Contributor Terms

1. WHO MAY SUBMIT MATERIAL

Direct use of the BTWG contribution system is intended for people age 18 or older. People under 18 should not directly submit material through the contribution system. An adult may submit appropriate material involving a minor when the adult has the authority or permission reasonably necessary to do so. Additional permission or verification may be requested when appropriate.

2. WHAT MAY BE SUBMITTED

Contributors may voluntarily provide material including:

• Personal memories and recollections
• Stories about people, places, businesses, schools, organizations, or community events
• Historical information
• Corrections or additional context
• Photographs
• Letters
• Documents
• Writings
• Research leads
• Dates or approximate dates
• Names and identifying information reasonably relevant to the story
• Other materials relevant to Before Tomorrow Was Gone

Contributors should not submit passwords, Social Security numbers, financial-account credentials, government identification numbers, unnecessary medical records, or other highly sensitive information that is not genuinely needed for the project.

3. YOUR OWNERSHIP

Submitting material to BTWG does not, by itself, transfer ownership of your original copyrighted material to BTWG. You retain whatever copyright or ownership rights you lawfully possess in material you submit, subject to any separate permission, license, release, or agreement you later provide. These Terms do not represent that a contributor owns copyright in every item the contributor possesses. For example, possession of a photograph does not necessarily mean the person possessing the photograph owns its copyright.

4. YOUR AUTHORITY TO SUBMIT MATERIAL

By submitting material, you represent that, to the best of your knowledge:

• You have the right to provide the material to BTWG for review and research; or
• You have a reasonable, good-faith basis for believing you may provide it for those purposes.

You should not knowingly submit material that is stolen, unlawfully obtained, maliciously altered, or submitted for the purpose of violating another person's rights. If ownership, copyright, authenticity, or permission is uncertain, tell BTWG what you know. Uncertainty does not automatically make historical material unusable for research. It helps BTWG evaluate what additional verification or permission may be necessary.

5. PERMISSION CREATED BY SUBMISSION

By voluntarily submitting material, you give BTWG permission to:

• Receive the material
• Store and archive it
• Organize and catalog it
• Review and evaluate it
• Conduct research based on it
• Compare it with other sources
• Investigate its authenticity or historical context
• Make reasonable internal working copies or backups
• Contact you about the contribution
• Request clarification, attribution information, verification, or additional permission
• Use the material internally for editorial, historical, research, fact-checking, legal-review, and project-development purposes

This permission allows BTWG to evaluate and develop the project. Submission alone does not automatically give BTWG unlimited publication rights in copyrighted material you own. Where additional permission, licensing, or a release is appropriate before reproducing copyrighted material publicly, BTWG may request it separately.

6. PUBLICATION PERMISSION

BTWG distinguishes between receiving material for research and obtaining permission to reproduce protected material publicly. When BTWG wishes to reproduce a contributor-owned photograph, letter, writing, document, artwork, or other copyrighted material in the memoir, website, promotional materials, documentary or film-related materials, or another public use, BTWG may seek an appropriate separate written permission, release, or license. The scope of any such public use will be governed by that separate agreement. BTWG will obtain required publication permission before protected material is publicly reproduced where such permission is legally required. A contributor's refusal to grant publication permission for contributor-owned copyrighted material does not prevent BTWG from independently researching or writing about historical facts, events, people, places, or subjects that BTWG otherwise has the lawful right to address. If BTWG cannot obtain required publication permission, it may decline to reproduce the protected material publicly, seek another lawful source, or otherwise proceed only as permitted by applicable law.

7. MEMORIES, FACTS, AND IDEAS

Copyright generally does not give a person exclusive ownership of historical facts, events, ideas, or another person's independent recollection of an event. Submitting a memory or story does not prevent BTWG from independently researching, discussing, writing about, or publishing facts, events, people, places, or subjects that overlap with a contribution when BTWG otherwise has the lawful right to do so. BTWG may receive similar memories or information from multiple sources. These Terms do not give any contributor ownership or editorial control over the memoir, its research, or its treatment of historical events.

8. NO GUARANTEE OF PUBLICATION

Submitting material does not guarantee that BTWG will:

• Publish it
• Quote it
• Display it
• Use a photograph or document
• Include a person in the memoir
• Adopt a contributor's interpretation of an event
• Credit or identify the contributor publicly
• Respond individually to every submission

BTWG retains editorial discretion over what material is investigated, incorporated, edited, omitted, or published.

