Terms of Service

Last updated: March 22, 2026

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This summary helps you understand the key points but is not legally binding.

The full Terms of Service below are the legally binding agreement.

Quick Summary - Key Legal Points

Q: What is CraicNews legally?

→ A satirical entertainment platform. All content is fictional and for entertainment only.

Q: Who can use the service?

→ You must be 18+. You cannot use real names of private individuals without consent or create harmful content.

Q: Do you offer refunds on unused credits?

→ If you have unused credits, you may request a refund within 14 days of purchase under EU consumer law. See Section 6 for details.

Q: What if I'm in the EU?

→ You have a 14-day cooling-off period to withdraw, but this right is waived once you start using the service.

Q: What happens if CraicNews shuts down?

→ We'll give 30 days notice where possible, refund unused, non-expired credits, and give you 30 days to export your data.

Q: How is my privacy protected?

→ We comply with GDPR. You can request deletion of your personal data anytime at our GDPR Request Portal or see our Privacy Policy for details.

Q: What guarantees do you make?

→ None. The service is provided "as is" without warranties. See Section 8 below.

Q: What's your liability limit?

→ Maximum of the amounts you paid in the twelve (12) months preceding the claim or €100, whichever is greater. You indemnify us for your content. See Sections 9 & 14.

Q: Can these terms change?

→ Yes. We'll give 30 days notice for changes that negatively affect paid users.

Q: What law applies?

→ Irish law. Any disputes go to Dublin courts.

Q: What if I'm outside the EU?

→ The service operates from Ireland. You're responsible for local law compliance. See Section 13 below.

Q: What if someone copies CraicNews?

→ Our website design, concept, and code are protected intellectual property under Irish law. See Section 5.1 and our Copyright & IP Notice page for details.


Full Terms of Service

1. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing and using CraicNews ("Service"), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service ("Terms"). If you do not agree to these Terms, you may not use the Service.

2. Description of Service

CraicNews is an entertainment platform that uses artificial intelligence to create satirical news articles. All content generated is fictional and intended for entertainment purposes only. Articles are clearly marked as satire after a timed reveal mechanism.

3. User Responsibilities

  • You must be at least 18 years old to use this Service.
  • You agree not to create content that is harmful, defamatory, or violates any laws.
  • You will not impersonate real individuals or organizations.
  • Do not use the full names or identifying features (such as photos, job titles, or locations) of real private individuals or organisations without their consent. Public figures may only be referenced in obviously fictional or humorous contexts, and not in a manner that may reasonably be interpreted as factual.
  • You understand that all generated content is satire and must not be presented as real news.
  • You are responsible for ensuring that shared articles are understood as satire.

4. Content Guidelines

Users agree not to generate content that:

  • References real tragedies or sensitive current events
  • Contains hate speech or discriminatory content
  • Includes real names of private individuals
  • Violates copyright or intellectual property rights
  • Contains explicit or adult content
  • Could cause real-world harm if misunderstood

5. Intellectual Property

5.1 CraicNews Intellectual Property

The website design, visual appearance, layout, CSS styling, branding, logos, trade name "CraicNews", source code, and the timed satirical reveal mechanism are the exclusive intellectual property of CraicNews and its operators. No part of the website design, service concept, or underlying code may be reproduced, imitated, or used as the basis of a competing service without express written permission.

5.2 User Content License

Content generated using our Service remains the property of the user, subject to our license to display and distribute the content through our platform. You grant us a non-exclusive, worldwide license to use, display, and distribute content you create for as long as it remains on our platform.

6. Credits and Payments

6.1 Credit Purchases

CraicNews operates on a one-time credit purchase model. Credits are purchased in packs and are valid for 12 months from the date of purchase. There is no recurring billing and no automatic renewal. Each credit entitles you to generate one article.

6.2 Refunds

As credits are purchased for immediate use as digital content, refunds are subject to EU consumer law. If you have not used any purchased credits, you may request a full refund within 14 days of purchase by contacting us at craicnews88+support@gmail.com. Once any credit in a purchase has been used, only unused credits from that purchase may be refunded on a pro-rata basis at our discretion. Refunds are not provided for credits that have expired.

6.3 Service Discontinuation Refunds

If we discontinue the Service, we will refund all unused, non-expired credits at their original purchase price.

6.4 Cooling-Off Rights

If you are an EU/EEA consumer, you may have a legal right to withdraw from your credit pack purchase within 14 days. By immediately using any credit from that purchase, you expressly request the digital content to be provided during the withdrawal period and acknowledge that you lose your right of withdrawal for the used credits. Unused credits from the same purchase retain their cooling-off right for the full 14 days.

6.5 Payment Processing

Payments are handled by third-party providers (e.g. Stripe). Their terms and conditions apply in addition to ours. By completing a credit pack purchase, you authorise a single one-time charge to your payment method for the stated pack price. No recurring charges will be made without your explicit consent to a new purchase.

7. Privacy and Data Protection

Your use of the Service is also governed by our Privacy Policy. We comply with GDPR and other applicable data protection regulations. You may request deletion of your personal data at any time.

