Terms and Conditions

1. Company Information and Contact

2. Eligibility and Lawful Use

You may use the Services only for lawful purposes and in accordance with these Terms. You agree not to misuse the Services, submit fraudulent information, impersonate another person, interfere with other users, or violate applicable laws. If you use the Services on behalf of an organization, you represent that you are authorized to do so.

3. Permitted Use

You may access and read publicly available content for personal, non-commercial purposes and share links to our pages, provided you do not misrepresent the content or imply an endorsement that does not exist. You must not copy, republish, sell, distribute, scrape, or commercially exploit substantial portions of our content without permission, except where applicable law permits. You must not bypass access controls, disrupt the Services, introduce malware, or attempt unauthorized access.

4. News Content and Editorial Standards

Times Chicago may publish news, reporting, interviews, analysis, opinion, photographs, videos, graphics, syndicated material, licensed material, and links to third-party sources. We aim to publish relevant and reliable material, but news can develop quickly and information may change. We may update, correct, clarify, edit, or remove content when appropriate. Opinion and sponsored material should be identified where required by law or editorial policy.

5. Accuracy and Completeness

We make reasonable efforts to maintain the quality of our content but do not guarantee that every article, statement, statistic, image, quotation, or link is accurate, complete, current, or error-free. To the extent permitted by law, the Services and content are provided without a guarantee of completeness or suitability for a particular purpose. Nothing in these Terms excludes a right or responsibility that cannot legally be excluded.

6. No Professional Advice

Content is provided for general informational purposes and is not individualized legal, medical, tax, accounting, investment, or other professional advice unless expressly stated otherwise. Financial and market coverage is not an individualized investment recommendation. Consider consulting a qualified professional before making decisions that require specialized advice.

7. Intellectual Property

Unless otherwise stated, original content, articles, graphics, logos, design elements, videos, photographs, and other materials on the Services are owned by Times Chicago LLC or used under license and may be protected by intellectual property laws. You may not reproduce, modify, republish, commercially exploit, or redistribute protected material without permission, except as permitted by applicable law. Third-party materials remain subject to their owners’ rights and applicable licenses.

8. User Submissions

If you submit news tips, photographs, videos, comments, documents, story ideas, or other materials (“User Submissions”), you represent that you have the necessary rights and permissions and that the material does not unlawfully infringe another person’s rights. You retain ownership of material you own. By submitting material for consideration, you grant Times Chicago LLC a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to review, reproduce, edit, adapt, publish, display, distribute, and use the material in connection with editorial operations and the Services, to the extent reasonably necessary for those purposes. A separate written agreement may govern a specific submission. Submission does not guarantee publication, payment, confidentiality, or a response.

9. News Tips and Confidentiality

Submitting a news tip does not automatically establish a confidential, privileged, or protected journalist-source relationship. Ordinary email and website forms may not be secure or anonymous. Do not submit confidential or sensitive information unless necessary and after considering the risks. If source confidentiality is important, contact the editorial team before sending sensitive material and use an appropriate secure method where available.

10. Comments and Interactive Features

If comments, forums, or other interactive features are available, users must not post unlawful, fraudulent, threatening, harassing, defamatory, infringing, or otherwise prohibited material. We may moderate, restrict, remove, or decline to publish content in accordance with applicable law and our editorial policies. Users remain responsible for their submissions.

11. Advertising and Sponsored Content

The Services may contain advertising, sponsorships, affiliate links, or promotional content. The presence of an advertisement does not necessarily constitute an endorsement. Advertisers and sponsors are responsible for their claims, materials, and legal compliance. Commercial relationships do not automatically guarantee editorial coverage or a favorable editorial outcome. Sponsored material should be identified where required by law.

12. Third-Party Websites

Our Services may link to websites or services operated by third parties. We do not control all third-party content, security, or privacy practices and are not responsible for their independent operation. Links do not necessarily imply endorsement. Your use of third-party services is subject to their own terms and policies.

13. Privacy and Cookies

Your use of the Services is also subject to our Privacy Policy, which should be available at a clearly identified location on https://www.timeschicago.com/. Our website may use cookies, analytics, log files, or similar technologies depending on the features enabled. The Privacy Policy should accurately describe the data actually collected, how it is used and shared, retention, security, and available privacy choices. These Terms do not replace any legally required consent or privacy disclosure.

14. Accounts and Security

If accounts are offered, you must provide accurate information and take reasonable steps to protect your credentials. Notify us promptly if you suspect unauthorized account access. You must not access another person’s account without authorization. We may restrict access where reasonably necessary to protect users, the Services, or our legal rights.

15. Availability and Changes

We may modify, suspend, discontinue, or restrict any part of the Services for operational, editorial, security, legal, or business reasons. We do not guarantee uninterrupted access or freedom from technical errors. Where required by law, we will provide any required notice of material changes.

16. Copyright and Intellectual Property Complaints

If you believe material on the Services infringes your copyright or other rights, contact us through the legal or copyright contact published on the official website. Provide your contact details, identify the work and disputed material (including its URL), explain the basis of your claim, and provide information reasonably establishing your authority. We may investigate and take appropriate action. Formal notices under the U.S. Digital Millennium Copyright Act may have additional requirements; do not assume a general contact channel is a designated DMCA agent.

17. Disclaimer of Warranties

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the Services and content are provided on an “as is” and “as available” basis. We do not warrant that the Services will be uninterrupted, secure, error-free, or suitable for every purpose. This section does not limit any warranty or right that cannot lawfully be excluded.

18. Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, Times Chicago LLC and its owners, officers, employees, contractors, and service providers will not be liable for indirect, incidental, special, consequential, exemplary, or punitive damages, or for loss of profits, revenue, business opportunities, goodwill, or data arising from use of or inability to use the Services. This section does not exclude or limit liability for fraud, intentional misconduct, gross negligence, or any liability that cannot legally be excluded or limited, and does not restrict non-waivable consumer rights.

19. Indemnification

To the extent permitted by law, you are responsible for losses, claims, liabilities, and reasonable expenses arising directly from your unlawful use of the Services, material violation of these Terms, or infringement of another person’s rights. This section does not require indemnification for our own conduct where prohibited by law.

20. Suspension and Termination

We may restrict or terminate access where we reasonably believe a user has materially violated these Terms, created a security risk, engaged in unlawful activity, or misused the Services. Where appropriate and practicable, we may provide notice or an opportunity to address the issue. Accrued rights and provisions that by their nature should survive termination remain unaffected.

21. Governing Law and Jurisdiction

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Illinois, without regard to conflict-of-law principles, except where applicable law requires otherwise. Subject to mandatory consumer protections and jurisdictional requirements, disputes will be brought before competent state or federal courts located in Illinois. Nothing in this section prevents a person from exercising rights that applicable law requires or permits.

22. Changes to These Terms

We may revise these Terms to reflect changes to our Services, operations, or legal requirements. The “Last Updated” date indicates when they were most recently revised. Where required, material changes will be communicated through the website or another appropriate method. Continued use after revised Terms become effective may constitute acceptance where legally valid.

23. Severability and No Waiver

If any provision is found unlawful, invalid, or unenforceable, it will be limited or severed to the minimum extent necessary, and the remaining provisions will continue to apply to the extent permitted by law. A failure or delay in enforcing a provision does not waive the right to enforce it later.

24. Entire Agreement

These Terms, together with the Privacy Policy and any additional terms expressly incorporated by reference, govern your use of the Services. A separate written agreement for a particular service, contributor relationship, subscription, or commercial arrangement will govern to the extent it expressly conflicts with these Terms.

25. Contact Us