9. EDITORIAL AND FACT-CHECKING PROCESS

BTWG may:

• Verify submitted information
• Compare accounts from different people
• Consult documents and public records
• Seek additional sources
• Ask follow-up questions
• Correct factual errors
• Edit material for clarity, length, context, privacy, or legal reasons
• Decline to use material that cannot be adequately verified
• Refer sensitive material for editorial or legal-risk review

A contribution may be valuable as a research lead even if it is never quoted or reproduced.

10. STORIES ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE

Memoir and community history naturally involve people other than the contributor. Contributors should use reasonable judgment when providing private, sensitive, disputed, or potentially harmful information about another person. Submission does not guarantee that BTWG will publish such information. BTWG may independently research the information, seek corroboration, contact relevant people, remove unnecessary identifying information, decline publication, or seek legal review. People who believe contributed material concerning them creates a privacy, accuracy, or identification concern may contact BTWG under the procedure described in the Privacy Policy.

11. PHOTOGRAPHS AND DOCUMENTS

When submitting a photograph or document, contributors should provide whatever provenance information they reasonably know, including:

• Who created it, if known
• Who appears in it
• Approximate date
• Location
• Who currently possesses the original
• Whether the contributor knows who owns the copyright
• Any known restrictions on its use

BTWG may preserve an uploaded copy for research and archival purposes subject to these Terms and the Privacy Policy. Public reproduction may require additional permission depending on copyright ownership, privacy considerations, contractual restrictions, or applicable law.

12. MATERIAL DEPICTING OR CONCERNING MINORS

The fact that an adult submits material does not automatically resolve privacy, publicity, copyright, or other considerations involving a minor who appears in or is described by that material. Photographs, documents, recordings, stories, or other material depicting or identifying a person under 18 may receive additional review before public use. BTWG may consider the age of the minor, nature and sensitivity of the material, identifiability, context, proposed use, ownership, source of the material, and whether another person has relevant rights. An adult's ability to provide material to BTWG for research does not necessarily mean that the adult can authorize every form of public reproduction or use involving a depicted minor. Where appropriate, BTWG may seek additional permission before public use or may decline to publish the material.

13. ATTRIBUTION

Where contributed material is publicly used, BTWG may discuss appropriate attribution with the contributor. Depending on the circumstances, attribution may include the contributor's name, a source description, anonymous attribution, or no public attribution. BTWG may decline a requested form of attribution when it would be inaccurate, misleading, legally problematic, or inconsistent with legitimate editorial requirements.

14. WITHDRAWAL BEFORE PUBLICATION

A contributor may request withdrawal of previously submitted material by contacting: info@beforetomorrowwasgone.com The request should identify the contributor and material with enough detail for BTWG to locate the contribution. BTWG aims to acknowledge such requests within a reasonable period, generally within a few weeks. This is a general administrative goal and does not replace or extend any legally required response period. For unpublished contributed material, BTWG will consider a withdrawal request in good faith. Where reasonably practicable, BTWG may stop prospective public use of withdrawn contributed material that has not already been materially incorporated into project work. Withdrawal does not necessarily require destruction of every archival, backup, administrative, research, legal-review, security, or source-verification record associated with the contribution.

15. MATERIAL ALREADY INCORPORATED INTO PROJECT WORK

A contribution may become incorporated into research notes, fact-checking records, timelines, editorial analysis, draft manuscripts, source records, legal-review materials, historical archives, or other project-development materials. Once material has been materially incorporated into project work, complete removal may not always be reasonably practicable. BTWG will evaluate withdrawal requests individually, considering the nature of the material, the contributor's concern, project integrity, source-verification needs, legal obligations, privacy interests, and other lawful considerations. Nothing in these Terms eliminates rights a person may have under applicable law.

16. MATERIAL ALREADY PUBLISHED OR DISTRIBUTED

Once material has been lawfully published, printed, distributed, transmitted, licensed, or otherwise made public, BTWG may be unable to retrieve or eliminate every existing copy. Where appropriate, BTWG may consider reasonable prospective corrections, updates, removal from BTWG-controlled digital locations, or changes to future editions. These Terms do not promise recall or destruction of previously distributed books, printed materials, third-party copies, archived materials, or other copies outside BTWG's reasonable control.

