While we make reasonable efforts to maintain the service, we are a nonprofit with limited resources.

13. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, OCS's total liability to you for any claims arising from your use of Gather Media is limited to $100 USD.

14. No Warranty

OCS disclaims all warranties, express or implied, including warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement.

15. Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of California, without regard to conflict of law provisions.

16. Changes to These Terms

OCS may update these Terms from time to time. Authenticated users will be prompted to review and accept updated Terms on their next login. Continued use of the platform constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms.

17. Contact

For questions about these Terms, contact us at legal@opencivicsystems.org.