Terms of Service

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Table of Contents

1. Acceptance of Terms

These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your access to and use of the websites, services, and properties owned and operated by Creative Story Media LLC ("CSM," "we," "us," or "our"), including CSSN, CSTN, CSON, and future services like CS Athlete Services and the CSM Shop. By accessing or using our Services, you agree to be bound by these Terms and all policies referenced herein.

2. Eligibility & Age Restrictions

Our Services are not directed to children under 13 years of age. By using the Services, you represent that you are at least 13 years old. If you are:

  • Under 13: You may not use the Services. We do not knowingly collect information from children under 13.
  • A minor between 13 and 17: You may use the Services only with the permission and under the supervision of your parent or legal guardian. Parental consent is specifically required to register for any account-based features, such as CS Athlete Services.

Parents and guardians are responsible for the actions of minors using the Services.

3. Accounts & Security (Future)

Certain features, such as CSON subscriptions and CS Athlete Services, will require you to create an account. You agree to:

  • Provide accurate, current, and complete information during registration.
  • Maintain the confidentiality and security of your password and accept responsibility for all activities that occur under your account.
  • Notify CSM immediately if you suspect unauthorized use of your account.

We reserve the right to suspend or terminate your account if any information provided proves inaccurate, incomplete, or violates these Terms.

4. Subscriptions & Billing (CSON)

Access to premium content on the Creative Story Originals Network (CSON) requires a paid subscription (currently estimated at $4.99/month).

  • Free Trials: We may offer a limited free trial period. Upon expiration of the trial, your subscription will automatically convert to a paid monthly plan unless canceled before the trial end date.
  • Billing and Renewals: Subscriptions renew automatically on a monthly basis. You authorize us (or our payment processor) to charge your payment method for the recurring subscription fee plus any applicable taxes.
  • Cancellations: You can pause or cancel your subscription at any time through your account settings. Cancellation will take effect at the end of the current billing period.
  • Refunds: All fees are generally non-refundable. We do not provide refunds or credits for partially used subscription periods, except where required by law.

5. Shop & Payments (Future)

Any future merchandise, digital products, or donations made via the CSM Shop will be subject to this section.

  • Payment Processing: All payments will be processed by third-party services, primarily Stripe or PayPal. CSM does not store sensitive financial data.
  • Chargebacks: If you initiate a chargeback or payment dispute, we reserve the right to immediately suspend access to any digital products, subscriptions, or account features pending resolution.
  • Shipping & Returns: Details regarding shipping times, costs, and product return policies for physical merchandise will be provided separately on the Shop page.

6. Content & Intellectual Property

Our Content (CSM IP):

All content created by CSM and displayed on our sites, including text, logos, trademarks, images, cartoons, and site structure, is the exclusive property of Creative Story Media LLC or its licensors and is protected by copyright and trademark laws. You are granted a limited, non-exclusive license to view this content for personal, non-commercial use. Prohibited activities include scraping, reverse engineering, republishing, or creating derivative works.

User Generated Content (UGC):

The Services allow users (e.g., athletes, parents, fans) to submit content, including comments, stats, media (photos/videos), and academic information ("UGC").

By submitting UGC, you grant CSM a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free, transferable, and sub-licensable license to use, reproduce, modify, display, and promote that UGC in connection with the Services and CSM's (and its sister brands') promotional activities, including through social media. You represent and warrant that you own or have obtained all necessary rights to grant us this license and that your UGC does not infringe on any third-party rights.

School, League, and Partner Media:

Scores, schedules, logos, or media from high schools, leagues, or other partners are used under license or agreement with those entities, and attribution is required. Your use of such content is also governed by the original owner’s terms.

7. Embeds & Third Parties

Our Services include embedded content and links to third-party websites and services, such as YouTube, Vimeo, ScoreStream, Stripe, PayPal, and social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X).

When you interact with these embeds, you are dealing directly with the third party. CSM is not responsible for the content, privacy policies, or terms of service of these third-party entities. We strongly encourage you to review their policies before interacting with their services.

8. Promotions, Sponsors & Affiliate Links

Our Services, particularly CSSN and CSTN, include sponsor messages, advertisements, and affiliate links. We may receive compensation from sponsors or for purchases made through affiliate links.

We will disclose relationships where required (FTC-compliant). CSM does not endorse or warrant the products or services offered by sponsors or advertisers, and we are not responsible for any issues arising from your engagement with them.

9. Community Guidelines

We aim to foster a respectful and positive community, especially around high school sports and local features. When interacting with our Services (e.g., comments, forums, submissions), you agree not to:

  • Engage in harassment, bullying, hate speech, or discrimination based on race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, or other protected characteristics.
  • Post content that is illegal, defamatory, obscene, or violates the intellectual property rights of others.
  • Violate any rules or policies of the schools, leagues, or organizations covered by our content.
  • Engage in "doxxing" or share private, personally identifiable information of others without explicit consent.

