Copyright Policy

Copyright Ownership

All content on the Cartoq platform at cartoq.com (the "Platform"), unless otherwise indicated, is owned by Cartoq or licensed to us and is protected by Indian and international copyright laws.

Protected Content Includes:

• Text, articles, and editorial content
• Automotive recommendations and analysis
• AI-generated verdicts and recommendations
• Model specifications and comparisons
• Images, graphics, and photographs
• Videos and multimedia content
• Software code and algorithms
• Database structure and organization
• User interface design and layout
• Logos, trademarks, and branding

Applicable Laws:

• Copyright Act, 1957 (India)
• Information Technology Act, 2000 (India)
• Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works
• Other applicable international copyright treaties

User License & Permitted Uses

What You May Do

Personal, Non-Commercial Use: You may access and view Platform content for your personal car research and decision-making purposes.

Permitted Activities:

• Browse and read content on the Platform
• Save research to your personal account
• Export your personal research workspace (PDF)
• Share comparison links via messaging/email for personal purposes
• Reference Cartoq in personal communications

What You May NOT Do

Prohibited Uses:

• Copy, reproduce, or republish Platform content
• Download, scrape, or systematically extract data
• Create derivative works based on our content
• Redistribute or resell our recommendations
• Use content for commercial purposes
• Remove copyright notices or attributions
• Frame or mirror Platform content on other sites
• Use content to train AI models or machine learning systems
• Aggregate our data in competing products or services

Commercial Use Restriction: TThe Platform is provided for personal use only. Any commercial exploitation requires our prior written permission.

Editorial & Fair Use

Journalists & Media

Automotive journalists, bloggers, and media outlets may reference Cartoq content subject to these conditions:

Permitted:

• Brief quotations (not exceeding 150 words) with proper attribution
• Links back to original source articles
• Screenshots with visible Cartoq branding/watermarks
• References to our analysis with credit

Attribution Requirements:

• Credit as "Cartoq" or "Cartoq.com"
• Include hyperlink to source article/page
• Do not modify quoted content
• Do not imply Cartoq endorsement

Not Permitted:

• Republishing full articles or substantial portions
• Using our recommendation data for competing automotive content
• Removing attribution or source links
• Presenting our content as your own

Academic & Research Use

Researchers and students may cite Cartoq content in academic works according to standard citation practices:

Requirements:

• Proper citation in footnotes/bibliography
• Clearly distinguish quoted material
• Use only excerpts necessary for academic purpose
• Do not republish full articles in papers

Third-Party Content

Content We License

Some Platform content comes from third parties (manufacturers, photographers, video creators) and is used under license.

Restrictions:

• Third-party content is subject to their copyright
• Your use is limited by their terms, not just ours
• You may not extract and use third-party content separately

User-Submitted Content

If You Submit Content (feedback, reviews, suggestions):

• You retain copyright in your submission
• You grant us a worldwide, perpetual, royalty-free, non-exclusive license to use, modify, display, and distribute your content
• You represent that you have rights to submit the content
• You waive moral rights to the extent permitted by Indian law

Our Use: We may use submissions for Platform improvement, marketing, or editorial purposes without compensation or additional permission.

Copyright Infringement Reporting

If Your Copyright Is Infringed

If you believe your copyrighted work has been used on the Platform in a way that constitutes infringement, please notify us promptly.

Required Information:

• Identification of copyrighted work claimed to be infringed
• Location on Platform where infringing material appears (URL)
• Your contact information (name, address, email, phone)
• Good faith statement that use is not authorized by copyright owner
• Accuracy statement that information is accurate under penalty of perjury
• Authorization - Physical or electronic signature of copyright owner or authorized representative

Our Review Process

Upon Receiving Valid Notice:

• We will acknowledge receipt within 2-3 business days
• Investigate the claim (typically 5-7 business days)
• Take appropriate action if infringement confirmed:
  • Remove or disable access to material
  • Notify the content provider (if applicable)
  • Document the takedown

Response Timeline: We aim to resolve valid copyright claims within 10 business days of receiving complete notice.

Counter-Notification Process

If Your Content Was Removed

If you believe material you posted was removed due to mistake or misidentification, you may submit a counter-notification.

Required Information:

• Your contact information (name, address, email, phone)
• Identification of removed material and its previous location
• Good faith statement that removal resulted from mistake or misidentification
• Consent to jurisdiction of Indian courts for resolution
• Accuracy statement under penalty of perjury
• Physical or electronic signature

Counter-Notification Process:

Upon Receiving Valid Counter-Notification:

• We forward it to the original complainant within 2-3 business days
• If complainant doesn't file legal action within 10-14 business days, we may restore the content
• We notify you of the outcome

No Guarantee: Submission of counter-notification doesn't guarantee content restoration. Final decision is at our discretion..

