Clear terms, plainly written.

These terms

These terms cover trustology.org, the free assessment, and the services Trustology provides (the “Services”). By using the site or working with us, you agree to them. If you and Trustology sign a proposal, statement of work, or other agreement (an “Engagement Agreement”), it controls wherever it differs from these terms.

Using the site

Use the site lawfully. Do not try to break, overload, or probe it for weaknesses. Do not scrape it at volume, send false information or harmful files, or submit someone else's personal information without their permission. We may block access when the site is misused. To report a security issue, email [email protected].

The free assessment

The assessment is free and creates no obligation for either of us. Our findings depend on what you tell us. They are a starting point for a decision, not a promise of results. We may decline any request.

Paid work

• Scope, price, and timeline are set in a written Engagement Agreement. Changes to scope are agreed in writing, and email is enough.
• Invoices are due within 30 days unless the Engagement Agreement says otherwise.
• Either of us can end an engagement with written notice. You pay for work done up to that date.

Your materials

• You keep ownership of your data, systems, accounts, and anything you give us (“Your Materials”). You let us use them only to do the work.
• You confirm that you have the right to share them.
• Do not send passwords or other credentials by email or through our forms. When we need access, we arrange a secure method with you.
• Do not send health records, payment card data, government ID numbers, or other regulated data unless the Engagement Agreement covers it.

What you own when we finish

• When you have paid in full, you own the deliverables we create for you: documents, configurations, and code written for your business.
• We keep our general know-how and our existing tools, templates, and methods. Where any of those are part of a deliverable, you get a permanent, royalty-free right to use them for your business.
• Accounts and subscriptions we set up are kept in your name.

Third-party products

Our work can involve software, vendors, or AI models from other companies. Their terms, pricing, and availability apply, and they can change. We are not responsible for third-party products, outages, or changes, but we will tell you when we know of one that affects your work.

Partner introductions

• Partners are independent businesses, not our employees or agents. We introduce you only with your permission.
• Any work with a partner is between you and that partner, under their terms, unless we agree in writing to manage it.
• A partner may pay us a referral fee for that work. If so, we tell you before you hire them.

Confidentiality

• Each of us keeps the other's non-public information confidential. It is used only for the work and shared only with people who need it and are bound to keep it confidential.
• This does not cover information that is public, was already known, was received lawfully from someone else, or was developed independently.
• If the law requires disclosure, the disclosing party gives notice where allowed.
• If we sign an NDA with you, the NDA controls.
• This section continues after our work ends.

Feedback

If you send us ideas or suggestions about our services, we can use them without owing you anything.

Site content

The site's text, design, and the Trustology name and mark belong to Trustology. You can share links and short quotes. Do not copy the site for commercial use.

Warranties

• For paid work, we do the work with reasonable care and skill.
• Otherwise, the site, the assessment, and our documents are provided “as is,” and we disclaim all other warranties, including merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose, to the extent the law allows.
• Outputs from AI tools can contain errors. Review them before you rely on them in production.

Limitation of liability

• Neither of us is liable for indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, or for lost profits, revenue, or data.
• Each party's total liability is capped at the fees you paid Trustology in the 12 months before the claim, or $100 if you have not paid us anything.
• These limits do not apply to breaches of confidentiality, to the indemnities below, to fraud or willful misconduct, or where the law does not allow them.

Indemnity

Each of us will defend the other against third-party claims that material it provided (Your Materials, or our deliverables) infringes someone else's rights, and will cover the resulting costs and damages.

Events outside our control

Neither of us is responsible for delays caused by events beyond reasonable control, such as outages, natural disasters, or government action.

Changes to these terms

We may update these terms and will change the date at the top when we do. Changes do not alter an Engagement Agreement that is already signed unless both parties agree in writing.

General

• If a dispute comes up, contact us first. Both of us will try in good faith to resolve it for 30 days before taking formal action.
• If any part of these terms cannot be enforced, the rest still applies.
• Not enforcing a right is not a waiver of it.
• Neither of us can transfer these terms without consent, except as part of a merger or the sale of the business.
• We are independent contractors.
• These terms, together with any Engagement Agreement and our Privacy Policy, are the whole agreement on this subject.