Terms of Service

Last updated: February 25, 2026

1. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing or using the NewsBalance website and any associated services (collectively, the "Service"), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service ("Terms"). If you do not agree to these Terms, you must not access or use the Service. These Terms constitute a legally binding agreement between you and NewsBalance ("we," "us," or "our").

We reserve the right to modify these Terms at any time. Changes will be effective immediately upon posting to this page. Your continued use of the Service after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the revised Terms.

By subscribing to our newsletter or creating an account, you are also agreeing to these Terms. Specific terms governing newsletter subscriptions and paid subscriptions are set forth in Sections 5B and 5C below.

2. Description of Service

NewsBalance is an independent, AI-powered news analysis and media literacy platform. We are not a news publisher and we do not produce original journalism. Our Service:

• Uses artificial intelligence to synthesize, compare, and analyze publicly available news articles from multiple publishers and sources.
• Ingests articles exclusively through publicly available RSS feeds — the same feeds publishers provide for services such as Google News, Apple News, and other news aggregators.
• Provides AI-generated commentary, criticism, and comparative analysis of how different news outlets cover the same events.
• Identifies commonalities, discrepancies, and differing perspectives across multiple publishers' coverage.
• Aims to promote media literacy by helping readers see a more complete and balanced picture of current events.
• Cites and attributes all original sources that inform each summary, directing readers to the original publishers.
• Does not store or retain original article text after processing. Only our original AI-synthesized summaries and analysis persist. No publisher's original content is stored long-term or displayed to users.

Our platform serves a fundamentally different purpose than primary news reporting. We help readers understand how news is covered across sources, rather than providing first-hand reporting.

3. AI-Generated Content Disclosure

• AI processing: All AI processing is performed using locally hosted models on our own infrastructure. No article text or user data is sent to third-party AI services (including but not limited to OpenAI, Google, Anthropic, or Meta). We do not train any AI models on publisher content — our pre-trained models are used solely for inference (generating summaries), not training.
• Accuracy limitations: While we strive for accuracy, AI-generated content may contain errors, omissions, inaccuracies, or reflect outdated information. Users should independently verify information with original sources.
• Potential for bias: AI systems may reflect biases present in source material or in the models themselves, despite our efforts to present balanced perspectives. We encourage readers to consult original sources and form their own conclusions.
• Not a substitute: Our AI-generated analysis is a media literacy tool, not a replacement for reading original reporting from established news organizations.
• No editorial endorsement: AI-generated summaries represent a synthesis of source material. They do not represent editorial positions, opinions, or endorsements by NewsBalance.
• AI-generated images: Summary images on our Service are generated using AI image generation tools. These images are illustrative and do not depict real photographs of actual events. They are created independently and do not reproduce or derive from copyrighted visual works of third parties.
• Human oversight: While our pipeline includes automated quality checks, AI-generated content may not always receive individual human review before publication.

4. Fair Use and First Amendment Protections

4.1 Nature of Our Content

The content on NewsBalance constitutes commentary, criticism, analysis, and transformative work as recognized under United States copyright law (17 U.S.C. § 107) and the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. Our process involves:

• Transformative use: We do not republish or copy original articles. Our AI creates new works that analyze, critique, compare, and synthesize factual reporting from multiple sources. Our purpose is fundamentally different from the original works — to provide comparative analysis and balanced perspective rather than primary reporting.
• Commentary and criticism: Our content serves as commentary on and criticism of how different news outlets cover the same events, identifying potential bias, sensationalism, factual discrepancies, and varying editorial perspectives. This is a core fair use purpose under 17 U.S.C. § 107.
• Factual reporting: Facts, news events, and information about matters of public concern are not subject to copyright protection. The factual elements we reference are not copyrightable.
• Source attribution: We provide full citation and attribution to all original sources, directing readers to the original publishers for the full original articles.
• Public interest: Our work serves the public interest by promoting media literacy, exposing bias, and enabling citizens to access a more complete and balanced picture of current events — a purpose that has strong First Amendment protections.

