1. Definitions

• “Reporter” means any registered User who creates and submits news, reports, photos, or videos on the Platform.
• “Content” means any text, news report, photo, video, headline, caption, comment, or other material submitted, uploaded, or posted by a User.
• “AI Refinement” means the automated processing/editing of Content by the Platform's AI systems prior to publication.
• “Sponsored Post” means promotional or paid content posted by a Reporter or third party for monetary consideration.

2. Eligibility & Registration

2.1 You must be at least 18 years old to register as a Reporter on BYOJ. Users below 18 may use the Platform only under the supervision and with the consent of a parent/legal guardian, who shall assume full responsibility for the minor's activity.

2.2 You must provide accurate, current, and complete information at the time of registration, including valid identification details where requested. Impersonation, use of fake identities, or providing false credentials to register as a “Reporter” is strictly prohibited and may attract legal action under applicable Indian law.

2.3 BYOJ reserves the right to verify, suspend, or reject any registration at its sole discretion, without being required to give reasons.

3. User Responsibility for Content (Core Clause)

3.1 Sole Responsibility: Every User is solely and entirely responsible for the Content they create, post, upload, or publish on BYOJ, including all news reports, text, photographs, and videos.

3.2 BYOJ acts only as an intermediary platform under the Information Technology Act, 2000, and does not author, verify, or endorse User-generated Content unless explicitly stated. AI Refinement is a formatting/editorial assistance tool and does not transfer authorship, ownership, or legal responsibility to BYOJ.

3.3 By posting Content, you represent and warrant that:

• a. The Content is true, accurate, and not misleading to the best of your knowledge;
• b. You personally witnessed, verified, or have a credible factual basis for reporting the incident;
• c. The Content does not infringe any third party's copyright, trademark, privacy, or other rights;
• d. You have obtained necessary consent from identifiable individuals appearing in photos/videos, especially in sensitive situations (accidents, crime scenes, minors, victims of crime, etc.);
• e. The Content complies with all applicable Indian laws.

4. Strict Prohibition on Fake/False Content

4.1 Users are strictly prohibited from posting:

• Fake, fabricated, morphed, or digitally manipulated news, images, or videos;
• Misinformation or disinformation, including content likely to incite public panic, violence, or unrest;
• Content that is defamatory, obscene, communally sensitive, or that promotes hatred against any group, religion, caste, or community;
• Content violating the dignity, privacy, or safety of any individual, including minors;
• Any content that violates the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, the Information Technology Act, 2000, the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, or any other applicable law.

4.2 BYOJ employs AI-based content checks; however, the final responsibility for accuracy and authenticity rests entirely with the Reporter who submitted the Content.

5. Consequences of Violation — Liability Rests with the User

5.1 If any Content posted by a User is found to be fake, defamatory, unlawful, or in violation of these Terms:

• The User alone shall bear full legal, civil, and criminal responsibility and consequences arising from such Content.
• BYOJ shall not be liable for any loss, damage, claim, fine, or legal proceeding arising from such Content.
• BYOJ reserves the right to immediately remove the Content, suspend, or permanently terminate the User's account without prior notice.
• BYOJ may report the matter and share relevant account/registration information with law enforcement or judicial authorities, as required under Indian law (including under Section 79 and related provisions of the IT Act, 2000, and the IT Rules, 2021).

5.2 Indemnification: Each User agrees to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless BYOJ, its founders, employees, and affiliates from and against any claims, liabilities, damages, losses, costs, or legal expenses (including advocate fees) arising out of or related to:

• a. Content posted by the User;
• b. Breach of these Terms by the User;
• c. Violation of any law or third-party right by the User.

6. AI Refinement of Content

6.1 All submitted news reports may be processed through BYOJ's AI system for grammar correction, formatting, headline generation, and basic factual flagging before being published live.

6.2 AI Refinement does not guarantee complete factual accuracy. BYOJ does not warrant that AI-refined Content is free from errors, and Users remain responsible for reviewing their submission before it goes live, where such review option is provided.

6.3 BYOJ reserves the right to reject, edit, delay, or take down any Content flagged by the AI system or human moderators as potentially false, unlawful, or violative of these Terms.

7. Photos, Videos & Incident Reporting

7.1 Users uploading photos/videos of real-world incidents (accidents, crimes, protests, disasters, etc.) must ensure:

• The content does not violate the privacy or dignity of victims, especially minors or persons in distress;
• No content depicting graphic violence, death, or sensitive material is uploaded without appropriate warnings/blurring, where required;
• Identifiable faces of minors involved in crimes (victims or accused) are not published, in line with the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015.

7.2 BYOJ reserves the right to blur, edit, or reject such visual content at its sole discretion.

8. Follow/Unfollow & Social Features

8.1 Users may follow or unfollow Reporters of their choice. Follower counts and engagement metrics are used to calculate visibility and monetization eligibility.

8.2 Misuse of follow/unfollow features (e.g., bot accounts, fake engagement, follower fraud) is prohibited and may lead to suspension of monetization privileges or account termination.

