Copyright and Intellectual Property Policy

What You Are Responsible For

By using CiteGeist, you agree that you will not:

• upload or share infringing copies of copyrighted works;
• remove or alter copyright notices, author attribution, or license information;
• misrepresent ownership or authorization to share a work;
• use CiteGeist to systematically distribute paywalled or otherwise restricted content outside permitted terms;
• use automation, integrations, or exports to enable mass redistribution of restricted works.

CiteGeist may, at its discretion, remove or restrict access to content that appears to infringe copyright or other intellectual property rights, or that violates our terms.

Links, Citations, Metadata, and Previews

CiteGeist may enable users to store citations, abstracts, metadata, annotations, and links to content hosted elsewhere. In some cases, CiteGeist may generate technical previews (for example, thumbnails, snippets, indexing artifacts, or cached derivatives) to support search and usability.

• Linking to content does not necessarily mean the content is hosted by CiteGeist.
• We may remove or disable access to links, previews, or metadata if we receive a valid notice alleging infringement or if the content appears to violate our terms.
• If you are a rights holder and believe a link or preview on CiteGeist facilitates infringement, you may report it using the process in this policy with information sufficient for us to locate the material.

Open Access, Licensing, and Permitted Versions

Many works can be shared legally under open licenses or publisher permissions. When uploading or sharing content, you should ensure that the version and distribution method is allowed, including where applicable:

• public domain works;
• works distributed under open licenses (e.g., Creative Commons) and other permissive licenses;
• preprints, accepted manuscripts, or author manuscripts permitted by publisher policies or funder mandates;
• content you authored and have retained rights to share.

Where possible, users should preserve license information and proper attribution.

Fair Use and Other Legal Exceptions

Nothing in this policy is intended to limit rights available under applicable law, including fair use/fair dealing or other statutory exceptions. However, asserting fair use does not prevent us from acting on a facially valid infringement notice as required by law.

Reporting Copyright or Intellectual Property Infringement

We respond to notices of alleged copyright or other intellectual property infringement that comply with applicable legal requirements (including, where applicable, the U.S. Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA)). We may remove or disable access to the material identified in a valid notice and may notify the user or account that provided the material.

Requirements for an Infringement Notice

To be effective, your notice must be a written communication that includes substantially the following:

1. The name, address, telephone number, and (if available) email address of the claiming party;
2. A description of the copyrighted work or other intellectual property right claimed to have been infringed;
3. A description of the allegedly infringing material and where it is located, with information sufficient to permit us to locate it (e.g., the specific URL, record ID, workspace/project name, and/or screenshot);
4. A statement that the complaining party has a good-faith belief that the use of the material in the manner complained of is not authorized by the rights holder, its agent, or the law;
5. A statement that the information in the notification is accurate and, where applicable, under penalty of perjury, that the complaining party is authorized to act on behalf of the owner of an exclusive right that is allegedly infringed; and
6. An electronic or physical signature of the person authorized to act on behalf of the rights holder.

Note: If you are asserting infringement of an intellectual property right other than copyright (for example, trademark), please specify the intellectual property right at issue and the basis for your claim.

What Happens After We Receive a Valid Notice

Upon receiving a notice that complies with the requirements above, we may:

• remove or disable access to the material;
• remove or restrict access to related previews, cached versions, indexes, or other technical derivatives to the extent reasonably practicable;
• notify the subscriber, user, institution administrator, or account holder who posted the material; and/or
• request additional information if needed to process the claim.

Counter-Notice Process (DMCA Counter-Notification)

If you believe material was removed or disabled due to mistake or misidentification, you may submit a counter-notice. A counter-notice must be a written communication sent to our Designated Agent that includes substantially the following:

1. Your name, address, telephone number, and (if available) email address;
2. Identification of the material that has been removed or disabled and the location where it appeared before removal or disabling;
3. A statement under penalty of perjury that you have a good-faith belief the material was removed or disabled as a result of mistake or misidentification;
4. A statement consenting to the jurisdiction of the applicable federal court in your district (or, if you are outside the United States, an appropriate court in the jurisdiction where CiteGeist is located) and that you will accept service of process from the person who provided the original notice (or their agent); and
5. Your physical or electronic signature.

Upon receiving a valid counter-notice, we may provide it to the original complaining party and, where applicable, restore the material in accordance with applicable law.

Workspace Visibility Controls

CiteGeist may support multiple workspace types (for example, private, team/shared, or public workspaces). Users are responsible for ensuring that the visibility level they select is consistent with their rights and obligations to share.

Institutional and Enterprise Deployments

CiteGeist may be provided through an institution (e.g., a university, library, hospital, or company) under an enterprise agreement. In these deployments:

API, Integrations, Bulk Export, and Anti-Redistribution Guardrails

CiteGeist may offer APIs, integrations, and export features (including bulk export) to support research workflows. These capabilities must not be used to facilitate infringement or mass redistribution of restricted works.

Misrepresentations and Abuse

Submitting knowingly false or misleading infringement notices or counter-notices may result in legal liability. CiteGeist may suspend or terminate accounts that repeatedly submit abusive, bad-faith, or fraudulent notices or otherwise misuse this process.

Repeat Infringer Policy

CiteGeist has a policy to terminate, in appropriate circumstances, the accounts of users who are repeat infringers of copyright or other intellectual property rights. In determining repeat infringement, we may consider factors including the number of valid notices received, the nature of violations, and whether the conduct appears willful.

Users whose accounts are terminated may not create new accounts or attempt to access CiteGeist under another identity or through a third party.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this policy from time to time. Changes will be effective when posted. Continued use of CiteGeist after an update constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

Sole Statement

This document is the sole statement of CiteGeist's Copyright and Intellectual Property Policy. No summary, restatement, or other version of this policy—whether human- or machine-generated—shall modify or supersede this policy.