Chatterbox

Local civic news for your ZIP code.

Terms of Service

Last updated:

1. Acceptance & Eligibility

BY ACCESSING OR USING Chatterbox (THE "SERVICE") YOU AFFIRM THAT YOU ARE 18 OR OLDER AND THAT YOU HAVE THE FULL LEGAL CAPACITY TO ENTER INTO A BINDING AGREEMENT. IF YOU ARE UNDER 18 YEARS OF AGE, YOU ARE NOT PERMITTED TO ACCESS OR USE THE SERVICE FOR ANY PURPOSE WHATSOEVER.

By using the Service you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service ("Terms"). These Terms form a legally binding contract between you and Digent LLC. If you do not agree to these Terms, you must immediately discontinue use of the Service.

You must be 18 or older to create an account or use any feature of the Service. We enforce this requirement through an age gate at registration. If we discover that an account is held by a person under 18 years of age, we will permanently delete that account and all associated data within seven (7) calendar days of discovery, with no obligation to retain or transfer any content or credits associated with the account.

2. About Chatterbox

Chatterbox is a hyperlocal civic news service operated by Digent LLC, a limited liability company organized and existing under the laws of the State of Florida. Our principal place of business is in Florida, United States. References to "Company," "we," "us," or "our" in these Terms refer to Digent LLC.

Chatterbox is intended solely for residents of the United States. We do not knowingly market to, or accept registrations from, persons outside the United States.

3. The Service

Chatterbox provides hyperlocal civic news briefings, community submissions, event listings, public-records summaries, and related information tailored to specific geographic communities. We aggregate, curate, and—where indicated—summarize information from government sources, licensed media partners, and community contributors.

The Service is delivered primarily by email briefing, with a supporting web presence. Availability of coverage varies by location. We make no guarantee that coverage will be available for any particular area or that the frequency or format of briefings will remain constant.

Some content on the Service is generated or summarized with the assistance of artificial intelligence tools. All AI-assisted content is disclosed as such (see Section 9). AI-generated summaries do not constitute original reporting and may contain errors or omissions; always verify important matters with the cited primary source.

4. Account Creation, Authentication & Termination

Access to certain features requires creating an account using a valid email address. Authentication is performed via a magic link (a time-limited, single-use token sent to your email) — we do not store passwords. You are responsible for maintaining the security of your email account and must notify us immediately at hello@chatterbox.news if you suspect unauthorized access to your account.

You may delete your account at any time through the account settings page. We may suspend or terminate your account at our sole discretion if we determine that you have violated these Terms, engaged in abusive behavior, or for any other reason with or without notice. Upon termination, your right to use the Service ceases immediately.

If we terminate your account for cause, any sponsored content or subscription fees already paid are non-refundable except as required by applicable law.

5. Acceptable Use

You agree not to use the Service to:

  • Submit false, misleading, or fabricated news tips or community content.
  • Impersonate any person, entity, or government body.
  • Harass, stalk, threaten, or harm any individual.
  • Submit content that is defamatory, obscene, or violates the rights of a third party.
  • Circumvent or attempt to circumvent the age gate or any other access control.
  • Scrape, crawl, or harvest the Service by automated means without our written permission.
  • Transmit malicious code, viruses, or other disruptive technology.
  • Attempt to gain unauthorized access to any part of the Service or its infrastructure.
  • Violate any applicable local, state, federal, or international law or regulation.
  • Use the Service for any commercial purpose not expressly authorized by these Terms.

We reserve the right to remove any content that violates this section and to report illegal activity to appropriate law enforcement authorities.

6. User Submissions License

By submitting a news tip, community event, letter, comment, photograph, or any other content to the Service ("User Submission"), you grant Digent LLC a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable, and fully sub-licensable license to use, reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, translate, create derivative works from, distribute, perform, and display such User Submission in connection with the Service and our business operations, in any media now known or hereafter developed.

You represent and warrant that: (a) you own or have the necessary rights to grant the license above; (b) your User Submission does not infringe the intellectual property rights, privacy rights, or other rights of any third party; and (c) your User Submission complies with these Terms.

We will never sell your User Submissions to third parties or use them for purposes unrelated to operating and improving the Service. User Submissions may be edited for length, clarity, style, or accuracy before publication, or may be declined for publication at our editorial discretion.

