Terms of Service

1. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing and using Compliance Simplified ("the Service"), you accept and agree to be bound by the terms and provision of this agreement. If you do not agree to abide by the above, please do not use this service.

These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your use of our website and services. By using our services, you agree to these Terms and our Privacy Policy.

2. Description of Service

Compliance Simplified provides:

• Educational Content: Documentation, guides, and resources for ISO 27001 and SOC 2 compliance
• Open Source Software: Code and tools available under AGPL-3.0 license
• Community Platform: Forums and collaboration spaces for compliance professionals
• Support Services: Technical assistance and guidance

3. User Accounts and Responsibilities

3.1 Account Creation

When creating an account or using our services, you agree to:

• Provide accurate, current, and complete information
• Maintain and update your account information
• Maintain the security of your account credentials
• Accept responsibility for all activities under your account

3.2 Acceptable Use

You agree not to use the Service to:

• Violate any applicable laws or regulations
• Infringe on intellectual property rights
• Transmit harmful, offensive, or inappropriate content
• Attempt to gain unauthorized access to our systems
• Interfere with the proper functioning of the Service
• Use the Service for commercial purposes without permission

4. Intellectual Property Rights

4.1 Our Rights

The Service and its original content, features, and functionality are owned by Compliance Simplified and are protected by international copyright, trademark, patent, trade secret, and other intellectual property laws.

4.2 Open Source License

Our software is licensed under the GNU Affero General Public License v3.0 (AGPL-3.0). This means:

• You can use, modify, and distribute our software
• You must share your modifications under the same license
• If you run the software on a server, you must provide source code access
• You must preserve copyright notices and license information

4.3 User Contributions

By contributing content to our platform, you:

• Grant us a non-exclusive, worldwide license to use your contributions
• Warrant that you have the right to grant this license
• Agree that contributions may be shared under AGPL-3.0

5. Privacy and Data Protection

Your privacy is important to us. Our collection and use of personal information is governed by our Privacy Policy, which is incorporated into these Terms by reference.

We are committed to:

• Protecting your personal information in accordance with applicable laws
• Implementing appropriate security measures
• Providing transparency about our data practices
• Respecting your privacy rights

6. Disclaimers and Limitations

6.1 Service Availability

We strive to maintain high availability but cannot guarantee uninterrupted access. The Service is provided "as is" without warranties of any kind.

6.2 Compliance Guidance

Our content is for educational purposes only and does not constitute:

• Legal advice or professional consultation
• Guarantee of compliance with any standard or regulation
• Substitute for professional compliance services
• Assurance of audit success or certification

6.3 Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, Compliance Simplified shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages resulting from your use of the Service.

7. Security and Compliance

We implement security measures aligned with industry standards:

• Data Protection: Encryption, access controls, and security monitoring
• Regular Audits: Security assessments and vulnerability testing
• Incident Response: Procedures for handling security incidents
• Compliance Monitoring: Ongoing review of security practices

8. Termination

We may terminate or suspend your access to the Service immediately, without prior notice, for any reason, including breach of these Terms.

Upon termination:

• Your right to use the Service will cease immediately
• We may delete your account and data
• Provisions of these Terms that should survive termination will remain in effect

9. Governing Law and Dispute Resolution

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the jurisdiction where Compliance Simplified operates, without regard to conflict of law principles.

Any disputes arising from these Terms or your use of the Service shall be resolved through:

• Good faith negotiations between parties
• Mediation if direct resolution is not possible
• Legal proceedings as a last resort

10. Changes to Terms

We reserve the right to modify these Terms at any time. We will notify users of material changes by:

• Posting updated Terms on our website
• Sending email notifications to registered users
• Updating the "Last updated" date

Continued use of the Service after changes constitutes acceptance of the new Terms.

11. Contact Information

If you have questions about these Terms of Service, please contact us:

12. Compliance Framework Alignment

These Terms of Service are designed to support compliance with:

• SOC 2 Trust Services Criteria: Security, Availability, Processing Integrity, Confidentiality, and Privacy
• ISO 27001: Information Security Management System requirements
• GDPR: General Data Protection Regulation compliance
• Industry Standards: Best practices for online services