Terms and Conditions

Last modified: November 8, 2025

1. User Registration & Authentication

  • Account Creation: Users must provide accurate personal details, including first name, last name, email, username, password, languages spoken, affiliation, and areas of expertise.
  • Terms of Service Acknowledgment: Before completing registration, users must read and accept the Terms of Service, which includes consent to share course information with OpenCC’s AI system for syllabus generation and material recommendations.
  • Email Verification: A verification email will be sent upon registration. Users must confirm their email address to activate their account.
  • Declining Terms: If users do not accept the Terms of Service, their information will be discarded, and they will not be registered on the platform.

2. User Roles & Access Levels

  • Public Users: Can browse limited content on the homepage but do not have access to interactive platform features.
  • Registered Users: Gain access to personalized dashboards, the Explore page, ClimateTA, and the Share Materials page.
  • Contributors (Verified Users): Have additional privileges, including content creation, material sharing, AI-assisted syllabus development, and access to slide generation tools.
  • Administrator Privileges: Admins oversee platform moderation, verify contributors, and
    ensure compliance with content guidelines.

3. Platform Policies & User Conduct

  • Prohibited Content: Users are not allowed to post content that includes:
    • Plagiarized or unauthorized copyrighted materials.
    • Offensive, discriminatory, or misleading information.
    • AI-generated content that lacks human oversight or verification.
  • Community Engagement Guidelines:
    • Users should engage respectfully in discussions.
    • Content should align with academic and professional integrity standards.
    • Misuse of AI tools for inappropriate content generation will result in account suspension.

4. Contributor Verification & Permissions

  • Application Process: Registered users can apply for contributor status, which requires submission of relevant credentials.
  • Approval & Verification: The site admin reviews applications and grants contributor status with a green checkmark for verified contributors.
  • Restricted Actions for Unverified Users: Until approved, users cannot create syllabi, upload materials, or access certain AI-powered tools.

5. Updates & Compliance

  • Automatic Terms Updates: The Terms of Service page is linked to the registration form and updates dynamically.
  • User Agreement Requirement: Users must acknowledge updates before continuing platform use.
  • Violation Consequences: Breaching the terms may result in account suspension or permanent ban, depending on the severity of the violation.