7. Sponsor Terms

Sponsorship of the Service is subject to a separate Sponsor Policy, which governs the nature of permitted sponsorships, disclosure requirements, prohibited industries, and payment terms. The Sponsor Policy is incorporated by reference into these Terms. In the event of a conflict between these Terms and the Sponsor Policy on a matter relating to sponsorship, the Sponsor Policy controls.

Sponsored content is clearly labeled as "Sponsored." Sponsors do not control our editorial content, and sponsor relationships do not affect the independence of our news coverage.

8. Intellectual Property

The Service, including its design, layout, software, databases, text, graphics, logos, and the selection and arrangement thereof, is owned by Digent LLC or its licensors and is protected by United States and international copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws.

You are granted a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable, revocable license to access and use the Service solely for your personal, non-commercial purposes in accordance with these Terms. You may not reproduce, distribute, publicly display, reverse-engineer, or create derivative works from any part of the Service without our prior written consent, except as expressly permitted by these Terms.

The Chatterbox name, wordmark, and logo are trademarks of Digent LLC. Nothing in these Terms grants you any right to use our trademarks without prior written permission.

9. AI-Assisted Content Disclosure

Chatterbox uses artificial intelligence to assist with summarizing articles, classifying community submissions, and extracting relevant information from public records. All content that has been materially generated or summarized by AI is labeled with a disclosure notice visible to readers.

AI-assisted summaries are reviewed editorially but may contain errors, omissions, or hallucinations. We recommend that readers independently verify any information that is material to a decision they are making. Our full AI Use Policy governs the specific use cases and safeguards we employ.

10. Sensitive Content Disclaimer

The Service may include coverage of sensitive civic matters including crime reports, public health alerts, zoning disputes, and legal proceedings. We make best efforts to verify information before publication. However, we make no warranty that all information published on the Service is accurate, complete, current, or free from error. Information from government sources is reproduced as received; we are not responsible for inaccuracies originating in those sources.

Where coverage involves pending legal matters, we strive to present factual information and to update the record as proceedings conclude. Arrest reports and charges do not constitute a finding of guilt.

11. Source-Link Disclaimer

The Service links to third-party websites including government portals, local news publications, and public databases that we do not control. We are not responsible for the content, availability, accuracy, or privacy practices of any linked third-party site. A link does not constitute an endorsement. You access third-party sites at your own risk.

12. No Warranties

THE SERVICE IS PROVIDED "AS IS," "WITH ALL FAULTS," AND "AS AVAILABLE" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS, IMPLIED, OR STATUTORY. TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, DIGENT LLC AND ITS AFFILIATES, OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS, SUPPLIERS, AND LICENSORS EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, ACCURACY, COMPLETENESS, RELIABILITY, TIMELINESS, TITLE, QUIET ENJOYMENT, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT, AS WELL AS ANY WARRANTIES ARISING FROM COURSE OF DEALING, COURSE OF PERFORMANCE, OR USAGE OF TRADE.

WE DO NOT WARRANT THAT: (A) THE SERVICE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED, TIMELY, ERROR-FREE, OR SECURE; (B) ANY DEFECTS WILL BE CORRECTED; (C) THE SERVICE OR THE SERVER THAT MAKES IT AVAILABLE ARE FREE OF VIRUSES OR OTHER HARMFUL COMPONENTS; (D) THE RESULTS OF USING THE SERVICE WILL MEET YOUR REQUIREMENTS; (E) ANY INFORMATION, SUMMARY, ITEM, NOTICE, AGENDA, DOCKET, MINUTE, OR ALERT SURFACED BY THE SERVICE IS ACCURATE, CURRENT, COMPLETE, OR FREE OF ERROR; OR (F) ANY THIRD-PARTY SOURCE LINKED TO BY THE SERVICE WILL REMAIN AVAILABLE, ACCURATE, OR FREE OF MALICIOUS CONTENT.

NO ORAL OR WRITTEN INFORMATION OR ADVICE GIVEN BY DIGENT LLC OR ITS AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVES SHALL CREATE A WARRANTY OR IN ANY WAY INCREASE THE SCOPE OF THIS SECTION. SOME JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OF CERTAIN IMPLIED WARRANTIES, SO THE ABOVE EXCLUSIONS MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU IN THEIR ENTIRETY; IN SUCH JURISDICTIONS, OUR WARRANTIES ARE LIMITED TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW.

