BLUECARBONS UNIVERSAL CONTENT, ADVERTISING, AND MONETIZATION POLICY

Effective Date: July 23, 2025
Last Updated: July 23, 2025

Article 1: Preamble and Scope

1.1. Introduction: This Universal Content, Advertising, and Monetization Policy ("Policy") establishes the terms, conditions, and standards for all content submitted to, published on, or promoted through any online platform, website, application, or service owned, operated, or controlled by BLUECARBONS ("Company," "We," "Us," "Our").

1.2. Applicability: This Policy is legally binding and applies to all of the Company’s digital properties, including but not limited to Launchtoast, Startup Dope, and any other current or future platforms ("Platforms"). It governs the conduct of all users, including visitors, registered members, content contributors, advertisers, sponsors, and partners ("User," "You," "Your").

1.3. Integration with Terms of Service: This Policy is an integral part of our master Terms of Service ("ToS"). By accessing, using, or contributing to our Platforms, You acknowledge that You have read, understood, and agree to be bound by this Policy and our ToS. In case of any conflict between this Policy and the ToS, the more restrictive provision, as determined by the Company, shall prevail.

Article 2: Definitions

• "Content": Any and all information, data, text, software, music, sound, photographs, graphics, video, messages, posts, listings, reviews, or other materials.
• "User-Generated Content" (UGC): Any Content created, submitted, posted, or shared by a User on the Platforms.
• "Sponsored Content": Any Content for which the Company has received compensation (monetary, in-kind, or through affiliate relationships) in exchange for its publication or promotion. This includes advertorials, sponsored listings, paid reviews, and promotional articles.
• "Advertiser": Any individual, entity, or agent thereof that pays for the placement of Sponsored Content or advertisements on the Platforms.
• "Listing": A profile or page on the Platforms dedicated to a specific AI tool, SaaS product, or business software.

Article 3: User-Generated Content (UGC) Policy

3.1. General Principles: Our Platforms encourage the contribution of valuable, accurate, and authentic UGC. However, we maintain a zero-tolerance policy for harmful, illegal, or inappropriate content.

3.2. Prohibited Content Categories: You are strictly prohibited from submitting any UGC that:
* Is Unlawful: Violates any applicable international, national, state, or local law or regulation.
* Infringes Intellectual Property: Violates copyright, trademark, patent, trade secret, or other proprietary rights of any party. You warrant that you own or have the necessary licenses for all content you submit.
* Is Hateful, Harassing, or Abusive: Promotes hatred, violence, or discrimination against individuals or groups based on race, ethnic origin, religion, disability, age, nationality, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender, or any other legally protected characteristic.
* Is Defamatory or Maliciously False: Contains libel, slander, or false information intended to harm the reputation of a person or entity. While critical opinions are permitted in reviews, they must be based on demonstrable facts or firsthand experience.
* Contains Misinformation or Disinformation: Includes demonstrably false information, particularly in relation to health, finance, or public safety, or content that is deliberately deceptive.
* Is Obscene or Pornographic: Contains sexually explicit material, nudity, or graphic violence.
* Violates Privacy: Discloses another person's private and confidential information, such as credit card numbers, national identity numbers (e.g., Aadhaar), or non-public contact information, without their express consent.
* Involves Impersonation: Impersonates any person or entity, including a Company employee, or falsely states or misrepresents your affiliation with a person or entity.
* Is Spam: Constitutes unsolicited or unauthorized advertising, "junk mail," "chain letters," pyramid schemes, or any other form of commercial solicitation not expressly approved by the Company.
* Contains Malicious Code: Contains software viruses, worms, trojans, or any other computer code, files, or programs designed to interrupt, destroy, or limit the functionality of any computer software, hardware, or telecommunications equipment.

3.3. Our Moderation Rights: We reserve the absolute and sole right, but not the obligation, to:
* Screen, review, edit, reject, or remove any UGC at any time and for any reason, without notice.
* Investigate any alleged violation of this Policy and take appropriate action, including issuing warnings, suspending or terminating user accounts, and reporting to law enforcement authorities.
* The Company’s decision in all moderation matters is final and not subject to appeal.

Article 4: Advertising, Sponsored Content, and Advertorials Policy

This section is designed to comply with best practices and legal frameworks including those from the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB), the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and crucially, the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) Code and guidelines under the Indian Consumer Protection Act, 2019, and the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021.

4.1. General Mandate for Transparency: All forms of Sponsored Content must be clearly, conspicuously, and unambiguously distinguishable from non-paid, editorial content. The primary goal is to ensure that the average user can immediately recognize that the content is a form of advertising.

4.2. Disclosure Standards:
* Clear Labeling: All Sponsored Content must carry a prominent label. Acceptable labels include: "Advertisement," "Sponsored," "Paid Post," "Partner Content," or "Promoted." Ambiguous labels like "Presented By" or "Brought to You By" are insufficient on their own.
* Prominent Placement: The disclosure label must be placed at the top of the content, in a location that is immediately visible to the user before they engage with the main body of the content. It must not be buried at the bottom, in a faint color, or in a small font.
* Format Agnostic: These disclosure requirements apply to all formats, including articles, videos, social media posts, and integrated listings.

4.3. Prohibited Advertising Content: We prohibit advertisements and Sponsored Content that promote:
* Illegal products, services, or activities.
* Deceptive or fraudulent claims, "get-rich-quick" schemes, or misleading financial advice.
* Unsubstantiated claims about a product's efficacy, especially for health, wellness, or financial products. All claims must be verifiable.
* Hate speech, discriminatory content, or personal attacks.
* Weapons, ammunition, explosives, and tobacco products.
* Content that infringes on third-party intellectual property.

