Terms of Service

1. Definitions

"Service"

The CapitolExposed website, APIs, embed widgets, and mobile applications.

"Account"

A registered user profile created via email/password or Google OAuth.

"Content"

All text, data, analyses, visualizations, and other materials available through the Service.

"Public Data"

Government records sourced from official filings (STOCK Act, FEC, LDA, Congress.gov).

"AI Analysis"

Algorithmically generated scores, reports, and insights produced by our AI agents.

"API"

The programmatic interface at capitolexposed.com/api/v1.

"Subscription Plan"

Free, Pro ($19/mo), or Institutional ($99/mo) access tiers.

2. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing or using the Service, you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service and our Privacy Policy. If you are using the Service on behalf of an organization, you represent that you have authority to bind that organization.

You must be at least 13 years old to use the Service (16 years old if you are in the EU/EEA). If you are under 18, you represent that your parent or guardian has reviewed and agreed to these Terms.

3. Service Description

CapitolExposed is a public-interest platform that aggregates and cross-references publicly available government records, including Congressional stock trade disclosures, campaign finance data, lobbying filings, and voting records. The Service provides data visualization, scored analysis, and research tools.

4. Accounts and Registration

Some features require a registered account. When creating an account, you must provide accurate and complete information. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your credentials and for all activity under your account.

Each person or entity may maintain only one account. We reserve the right to suspend accounts that we reasonably believe are duplicates or that violate these Terms.

5. Subscription Plans and Billing

Plans

• • Free: Basic access to public data, limited API calls
• • Pro ($19/mo): Full access, advanced analysis, research tools, API access
• • Institutional ($99/mo): Everything in Pro plus embed widgets, bulk API, priority support

Payment

All payments are processed by Stripe. By subscribing, you authorize recurring charges at the applicable rate. Prices are in USD and exclude applicable taxes.

Cancellation

You may cancel your subscription at any time via your account settings. For monthly plans, access continues until the end of the current billing period with no partial refunds. For annual plans cancelled within 30 days, a pro-rata refund will be issued.

Free Trials

If we offer a free trial, you will not be charged until the trial period ends. You may cancel before the trial ends to avoid charges.

6. API Terms of Use

API access is subject to rate limits defined by your subscription plan. API keys are confidential and must not be shared publicly. You must provide attribution ("Data from CapitolExposed") when displaying data retrieved via the API.

You may not use the API to build a service that directly competes with CapitolExposed or to resell raw API data without an Institutional plan.

7. Embeddable Widgets

Embed widgets are available to Institutional plan subscribers. Widgets must retain the CapitolExposed attribution link. Removal of attribution or modification of widget code to remove branding is prohibited.

8. Intellectual Property

Our IP

The CapitolExposed platform, including its design, code, original analyses, conflict scoring algorithms, and generated reports, is our intellectual property protected by applicable copyright and trademark law.

Public Data

Underlying government data (STOCK Act filings, FEC records, congressional votes, lobbying disclosures) is in the public domain and not subject to our copyright.

Third-Party Data

ICIJ Offshore Leaks data is used under the Open Database License (ODbL) and Creative Commons BY-SA 4.0. Users who access this data through our Service must comply with these licenses.

Your License

We grant you a limited, non-exclusive, revocable license to access and use the Service in accordance with your subscription plan and these Terms.

9. Data Accuracy and Disclaimers

We present data sourced from public government records as-is and make no guarantee of completeness or accuracy. Data may contain errors from source filings, parsing, or processing.

10. Acceptable Use

Permitted Uses

• • Research and academic study
• • Journalism and media reporting
• • Civic engagement and public interest advocacy
• • Personal investment research (not as sole basis for decisions)

Prohibited Uses

• • Scraping or crawling in a manner that degrades performance
• • Harassment, defamation, or threats directed at individuals
• • Circumventing rate limits, access controls, or security measures
• • Redistribution of bulk data without attribution or beyond license terms
• • Using the Service to facilitate illegal activity

11. User Content and Feedback

You retain ownership of any content you submit (e.g., support tickets, feedback). By providing feedback or suggestions, you grant us a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to use that feedback to improve the Service.

12. DMCA and Content Disputes

If you believe content on CapitolExposed infringes your copyright, submit a DMCA takedown notice to legal@capitolexposed.com including: identification of the copyrighted work, the infringing material and its location, your contact information, and a statement of good faith belief. We will process valid notices and provide counter-notification procedures.

13. Suspension and Termination

We may suspend or terminate your account if you violate these Terms, engage in fraudulent activity, or if required by law. Where possible, we will provide 7 days' notice before termination (except in cases of fraud or security threats).

Upon termination, you have 30 days to export your data (watchlists, alerts, preferences). After 30 days, your personal data will be deleted. Sections on Intellectual Property, Disclaimers, Limitation of Liability, Indemnification, and Dispute Resolution survive termination.

14. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless CapitolExposed, its officers, directors, and employees from any claims, damages, losses, or expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising from your use of the Service, your violation of these Terms, or your infringement of any third-party rights.

15. Limitation of Liability

16. Disclaimers / Warranty

THE SERVICE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE" WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, WHETHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT.

17. Dispute Resolution

Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to conflict of law principles.

Informal Resolution

Before filing a formal dispute, you agree to contact us at legal@capitolexposed.com and attempt to resolve the dispute informally for at least 30 days.

Binding Arbitration

If informal resolution fails, disputes will be resolved through binding arbitration administered by the American Arbitration Association (AAA) under its Commercial Arbitration Rules. Arbitration will be conducted in English, and the arbitrator's decision will be final and binding.

Class Action Waiver

You agree that disputes will be resolved on an individual basis only. You waive any right to participate in a class action, collective action, or representative proceeding.

Small Claims Exception

Either party may bring qualifying claims in small claims court as an alternative to arbitration.

18. General Provisions

• Severability: If any provision is found unenforceable, the remaining provisions remain in effect.
• Entire Agreement: These Terms, together with the Privacy Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and CapitolExposed.
• Waiver: Failure to enforce any provision does not constitute a waiver of that provision.
• Assignment: You may not assign your rights under these Terms. We may assign our rights in connection with a merger or acquisition.
• Force Majeure: We are not liable for delays caused by events beyond our reasonable control.
• Electronic Communications: You consent to receive communications from us electronically (email, site notices).
• Export Compliance: You agree to comply with applicable US export control laws when using the Service.

19. Contact

Questions about these Terms can be directed to:

• • Legal inquiries: legal@capitolexposed.com
• • General inquiries: hello@capitolexposed.com
• • Contact form: capitolexposed.com/contact