Repeat Infringers

Policy: We reserve the right to terminate accounts of users who repeatedly infringe copyrights, in accordance with:

• Indian Copyright Act, 1957
• Information Technology Act, 2000
• Our Terms of Use

Determination: We determine repeat infringer status based on:

• Number of valid infringement notices received
• Severity and nature of infringements
• User's response to previous notices
• Other relevant factors

Notice: Users will typically receive warning before termination, except in cases of egregious or willful infringement.

Trademark Protection

Our Trademarks

The following are trademarks owned by Cartoq:

• "Cartoq" (word mark)
• "CartoqAI" (word mark)
• Cartoq logo and design marks
• Associated branding elements

Registration Status: Registered under Section 18 of the Trade Marks Act, 1999, India.

Permitted Trademark Use

You May:

• Reference "Cartoq" in factual contexts ("according to Cartoq...")
• Link to the Platform using our name
• Use our name in academic citations

You May NOT:

• Use our trademarks in a way that implies endorsement
• Use similar marks that could cause confusion
• Register domain names containing our trademarks
• Use our marks in meta tags or paid search ads without permission
• Modify or alter our logos

Trademark Infringement Reporting

Report trademark violations to: [email protected]

Include:

• Description of infringing use
• Location/URL of infringement
• Your relationship to the trademark (if not Cartoq)

Platform-Generated Content

AI-Generated Verdicts & Recommendations

CartoqAI Verdicts & Analysis: All AI-generated content, including comparison verdicts, recommendations, and insights, is owned by Cartoq and protected by copyright.

Proprietary Nature: The algorithms, methodologies, and processes that generate this recommendations are proprietary trade secrets.

Usage Restrictions: You may not:

• Extract and republish AI verdicts
• Use our recommendations for competing services
• Reverse engineer our analysis methodologies
• Train other AI systems on our outputs

Database Rights

Database Protection: Our structured database of automotive information (specifications, pricing, features, recommendations) is protected as:

• A copyrighted compilation under Section 13 of Copyright Act, 1957
• A proprietary database with substantial investment

Selection & Arrangement: The particular selection, organization, and arrangement of data reflects creativity and investment worthy of protection.

Image & Video Content

Manufacturer-Provided Media

Vehicle images and videos are typically provided by manufacturers and used under license or fair dealing provisions.

Your Use: You may view these images on the Platform but may not extract, download, or republish them without manufacturer permission.

Editorial Photography

Original photographs taken by Cartoq staff or contributors are copyrighted by Cartoq or the photographer.

Restrictions: Do not download, reproduce, or use these images without written permission.

User Submissions

If you submit photographs or videos:

• You must own rights or have permission to submit
• You grant us license to use them (see User-Submitted Content section)
• You represent that subjects have provided necessary consents

International Copyright

Berne Convention

As a signatory to the Berne Convention, India provides copyright protection for works from other member countries.

Implications:

• Our content is protected internationally
• We respect international copyrights on the Platform
• Cross-border infringement is actionable

WIPO Treaties

India is party to various World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) treaties providing additional protections for digital content.

Enforcement

Our Rights

We reserve the right to:

• Monitor Platform for copyright violations
• Remove infringing content without notice
• Terminate accounts of infringers
• Pursue legal action against violators
• Seek damages and injunctive relief
• Report criminal copyright infringement to authorities

Technology Protection Measures

Technical Measures: We may employ:

• Watermarking of images
• Copy protection on content
• Monitoring systems to detect scraping
• Access controls and rate limiting

Prohibition: You may not circumvent, disable, or interfere with any technical protection measures.

Licensing Inquiries

Commercial Use Requests

For permission to use Platform content commercially:

Email: [email protected]

Include in Request:

• Specific content you wish to use
• Intended use and distribution
• Duration of use
• Geographic scope
• Audience size/reach estimates
• Your contact and organization details

Response Time: We aim to respond to licensing inquiries within 10-14 business days.

Fees: Commercial licensing may involve fees depending on scope and use. We'll provide terms if we approve your request.

Partnership Opportunities

For content partnerships or collaborations:

Email: [email protected]

See our Advertise With Us page for more information.

Educational Use

Non-Profit Educational Institutions

Limited Fair Dealing: Educators may use brief excerpts under fair dealing provisions of Indian Copyright Act for:

• Classroom instruction
• Research purposes
• Educational discussions

Requirements:

• Attribute properly to Cartoq
• Use only excerpts (not full articles)
• Non-commercial educational purpose only
• Include copyright notice

Bulk Use: For systematic use (course packs, online learning platforms), contact [email protected] for permission.

Updates to This Policy

Modifications: We may update this Copyright Policy to reflect:

• Changes in copyright law
• Platform evolution
• New content types
• Enhanced protection measures

Notice:

• Material changes: Platform notice + email notification
• Minor updates: Revised "Last Updated" date

Continued Use: Using the Platform after policy changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

Contact Information