4.2 Four-Factor Fair Use Analysis

Our use of publicly available news content satisfies the four factors of fair use analysis under 17 U.S.C. § 107:

1. Purpose and character of use: Our use is transformative — we create new works of commentary, criticism, and comparative analysis. We do not merely reproduce or substitute for the original articles. Our purpose is informational, serving the public interest in media literacy and balanced news coverage.
2. Nature of the copyrighted work: The underlying works are factual news reports about matters of public concern. Factual works receive less copyright protection than creative works, and facts themselves are not copyrightable.
3. Amount and substantiality: We reference only the factual elements and key points necessary for our commentary and analysis. We do not reproduce articles in whole or in substantial part. Our original analysis and commentary constitute the majority of our content.
4. Effect on the market: Our Service does not substitute for or compete with the original articles. We link to and cite original sources, which drives traffic to the original publishers rather than displacing it. Our platform only generates coverage after at least three independent publishers have reported on the same event, ensuring we are analyzing broadly reported news rather than displacing any individual publisher's exclusive reporting. Our product serves a fundamentally different market purpose — comparative analysis and media literacy rather than primary news reporting.

4.3 Publisher Cooperation and Opt-Out

We respect the intellectual property and editorial efforts of news publishers. Our commitment to publishers includes:

• robots.txt compliance: We respect robots.txt directives for general user agents. Our system accesses content through the same publicly available channels (RSS feeds, public URLs) that publishers make available to all visitors and aggregation services.
• Source attribution: Every summary on our platform includes full attribution with clickable links to the original articles, including publisher name, article title, author, and publication date. We actively drive reader traffic back to original publishers.
• No content storage: We do not store or retain original article text. Only our original AI-synthesized analysis persists.
• Publisher opt-out: Any publisher may request removal from our platform at any time. We maintain a dedicated opt-out process at /publishers/opt-out. Verified requests are honored promptly.

Publishers who wish to discuss our use of their content, request removal, or explore partnership opportunities are encouraged to contact us directly at publishers@newsbalance.ai or submit a request through our publisher opt-out page.

4.4 Additional Legal Protections

Our activities are further protected by:

• First Amendment protections: The First Amendment provides robust protections for news commentary, criticism, and analysis of matters of public concern.
• Hot news doctrine limitations: We do not engage in free-riding on time-sensitive scoops. Our platform only generates coverage of a summary after it has been independently reported by at least three separate publishers, ensuring we are analyzing broadly reported news events rather than capitalizing on any single publisher's exclusive reporting.
• Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act: To the extent applicable, aspects of our Service that organize, curate, and display third-party content may be protected under 47 U.S.C. § 230. We note that the applicability of Section 230 to AI-generated content is an evolving area of law.

5. Intellectual Property

5.1 Our Content

All original analysis, commentary, AI-generated content, designs, graphics, user interface elements, software, and other materials created by NewsBalance are our intellectual property and are protected by copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws. You may not reproduce, distribute, modify, create derivative works from, publicly display, or otherwise exploit our original content without our express written permission.

5.2 Third-Party Content

NewsBalance references, cites, and links to content from third-party news publishers and sources. All third-party trademarks, service marks, trade names, and content remain the property of their respective owners. Our reference to, citation of, or linking to third-party content does not imply any affiliation, endorsement, or sponsorship by or with the third-party content owners. Aggregation of content from a publisher does not imply endorsement by or partnership with that publisher.

5B. Newsletter Subscriptions

We offer a free email newsletter that delivers AI-generated news summaries and analysis. By subscribing to our newsletter, you agree to the following terms:

• Consent: You must provide explicit consent by checking the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy agreement checkbox at the time of subscription. We record the timestamp of your consent.
• Content: Our newsletter contains AI-generated summaries, analysis, and commentary — not original journalism. The same accuracy limitations and disclaimers described in Section 3 apply to newsletter content.
• Frequency: We may send newsletters daily, weekly, or at other intervals at our discretion. We may also send occasional service-related announcements.
• Unsubscribe: You may unsubscribe at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link included in every newsletter email, or by managing your preferences on your account page. Unsubscribe requests are processed immediately.
• Data collection: We collect your email address, optional name, subscription source, and consent timestamp. See our Privacy Policy for details on how we handle this data.
• No spam: We will not sell, rent, or share your email address with third parties for their marketing purposes.