17. RETENTION

Information and contributed material may be retained for as long as reasonably necessary for:

• The purposes for which it was collected
• Project administration
• Historical or editorial research
• Source verification
• Legitimate recordkeeping
• Security
• Dispute resolution
• Legal obligations
• Other lawful purposes

BTWG does not rely on these Terms alone to claim any particular statutory archival or research exemption. Retention and withdrawal will be handled consistently with the Privacy Policy.

18. PRIVACY

Personal information and contributed material are also subject to the Before Tomorrow Was Gone Privacy Policy. These Terms and the Privacy Policy are intended to operate together.

19. PROHIBITED USE OF THE CONTRIBUTION SYSTEM

Do not knowingly use the contribution system to:

• Upload malware or malicious code
• Impersonate another person
• Submit material obtained through unlawful access
• Harass or threaten another person
• Intentionally provide materially false information for the purpose of harming someone
• Violate another person's rights
• Interfere with the operation or security of the website

BTWG may restrict submissions, preserve relevant records, or take other appropriate action when misuse is suspected.

20. NO CONFIDENTIAL OR PROFESSIONAL RELATIONSHIP

Submitting material does not create an attorney-client, fiduciary, employment, partnership, joint-venture, or agency relationship. Unless BTWG separately agrees otherwise in writing, a submission should not be treated as legally privileged or confidential merely because it was submitted through the contribution system. BTWG may nevertheless handle sensitive source material with editorial discretion and appropriate care.

21. PROJECT INDEPENDENCE

Contributors provide information and source material. Editorial control over Before Tomorrow Was Gone remains with the author and project. Unless a separate written agreement expressly provides otherwise, a contributor does not acquire approval rights over the manuscript, editorial control, ownership of the project, a right to compensation or royalties, or a right to participate in publishing, film, television, speaking, or other project decisions.

22. COMPENSATION

Unless separately agreed in writing, contributions are voluntary and unpaid. Submission does not create a right to payment, royalties, ownership, profit participation, or other compensation.

23. LIMITED INDEMNIFICATION FOR INTENTIONAL MISCONDUCT

BTWG is designed to encourage good-faith community participation. These Terms are not intended to shift ordinary project risk onto contributors who make honest mistakes, have incomplete information, are uncertain about provenance or ownership, or provide good-faith recollections that later prove to be inaccurate. However, a contributor who knowingly engages in serious misconduct should remain responsible for the consequences of that misconduct.

To the extent permitted by applicable law, a contributor agrees to indemnify and hold BTWG harmless from claims, losses, liabilities, damages, or reasonable costs arising directly from the contributor's:

• Knowing submission of stolen or unlawfully obtained material
• Intentional fraud or material misrepresentation concerning the contributor's authority to provide material
• Knowing fabrication of materially false information submitted for the purpose of harming another person
• Intentional violation of another person's copyright, privacy, publicity, or other legal rights
• Knowing introduction of malware, malicious code, or other intentionally harmful material through the contribution system

This provision is not intended to apply to:

• Honest mistakes
• Good-faith factual errors
• Differences in memory or recollection
• Uncertain or incomplete provenance disclosed to BTWG
• Good-faith uncertainty regarding copyright ownership
• Information submitted with a reasonable, good-faith belief that it may properly be provided for research
• Disagreements concerning interpretation, perspective, or historical events

Nothing in this section expands a contributor's liability beyond what is permitted by applicable law.

24. GOVERNING LAW AND VENUE

These Terms shall be governed by the laws of the State of South Carolina, without regard to its conflict-of-laws principles. Any dispute arising under these Terms shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located in Greenville County, South Carolina, and each party consents to personal jurisdiction in those courts.

25. SEVERABILITY

If any provision of these Terms is determined by a court or other authority with proper jurisdiction to be invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions are intended to remain effective to the extent permitted by law. Any invalid or unenforceable provision should be interpreted or limited only to the extent reasonably necessary to make it enforceable where applicable law permits.

26. CHANGES TO THESE TERMS

These Terms may be updated as the website, contribution system, project, or applicable requirements change. The current version will be posted on BeforeTomorrowWasGone.com with an updated revision or effective date. Material changes may be communicated through additional means when appropriate or legally required.

27. CONTACT

Questions about these Contributor Terms may be directed to:

Before Tomorrow Was Gone
Email: info@beforetomorrowwasgone.com
Website: BeforeTomorrowWasGone.com

END OF CONTRIBUTOR TERMS