Terms of Service for The Story Archive

Last Updated: February 26, 2026

Welcome to The Story Archive. These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your access to and use of the websites, platforms, and initiatives operated by Pounce, Inc. ("we," "us," "our"), including but not limited to The Story Archive and its community-focused projects such as Minnesota Voices (collectively, the "Platform").

By accessing the Platform, submitting content, or otherwise using our services, you agree to be bound by these Terms and our Privacy Policy, which is incorporated herein by reference.

1. General Site Use & Submission License

You retain any copyright you may have in the content you submit, including stories and media ("User Content"). By submitting User Content, you grant us a royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable, non-exclusive, worldwide license to use, copy, host, edit, modify, publish, distribute, syndicate, and archive your submission (in whole or in part).

This license applies to all platforms and initiatives within The Story Archive network, social media, partner websites, community media outlets, syndication partners, educational institutions, and any future media related to the Platform's mission. This explicitly includes the right to republish, feature, or syndicate your story on third-party websites, in community newspapers or free presses, and in other publications or platforms aligned with the Platform's archival and journalistic purposes.

2. Representations and Warranties

You represent and warrant that your User Content reflects your genuine personal experience or perspective. You agree not to submit knowingly false statements of fact or unverified allegations of illegal or unethical conduct against identifiable private individuals. Criticism of public policy, institutions, or public officials is permitted; however, specific factual accusations about identifiable persons must be truthful and reasonably capable of substantiation. You further represent that your submission does not infringe upon the intellectual property, privacy, or other legal rights of any third party and does not constitute commercial speech disguised as a personal story.

3. Content Standards

Submissions may include personal experiences, opinions, and political viewpoints. However, you agree not to submit content that:

Includes knowingly false statements of fact;
Makes specific criminal or professional misconduct allegations against identifiable private individuals without a reasonable factual basis;
Includes private personal information about third parties (such as home addresses, specific workplaces, government identification numbers, case numbers, or family details) without their explicit consent;
Publishes identifying details of minors without the consent of a parent or legal guardian.

We reserve the right to edit, redact, anonymize, or decline publication of submissions to reduce legal or privacy risks while preserving the integrity of the storyteller’s experience.

4. Sensitive Content & User Safety

You acknowledge that the Platform is designed to document a wide range of sensitive personal experiences, which may relate to topics including but not limited to immigration, law enforcement encounters, medical conditions, financial hardship, or personal trauma.

Sharing your story publicly carries inherent risks. While we are committed to protecting your private contact information as detailed in our Privacy Policy, you are solely responsible for the information you choose to include in your public-facing story and "Display Name." Please carefully consider the potential risks of disclosing personally identifiable information. Once published online, your story may be copied, shared, or indexed by third parties beyond our control.

4.1 Location Data

You acknowledge that our submission forms may collect location data based on the hometown or other location information you provide. When you enter a location, our system may associate your submission with general geographic coordinates (latitude and longitude) corresponding to that city, town, or region. This information may be displayed publicly with your story to provide geographic context. The associated coordinates are treated as private data and will not be published directly or used to pinpoint your specific address. By submitting, you consent to this collection and use of location data and should consider any personal risks associated with disclosing your general location.

4.2 Anonymity Options

We are committed to protecting the identity of our contributors. Our submission forms distinguish between private verification information and public attribution.

Private Information: Your legal name, email, and phone number are used for internal verification only. We will never publish this information.
Public Name: The "Display Name" you provide is the attribution that will appear publicly next to your story. You may use your real name, a pseudonym, or "Anonymous."

For clarity, if you enter your legal name into the "Display Name (public)" field, it will be published publicly with your story. You are solely responsible for ensuring your chosen Display Name and story content do not reveal information you wish to keep private.

5. Media and Photography

You certify that you are the sole owner of any uploaded media or have explicit consent from the copyright owner. You grant us the right to crop, resize, or adjust media for editorial or formatting purposes. You are solely responsible for the content of your media.

6. Successors and Assignment

Pounce, Inc. reserves the right to transfer all rights, data, licenses, and obligations under these Terms to a successor entity, such as a registered non-profit organization, provided that such successor upholds materially similar privacy and stewardship protections.

7. Waiver of Moral Rights

To the extent permitted by law, you waive any "moral rights" in your User Content to allow for necessary editorial adjustments, layout changes, anonymization, and cross-platform archiving consistent with the Platform's mission.

8. Editorial Discretion

We may edit, add to, redact, anonymize, or remove content at our sole discretion for length, clarity, style, legal risk mitigation, or alignment with the Platform’s mission. We are under no obligation to publish any submission.

9. Content Removal Policy

You have the right to request the removal or further anonymization of your published story from our platforms. To do so, please contact us through our official contact channels. We will process and honor such requests within a reasonable timeframe. However, you acknowledge that while we will remove the content from websites we directly control, we cannot remove copies that may have been shared, downloaded, archived by third parties, or indexed in search engine caches.

10. Indemnification and Limitation of Liability

You are legally responsible for your User Content. You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Pounce, Inc., its officers, directors, employees, and affiliates from any third-party claims, damages, losses, or legal expenses (including reasonable attorney’s fees) arising out of or related to your submission, including but not limited to claims of defamation, invasion of privacy, misrepresentation, or copyright infringement. To the fullest extent permitted by law, our liability shall be limited to the removal of the content in question upon your request.

11. Disclaimers

No Legal Advice: Content on the Platform, including user submissions, is for informational and archival purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, or medical advice. If you have specific concerns, you should consult a qualified professional.
Educational and Archival Purpose: The Platform is a community archive created for historical, educational, and journalistic purposes. The content reflects the personal experiences of individual contributors and does not represent the official views of the Platform, its administrators, or its affiliates.

12. Governing Law and Jurisdiction

These Terms shall be governed by the laws of the State of Minnesota, without regard to its conflict of law principles. You agree to submit to the personal and exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located within the State of Minnesota for any disputes arising out of these Terms.

13. Contact Information

If you have questions about these Terms, need to request content removal, or wish to contact the administrator for any reason, please reach us through our online contact form:

The Story Archive Contact Form: [ https://www.minnesotavoices.org/contact]

We strive to respond to all inquiries within a reasonable timeframe.

The Story Archive and its initiatives are administered by Pounce, Inc.