Who can use HearAbouts and how
HearAbouts is open to anyone aged 13 or over who lives, works, learns, or has a stake in the area we cover. By signing in you confirm you meet that age requirement.
You agree to use the service responsibly. You will not:
- Pretend to be someone else, or sign in on behalf of another person.
- Try to disrupt, scrape, or attack the service.
- Submit content that you don’t have the right to share.
- Use the platform to harass, threaten, or spread hatred.
What you can and can't post
HearAbouts exists to surface what residents actually think about their place. We want strong opinions, including critical ones. We will, however, remove or refuse to publish anything that:
- Is unlawful (defamatory, discriminatory, threatening, or incites violence).
- Identifies a private individual without their consent.
- Contains commercial advertising or spam.
- Includes children’s personal details.
- Reveals safeguarding information that should be reported through proper channels instead.
Speaking critically about decisions, organisations, or named public figures acting in their public role is fine. Speaking abusively about an identifiable private person is not.
What we may do with submissions
We may, at our discretion:
- Edit a voice for clarity (without changing its meaning).
- Refuse to publish, or remove, content that breaks the rules above.
- Remove a voice if the person who wrote it asks us to.
- Suspend an account that repeatedly breaks these terms.
We aim to be transparent about removals. Where we can, we’ll explain why.
Who owns what you write
You keep all rights to the words you submit. By posting a voice you grant us a non-exclusive, royalty-free licence to host it, display it on the public map, and share aggregate analyses with our partner organisations as part of how the platform works.
If you delete your account we will anonymise your voices: your name and postcode are removed, but the substance of what you said remains as part of the public community record.
What we can and can't promise
HearAbouts is provided “as is”. We work hard to keep it accurate, available, and secure, but we don’t guarantee the service will always be uninterrupted, free of bugs, or fit for any specific purpose you have in mind.
Aggregated sentiment, project information, and area indicators displayed on the platform are intended for general orientation and community engagement. They are not a substitute for professional or statutory advice.
The legal limits
Nothing in these terms limits liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, for fraud, or for anything else that cannot be limited by law.
Otherwise, to the fullest extent permitted by law, we are not liable for indirect or consequential losses arising from your use of HearAbouts.
Where any disputes are settled
These terms are governed by the laws of England and Wales. The courts of England and Wales have exclusive jurisdiction over any dispute arising out of or in connection with them.
When we update them
We may update these terms occasionally. Material changes will be highlighted on this page, and we’ll update the “last updated” date at the top.
Continued use of HearAbouts after a change means you accept the updated terms.