Terms & Conditions

1. Introduction

These Terms and Conditions (“Terms”) govern your use of Wellington Topics (the “Site”). By accessing or using the Site, you agree to these Terms. If you do not agree, do not use the Site.

We may update these Terms at any time by publishing an updated version on the Site. Continued use after publication means you accept the updated Terms.

2. Eligibility

You must be at least 16 years old to use the Site. If you are under 18, you confirm that you have permission from a parent or guardian to use the Site.

3. Accounts and security (if enabled)

If you create an account:

• you must provide accurate, current information and keep it updated;

• you are responsible for keeping your login details confidential;

• you are responsible for all activity under your account;

• you must notify us promptly if you suspect unauthorised access.

We may suspend or terminate accounts that are compromised, used for abuse, or breach these Terms.

4. Community purpose and “incident reports”

The Site allows users to submit reports, comments, and images. You understand:

• reports may be incorrect, incomplete, misleading, or intentionally false;

• you must not treat reports as verified fact;

• the Site is not an emergency service.

5. User content rules

5.1 Your responsibilities

When you submit content, you agree that:

• you are solely responsible for your content and the consequences of posting it;

• your content must be accurate to the best of your knowledge and not presented as verified fact where it is not;

• you will not use the Site to harass, intimidate, target, or endanger any person.

5.2 Prohibited content and conduct

You must not submit, publish, upload, link to, or otherwise make available any content that:

• is unlawful, defamatory, threatening, harassing, or invasive of privacy;

• includes personal information about another person (including names, phone numbers, private addresses, workplaces, or identifying images) unless you have a lawful basis and the right to publish it;

• doxxes, encourages stalking, targets someone’s home, or facilitates harm;

• contains images of minors in sensitive contexts;

• contains sexual content involving minors, exploitative content, or any content that is illegal to possess or distribute;

• contains graphic violence, gore, or content likely to cause serious distress;

• infringes copyright, trade marks, or other intellectual property rights;

• contains malware, spyware, or attempts to compromise devices or systems;

• is spam, scams, phishing, impersonation, or deceptive conduct;

• incites violence or encourages criminal offending.

You must not:

• interfere with the Site’s security or operation;

• attempt to gain unauthorised access to any part of the Site or its systems;

• scrape, harvest, or collect personal information from the Site.

5.3 Evidence photos and files

If you upload photos or files, you confirm:

• you have the rights and permissions to upload and share them;

• you have removed sensitive metadata where appropriate (for example, precise location data);

• your upload does not unlawfully capture private spaces or private information.

6. Moderation, takedowns, and complaints

6.1 Moderation rights

We may, at any time and at our discretion:

• edit, redact, blur, annotate, restrict, de-index, remove, or refuse to publish content;

• restrict visibility by region, category, or user status;

• suspend features, limit posting, or terminate accounts.

We do not promise to remove content on demand, but we will assess reports and complaints and take action we consider appropriate.

6.2 Reporting content

If you believe content is unlawful, harmful, defamatory, privacy-invasive, or otherwise breaches these Terms, you must report it via the Site’s reporting channels with:

• the URL or other identifier for the content;

• the reason you say it breaches these Terms or the law;

• any supporting context (for example, why it identifies a person or why it is harmful).

6.3 Harmful Digital Communications Act safe harbour process

If we receive a complaint that triggers the Harmful Digital Communications Act online content host process, we may process it under that regime, including notifying the author of the content where required. Ministry of Justice+2New Zealand Legislation+2

6.4 Preservation and cooperation

We may preserve content, logs, account details, IP addresses, and other records for safety, moderation, and legal compliance. We may disclose information to authorities where we reasonably believe disclosure is necessary for law enforcement, safety, or legal compliance.

7. Intellectual property

7.1 Our content

All Site design, branding, software, and original content that we create is owned by us or licensed to us. You may view and use the Site for personal, non-commercial use only, unless we agree otherwise in writing.

7.2 Your licence to us (user-generated content)

By submitting content, you grant us a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free, transferable licence to:

• host, store, reproduce, display, publish, communicate, and distribute your content on the Site;

• modify your content for safety and moderation purposes (for example, redaction, blurring, resizing, formatting);

• use your content for Site operations, including promoting the Site, maintaining archives, and improving moderation.

This licence continues for as long as your content remains on the Site and for a reasonable period after removal for backups, legal compliance, and dispute handling.

7.3 Your warranties about your content

You warrant that:

• you own or have the necessary rights and permissions to submit the content;

• your content does not infringe third-party rights;

• your content is not unlawful and does not breach these Terms.

8. Services, payments, and refunds (only if you charge for anything)

If the Site offers paid features, advertising, listings, or subscriptions, additional terms may apply and will be disclosed at purchase. Any payments are processed via third-party payment providers. Fees are non-refundable unless required by New Zealand law or expressly stated at the time of purchase.

9. Disclaimers

To the maximum extent permitted by law, the Site and all content and services are provided on an “as available” basis. We do not guarantee:

• uninterrupted availability;

• that reports are accurate, verified, or complete;

• that content is free of errors or harmful components;

• that any particular content will be removed.

10. Limitation of liability

To the maximum extent permitted by New Zealand law:

• we are not liable for any loss or damage arising from your use of the Site, inability to use the Site, or reliance on any content (including user-generated content);

• this includes indirect, consequential, special, exemplary, or punitive loss, and loss of profits, revenue, data, goodwill, or business interruption.

Where liability cannot be excluded by law, we limit our liability to the extent permitted by law.

11. Indemnity

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless us and our owners, moderators, employees, contractors, and agents from all claims, liabilities, damages, losses, and expenses (including reasonable legal fees) arising from:

• your breach of these Terms;

• your content, including any allegation that it is unlawful, defamatory, privacy-invasive, or infringes rights;

• your misuse of the Site, including scams, spam, harassment, or unauthorised access attempts.

12. Suspension and termination

We may suspend or terminate your access immediately, without notice, if we believe you have breached these Terms, posed a risk to others, or exposed the Site to legal or security risk. You may stop using the Site at any time.

13. Privacy

Our Privacy Policy explains how we collect and handle personal information. The Privacy Policy forms part of these Terms.

14. Changes to the Site

We may change, suspend, or discontinue any part of the Site at any time, including features, categories, posting tools, and moderation systems.

15. Notices and communications

You agree that we may communicate with you electronically, including via email or through the Site, for account administration, security notices, and policy updates.

16. Disputes

If a dispute arises, you agree to contact us first and provide a reasonable opportunity to resolve it. If we cannot resolve the dispute, either party may bring proceedings in New Zealand courts.

17. Severability

If any provision of these Terms is held invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions continue in effect.

18. Governing law

These Terms are governed by New Zealand law. Any proceedings must be brought in New Zealand courts.

Last Updated: 29 December 2025