Terms of Service

1. Acceptance of Terms

Welcome to RateMySupervisor. By accessing or using our website, you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service ("Terms"). If you do not agree to these Terms, please do not use our services.

These Terms apply to all visitors, users, and others who access or use our services.

2. Description of Service

RateMySupervisor is a community-driven platform that allows users to:

• Search for and view information about academic supervisors
• Read reviews, ratings, and interview experiences submitted by users
• Submit reviews and ratings (account registration required)
• Reply to reviews and participate in moderated discussions

We reserve the right to modify, suspend, or discontinue any part of our services at any time.

3. User Accounts

3.1 Registration

To submit reviews or replies, you must create an account. You agree to:

• Provide accurate and complete registration information
• Maintain the security of your account credentials
• Be responsible for all activities conducted under your account
• Notify us promptly of any unauthorized use

3.2 Account Termination

We reserve the right to suspend or terminate accounts that violate these Terms or applicable laws, or that otherwise pose risks to the platform or community.

4. User Conduct and Content

4.1 Review Guidelines

When submitting reviews, ratings, or interview experiences, you agree to:

• Provide honest, experience-based opinions reflecting your personal perspective
• Focus on professional interactions and academic supervision
• Keep content constructive, relevant, and respectful
• Avoid duplicate, misleading, or spam submissions

4.2 Prohibited Content

You may NOT submit content that:

• Contains false, misleading, or defamatory statements
• Makes allegations presented as verified facts
• Includes harassment, hate speech, or personal attacks
• Violates privacy or discloses confidential or identifying information
• Contains profanity, sexually explicit material, or violent content
• Promotes illegal activity
• Infringes intellectual property rights
• Contains advertising, solicitation, malware, or phishing attempts

4.3 Content Ownership and License

You retain ownership of the content you submit. By posting content on RateMySupervisor, you grant us a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free license to use, reproduce, display, modify, and distribute such content solely in connection with operating and improving our services.

5. Content Moderation

We reserve the right to:

• Review, moderate, edit, or remove content at our discretion
• Investigate reported violations or complaints
• Take appropriate enforcement actions, including account suspension

While we employ moderation mechanisms, we are not obligated to continuously monitor all user-generated content and do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of such content.

6. Intellectual Property

All platform content, including site design, logos, text, graphics, and software, is the property of RateMySupervisor or its licensors and is protected by applicable intellectual property laws.

You may not reproduce, distribute, or create derivative works from our proprietary content without prior written permission.

7. Privacy and Data Protection

Your use of RateMySupervisor is also governed by our Privacy Policy, which explains how we collect, use, and protect personal information.

8. Third-Party Links and Services

Our services may include links to third-party websites or services. We are not responsible for the content, practices, or policies of third-party services, and access to them is at your own risk.

9. Disclaimers

9.1 No Warranty

RateMySupervisor is provided on an "AS IS" and "AS AVAILABLE" basis. We make no warranties, express or implied, including but not limited to:

• Uninterrupted or error-free service
• Accuracy or completeness of content
• Fitness for any particular purpose

9.2 User-Generated Content

All reviews, ratings, and interview experiences reflect the personal opinions and experiences of individual contributors. They do not constitute statements of fact, verified claims, or allegations about any individual or institution, and do not represent the views of RateMySupervisor.

We are not responsible for decisions made based on user-generated content.

10. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, RateMySupervisor shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, consequential, or punitive damages, including but not limited to loss of data, loss of profits, or reputational harm arising from use of our services.

11. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless RateMySupervisor and its affiliates from any claims, liabilities, damages, losses, or expenses arising from:

• Your use of the services
• Your submitted content
• Your violation of these Terms or applicable laws

12. Copyright Infringement

If you believe content on RateMySupervisor infringes your copyright, please contact us with:

• Identification of the copyrighted work
• URL of the allegedly infringing content
• Your contact information
• A statement of good faith belief
• A statement of accuracy under penalty of perjury
• Your physical or electronic signature

13. Governing Law and Dispute Resolution

These Terms are governed by the laws of the United States.

Any disputes shall be resolved through binding arbitration, except where injunctive relief is sought for intellectual property matters.

14. Changes to Terms

We may update these Terms periodically. Updates will be reflected by a revised "Last Updated" date. Continued use of the services constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.

15. Severability

If any provision of these Terms is held unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect.

16. Entire Agreement

These Terms and the Privacy Policy constitute the entire agreement between you and RateMySupervisor regarding use of the services.