8. Disclaimer of Warranties

THE SERVICE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED. WE DO NOT GUARANTEE THAT THE SERVICE WILL BE ERROR-FREE, UNINTERRUPTED, OR FREE FROM HARMFUL COMPONENTS. ALL CONTENT GENERATED IS SATIRICAL AND SHOULD NOT BE RELIED UPON AS FACTUAL INFORMATION.

9. Limitation of Liability

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, CRAICNEWS AND ITS DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, AND AGENTS SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES. OUR TOTAL LIABILITY FOR ANY CLAIM RELATING TO THE SERVICE SHALL NOT EXCEED THE GREATER OF (A) THE AMOUNTS YOU PAID US IN THE TWELVE (12) MONTHS PRECEDING THE CLAIM OR (B) €100.

10. Service Changes, Suspension, and Discontinuation

10.1 Modifications

We may modify features or functionality of the Service. If a change materially reduces core functionality for paid users, we will provide reasonable advance notice.

10.2 Suspension

We may suspend access immediately if we reasonably believe there is a security risk, fraud, unlawful activity, or breach of these Terms.

10.3 Discontinuation

We may discontinue the Service, in whole or in part, for business or operational reasons. Where practicable, we will provide at least 30 days' notice to users with unused, non-expired credits.

10.4 Refunds on Discontinuation

If we discontinue the Service, you will receive a refund for all unused, non-expired credits at their original per-credit purchase price.

10.5 Data Export and Deletion

Before discontinuation, we will provide a reasonable opportunity (not less than 30 days) for you to export your content. After that period, we may delete or anonymize personal data in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

10.6 No Obligation to Continue

Except as stated above, we do not guarantee that any particular feature or content will be available indefinitely.

11. Changes to Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. We will notify users of any material changes via email or through the Service. For material changes that adversely affect paid users, we will give at least 30 days' notice. Continued use after the effective date constitutes acceptance.

12. Governing Law

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of Ireland. Any disputes shall be resolved exclusively in the courts of Dublin, Ireland.

13. International Users

The Service is controlled and operated from Ireland. We make no representations that the Service is appropriate or available for use in other locations. If you access or use the Service from outside the EU/EEA, you do so at your own risk and are responsible for compliance with local laws.

Non-EU/EEA users acknowledge and agree that:

  • These Terms are governed by the laws of Ireland and disputes shall be resolved in the courts of Dublin, Ireland, except where mandatory consumer protection laws of your country of residence require otherwise.
  • Certain rights and protections (such as refund rights, warranty rights, or data protection rights) may apply to you under your local law and cannot be waived by these Terms.
  • By using the Service, you consent to the transfer, processing, and storage of your data in Ireland and other jurisdictions as described in our Privacy Policy.

14. Indemnity

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless CraicNews, its directors, employees, and agents from any and all claims, liabilities, damages, losses, or expenses (including legal fees) arising out of or in connection with content you create, submit, or share through the Service, or any breach by you of these Terms or applicable law.

15. Content Moderation

We reserve the right to review, edit, or remove any user-generated content that we determine, in our sole discretion, violates these Terms or applicable law, or poses reputational risk to the platform.

16. Force Majeure

We are not liable for any failure or delay in performance resulting from causes outside our reasonable control, including but not limited to internet failures, government actions, natural disasters, labour disputes, or third-party service outages.

17. Copyright Infringement & Takedown Notices

CraicNews respects intellectual property rights and expects users to do the same. We respond to notices of alleged copyright infringement in accordance with the Irish Copyright and Related Rights Act 2000 and the EU Digital Services Act (DSA). We also provide DMCA-compatible procedures as a courtesy for complainants based in the United States.

17.1 Reporting Infringement

If you believe that content on CraicNews infringes your copyright, please submit a written notice to our designated contact at craicnews88+legal@gmail.com. We will respond to valid notices promptly and take appropriate action, which may include removing or disabling access to the allegedly infringing content.

17.2 Required Information

Your notice must include the following:

  • A description of the copyrighted work you claim has been infringed.
  • The URL or location on CraicNews where the allegedly infringing content appears.
  • Your name, address, telephone number, and email address.
  • A statement that you have a good-faith belief that the use of the material is not authorised by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law.
  • A statement that the information in your notice is accurate and, under penalty of perjury, that you are the copyright owner or authorised to act on their behalf.
  • Your physical or electronic signature.

17.3 Counter-Notification

If you believe your content was removed in error, you may submit a counter-notification to craicnews88+legal@gmail.com. Your counter-notification must include: identification of the removed content and its prior location; a statement under penalty of perjury that you have a good-faith belief the content was removed by mistake or misidentification; your name, address, and telephone number; and your consent to the jurisdiction of the courts of Dublin, Ireland. Upon receipt of a valid counter-notification, we may restore the content within 10–14 business days unless the original complainant seeks a court order.

17.4 Repeat Infringer Policy

In appropriate circumstances, CraicNews will terminate the accounts of users who are repeat infringers of intellectual property rights. We reserve the right to make this determination at our sole discretion.