Terms of Use
The ground rules for using Substrate.
Effective April 11, 2026
1. About Substrate
Substrate is a news platform operated by Substrate Media, Inc. ("Substrate," "we," "us," or "our"), a Delaware corporation. Substrate ingests reporting from third-party news outlets, uses automated systems to cluster related coverage, and produces neutral, multi-source summaries of current events. The service is made available through the substrate.news website, email newsletters, and audio digests (together, the "Service").
2. Agreement to these terms
By accessing or using the Service, you agree to be bound by these Terms of Use ("Terms") and by our Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, do not use the Service. We may update these Terms from time to time; material changes will be announced on the site and, when appropriate, by email to subscribers. Continued use of the Service after an update constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.
3. Eligibility
You must be at least 13 years old to use the Service. If you are under the age of majority in your jurisdiction, you may only use the Service with the involvement of a parent or legal guardian. By using the Service you represent that you meet these requirements.
4. The content on Substrate
Substrate aggregates and summarizes publicly reported news from third-party outlets. Source articles remain the property of their respective publishers, and links are provided so readers can read the original reporting. Substrate's own editorial output — summaries, bias analyses, timelines, audio digests, and other derived content — is generated by automated systems under our direction and is provided on an "as is" basis. While we work hard to produce accurate, neutral coverage, automated systems can make mistakes. Nothing on Substrate should be treated as professional advice of any kind, including legal, financial, medical, or investment advice.
5. Your use of the Service
You may read, share, and link to Substrate content for personal, non-commercial purposes. You may not: (a) scrape, crawl, or bulk-download the Service except as expressly permitted by our robots policy; (b) use the Service to train machine-learning models without our prior written consent; (c) attempt to disrupt, reverse engineer, or gain unauthorized access to any part of the Service; (d) misrepresent Substrate content as your own original reporting; or (e) use the Service in any way that violates applicable law.
6. Intellectual property
The Substrate name, logo, design, and the platform itself are the property of Substrate Media, Inc. Original summary text generated for Substrate is licensed to readers for personal, non-commercial reading. All third-party source material referenced on Substrate remains the intellectual property of the original publisher. If you believe content on Substrate infringes your copyright, please contact us at contact@substrate.news with the details of your claim.
7. Email and audio digests
Substrate offers optional email newsletters and audio digests. When you subscribe, you consent to receive these communications. Every email includes a one-click unsubscribe link, and you can opt out at any time. See our Privacy Policy for how we handle subscriber information.
8. Third-party links and sources
Substrate links to third-party websites that host the original source material we cite. We do not control and are not responsible for the content, accuracy, or practices of those third-party sites. Your interaction with any third-party site is governed by that site's own terms and privacy policy.
9. Disclaimers
The Service is provided on an "as is" and "as available" basis, without warranties of any kind, whether express or implied, including warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, non-infringement, or accuracy. We do not warrant that the Service will be uninterrupted, error-free, or free of harmful components, or that any information provided is complete, reliable, or current.
10. Limitation of liability
To the maximum extent permitted by law, Substrate Media, Inc. and its officers, directors, employees, and contractors will not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, or any loss of profits, data, goodwill, or other intangible losses, arising out of or relating to your use of the Service. Our total aggregate liability for any claim arising out of these Terms or the Service will not exceed one hundred US dollars ($100).
11. Indemnification
You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Substrate Media, Inc. and its affiliates from any claims, damages, liabilities, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising out of your misuse of the Service or your violation of these Terms.
12. Termination
We may suspend or terminate your access to the Service at any time, without notice, if we believe you have violated these Terms or if we discontinue any part of the Service. You may stop using the Service at any time.
13. Governing law and disputes
These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to its conflict of laws principles. Any dispute arising out of or relating to these Terms or the Service will be resolved exclusively in the state or federal courts located in Delaware, and you consent to the personal jurisdiction of those courts.
14. Contact
Questions about these Terms can be sent to contact@substrate.news, or to Substrate Media, Inc. at the same address.