Terms and Conditions

Welcome to Candidate Engine ("we," "our," or "us"). By accessing or using our website, platform, and services (collectively, the "Service"), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service ("Terms").

If you do not agree to these Terms, you may not access or use the Service.

1. Account Terms

Eligibility: You must be at least 18 years old to use this Service.

Registration: You agree to provide accurate, current, and complete information during the sign-up process.

Security: You are responsible for maintaining the security of your account and password. Candidate Engine cannot and will not be liable for any loss or damage from your failure to comply with this security obligation.

One Human: Accounts registered by "bots" or other automated methods are not permitted and will be terminated.

2. Acceptable Use & Content Policy (Strict)

We respect freedom of speech, particularly in political discourse. However, to protect the integrity of our platform and the safety of the public, we enforce a strict Zero Tolerance Policy regarding abusive content.

2.1 Prohibited Content

You agree strictly NOT to use the Service to host, post, or transmit content that:

  1. Promotes violence, incites hatred, or advocates for discrimination against individuals or groups based on race, religion, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, or disability (e.g., Neo-Nazi propaganda, white supremacist ideology, or similar extremist content).
  2. Is unlawful, threatening, abusive, harassing, defamatory, libelous, or invasive of another's privacy.
  3. Constitutes "fake news" or knowingly false misinformation intended to deceive the public regarding electoral processes or public health.
  4. Infringes on any patent, trademark, trade secret, copyright, or other proprietary rights of any party.

2.2 Our Right to Moderate

We reserve the right, at our sole and absolute discretion, to determine what constitutes a violation of this policy. We may view, monitor, and remove content or suspend accounts at any time without notice if we believe this Acceptable Use Policy has been violated.

3. Subscription & Payment Terms

3.1 Pricing Structure

Candidate Engine charges per Site, not per user. A "Site" is defined as a single website project hosted on our platform.

Sandbox (Draft) Mode: You may create and edit sites for free. These sites may be password-protected or subject to "No-Index" tags until a plan is purchased.

Live (Paid) Mode: To connect a custom domain or remove platform branding/restrictions, you must purchase a subscription for that specific Site.

3.2 Billing

Cycle: The Service is billed in advance on a monthly or yearly basis.

Refunds: There are no refunds or credits for partial months of service, upgrade/downgrade refunds, or refunds for months unused with an open account.

Taxes: Prices are exclusive of local taxes (GST/VAT) unless otherwise stated. You are responsible for all taxes associated with your subscription based on your billing location.

4. Cancellation & Termination

4.1 Cancellation by You

You are solely responsible for properly cancelling your account. You can cancel your subscription at any time via the billing dashboard.

4.2 Termination by Us

We have the right to suspend or terminate your account and refuse any and all current or future use of the Service for any reason at any time.

For Cause: If you violate the Acceptable Use Policy (Section 2), your account will be terminated immediately. In such cases, you forfeit any pre-paid subscription fees.

Discretionary: We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone for any reason at any time.

5. Electoral Compliance & Legal Liability

5.1 Political Authorisation

You acknowledge that you are solely responsible for complying with all relevant electoral laws in your jurisdiction (e.g., the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 in Australia or the Electoral Act 1993 in New Zealand). This includes, but is not limited to:

  1. Displaying valid "Authorisation Statements" (e.g., "Authorised by J. Doe, 123 High St, Wellington") on your site.
  2. Adhering to laws regarding defamation and political advertising.

5.2 User Responsibility

Candidate Engine is a technology provider, not a publisher. We do not endorse the views, policies, or statements made by users on their sites. You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Candidate Engine from any claims, damages, or legal fees arising from the content you post.

6. Intellectual Property

6.1 Your Content

We claim no intellectual property rights over the material you provide to the Service. Your profile and materials uploaded remain yours.

6.2 Our Platform

The look and feel of the Service is copyright © Candidate Engine. All rights reserved. You may not duplicate, copy, or reuse any portion of the HTML/CSS, Javascript, or visual design elements or concepts without express written permission from us.

7. Limitation of Liability

The Service is provided on an "as is" and "as available" basis. We do not warrant that (i) the service will meet your specific requirements, (ii) the service will be uninterrupted, timely, secure, or error-free.

In no event shall Candidate Engine be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, or consequential damages (including, but not limited to, loss of data, loss of election, or loss of reputation) arising out of the use or inability to use the Service.

8. Governing Law

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of Victoria, Australia, without regard to its conflict of law provisions.