5C. Paid Subscriptions and Payments

We offer optional paid subscription plans that provide additional features. If you purchase a paid subscription, the following terms apply in addition to all other Terms:

• Payment processor: All payment processing is handled by Stripe, Inc. ("Stripe"). By making a purchase, you also agree to Stripe's Terms of Service and Stripe's Privacy Policy. We do not store your payment card details — these are handled entirely by Stripe.
• Billing: Subscription fees are billed in advance on a recurring basis (monthly or yearly, depending on your selected plan). Your subscription will automatically renew at the end of each billing period unless you cancel before the renewal date.
• Cancellation: You may cancel your subscription at any time through the Stripe customer portal accessible from your account page. Cancellation takes effect at the end of your current billing period — you retain access to paid features until then.
• Refunds: Refunds for paid subscriptions are handled on a case-by-case basis at our sole discretion. One-time donations and "Buy Us a Coffee" contributions are non-refundable. To request a refund, contact us at info@newsbalance.ai.
• Price changes: We reserve the right to change subscription pricing. Existing subscribers will be notified of price changes at least 30 days before they take effect. Continued use after a price change constitutes acceptance of the new pricing.
• Service level: Paid subscriptions provide enhanced features as described on our subscription page. We do not guarantee specific uptime or service levels for paid features beyond what is described in Section 7 (Disclaimer of Warranties).

5D. Account Terms

If you create an account on our Service, you agree to the following:

• Accurate information: You must provide accurate, current, and complete information when creating your account and keep it updated.
• Account security: You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials. You agree to notify us immediately of any unauthorized use of your account.
• One account per person: Each individual may maintain only one account. Creating multiple accounts to circumvent restrictions is prohibited.
• Account responsibility: You are responsible for all activities that occur under your account, whether or not you authorized them.
• Account termination: We may suspend or terminate your account at our discretion for violation of these Terms. You may delete your account at any time by contacting us at info@newsbalance.ai.

6. Content Processing Practices

In the interest of transparency, we disclose the following about how our platform processes news content:

• Source ingestion: We access articles exclusively through publicly available RSS feeds and public URLs — the same channels publishers provide for Google News, Apple News, Flipboard, SmartNews, and other aggregation services. Our system does not use authentication, login credentials, cookies, or session-based access to bypass any access controls. We access only the publicly served version of content available to any first-time visitor.
• Transient processing: Original article text is processed transiently for the purpose of generating our AI synthesis. Original text is not stored, retained, or displayed to users after processing is complete.
• No AI training: We do not use publisher content to train, fine-tune, or develop any artificial intelligence or machine learning models. Our pre-trained language model is used solely for inference — generating original summaries from factual inputs.
• No data mining: We do not extract structured data for resale or commercial exploitation. Our semantic analysis is performed solely for the editorial purpose of grouping related coverage.
• Original output: The summaries, analyses, and narratives presented to users are original works generated by our AI system. They are not reproductions, excerpts, or derivatives of any single source article.
• Traffic referral: Our platform functions as a discovery and referral mechanism for original publishers. Every summary includes clickable attribution links designed to direct readers to the original reporting.

