Terms of Service

1. Introduction

Welcome to DotCodeSchool ("we," "our," or "us"). DotCodeSchool is an open-source educational platform funded by the Polkadot Treasury, designed to provide learning resources for blockchain development.

By accessing or using our platform, you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service ("Terms"). Please read these Terms carefully before using our services. If you do not agree with any part of these Terms, you may not access or use our platform.

2. Definitions

• Platform: The DotCodeSchool website, applications, and services.
• User, You, or Your: Any individual or entity that accesses or uses the Platform.
• Content: All materials available on the Platform, including but not limited to courses, articles, code examples, quizzes, and other educational resources.
• User Data: Information collected about users, including but not limited to account information, progress data, and usage statistics.

3. Account Registration and Security

3.1 GitHub Authentication

Our Platform uses GitHub for user authentication. By registering for an account, you:

• Authorize us to access certain GitHub account information (such as your username, email address, and profile picture)
• Agree to provide accurate and complete information
• Are responsible for maintaining the security of your GitHub account
• Agree to promptly notify us of any unauthorized access to or use of your account

3.2 Account Responsibilities

You are solely responsible for:

• All activities that occur under your account
• Maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials
• Any consequences resulting from sharing your account access with others

4. Platform Use and Restrictions

4.1 Permitted Use

You may use the Platform for:

• Educational purposes
• Learning blockchain development concepts
• Completing courses and exercises
• Contributing to the open-source project (in accordance with our contribution guidelines)

4.2 Prohibited Activities

You agree not to:

• Use the Platform for any illegal purpose or in violation of any laws
• Attempt to gain unauthorized access to any part of the Platform or other users' accounts
• Interfere with or disrupt the Platform or servers/networks connected to the Platform
• Collect or harvest user data without permission
• Use the Platform to transmit malware, viruses, or other malicious code
• Engage in any activity that could disable, overburden, or impair the Platform
• Attempt to decompile, reverse engineer, or disassemble any portion of the Platform
• Create multiple accounts or use automated means to access the Platform

5. Intellectual Property Rights

5.1 Open Source Nature

DotCodeSchool is an open-source project funded by the Polkadot Treasury. The Platform's source code is available under the license specified in our GitHub repository.

5.2 Content Licensing

Unless otherwise stated:

• Educational content on the Platform is provided under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0)
• Code examples may be used in accordance with the MIT License
• Third-party content is subject to its original licensing terms

5.3 Trademarks and Branding

The DotCodeSchool name, logo, and any related marks are trademarks of DotCodeSchool. You may not use these without prior written permission.

6. User Contributions

6.1 Ownership

If you contribute content to the Platform:

• You retain ownership of your intellectual property rights
• You grant us a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free license to use, reproduce, modify, publish, and distribute your contribution
• You confirm that your contribution does not violate any third-party rights

6.2 Content Review

We reserve the right to review, edit, or remove user contributions at our discretion, particularly if they:

• Violate these Terms
• Contain inaccurate information
• Include inappropriate content
• Infringe on intellectual property rights

7. Privacy and Data Protection

7.1 Data Collection and Use

We collect and process user data as described in our Privacy Policy. By using the Platform, you consent to such processing and warrant that all data you provide is accurate.

7.2 Data Storage

User data is stored in MongoDB databases hosted on secure servers. We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your data.

8. Platform Availability and Modifications

8.1 Availability

While we strive to ensure the Platform is available at all times, we do not guarantee uninterrupted access. The Platform may be unavailable during maintenance periods or due to technical issues.

8.2 Modifications

We reserve the right to:

• Modify or discontinue any feature of the Platform
• Update the Platform with improvements or bug fixes
• Change these Terms at any time

We will make reasonable efforts to notify users of significant changes.

9. Third-Party Services

9.1 GitHub Integration

Our Platform integrates with GitHub for authentication and repository management. Your use of GitHub is subject to GitHub's own terms of service and privacy policy.

9.2 Vercel Deployment

We use Vercel for Platform deployment. Vercel's services are subject to their own terms of service and privacy policy.

9.3 External Links

The Platform may contain links to third-party websites or services. We are not responsible for the content or practices of any linked websites or services.

10. Disclaimer of Warranties

THE PLATFORM IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE" WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT.

WE DO NOT WARRANT THAT:

• THE PLATFORM WILL BE AVAILABLE AT ALL TIMES
• THE PLATFORM WILL BE ERROR-FREE OR BUG-FREE
• ANY CONTENT OR INFORMATION PRESENTED IS ACCURATE OR RELIABLE
• THE PLATFORM IS FREE OF VIRUSES OR OTHER HARMFUL COMPONENTS

11. Limitation of Liability

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, IN NO EVENT SHALL DOTCODESCHOOL, ITS CONTRIBUTORS, OR THE POLKADOT TREASURY BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, PUNITIVE, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, OR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS, ARISING OUT OF OR IN ANY WAY CONNECTED WITH THE USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THE PLATFORM.

12. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless DotCodeSchool, its contributors, and the Polkadot Treasury from and against any claims, liabilities, damages, losses, and expenses, including, without limitation, reasonable legal and accounting fees, arising out of or in any way connected with your access to or use of the Platform or your violation of these Terms.

13. Governing Law and Jurisdiction

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the jurisdiction in which DotCodeSchool is established, without regard to its conflict of law provisions. You agree to submit to the personal and exclusive jurisdiction of the courts located within that jurisdiction.

14. Termination

14.1 Termination by You

You may terminate your account at any time by discontinuing use of the Platform or by contacting us to request account deletion.

14.2 Termination by Us

We may terminate or suspend your access to the Platform immediately, without prior notice or liability, for any reason, including, without limitation, if you breach these Terms.

14.3 Effect of Termination

Upon termination:

• Your right to use the Platform will immediately cease
• We may delete or archive your user data in accordance with our Privacy Policy
• Provisions of these Terms that by their nature should survive termination shall survive termination

15. General Provisions

15.1 Entire Agreement

These Terms constitute the entire agreement between you and DotCodeSchool regarding the Platform and supersede all prior agreements and understandings.

15.2 Waiver

Our failure to enforce any right or provision of these Terms will not be considered a waiver of those rights.

15.3 Severability

If any provision of these Terms is held to be invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions will remain in full force and effect.

15.4 Assignment

You may not assign or transfer these Terms without our prior written consent. We may assign or transfer these Terms at our discretion.

15.5 Amendments

We reserve the right to amend these Terms at any time. We will provide notice of significant changes by posting the updated Terms on the Platform. Your continued use of the Platform after such changes constitutes your acceptance of the revised Terms.

16. Contact Information

If you have any questions about these Terms, please contact us at:

• Email: batman@dotcodeschool.com
• GitHub: https://github.com/dotcodeschool

17. Effective Date

These Terms are effective as of May 6, 2025.

By using DotCodeSchool, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms of Service.