1. Introduction and Acceptance of Terms
Welcome to Hazara Network (referred to as "Hazara Network," "we," "us," or "our"). These Terms and Conditions ("Terms") govern your access to and use of our website, including all news content, historical archives, cultural and heritage materials, biographies, digital resource library, events coverage, community initiatives, donation and fundraising features, and any related services (collectively, the "Services").
By accessing or using Hazara Network in any way — browsing articles, creating an account, submitting content, subscribing to updates, or contributing to a fundraising campaign listed on the platform — you agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree with any part of these Terms, please discontinue use of the Services.
These Terms constitute a legally binding agreement between you and Hazara Network. We recommend reading them in full, particularly the sections on user contributions, intellectual property, donations, and limitation of liability.
2. Who We Are and What We Do
Hazara Network is an independent digital publishing and archival platform. Our activities include, but are not limited to:
• News and current affairs reporting relevant to Hazara communities worldwide;
• Historical documentation, including timelines, events, and research materials;
• Heritage and cultural content, covering Hazaragi language, traditions, music, literature, and folklore;
• Biographies and profiles of notable individuals connected to Hazara history and culture;
• A digital resource library of books, documents, photographs, and audio-visual material;
• Coverage of events and programs, including seminars, lectures, and cultural activities;
• Community initiatives, including the promotion of selected third-party fundraising or humanitarian campaigns.
We operate as an editorial and archival platform, not as a government body, legal authority, financial institution, or registered charity, unless explicitly stated otherwise for a specific initiative.
3. Eligibility and Age Requirements
You must be at least 18 years old, or the age of legal majority in your jurisdiction, to create an account, submit content, or make a donation through Hazara Network. If you are between 13 and the applicable age of majority, you may browse public content only with the consent and supervision of a parent or legal guardian. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13, and any such data discovered will be deleted promptly upon notice.
4. Accounts and User Registration
Where account creation is offered (for example, to submit content, comment, or manage contributions), you agree to:
• Provide accurate, current, and complete information;
• Maintain the confidentiality of your login credentials;
• Notify us promptly of any unauthorized use of your account;
• Accept responsibility for all activity that occurs under your account.
We reserve the right to suspend or terminate accounts that provide false information, violate these Terms, or are used for fraudulent, abusive, or unlawful purposes.
5. User Contributions and Submitted Content
Hazara Network invites community members to contribute stories, photographs, biographies, oral histories, research materials, corrections, and other content ("User Content"). By submitting User Content, you represent and agree to the following:
5.1 Ownership and License
You confirm that you own the rights to the content you submit or that you have obtained all necessary permissions to share it (including from family members, copyright holders, or other rights owners, particularly for historical photographs and oral histories). By submitting content, you grant Hazara Network a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free, perpetual license to reproduce, edit, archive, translate, and publish that content across our platform and associated channels for the purpose of documentation, education, and cultural preservation.
5.2 Accuracy and Responsibility
You are solely responsible for the accuracy of any factual claims, names, dates, or historical details in your submission. Hazara Network reserves the right to fact-check, edit for clarity, request supporting sources, or decline to publish any submission at its sole discretion.
5.3 Prohibited Submissions
You may not submit content that:
• Infringes on the copyright, trademark, privacy, or other rights of any third party;
• Is defamatory, discriminatory, or incites hatred or violence against any individual or group;
• Contains deliberately false or misleading historical claims presented as verified fact;
• Violates any applicable local, national, or international law;
• Contains malware, spam, or unauthorized advertising.
5.4 Removal of Content
We reserve the right to remove, edit, or decline to publish any User Content at any time, with or without notice, if we determine in good faith that it violates these Terms or is otherwise inappropriate for the platform.
6. Editorial Standards and Content Disclaimer
We are committed to accuracy, responsible sourcing, and transparency in how we present information, in line with our editorial principles. However:
• Historical and cultural content may include personal accounts, oral traditions, and disputed historical interpretations. Where information is not independently verifiable, we aim to clearly identify it as such.
• News content reflects our best effort at the time of publication and may be updated, corrected, or retracted as new information becomes available.
• Hazara Network does not guarantee that all content is free from error, and we encourage readers — particularly researchers and students — to verify critical facts against primary or academic sources where possible.
• Opinions expressed in guest contributions, community submissions, or opinion pieces are those of the individual author and do not necessarily represent the views of Hazara Network.