7. Disclaimer of Warranties

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, we disclaim all warranties, express or implied, including but not limited to:

• Implied warranties: We disclaim all implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, title, and non-infringement.
• Accuracy and completeness: While we strive for accuracy, we make no warranty that our content is accurate, complete, reliable, current, or error-free. Our content is AI-generated commentary and analysis, not a primary news source. Users should verify important information with original sources.
• AI-generated content: AI-generated analysis, summaries, and images may contain errors, omissions, inaccuracies, or biases inherent in automated processing and source material. AI-generated content should not be relied upon as the sole source of information for any purpose. AI-generated images are illustrative and do not depict real events.
• Availability: We do not warrant that the Service will be uninterrupted, timely, secure, or free from errors, viruses, or other harmful components.
• Third-party content: We are not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any third-party content we reference or link to.

8. Limitation of Liability

This limitation applies to, but is not limited to:

• Damages arising from the use of or reliance on any content, information, or materials available through the Service, including AI-generated content.
• Damages resulting from errors, omissions, inaccuracies, or biases in our AI-generated content or analysis.
• Damages resulting from unauthorized access to or alteration of your data or transmissions.
• Damages resulting from any interruption, suspension, or termination of the Service.
• Damages arising from any third-party content, websites, or resources linked to or referenced by the Service.
• Any other matter relating to the Service.

In jurisdictions that do not allow the exclusion or limitation of liability for certain types of damages, our liability shall be limited to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law. In no event shall our total aggregate liability to you for all claims arising out of or relating to the Service exceed the amount you have paid us in the twelve (12) months preceding the claim, or fifty dollars ($50.00), whichever is greater.

9. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless NewsBalance, its officers, directors, employees, agents, partners, suppliers, and affiliates from and against any and all claims, liabilities, damages, losses, costs, expenses, or fees (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising from or relating to:

• Your use of the Service.
• Your violation of these Terms.
• Your violation of any applicable law or regulation.
• Your violation of any rights of a third party.
• Any content you submit to or through the Service.

10. DMCA and Copyright Complaints

We respect the intellectual property rights of others. If you believe that any content on our Service infringes upon your copyright, you may submit a notification pursuant to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), 17 U.S.C. § 512, by providing the following information to our designated copyright agent:

1. A physical or electronic signature of a person authorized to act on behalf of the copyright owner.
2. Identification of the copyrighted work claimed to have been infringed.
3. Identification of the material that is claimed to be infringing and its location on the Service.
4. Your contact information (address, telephone number, and email address).
5. A statement that you have a good faith belief that use of the material in the manner complained of is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law.
6. A statement, made under penalty of perjury, that the information in the notification is accurate and that you are authorized to act on behalf of the copyright owner.

Please note that our content constitutes fair use commentary and analysis under 17 U.S.C. § 107. Submission of a DMCA takedown notice for content that constitutes fair use may subject the claimant to liability for damages under 17 U.S.C. § 512(f), including costs and attorneys' fees, for knowingly misrepresenting that material is infringing. We reserve all rights to file counter-notifications and pursue any available remedies against bad faith or abusive takedown requests.

Send DMCA notices to: legal@newsbalance.ai

11. Counter-Notification Rights

If you believe that material was removed or disabled as a result of a mistake or misidentification, you may file a counter-notification. We will process valid counter-notifications in accordance with the DMCA. We strongly defend our fair use rights and the fair use rights of commentary and criticism.

12. User Conduct

By using the Service, you agree not to:

• Use the Service for any unlawful purpose or in violation of any applicable laws or regulations.
• Attempt to gain unauthorized access to any portion of the Service, other accounts, computer systems, or networks connected to the Service.
• Interfere with or disrupt the Service or servers or networks connected to the Service.
• Use any automated means (bots, scrapers, crawlers) to access the Service without our express written permission.
• Attempt to reverse-engineer, decompile, or disassemble any portion of the Service.
• Collect or harvest any personally identifiable information from the Service.
• Use the Service to transmit spam, chain letters, or other unsolicited communications.
• Impersonate any person or entity, or misrepresent your affiliation with any person or entity.
• Reproduce, duplicate, copy, sell, resell, or exploit any portion of the Service without express written permission.