12A. No Professional Advice

The Service is an information aggregation and summarization tool. Nothing on the Service constitutes, and nothing on the Service should be construed as, legal, medical, financial, tax, real-estate, insurance, investment, employment, immigration, voting, public-records, or any other professional advice. Public-meeting agendas, court dockets, public notices, election dates, property assessments, permit filings, AI-assisted summaries, and similar items surfaced by the Service are summaries and pointers intended to help readers locate primary sources; they are not authoritative statements of those sources.

You agree not to rely on the Service as the sole source for any decision with legal, financial, medical, or safety consequences. Always confirm material facts directly with the cited primary source, with the relevant government agency, and—where appropriate—with a licensed professional. Digent LLC accepts no responsibility for any decision made or action taken in reliance on content surfaced by the Service.

13. Limitation of Liability

TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, IN NO EVENT SHALL DIGENT LLC, ITS OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS, OR LICENSORS BE LIABLE TO YOU FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE, OR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO LOSS OF PROFITS, GOODWILL, DATA, OR OTHER INTANGIBLE LOSSES, ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH YOUR USE OF OR INABILITY TO USE THE SERVICE, EVEN IF DIGENT LLC HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

THE TOTAL CUMULATIVE LIABILITY OF DIGENT LLC TO YOU FOR ALL CLAIMS ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THESE TERMS OR THE SERVICE, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, TORT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR OTHERWISE, SHALL NOT EXCEED THE GREATER OF: (A) ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS ($100.00 USD) OR (B) THE TOTAL AMOUNTS YOU HAVE PAID TO DIGENT LLC IN THE TWELVE (12) MONTHS IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING THE EVENT GIVING RISE TO THE CLAIM.

The limitation of liability in this section reflects a reasonable allocation of risk between the parties and is a fundamental element of the basis of the bargain between you and Digent LLC. Some jurisdictions do not allow certain limitations of liability; in such jurisdictions, our liability will be limited to the maximum extent permitted by law.

14. Indemnification

You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless Digent LLC, its officers, directors, employees, contractors, agents, licensors, and successors from and against any and all claims, liabilities, damages, judgments, awards, losses, costs, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising out of or relating to: (a) your use of or access to the Service; (b) your violation of these Terms; (c) your User Submissions; (d) your violation of any law, regulation, or rights of a third party; or (e) your breach of any representation or warranty made in these Terms.

We reserve the right to assume exclusive control of any matter subject to indemnification by you, in which case you agree to cooperate with our defense of such claim at your own expense.

15. Governing Law, Venue & Arbitration

These Terms and any disputes arising out of or related to these Terms or the Service shall be governed by the laws of the State of Florida, without regard to its conflict-of-law provisions.

Binding Arbitration. EXCEPT AS SET FORTH BELOW, ANY DISPUTE, CONTROVERSY, OR CLAIM ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THESE TERMS OR THE SERVICE (EACH, A "DISPUTE") SHALL BE RESOLVED EXCLUSIVELY BY FINAL AND BINDING ARBITRATION. The arbitration shall be administered by the American Arbitration Association ("AAA") under its Commercial Arbitration Rules then in effect. The seat of arbitration shall be in the State of Florida, in accordance with the Revised Florida Arbitration Code, Chapter 682, Florida Statutes. The arbitration shall be conducted in English, and may be conducted in person, by videoconference, or by written submissions at the arbitrator's discretion. The arbitrator's decision shall be final and binding, and judgment may be entered upon it in any court of competent jurisdiction.

Class Action Waiver. TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, ALL DISPUTES SHALL BE RESOLVED ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS. YOU WAIVE YOUR RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE IN A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT OR CLASS-WIDE ARBITRATION. YOU FURTHER WAIVE YOUR RIGHT TO A TRIAL BY JURY.

Opt-Out Right. You have the right to opt out of the arbitration provision and class action waiver by sending a written opt-out notice to hello@chatterbox.news within 30 days of first accepting these Terms. Your opt-out notice must include your name, the email address associated with your account, and a clear statement that you are opting out of arbitration. If you opt out, any Dispute shall be resolved exclusively in the state or federal courts located in Florida, and you consent to the personal jurisdiction of such courts.

Exceptions. Either party may seek emergency or interim injunctive or other equitable relief in any court of competent jurisdiction to prevent irreparable harm pending the outcome of arbitration. Claims for amounts under $10,000 USD may, at the claimant's option, be brought in small claims court in lieu of arbitration.

