Terms of Use

LitMinds.org (the "Site" or "www.litminds.org") is owned and operated by LitMinds, Inc. ("LitMinds" or "we"). Your continued use of this Site and the services it provides constitutes your binding acceptance of the terms (the "Terms") outlined below.

Uses that are allowed and encouraged on LitMinds.org:

  1. We invite and encourage readers, authors, and independent booksellers to create their reading profiles, link to their web sites and blogs, invite their friends and colleagues, and discuss topics related to books, reading, and the book business.
  2. We invite and encourage authors to use www.litminds.org to share their writing, publishing and literary endeavors.
  3. We invite and encourage independent booksellers to use www.litminds.org to share information about their bookstores, link to their web sites and blogs, provide information about store events, and discuss any issues that help them with their business.
  4. We expect all users to use polite language, use common sense, and think about the implications of their postings on the Site before putting them online.

Site uses that are not allowed and hence will be considered a violation of the terms of use are as follows:

  1. Personal attacks, insults, spam, irrelevant commercial solicitations, or advertisements
  2. Any illegal activities that are outlawed by the government in your jurisdiction
  3. Activities that might injure, threaten, stalk, or harass someone
  4. Posting pornographic or obscene content, uploading sexually explicit pictures or linking to web sites or blogs that have sexually explicit pictures or pornographic or obscene content
  5. Violation of copyright terms mentioned below in this agreement

Other general terms of use are as follows:

  1. Membership
    Membership on the Site is available to anyone 13 years of age or older who truthfully and accurately provides all required information (including a legitimate email address) and obtains a unique username and password.
  2. Use by Children
    The Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) severely restricts what information can be collected from children under 13. For this reason, children under 13 are prohibited from using LitMinds. We don't like doing this, but you can thank the federal government for making this difficult. In the future, when we can afford lawyers we will try to find ways whereby we can legally enable children under 13 to use our services. Children 13 and over may participate with the permission and guidance of their parent or guardian. Users of all ages are warned not to provide profile information without weighing the risks and benefits, and never to provide their phone number, address or other critical personal data online.
  3. Content Ownership, Licensing, Copyrights
    1. You will continue to retain all ownership rights to any content posted by you on LitMinds.org. By posting your content on LitMinds.org you are granting a limited use license to LitMinds.org to publish your content on the site.
    2. LitMinds will continue to retain all ownership rights to any content published by us on this site and the associated blog at www.litminds.org/blog. If you want to use our content anywhere, you may do so as long as you clearly attribute it to us by adding "Source: www.litminds.org".
    3. You are not allowed to use the content posted by other users on this site in any place outside of this site.
    4. You are agreeing to post only content that belongs to you or content that you have secured the permission to reproduce. If you post content without securing appropriate permissions from the owner of such content, then you may be in trouble with the content owners and we can't help you. In fact, you will also have violated our terms and we will have to delete any such content as well as your profile from the Site.
  4. Our Rights
    We maintain the right to do any of the following at any time, with or without prior notice:
    1. Restrict, suspend, or terminate your access to all or any part of our services
    2. Change, suspend, or discontinue all or any part of our services
    3. Refuse, move, or remove any content or information you have provided
    4. Refuse to register any username that may be deemed offensive
    5. Establish general practices, fees and policies concerning the Site and the services we provide
  5. Email Communications
    We utilize email to communicate with LitMinds registered users about service-related matters and any significant changes in the nature and terms of our service. By becoming a Site member, you are consenting to the receipt of these communications.
  6. Dealing with abuse
    If you come across an abusive or offensive post, click the "report this post" link. We will investigate it as soon as possible. Please do not report a post simply because you disagree with what is said, or if someone criticizes your favorite books, authors, and booksellers or your ideas and comments. That's not abuse, it's a difference of opinion. Discussions can become heated and passionate—never forget that the person on the other side is human. If you're upset by something or someone, try to calm down before responding. Remember that www.LitMinds.org is public space; don't say anything to others that you wouldn't want a room full of people to hear.
  7. Modifications to this agreement
    We may modify this agreement from time to time and such modifications shall be effective upon posting on this website.
  8. Termination
    If you want to terminate your account and delete your profile, please send us an email at support@litminds.org and we will comply with your wishes.
  9. Privacy
    Use of LitMinds services is governed by our Privacy Policy which is incorporated into this agreement by reference. You can read the Privacy Policy at the end of this agreement.
  10. Disclaimers
    1. Reading Profiles created by users might contain fictitious and inaccurate information. You should use your good judgment to ascertain if the information you are reading is accurate or not. For example, someone might create a profile for George Bush and claim that his favorite book is War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy. Since everyone knows George Bush can't read, you can't take such a profile to be serious or accurate!!
    2. Despite all warnings from us not to do so, users might still post information that is inaccurate, inappropriate, offensive or sexually explicit. LitMinds assumes no responsibility or liability for material posted by others.
  11. Limitation on Liability
    We are not liable for anything to anyone, period. LitMinds is a venture formed out of the goodness of our heart and funding all costs from our own limited pockets. LitMinds is a free service and you are welcome to use it so long as you don't abuse it. We are not making any money off you and in return you can't hold us liable for anything.

Please contact us at support@litminds.org if you have any questions regarding this agreement.

Privacy Policy

We take your privacy seriously!

We will follow these guiding principles to secure your privacy:

  1. LitMinds will not sell your personally identifiable information to any third party.
  2. LitMinds will not send you mass emails without your consent, except for emails to communicate service-related matters and changes to the nature and terms of service.
  3. LitMinds will not cooperate with US law enforcement to share your personal information unless compelled to do so.
  4. LitMinds will not advertise any products or services to you.
  5. We use cookies to save your password so you don't have to re-enter it each time you visit LitMinds.org. If you don't like this, you can disable cookies through your Internet Browser. Disabling cookies should not affect your experience and participation on the Site.

We expect you to follow these guiding principles to secure your privacy:

  1. Don't post any personal information at www.litminds.org that might damage you in any way
  2. Keep your password secure and don't share it with anyone. You might also want to change your password periodically.