You can report violations by contacting us via the details in Section 19.

10. Prohibited Uses

In addition to other prohibitions in these Terms, you are prohibited from using the site or its content:

  • To violate any international, federal, provincial, or state regulations, rules, laws, or local ordinances.
  • To circumvent, disable, or otherwise interfere with security-related features, paywalls, DRM, or cookie consent mechanisms.
  • For any purpose that is fraudulent, defamatory, or harmful.
  • To scrape, index, or otherwise use any automated means to access, query, or collect information without express written permission.
  • To attempt to reverse engineer any aspect of the Services.

11. Disclaimers

THE SERVICES ARE PROVIDED "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE," WITHOUT ANY WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED.

  • CSM DOES NOT WARRANT that the Services will be uninterrupted, error-free, secure, or free of viruses or other harmful components.
  • CSM DOES NOT WARRANT that the content (e.g., scores, schedules, league information) will be accurate, complete, or timely. Our content is for informational purposes only, and you should not rely solely on it for critical decisions.

YOUR USE OF THE SERVICES IS AT YOUR SOLE RISK.

12. Limitation of Liability

TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, IN NO EVENT SHALL CSM, ITS AFFILIATES, OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, OR EMPLOYEES BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, PUNITIVE, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES, INCLUDING DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF PROFITS, GOODWILL, USE, OR DATA.

IN ALL CASES, CSM’S TOTAL CUMULATIVE LIABILITY TO YOU FOR ANY AND ALL CLAIMS ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THESE TERMS OR YOUR USE OF THE SERVICES WILL NOT EXCEED THE GREATER OF: (A) THE AMOUNTS YOU HAVE PAID TO CSM IN THE PRECEDING TWELVE (12) MONTHS; OR (B) ONE HUNDRED U.S. DOLLARS ($100.00).

13. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Creative Story Media LLC and its officers, directors, employees, and agents from and against any and all claims, liabilities, damages, losses, costs, and expenses, including reasonable attorneys’ fees, arising out of or in any way connected with:

  • Your access to or use of the Services.
  • Your violation of these Terms or any applicable law or regulation.
  • Your User Generated Content (UGC), including any claim that the UGC infringes on the intellectual property or proprietary rights of a third party.

14. DMCA Policy

We respect the intellectual property rights of others and respond to clear notices of alleged copyright infringement. If you believe any content on the Services infringes upon your copyright, please send a written notification to the Designated Copyright Agent below with the following information:

  • A physical or electronic signature of a person authorized to act on behalf of the owner of an exclusive right that is allegedly infringed.
  • Identification of the copyrighted work claimed to have been infringed.
  • Identification of the material that is claimed to be infringing or to be the subject of infringing activity and that is to be removed or access to which is to be disabled.
  • Sufficient information to permit CSM to contact you, such as an address, telephone number, and email address.

Designated Copyright Agent: jmkphotography419@gmail.com

15. Termination & Suspension

We may terminate or suspend your account and access to the Services immediately, without prior notice or liability, for any reason, including without limitation if you breach these Terms. You may also terminate your account at any time.

16. Governing Law & Venue

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of North Carolina, without regard to its conflict of law principles. Any claim or dispute arising out of or relating to these Terms or the Services that is not subject to arbitration must be brought exclusively in the state or federal courts located in Macon County, North Carolina, and you consent to the personal jurisdiction of such courts.

17. Arbitration & Class Action Waiver

Any dispute, claim, or controversy arising out of or relating to these Terms or the breach, termination, enforcement, interpretation, or validity thereof, shall be settled by binding arbitration in Macon County, North Carolina, administered by a recognized arbitration association in accordance with its commercial arbitration rules.

Class Action Waiver: You and CSM agree that each may bring claims against the other only in your or its individual capacity and not as a plaintiff or class member in any purported class or representative proceeding.

Right to Opt-Out: You have the right to opt-out of this Arbitration and Class Action Waiver provision by sending us written notice (via the contact email in Section 19) within thirty (30) days of first accepting these Terms or creating an account. The written notice must clearly state your intention to opt-out.

18. Changes to Terms

We reserve the right to modify these Terms at any time. When we make changes, we will post the updated Terms on this page and revise the "Last Updated" date at the top. Any changes will become effective immediately upon posting. Your continued use of the Services after the posting of revised Terms constitutes your acceptance of the changes.

19. Contact Information

For any questions, concerns, or notices regarding these Terms, please contact us:

20. Relationship to Privacy Policy

The collection, use, and sharing of your personal information is governed by our Privacy Policy. By using the Services, you acknowledge that you have read and agree to the terms of the Privacy Policy.

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