13. Links to Third-Party Websites

Our Service contains links to third-party websites and resources, including original news publishers whose content we reference and analyze. These links are provided for your convenience and for source attribution. We have no control over, and assume no responsibility for, the content, privacy policies, or practices of any third-party websites or resources. Your interactions with third-party websites are solely between you and the third party.

14. Dispute Resolution

14.1 Governing Law

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the United States of America, without regard to conflict of law principles. Any disputes arising under or in connection with these Terms shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the federal and state courts located within the United States.

14.2 Arbitration Agreement

Any dispute, controversy, or claim arising out of or relating to these Terms, or the breach, termination, or invalidity thereof, shall first be attempted to be resolved through good faith negotiation between the parties for a period of thirty (30) days. If the dispute cannot be resolved through negotiation, it shall be settled by binding arbitration administered in accordance with the rules of the American Arbitration Association. The arbitration shall be conducted by a single arbitrator, and the decision of the arbitrator shall be final and binding on the parties.

14.3 Class Action Waiver

TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, YOU AND NEWSBALANCE AGREE THAT EACH MAY BRING CLAIMS AGAINST THE OTHER ONLY IN YOUR OR ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY AND NOT AS A PLAINTIFF OR CLASS MEMBER IN ANY PURPORTED CLASS, CONSOLIDATED, OR REPRESENTATIVE ACTION. Unless both you and NewsBalance agree, no arbitrator or judge may consolidate more than one person's claims or otherwise preside over any form of a representative or class proceeding.

14.4 Small Claims Court

Notwithstanding the arbitration agreement above, either party may bring an individual action in small claims court for disputes or claims within the scope of the small claims court's jurisdiction.

15. Anti-SLAPP Notice

The content on NewsBalance constitutes protected speech under the First Amendment and applicable state anti-SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation) statutes. Our content addresses matters of public concern, including but not limited to news coverage, media analysis, government activity, public policy, and events of general public interest.

Any legal action brought against NewsBalance or its operators that targets our protected activity may be subject to dismissal under applicable anti-SLAPP statutes, and the party bringing such action may be liable for our attorneys' fees and costs as permitted by law.

16. No Professional Advice

The content on our Service is for general informational and media literacy purposes only. Nothing on our Service constitutes legal, financial, medical, professional, or any other form of advice. You should not act or refrain from acting based on any information available on our Service. Always seek the advice of qualified professionals with questions you may have regarding specific matters.

17. Termination

We reserve the right to suspend or terminate your access to the Service, without prior notice or liability, for any reason, including but not limited to a breach of these Terms. Upon termination, your right to use the Service will immediately cease. All provisions of these Terms that by their nature should survive termination shall survive, including but not limited to ownership provisions, warranty disclaimers, indemnification, and limitations of liability.

18. Severability

If any provision of these Terms is found to be unenforceable or invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, that provision shall be limited or eliminated to the minimum extent necessary so that these Terms shall otherwise remain in full force and effect and enforceable.

19. Entire Agreement

These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy and, for paid subscribers, Stripe's Terms of Service, constitute the entire agreement between you and NewsBalance regarding the use of the Service and supersede all prior agreements, understandings, and negotiations, whether written or oral, between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof.

20. Waiver

Our failure to enforce any right or provision of these Terms shall not be considered a waiver of such right or provision. The waiver of any such right or provision will be effective only if in writing and signed by a duly authorized representative of NewsBalance.

21. Force Majeure

We shall not be liable for any failure or delay in performing our obligations under these Terms where such failure or delay results from events beyond our reasonable control, including but not limited to acts of God, natural disasters, war, terrorism, pandemic, epidemic, governmental actions, power failures, Internet or telecommunications failures, or any other similar event.

22. Contact Information

If you have any questions, concerns, or complaints regarding these Terms of Service, please contact us at:

• General inquiries: info@newsbalance.ai
• Legal and DMCA notices: legal@newsbalance.ai
• Publisher inquiries and opt-out: publishers@newsbalance.ai or /publishers/opt-out
• Contact page: /contact