7. Intellectual Property Rights
7.1 Our Content
Unless otherwise credited, all original content on Hazara Network — including articles, graphics, archived compilations, layout, and branding — is the intellectual property of Hazara Network or its licensors and is protected under applicable copyright and intellectual property laws. You may share links to our content and quote brief excerpts with proper attribution for personal, educational, or non-commercial purposes. You may not reproduce, republish, or distribute substantial portions of our content for commercial purposes without prior written permission.
7.2 Third-Party and Historical Materials
Some archived materials (historical photographs, documents, or literary works) may be in the public domain, used under fair use/fair dealing principles for educational and archival purposes, or shared with permission from rights holders or contributing families. If you believe any material on our platform infringes your intellectual property rights, please see Section 8 below.
8. Copyright Infringement Claims (Notice and Takedown)
Hazara Network respects the intellectual property rights of others and expects users to do the same. If you believe that content on our platform infringes your copyright, please submit a written notice containing:
1. A description of the copyrighted work you believe has been infringed;
2. The specific URL or location of the material on our platform;
3. Your contact information (name, address, phone number, email);
4. A statement that you have a good-faith belief the use is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law;
5. A statement, made under penalty of perjury, that the information in the notice is accurate and that you are authorized to act on behalf of the rights holder;
6. Your physical or electronic signature.
Notices should be sent to our designated contact for copyright matters listed in Section 15. Upon receipt of a valid notice, we will review the claim and may remove or disable access to the material while the matter is resolved. Repeat, verified infringers may have their submission privileges or accounts terminated. (If Hazara Network hosts substantial user-uploaded content, we recommend formally registering a DMCA-designated agent with the U.S. Copyright Office to preserve safe-harbor protections under 17 U.S.C. § 512(c), and keeping that registration renewed as required.)
9. Donations, Fundraising, and Community Campaigns
Hazara Network may highlight or link to third-party fundraising campaigns, humanitarian appeals, or educational initiatives as part of our community section.
• We are a platform, not a fundraiser, unless a specific campaign explicitly states that funds are collected and administered directly by Hazara Network.
• Where we link to or embed a third-party donation platform (such as a crowdfunding service or a partner organization), your transaction is with that third party, subject to their own terms, refund policies, and privacy practices. We are not responsible for how those funds are collected, managed, or disbursed.
• We make reasonable efforts to vet campaigns we feature for legitimacy but cannot guarantee the outcome, fund usage, or impact of any campaign, and we disclaim liability for any loss arising from a donation made through a linked or featured initiative.
• Donations are voluntary and, unless otherwise stated by the receiving organization, are typically non-refundable.
• If Hazara Network directly collects funds for a specific, clearly labeled initiative, additional terms specific to that campaign will be posted and will govern that transaction.
10. Privacy and Data Protection
Your use of Hazara Network is also governed by our Privacy Policy, which explains what personal data we collect (such as account details, contact information, and usage data), how we use it, and your rights regarding that data.
Depending on your location, you may have rights under applicable data protection laws, including the following:
• The EU/UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) — including rights to access, correct, delete, or port your personal data, and to object to or restrict certain processing;
• The California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), as amended — including the right to know what personal information is collected, to request deletion, and to opt out of the sale or sharing of personal information;
• Other applicable national or regional privacy laws relevant to your country of residence.
We do not sell personal information for monetary consideration. For full details on data collection, cookies, third-party analytics, and your privacy rights, please refer to our separate Privacy Policy, which should be read together with these Terms.
10.1 Region-Specific Rights
Hazara Network serves a global diaspora audience. To make your rights clear no matter where you access our services from, the following region-specific provisions apply automatically based on your location, in addition to the general rights described above.
If you are located in the European Union, European Economic Area, or United Kingdom (GDPR / UK GDPR): You have the right to access, rectify, or erase your personal data; to restrict or object to certain processing; to data portability; and to withdraw consent at any time where processing is based on consent. Where we process your personal data based on legitimate interest (for example, to maintain the security of the platform or improve our services), you may object to that processing. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with your local supervisory authority. Where we transfer personal data outside the EEA or UK, we rely on appropriate safeguards such as standard contractual clauses.
If you are a California resident (CCPA/CPRA) or reside in another U.S. state with comparable consumer privacy legislation: You have the right to know what categories of personal information we collect and why, to request access to or deletion of your personal information, to correct inaccurate personal information, and to opt out of the sale or sharing of personal information (we do not currently sell personal information). You have the right not to receive discriminatory treatment for exercising these rights. Requests can be submitted using the contact details in Section 21.