16. Modifications

We reserve the right to modify these Terms at any time. When we make material changes, we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page and, where required by law, provide additional notice to registered subscribers by email. Your continued use of the Service after the effective date of any modification constitutes your acceptance of the revised Terms. If you do not agree to the revised Terms, you must stop using the Service.

17. Severability

If any provision of these Terms is held to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, that provision shall be modified to the minimum extent necessary to make it valid, legal, and enforceable, or severed if modification is not possible, and the remaining provisions of these Terms shall continue in full force and effect.

18. Entire Agreement

These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy, Sponsor Policy, AI Use Policy, Editorial Standards, Corrections Policy, DMCA Policy, and Accessibility Policy (each of which is incorporated herein by reference), constitute the entire agreement between you and Digent LLC with respect to the Service and supersede all prior and contemporaneous agreements, representations, and understandings—oral or written—between you and Digent LLC relating to the Service. You acknowledge that you have not relied on any statement, promise, representation, assurance, or warranty made or given by or on behalf of Digent LLC that is not set out in these Terms.

No failure by Digent LLC to enforce any right or provision of these Terms shall constitute a waiver of that right or provision. Headings are for convenience only and do not affect interpretation.

18A. Time-Barred Claims

TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY CLAIM OR CAUSE OF ACTION ARISING OUT OF OR RELATED TO THE SERVICE OR THESE TERMS MUST BE COMMENCED WITHIN ONE (1) YEAR AFTER THE CLAIM OR CAUSE OF ACTION FIRST ACCRUED, OR IT SHALL BE PERMANENTLY BARRED. This shorter limitations period reflects a reasonable allocation of risk and is a fundamental element of the basis of the bargain between you and Digent LLC.

18B. Assignment

You may not assign, sublicense, delegate, or otherwise transfer these Terms or any of your rights or obligations hereunder, in whole or in part, by operation of law or otherwise, without our prior written consent, and any purported assignment in violation of this section is void. Digent LLC may freely assign or transfer these Terms, in whole or in part, including to any successor in interest, parent, subsidiary, affiliate, or purchaser of substantially all of its assets, without notice to you and without your consent. These Terms are binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties and their permitted successors and assigns.

18C. Force Majeure

Digent LLC shall not be liable for any failure or delay in performance under these Terms to the extent caused by events outside its reasonable control, including but not limited to acts of God, natural disasters, fire, flood, hurricane, earthquake, pandemic, epidemic, war, terrorism, civil unrest, riots, strikes, labor disturbances, governmental action, supply-chain disruption, internet or telecommunications failure, third-party service outage (including outages of upstream sources, hosting providers, content delivery networks, email providers, payment processors, or AI providers), denial-of- service attack, and any other condition not reasonably foreseeable or preventable by Digent LLC. Time for performance shall be extended by the duration of the force-majeure event.

18D. No Third-Party Beneficiaries

These Terms are for the sole benefit of you and Digent LLC and their respective permitted successors and assigns. Nothing in these Terms is intended to or shall confer upon any third party any legal or equitable right, benefit, or remedy of any nature whatsoever.

18E. Survival

The following sections survive termination or expiration of these Terms or your account for any reason: Section 6 (User Submissions License), Section 8 (Intellectual Property), Section 12 (No Warranties), Section 12A (No Professional Advice), Section 13 (Limitation of Liability), Section 14 (Indemnification), Section 15 (Governing Law, Venue & Arbitration), Section 18 (Entire Agreement), Section 18A (Time-Barred Claims), Section 18B (Assignment), and any other provision that by its nature is intended to survive.

18F. Electronic Communications & Signatures

You consent to receive communications from us electronically, including by email, in-app notice, or via posts on the Service. You agree that all agreements, notices, disclosures, and other communications that we provide to you electronically satisfy any legal requirement that such communications be in writing. Your electronic acceptance of these Terms (e.g., by checking the "I am 18 or older and agree to the Terms" checkbox at registration) constitutes a valid and binding electronic signature under the federal E-SIGN Act and applicable state-law equivalents.

19. Contact

Questions about these Terms of Service may be directed to:

Digent LLC
Attn: Legal
hello@chatterbox.news

We will make reasonable efforts to respond to all legitimate legal inquiries within fourteen (14) business days.