9. Monetization & Earnings Eligibility

9.1 A Reporter becomes eligible for monetization upon achieving the qualifying threshold set by BYOJ (currently 1,000,000 (one million) cumulative views and 1,000 hours of cumulative read/watch time, subject to revision by BYOJ at its sole discretion).

9.2 Earnings shall be generated through:

• Advertising revenue share, as determined by BYOJ's internal policy;
• Sponsored Posts, subject to mandatory disclosure (see Clause 10).

9.3 BYOJ reserves the right to modify, suspend, or withhold monetization eligibility/payouts if:

• The Content is found to be fake, plagiarized, or in violation of these Terms;
• Fraudulent engagement (bots, click-farms, paid views) is detected;
• The Reporter's account is under investigation for any violation.

9.4 All payouts are subject to applicable TDS (Tax Deducted at Source) and other tax obligations under the Income Tax Act, 1961. Users are responsible for their own tax filings and compliance.

9.5 BYOJ is not obligated to pay out earnings derived from Content later found to be fake, infringing, or unlawful, and reserves the right to claw back/reverse such payments.

10. Sponsored Posts & Advertising

10.1 Reporters who wish to publish Sponsored Posts must clearly and prominently label them as “Sponsored” or “Advertisement”, in compliance with the Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules and ASCI (Advertising Standards Council of India) guidelines on advertisement disclosure.

10.2 Users are solely responsible for ensuring that sponsored content does not contain false claims, misleading information, or violate any advertising law.

10.3 BYOJ may reject, remove, or demonetize any Sponsored Post that violates applicable advertising laws or platform policy.

11. Intellectual Property

11.1 Users retain ownership of original Content they create but grant BYOJ a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free, sub-licensable license to host, display, distribute, modify (via AI Refinement), and promote such Content on the Platform and for platform-related promotional purposes.

11.2 Users must not upload copyrighted material (images, videos, music, text) belonging to third parties without proper authorization. BYOJ follows a takedown policy in compliance with the Copyright Act, 1957, and will act on valid takedown notices.

12. Content Moderation & Removal

12.1 BYOJ reserves the right, but is not obligated, to monitor, review, edit, or remove any Content at its sole discretion, with or without notice, including content reported by other users or flagged by AI/moderators.

12.2 Repeated violations may result in temporary suspension or permanent termination of the User's account, forfeiture of pending earnings, and reporting to relevant authorities where legally warranted.

13. Disclaimer & Limitation of Liability

13.1 BYOJ is a technology platform/intermediary and does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any User-generated news Content.

13.2 To the maximum extent permitted under Indian law, BYOJ shall not be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, or consequential damages arising from:

• Reliance on Content posted by Users;
• Any defamatory, false, or unlawful Content posted by a User;
• Service interruptions, technical errors, or data loss.

13.3 Nothing in these Terms limits BYOJ's obligations or liability that cannot be excluded under Indian law.

14. Compliance with Indian Law

14.1 BYOJ operates as an intermediary in accordance with:

• The Information Technology Act, 2000 and the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021;
• The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (replacing the IPC) for matters relating to defamation, public mischief, and incitement;
• The Copyright Act, 1957;
• The Consumer Protection Act, 2019 and rules thereunder, for advertising and sponsored content;
• The Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, for handling of personal data.

14.2 BYOJ shall appoint a Grievance Officer as mandated under the IT Rules, 2021, whose details shall be published on the Platform. Users may report grievances regarding Content, takedown requests, or violations to the Grievance Officer, who shall acknowledge complaints within 24 hours and resolve them within the statutory timeline (currently 15 days, or 36 hours for content removal requests involving sensitive categories).

14.3 BYOJ shall remove or disable access to unlawful Content within the timelines prescribed under law upon receiving actual knowledge (via court order or government notification) or a valid complaint.

15. Grievance Redressal

In accordance with the IT Rules, 2021 and the DPDP Act, 2023:

Grievance Officer Name: Arib Umar
Email: aribumar2328@gmail.com
Address: New Delhi, India

Users may also report content directly through the in-app “Report” feature.

16. Privacy

16.1 BYOJ collects and processes personal data (registration details, location, content metadata) in accordance with its Privacy Policy, which forms part of these Terms, and in compliance with the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023.

17. Account Suspension & Termination

17.1 BYOJ may suspend or terminate any account, with or without notice, for:

• Posting fake/false/unlawful Content;
• Violation of these Terms;
• Court order or government direction;
• Fraudulent monetization activity.

17.2 Upon termination, the User forfeits any pending unpaid earnings linked to violative Content, without prejudice to BYOJ's right to pursue further legal remedies.

18. Changes to These Terms

BYOJ reserves the right to modify these Terms at any time. Continued use of the Platform after such changes constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms. Users will be notified of material changes via the Platform or registered email.

19. Governing Law & Jurisdiction

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of India. Any disputes arising out of or in connection with these Terms or use of the Platform shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts at New Delhi, India.

20. Contact Us

For any questions regarding these Terms, please contact:
Email: byoj.media@gmail.com
Address: New Delhi, India