4.4. Advertiser Responsibility:
* Compliance: The Advertiser is solely responsible for ensuring their Sponsored Content complies with all applicable laws and advertising codes, including the ASCI Code.
* Substantiation: The Advertiser must possess adequate evidence to substantiate all claims and representations made in their content. We reserve the right to request such substantiation before or after publication.
* Landing Pages: The Advertiser is responsible for the content and practices of any external website or landing page linked from their Sponsored Content on our Platforms.

Article 5: Specific Rules for Listings (AI, SaaS, Business Software)

5.1. Accuracy of Information: All information provided in a Listing must be accurate, current, and not misleading. This includes features, pricing, capabilities, and integrations.
5.2. Claims and Verifiability: Claims of performance, market position ("#1 AI Tool"), or specific outcomes must be verifiable and substantiated. We reserve the right to add a "Claims Unverified" tag or remove listings with unsupportable claims.
5.3. Reviews and Testimonials: Any testimonials featured within a listing must be genuine and from real users. The submission of fake or incentivized reviews is a material breach of this Policy and will result in the immediate removal of the listing and potential account termination.

Article 6: Financial Terms

6.1. No Refund Policy: ALL PAYMENTS MADE TO THE COMPANY FOR ANY SERVICES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO SPONSORED CONTENT, ADVERTISEMENTS, PREMIUM LISTINGS, SUBSCRIPTION FEES, OR OTHER PROMOTIONAL ACTIVITIES, ARE FINAL, BINDING, AND NON-REFUNDABLE. Upon receipt of payment, resources are allocated and costs are incurred by the Company. No refunds, credits, or pro-rated reimbursements will be issued for any reason, including (a) Your dissatisfaction with the results, (b) Your decision to discontinue the service, or (c) the removal of Your Content or termination of Your account due to a violation of this Policy or our ToS. Any exception to this policy is at the sole and absolute discretion of the Company.

Article 7: Legal Clauses

7.1. Intellectual Property Rights:
* License Grant: By submitting Content, you grant BLUECARBONS and its affiliates a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable, transferable, and sub-licensable license to use, host, store, reproduce, modify, create derivative works from, communicate, publish, publicly perform, publicly display, and distribute such Content. This license continues even if you stop using our Platforms.
* Copyright Infringement (Takedown Notice Procedure): We respect the intellectual property of others. If you believe your copyrighted work has been infringed, please provide our designated Copyright Agent with a written notice containing: (a) An electronic or physical signature of the person authorized to act on behalf of the copyright owner; (b) A description of the copyrighted work; (c) The location (URL) of the infringing material on our Platform; (d) Your address, telephone number, and email address; (e) A statement by you that you have a good faith belief that the disputed use is not authorized; (f) A statement by you, made under penalty of perjury, that the information in your notice is accurate and that you are the copyright owner or authorized to act on their behalf.

7.2. Indemnification: You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless BLUECARBONS, its parent, subsidiaries, affiliates (including Launchtoast and Startup Dope), officers, directors, employees, agents, partners, and licensors from and against any and all claims, demands, liabilities, damages, losses, costs, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising out of or in any way connected with: (a) Your Content; (b) Your use of the Platforms; (c) Your violation of this Policy or the ToS; (d) Your violation of any applicable law or the rights of any third party.

7.3. Disclaimer of Warranties: THE PLATFORMS AND ALL CONTENT ARE PROVIDED ON AN "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE" BASIS WITHOUT ANY WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND. TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, THE COMPANY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, WHETHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT.

7.4. Limitation of Liability: TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, IN NO EVENT SHALL BLUECARBONS OR ITS AFFILIATES BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, OR ANY LOSS OF PROFITS, REVENUES, DATA, USE, GOODWILL, OR OTHER INTANGIBLE LOSSES, RESULTING FROM YOUR USE OF THE PLATFORMS OR ANY CONTENT THEREIN. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AGGREGATE LIABILITY OF BLUECARBONS AND ITS AFFILIATES EXCEED THE GREATER OF ONE HUNDRED INDIAN RUPEES (INR 100) OR THE AMOUNT YOU PAID THE COMPANY, IF ANY, IN THE PAST SIX MONTHS FOR THE SERVICES GIVING RISE TO THE CLAIM.

7.5. Governing Law and Dispute Resolution:
* Governing Law: This Policy shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of India, without regard to its conflict of law principles.
* Jurisdiction: The courts in Bengaluru, Karnataka, India, shall have exclusive jurisdiction to adjudicate any dispute arising under or in connection with this Policy.
* Arbitration: Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company may elect, at its sole discretion, to resolve any dispute, controversy or claim arising out of or relating to this Policy by binding arbitration in accordance with the Indian Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996. The arbitration shall be conducted in Bengaluru, India, the language of the arbitration shall be English, and the arbitral tribunal shall consist of a single arbitrator appointed by the Company.

Article 8: Miscellaneous

8.1. Severability: If any provision of this Policy is found by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, the parties nevertheless agree that the court should endeavor to give effect to the parties' intentions as reflected in the provision, and the other provisions of the Policy remain in full force and effect.
8.2. No Waiver: The failure of the Company to exercise or enforce any right or provision of this Policy shall not constitute a waiver of such right or provision.
8.3. Entire Agreement: This Policy, in conjunction with the Terms of Service, constitutes the entire agreement between You and BLUECARBONS and governs your use of the Platforms.
8.4. Amendments: We reserve the right to amend, modify, or revise this Policy at our sole discretion at any time. We will notify Users of material changes by posting the updated Policy on the Platforms and changing the "Last Updated" date. Your continued use of the Platforms following such changes constitutes your binding acceptance of the revised Policy.

8.5. Contact Information: For any questions regarding this Policy, please contact us at: [legal@bluecarbons.com] or another designated legal contact email.