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Terms of Service

1. Acceptance of these Terms

By creating an account or otherwise using fotoclub.md ("the Site"), you agree to these Terms of Service and to our Community Rules and Privacy Policy, which are part of these Terms. If you don't agree, please don't use the Site.

2. Accounts

  • You must provide a valid email address and confirm it via the link we send before you can sign in with a password. Where available, you can also sign in with Google.
  • You're responsible for keeping your password confidential and for all activity under your account.
  • One account per person — don't create accounts to impersonate someone else or to evade a suspension.
  • You can change your password, update your profile, or delete your account at any time from your profile page.
  • Deleting your account removes your personal information (name, email, password, bio, avatar, social links) and signs you out permanently, but it does not delete the photos, comments, forum posts, contest entries, or other content you created — those stay on the Site, attributed to "Deleted user", so that other members' discussions and the Site's history remain intact. If you also want specific content removed, contact an admin before deleting your account.

3. Your content

  • You keep ownership of the photos and text you post. By posting them, you grant fotoclub.md a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to host, display, and create thumbnails of your content for the purpose of operating the Site.
  • Photos are published as soon as you upload them — we don't review content before it appears on the Site. We rely on these Terms, our Community Rules, reports from members, and our own moderators to catch anything that shouldn't be there, after the fact.
  • Uploaded photos are shown at close to full resolution with no watermark and no download protection. Only upload images you're comfortable having viewed — and, practically speaking, saved — by anyone visiting the Site.
  • You're solely responsible for anything you upload or post, including making sure you have the right to share it and that it complies with these Terms and applicable law. We can remove content, and suspend or terminate accounts, that we believe violate these Terms or our Community Rules, at our discretion.

4. Community contests

Community contests are created by admins and opened for members to enter one of their own photos. Depending on the contest, winners are decided either by open community voting or by a jury of members appointed for that specific contest. Contest results are for recognition within the community and don't carry any monetary or legal guarantee unless a specific contest states otherwise.

5. Contest listings, events & phototrips

The contest listings, events, and phototrips sections include entries submitted by members as well as listings found automatically from public sources — sometimes with the help of AI — and entered by admins. fotoclub.md does not organize, guarantee, or take responsibility for third-party contests, events, or trips listed on the Site. Always verify details (deadlines, fees, terms) directly with the organizer before participating.

6. Classifieds

Classifieds are a place for members to buy, sell, or offer photography-related items and services to each other directly. fotoclub.md is not a party to any transaction arising from a classified listing and isn't responsible for the accuracy of a listing, the condition of an item, or any dispute between members. Listings are automatically hidden 30 days after posting.

7. Commercial photography services

Members can list paid photography services on their own profile — pricing, currency, and terms are set entirely by that photographer. fotoclub.md is not a party to any booking or payment arising from these listings and does not vet, guarantee, or mediate them.

8. AI-assisted features

Parts of the Site are powered by AI (via Anthropic's Claude): translation between Romanian, English, and Russian, the optional AI photo critique feature, and automated discovery of news, external contests, events, and phototrips from public sources. AI-generated text (translations, critiques, summaries) may occasionally be inaccurate or miss context — it's provided as a convenience, not as professional or authoritative advice.

9. Third-party sign-in

If you sign in with Google, that sign-in is also governed by Google's own terms and privacy policy. We only receive the basic profile information needed to create and identify your account.

10. Moderation and termination

We can remove any content and suspend, restrict, or delete any account that violates these Terms or our Community Rules, without prior notice, at our discretion. You can stop using the Site and delete your account at any time, as described in Section 2.

11. Disclaimers and limitation of liability

The Site is provided "as is", without warranties of any kind. We don't guarantee that the Site will be uninterrupted or error-free, or that any particular content, rating, or contest result will be accurate or fair. To the fullest extent permitted by law, fotoclub.md and its operators aren't liable for any indirect, incidental, or consequential damages arising from your use of the Site, or from any third-party contest, event, phototrip, classified listing, or commercial service listed on it.

12. Changes

We may update these Terms as the Site evolves. Continuing to use the Site after a change means you accept the updated Terms. Significant changes will be reflected here with an updated page.

13. Governing law & contact

These Terms are governed by the law applicable to fotoclub.md's operators. Questions about these Terms can be sent through the Site's Telegram channel, @fotoclubmd_news, or to an admin directly.