Terms of Service

Last updated:

Effective Date: July 18, 2025

Welcome to NorthStar ComNet Ads Manager ("Ads Manager," "we," "our," or "us"), the self-serve advertising portal for NorthStar Civic Media. By creating an account or submitting advertisements through the Ads Manager, you ("you," "your," or "Advertiser") agree to these Terms of Service.

1. Eligibility

  • You must be at least 18 years old to use the Ads Manager.
  • You must provide accurate, current, and complete information during registration and maintain its accuracy.
  • By registering, you represent and warrant that you have authority to act on behalf of the business or organization you represent.

2. Accounts & Access

  • Authentication is managed via Auth0 with required email verification.
  • You are responsible for safeguarding your account credentials and for all activity under your account.
  • We reserve the right to suspend or terminate accounts for suspected fraud, misuse, or violation of these Terms.

3. Advertiser Application & Approval

  • All advertisers must complete the application process, which may include compliance checks.
  • Submissions are subject to manual review and approval. We may reject, request modifications to, or remove ads at our discretion.
  • Political advertisers must provide required disclaimers (e.g., "Paid for by…"), and additional documentation may be required to comply with applicable laws.

4. Ad Content Standards

You agree that advertisements submitted through Ads Manager will not:

  • Contain illegal, deceptive, misleading, or false content.
  • Promote violence, hate speech, or discrimination.
  • Infringe on third-party intellectual property rights.
  • Contain malware, malicious code, or unauthorized tracking.
  • Violate any applicable laws, including election or campaign finance laws.

We reserve the right to decline or remove ads at any time if we determine, in our sole discretion, that they violate these standards or pose risk.

5. Political & Regulated Advertising

  • Political or issue-based ads must comply with applicable state and federal requirements.
  • We may require you to submit disclaimers, funding disclosures, and/or supporting documentation.
  • Failure to comply may result in ad rejection, removal, or suspension of your account.

6. Payment & Billing

  • Fees for advertising are displayed at the time of purchase.
  • Payments must be made through the Ads Manager's designated payment system.
  • All payments are non-refundable once an ad has been submitted and approved, except where required by law.

7. Intellectual Property

  • You retain ownership of any content you upload, but grant us a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to use, reproduce, and display submitted ads across the NorthStar Civic Media network.
  • You represent and warrant that you have the necessary rights to all uploaded assets (logos, images, ad copy, etc.).
  • We retain ownership of all platform software, designs, and related intellectual property.

8. Platform Use & Restrictions

You agree not to:

  • Reverse engineer, decompile, or tamper with the platform.
  • Use bots, scrapers, or automated tools to access Ads Manager.
  • Interfere with system integrity, security features, or availability.
  • Use Ads Manager for unlawful purposes.

9. Suspension & Termination

We may suspend or terminate your account and remove content if:

  • You violate these Terms or applicable laws.
  • We determine your ads pose reputational, legal, or security risks.
  • Required compliance information is missing, incomplete, or fraudulent.

10. Disclaimers & Limitation of Liability

  • Ads Manager is provided "as is" and "as available." We make no guarantees about uptime, ad performance, or approval timelines.
  • To the maximum extent permitted by law, we disclaim liability for indirect, incidental, or consequential damages.
  • Our total liability for any claim arising out of use of Ads Manager shall not exceed the fees you paid for advertising in the 3 months preceding the claim.

11. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless NorthStar Civic Media, its affiliates, and staff from any claims, damages, or expenses arising from:

  • Your advertisements, content, or submissions.
  • Violation of laws or third-party rights.
  • Your use of the Ads Manager platform.

12. Data & Privacy

Use of the Ads Manager is also governed by our Privacy Policy. By using the platform, you consent to the collection and processing of your information as described in that policy.

13. Modifications to Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. Updates will be effective upon posting, and continued use of Ads Manager constitutes acceptance of the new Terms.

14. Governing Law & Disputes

  • These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Illinois.
  • Any disputes will be resolved in the state or federal courts located in Cook County, Illinois.

15. Contact

For questions about these Terms, contact:

NorthStar Civic Media
Email: ads@northstarcivic.com
Website: https://comnet.northstarcivic.com