If you are located in Canada (PIPEDA or applicable provincial law such as Quebec's Law 25): You have the right to know why we collect, use, or disclose your personal information, to access that information, and to request correction of inaccuracies. We obtain meaningful consent before collecting, using, or disclosing personal information, except where an exception applies under law.
If you are located in Australia (Privacy Act 1988, including the Australian Privacy Principles): You have the right to access and seek correction of your personal information, to know how it is collected and used, and to make a complaint if you believe your privacy has been interfered with. Complaints that are not resolved directly with us may be referred to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC).
If you are located elsewhere: We aim to apply the substantive protections above—transparency, access, correction, and deletion rights—as a baseline standard for all users globally, regardless of whether your local law mandates them, because we believe these are basic expectations for any platform handling personal information.
Where regional laws differ on a specific point (for example, retention periods or the legal basis required for processing), the stricter or more protective standard will generally apply to your data by default, unless doing so would conflict with a legal obligation we owe elsewhere.
11. Prohibited Uses
When using Hazara Network, you agree not to:
• Use the platform for any unlawful purpose or in violation of these Terms;
• Attempt to gain unauthorized access to our systems, accounts, or data;
• Introduce viruses, malware, or other harmful code;
• Scrape, harvest, or systematically extract content without prior written permission;
• Impersonate any person or entity, or misrepresent your affiliation with Hazara Network;
• Use the platform to harass, threaten, or incite violence or discrimination against any individual or community;
• Interfere with the normal operation of the website or its security features.
Violation of this section may result in immediate suspension of access, removal of content, and, where applicable, referral to law enforcement.
12. Third-Party Links and External Content
Our Services may contain links to third-party websites, research repositories, academic sources, or fundraising platforms. These links are provided for convenience and do not constitute an endorsement. Hazara Network has no control over, and assumes no responsibility for, the content, privacy policies, or practices of any third-party sites.
13. Disclaimer of Warranties
The Services are provided on an "as is" and "as available" basis, without warranties of any kind, whether express or implied, including but not limited to warranties of accuracy, completeness, merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement. While we strive for accuracy and reliability, particularly regarding historical claims, we do not warrant that content will be error-free, uninterrupted, or continuously available.
14. Limitation of Liability
To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, Hazara Network, its founders, contributors and affiliates shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential or punitive damages, or any loss of data, revenue or goodwill arising out of your use of, or inability to use, the Services — including reliance on published content, participation in featured fundraising campaigns, or interactions with other users. Nothing in these Terms will exclude liability that is not permitted to be excluded under applicable law.
15. Indemnification
You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Hazara Network and its team from any claims, damages, losses, or expenses (including reasonable legal fees) arising from your violation of these Terms, your submitted User Content, or your misuse of the Services.
16. Changes to These Terms
We may update these Terms from time to time to reflect changes in our services, legal requirements, or best practices. When we make material changes, we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page and, where appropriate, provide additional notice. Continued use of the Services after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms. We encourage you to review this page periodically.
17. Termination
We reserve the right to suspend or terminate your access to the Services, with or without notice, for conduct that we believe violates these Terms, applicable law, or is otherwise harmful to Hazara Network, its users, or the communities we serve. You may also stop using the Services and request account deletion at any time by contacting us.
18. Governing Law and Dispute Resolution
These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the jurisdiction in which Hazara Network is legally established, without regard to conflict-of-law principles. This choice of governing law does not deprive you of any mandatory consumer protection or data privacy rights you are entitled to under the law of your own country of residence (including those described in Section 10.1), where such rights cannot be waived by agreement.
Any disputes arising from these Terms shall first be addressed through good-faith informal negotiation. If unresolved, disputes may be brought before the competent courts of the Hazara Network's jurisdiction of establishment, except where local law gives you the right to bring a claim in your home jurisdiction instead—in which case that right is preserved.
19. Severability
If any provision of these Terms is found to be unenforceable or invalid under applicable law, that provision will be limited or eliminated to the minimum extent necessary, and the remaining provisions will remain in full force and effect.
20. Entire Agreement
These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy and any additional guidelines or campaign-specific terms we publish, constitute the entire agreement between you and Hazara Network regarding your use of the Services, superseding any prior agreements.
21. Contact Us
If you have questions about these Terms, wish to submit a copyright notice, or need to report a concern about content on our platform, please contact us at:
Hazara Network Email: admin@hazaranetwork.org