Terms of Service

1. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing or using this web-based service (the 'Service'), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service. If you do not agree to these terms, you must not use the Service.

2. Nature of the Service

The Service is an independent evaluation and research platform designed to compare search results produced by third-party search providers.

The Service is not a search engine, does not provide search functionality as a consumer product, and does not recommend or endorse any particular provider.

3. Eligibility

You may use the Service only if you are legally permitted to do so under applicable law. The Service is not directed at children.

4. User Conduct

You agree not to:

• submit personal, confidential, or sensitive information in search queries,
• use the Service for unlawful purposes,
• attempt to reverse engineer, interfere with, or disrupt the Service,
• use automated systems to access the Service without authorization.

5. User Contributions

By submitting queries and evaluations, you grant the operator a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free right to use, store, analyze, aggregate, and process such contributions for research, benchmarking, and related purposes.

6. Data and Privacy

Use of the Service is subject to the Privacy Policy, which describes how data is collected, used, and shared. The Privacy Policy forms an integral part of these terms.

7. Public Rankings and Results

The Service may publish aggregate rankings, scores, or statistical summaries based on user evaluations.

Such results are provided for research and comparative analysis purposes only and do not represent factual accuracy, completeness, or suitability for any specific use.

8. Intellectual Property

The Service, including its software, design, and compiled results, is protected by applicable intellectual property laws.

No rights are granted except as expressly stated in these terms.

9. Availability and Changes

The Service is provided on an 'as is' and 'as available' basis. Availability, functionality, or features may change or be discontinued at any time without notice.

10. Disclaimer of Warranties

To the maximum extent permitted by law, the Service is provided without warranties of any kind, whether express or implied.

11. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, the operator shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, consequential, or special damages arising out of or in connection with use of the Service.

12. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless the operator from claims arising out of your misuse of the Service or violation of these terms.

13. Termination

Access to the Service may be suspended or terminated at any time for any reason, including misuse or technical necessity.

14. Governing Law

These Terms of Service are governed by the laws of the European Union and, where applicable, the laws of the country in which the operator is established.

15. Changes to These Terms

These terms may be updated from time to time. Continued use of the Service after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the updated terms.

16. Contact

For questions regarding these Terms of Service, contact:search-bench@kirillmaltsev.net