Terms of Service

Last Updated: April 6, 2026

1. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing or using the website operated by Missourians for Ethical and Transparent Government ("METG," "we," "us," or "our") at metg314.org and any related subdomains (the "Site"), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service ("Terms"). If you do not agree to these Terms, you must not access or use the Site.

We reserve the right to modify these Terms at any time. Your continued use of the Site after any changes constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms. We encourage you to review these Terms periodically.

2. Description of Service

METG is a 501(c)(4) social welfare organization (status pending) dedicated to promoting ethical governance and transparency in Missouri. Through our Site, we provide:

• Investigation reports based on public records and publicly available information.
• A county-level directory of government entities and officials.
• A mechanism for citizens to submit tips about potential government misconduct.
• Information about volunteer opportunities.
• A platform for making donations to support METG's mission.
• Educational content about government accountability and civic engagement.

3. User Conduct

When using the Site, you agree not to:

• Harass or threaten: Use the Site to harass, threaten, defame, or intimidate any individual, including government officials, METG staff, volunteers, or other users.
• Submit false information: Knowingly submit false, misleading, or fabricated tips, reports, or other information through the Site.
• Interfere with operations: Attempt to interfere with, disrupt, or disable the Site's functionality, including through hacking, denial-of-service attacks, or the introduction of malware.
• Misuse published reports: Present METG investigation reports in a misleading manner, alter their content, or use them to support false claims. You may share reports with proper attribution.
• Impersonate: Impersonate METG, its officers, volunteers, or any other person or entity.
• Violate laws: Use the Site for any purpose that violates applicable local, state, federal, or international law or regulation.
• Scrape or harvest: Use automated tools to collect data from the Site without prior written permission.

4. Intellectual Property

All content on the Site — including investigation reports, articles, text, graphics, logos, icons, images, and software — is the property of METG or its content suppliers and is protected by United States and international copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws.

Permitted Use

• You may share links to METG content freely.
• You may quote or excerpt METG reports with proper attribution (e.g., "Source: Missourians for Ethical and Transparent Government, metg314.org").
• Media organizations may reproduce METG content for news reporting purposes with attribution.

Prohibited Use

• You may not reproduce, distribute, or commercially exploit METG content without prior written consent.
• You may not remove or alter any copyright, trademark, or other proprietary notices from METG content.
• You may not present METG content as your own work.

5. Disclaimer of Warranties

THE SITE AND ALL CONTENT, MATERIALS, AND SERVICES PROVIDED ON THE SITE ARE PROVIDED "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE" WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED. METG DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT.

METG does not warrant that:

• The Site will be available at all times or free from errors or interruptions.
• Any defects in the Site will be corrected.
• The information on the Site is complete, accurate, or current at all times.

METG reports and content are based on publicly available records and information. They do not constitute legal advice, and should not be relied upon as such.

6. Limitation of Liability

TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, IN NO EVENT SHALL METG, ITS DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, VOLUNTEERS, EMPLOYEES, OR AGENTS BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION LOSS OF PROFITS, DATA, OR USE, ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH YOUR USE OF THE SITE, WHETHER BASED ON WARRANTY, CONTRACT, TORT, OR ANY OTHER LEGAL THEORY, EVEN IF METG HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

IN NO EVENT SHALL METG'S TOTAL LIABILITY TO YOU FOR ALL CLAIMS EXCEED ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS ($100.00).

7. Investigation Reports Disclaimer

METG endeavors to ensure the accuracy of its reports but does not guarantee that all information is complete or error-free. If you believe any information in an METG report is inaccurate, please contact us and we will review and, if appropriate, correct or update the report.

8. Tip Submission Terms

By submitting a tip or report through the Site, you acknowledge and agree to the following:

• No obligation to investigate: METG may investigate or decline to investigate any tip at its sole discretion. Submitting a tip does not create any obligation on METG's part.
• No guarantee of anonymity: While METG makes reasonable efforts to protect the identity of tip submitters, we cannot guarantee absolute anonymity. METG may be legally compelled to disclose information about tip sources in response to a lawful subpoena, court order, or other legal process.
• Truthfulness: You represent that the information you submit is true and accurate to the best of your knowledge. Knowingly submitting false information may expose you to legal liability.
• No attorney-client relationship: Submitting a tip does not create an attorney-client, journalist-source, or any other privileged relationship between you and METG.
• Use of information: METG may use the information you provide to conduct investigations, publish reports, and fulfill its mission as a government accountability organization.

9. Donation Terms

By making a donation to METG through the Site, you acknowledge and agree to the following:

• Non-refundable: Donations are voluntary, non-refundable gifts. Once processed, donations will not be returned except as required by law or in cases of documented processing errors.
• Not tax-deductible: Contributions to METG are not tax-deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. METG is a 501(c)(4) social welfare organization (status pending), not a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
• Third-party processing: Donations are processed by Givebutter, a third-party payment processor. METG does not directly collect, store, or process credit card or bank account information. Your use of Givebutter is subject to Givebutter's own terms of service and privacy policy.
• General support: Unless otherwise specified, donations are unrestricted and used at METG's discretion to support its mission and operations.

10. Volunteer Terms

By signing up to volunteer with METG, you agree to:

• Conduct yourself in a professional and respectful manner at all times.
• Follow METG's guidelines, policies, and instructions for volunteer activities.
• Maintain the confidentiality of any non-public information you may encounter through your volunteer work.
• Understand that volunteer service is at-will and may be terminated by either party at any time.
• Acknowledge that volunteer service is unpaid and does not create an employment relationship.

11. External Links Disclaimer

The Site may contain links to third-party websites, including government databases, public records repositories, news outlets, and other resources. These links are provided for informational purposes and convenience only. METG does not endorse, control, or assume responsibility for the content, privacy policies, or practices of any third-party websites. You access external links at your own risk.

12. Governing Law

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Missouri, without regard to its conflict of law provisions. You agree that any legal action or proceeding arising out of or relating to these Terms or the Site shall be brought exclusively in the state or federal courts located in the State of Missouri.

13. Dispute Resolution

In the event of any dispute arising out of or relating to these Terms or the Site, the parties agree to first attempt to resolve the dispute informally by contacting METG. If the dispute cannot be resolved informally within thirty (30) days, either party may pursue legal remedies as outlined in Section 12 (Governing Law).

Nothing in this section shall prevent either party from seeking injunctive or other equitable relief in court to prevent irreparable harm.

14. Severability

If any provision of these Terms is found to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect. The invalid or unenforceable provision shall be modified to the minimum extent necessary to make it valid and enforceable.

15. Changes to Terms

METG reserves the right to modify or replace these Terms at any time. When we make material changes, we will update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page and, where appropriate, provide additional notice on the Site. Your continued use of the Site after any such changes constitutes your acceptance of the new Terms.

16. Contact Information

If you have questions about these Terms of Service, please contact us: