Commonlands Legal Terms, Privacy & Platform Policies

Version 0.1

This document contains the legal terms, privacy practices, biometric information policy, and platform policies governing the use of the Commonlands platform.

Contact connect@commonlands.org

Important Notice

This document contains the legal terms, privacy practices, biometric information policy, and platform policies governing the use of the Commonlands platform.

Please read this document carefully before creating an account, enrolling in a project, submitting information, or using any Commonlands services.

By creating an account, enrolling through an authorized organization, or otherwise using Commonlands, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms, subject to applicable law.

If you do not agree to these Terms, you should not use the Commonlands platform.

Part I — Using Commonlands

1. Introduction

Welcome to Commonlands.

Commonlands provides trust infrastructure that enables individuals and organizations to create, verify, preserve, and share trustworthy information through participant-centered digital identities, verifiable certificates, and related platform services.

These Legal Terms, Privacy & Platform Policies ("Terms") govern your access to and use of the Commonlands platform, including our websites, mobile applications, software, APIs, verification services, certificates, and any related products or services that reference these Terms (collectively, the "Platform").

These Terms also describe how Commonlands collects, uses, protects, stores, and shares information, including biometric information where applicable, and explain the rights and responsibilities of participants, organizations, project administrators, verifiers, and Commonlands.

These Terms are intended to promote transparency, participant trust, privacy, security, and responsible governance while enabling organizations and individuals to establish confidence in trustworthy information through verifiable evidence.

Commonlands may update the Platform and these Terms from time to time. If we make material changes, we will provide notice where required by applicable law. Continued use of the Platform after such changes become effective constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms, except where applicable law requires additional consent.

If any provision of these Terms is determined to be unenforceable under applicable law, the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect to the maximum extent permitted by law.

2. Acceptance of these Terms

By accessing or using the Platform, creating a Commonlands account, enrolling in a Commonlands project, completing participant enrollment through an authorized Organization or Project Administrator, submitting information to the Platform, receiving or using a Commonlands identity, or otherwise using any Commonlands services, you agree to be bound by these Terms to the extent permitted by applicable law.

Where your participation in Commonlands is facilitated by an Organization or Project Administrator, additional terms, policies, or agreements established by that Organization may also apply. In the event of a conflict between those organizational terms and these Terms regarding your use of the Commonlands Platform, these Terms govern your relationship with Commonlands unless applicable law requires otherwise.

If you are accepting these Terms on behalf of an Organization, you represent and warrant that you have the authority to bind that Organization to these Terms.

If you do not agree to these Terms, you must not create an account, complete enrollment, access, or use the Platform.

Certain Platform features, including biometric identity verification, certificate issuance, participation in specific projects, integrations with third-party systems, or specialized services, may require additional notices, consents, or agreements. Where required by applicable law, Commonlands will request those additional consents before the applicable feature is used.

Electronic acceptance of these Terms has the same legal effect as a handwritten signature to the extent permitted by applicable law.

3. Eligibility

You must be legally capable of entering into a binding agreement under the laws applicable to your use of the Platform or have the legally required authorization or consent to use the Platform.

Commonlands is intended for individuals who are authorized to participate in projects or services offered through the Platform. Organizations using Commonlands are responsible for ensuring that participants are enrolled in accordance with applicable law and any consent requirements applicable to their programs.

Commonlands does not knowingly permit individuals who are prohibited by applicable law from using the Platform to create or maintain participant accounts.

Where participation by a minor or another individual lacking legal capacity is permitted under applicable law, such participation must occur only with any legally required authorization, consent, or supervision. The Organization or responsible adult facilitating such participation is responsible for obtaining any legally required permissions.

Commonlands may refuse, suspend, or terminate access to the Platform where we reasonably believe that a person is not eligible to use the Platform, has provided materially false information, or has violated these Terms or applicable law.

Organizations are responsible for determining participant eligibility for their own programs, projects, services, certifications, financial products, humanitarian assistance, employment, education, land administration, or other activities. Commonlands does not independently determine participant eligibility for those organizational decisions.

4. Accounts, Identity and Enrollment

Commonlands is designed to provide each participant with a single, persistent, participant-centered digital identity that may be used across multiple organizations, projects, and services participating in the Commonlands ecosystem.

Your Commonlands identity is intended to represent you within the Platform. It is separate from any individual Organization and may continue to be used as you participate in additional projects or services, subject to these Terms and applicable law.

A Commonlands identity is a digital platform identity. Except where expressly recognized by applicable law or through a specific integration, it is not a government-issued identity document and should not be interpreted as replacing any official form of identification.

You may establish a Commonlands identity by:

  • creating an account directly through the Platform;
  • enrolling through an authorized Organization or Project Administrator; or
  • any other enrollment method made available by Commonlands.

Where an authorized Organization or Project Administrator enrolls you and you do not already have a Commonlands identity, Commonlands may create a participant account following your acceptance of these Terms and any additional notices or consents required by applicable law.

You agree to provide information that is accurate to the best of your knowledge and to promptly update information that you manage directly through the Platform when it becomes materially inaccurate.

You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your authentication credentials and for promptly notifying Commonlands if you believe your account has been accessed or used without authorization.

You may not knowingly create or maintain multiple Commonlands identities for yourself unless expressly authorized by Commonlands in writing. Commonlands may merge, suspend, or remove duplicate identities where reasonably necessary to preserve the integrity of the Platform.

Commonlands may use identity verification technologies, including biometric verification where applicable, to determine whether an existing Commonlands identity already exists, reduce duplicate enrollment, protect platform integrity, and support secure access to your account.

Organizations participating in Commonlands remain responsible for determining your eligibility for their own programs, services, certifications, benefits, employment, financial products, humanitarian assistance, or other organizational activities. A Commonlands identity does not itself establish eligibility for any particular program or benefit.

Part II — Your Information

6. Privacy and Personal Information

In Plain English

Your privacy is important to Commonlands. We collect only the information reasonably necessary to provide the Platform, establish trusted identities, issue and verify certificates, protect the security of the Platform, and support the services you choose to use.

Our goal is to give you meaningful control over your information while enabling organizations to contribute trustworthy information with appropriate authorization and in accordance with applicable law.

Our Privacy Principles

Commonlands is designed around the following privacy principles:

  • Collect only the information reasonably necessary for legitimate purposes.
  • Be transparent about how information is collected and used.
  • Protect personal information using appropriate security safeguards.
  • Enable participants to exercise meaningful control over their information wherever reasonably practical.
  • Support participant-directed sharing of information.
  • Respect applicable privacy and data protection laws.

Information We Collect

Depending on how you use the Platform, Commonlands may collect and process information including:

  • your name and contact information;
  • mobile telephone number;
  • authentication credentials;
  • identity photographs;
  • biometric information, where applicable;
  • information you voluntarily provide;
  • information contributed by Organizations with appropriate authority;
  • information relating to your participation in projects or services;
  • certificates and verification records;
  • land, contract, or relationship information where applicable;
  • device, security, and technical information;
  • audit and system logs; and
  • other information reasonably necessary to operate the Platform.

Some information is provided directly by you, some is contributed by Organizations participating in Commonlands, and some is generated automatically through your use of the Platform.

Participant Control

Commonlands is designed so that participants remain at the center of their information.

Subject to applicable law and the operational requirements of the Platform, you may:

  • review information associated with your identity;
  • manage information you directly control;
  • selectively share certificates and other information;
  • request correction of inaccurate information where appropriate; and
  • request deletion of certain information as described in these Terms.

Some information contributed by Organizations may remain under the responsibility of those Organizations and may not be altered or removed by Commonlands at your request.

Privacy by Design

Privacy is incorporated into the design of the Commonlands Platform rather than added after implementation.

Commonlands seeks to minimize unnecessary collection of personal information, preserve participant control wherever reasonably practical, and maintain transparency regarding how information is processed throughout the Platform.

7. How Information Is Collected and Used

In Plain English

Commonlands uses your information to provide the Platform, establish and verify your identity, issue certificates, enable organizations to administer their projects, protect the security of the Platform, and improve our services.

We do not sell your personal information or your biometric information.

How We Collect Information

Information may be collected:

  • directly from you when you create or manage your account;
  • during participant enrollment by an authorized Organization or Project Administrator;
  • through biometric identity verification where applicable;
  • from Organizations that contribute information with appropriate authority;
  • through your participation in projects, services, or programs;
  • through your use of the Platform;
  • from third-party systems you authorize to share information with Commonlands; and
  • through technical and security processes necessary to operate the Platform.

How We Use Information

Commonlands may use information to:

  • establish and maintain participant identities;
  • authenticate participants;
  • prevent duplicate identities and fraud;
  • administer projects and Platform services;
  • issue, manage, and verify certificates;
  • preserve provenance and verification history;
  • enable participant-controlled sharing;
  • provide customer support;
  • maintain platform security and integrity;
  • investigate misuse or unauthorized activity;
  • comply with legal obligations;
  • improve, maintain, and develop the Platform;
  • generate aggregated, anonymized, or de-identified analytics that do not intentionally identify individual participants; and
  • perform other purposes described in these Terms or otherwise authorized by you or permitted by applicable law.

Information Contributed by Organizations

Organizations may contribute information relating to your participation in projects, programs, certifications, services, contracts, loans, land records, or other activities.

Organizations remain responsible for the information they contribute and the decisions they make based upon that information.

Commonlands provides the infrastructure through which that information may be securely managed, verified, preserved, and shared.

Participant-Controlled Ecosystem

One of the objectives of Commonlands is to enable participants to build a trusted, portable record of information contributed by multiple Organizations over time.

Where authorized by you and permitted by applicable law, information from multiple Organizations may be associated with your Commonlands identity to create a participant-centered ecosystem of trustworthy information that you may use across participating organizations and services.

Platform Improvement

Commonlands may use aggregated, statistical, anonymized, or de-identified information to improve platform performance, security, usability, analytics, research, reporting, and future product development.

Where reasonably practical, such information is designed so that it does not intentionally identify individual participants.

8. Information Sharing and Participant Control

In Plain English

Commonlands is designed to give participants meaningful control over how their information is shared while enabling Organizations to contribute trustworthy information and administer their own programs.

In most cases, you decide when your certificates and participant-controlled information are shared. Organizations remain responsible for the information they contribute and may retain records where permitted or required by law.

Participant-Controlled Sharing

Subject to applicable law and the operational requirements of the Platform, you may choose to:

  • share certificates with third parties;
  • present certificates for verification;
  • authorize information to be shared with participating Organizations;
  • authorize information to be imported from or exported to approved third-party systems; and
  • otherwise control the sharing of participant-managed information made available through the Platform.

Commonlands is designed to support participant-directed sharing wherever reasonably practical.

Organizational Access

Organizations do not receive unrestricted access to participant information simply because they use Commonlands.

Organizations may access information only where:

  • you have authorized the access;
  • the access is necessary to administer a project, program, or service in which you participate;
  • the access is required or permitted by applicable law;
  • the access is authorized through a contractual or organizational relationship; or
  • these Terms otherwise permit the access.

Organizations remain responsible for their use of information obtained through the Platform.

Certificate Sharing and Verification

Certificates are intended to enable participants to share trustworthy information without unnecessarily disclosing unrelated information.

When you choose to share a certificate, the recipient may verify its authenticity using the verification methods made available by Commonlands.

Verification confirms the authenticity and integrity of the certificate. It does not independently establish the factual accuracy of every statement contained within the certificate.

Information Shared by Organizations

Organizations contributing information to Commonlands may make that information available to you and, where authorized, associate it with your Commonlands identity.

Organizations are responsible for obtaining any permissions, authorizations, or consents required before contributing participant information to the Platform.

Required Disclosures

Commonlands may disclose information where required to:

  • comply with applicable law or a lawful legal process;
  • respond to valid governmental or regulatory requests;
  • protect the rights, safety, or security of participants, Organizations, Commonlands, or others;
  • investigate fraud, security incidents, or misuse of the Platform; or
  • enforce these Terms or other applicable agreements.

Where legally permitted and reasonably practical, Commonlands may notify affected participants before disclosing their information in response to governmental or legal requests.

Information Shared Outside the Platform

Once information or certificates have been lawfully shared outside the Commonlands Platform, Commonlands cannot control how recipients use, retain, or further disclose that information, except as otherwise required by applicable law or agreement.

Participants should carefully consider what information they choose to share and with whom.

9. Account Deletion and Data Retention

In Plain English

You may request deletion of your Commonlands account, subject to applicable law and the technical operation of the Platform. When your account is deleted, Commonlands seeks to remove the information maintained for your active participant account while preserving legitimate organizational records and verification information where necessary.

Because some verification technologies are designed to be permanent, not all information can be deleted.

Requesting Account Deletion

Subject to applicable law, you may request deletion of your Commonlands account at any time.

Commonlands may require reasonable steps to verify your identity before processing an account deletion request in order to protect the security of participant accounts.

Information We May Delete

Where appropriate and permitted by applicable law, Commonlands may delete information associated solely with the operation of your participant account, including:

  • participant profile information;
  • authentication credentials;
  • participant-managed information;
  • facial biometric templates;
  • identity photographs;
  • and other information maintained solely to operate your Commonlands account.

The categories of information deleted may vary depending on legal obligations, technical limitations, operational requirements, and your ongoing relationship with Organizations using the Platform.

Information We May Retain

Certain information may be retained after account deletion where retention is appropriate or required, including:

  • organizational records documenting project participation or services;
  • audit logs and security records;
  • records necessary to resolve disputes or investigate fraud;
  • information retained to comply with legal or regulatory obligations;
  • backup or archived information retained in accordance with operational retention policies; and
  • other information that Commonlands is legally permitted or required to retain.

Certificates and Verification Records

Certificates that have already been issued or lawfully shared may continue to exist outside the Commonlands Platform.

In addition, cryptographic verification records, distributed ledger references, digital signatures, timestamps, and similar verification information may be technically immutable and cannot be modified or deleted where the underlying technology does not support deletion.

Accordingly, deletion of your Commonlands account does not necessarily eliminate the ability to independently verify certificates or cryptographic evidence that were previously created.

Information Held by Organizations

Organizations using Commonlands maintain their own records and remain responsible for information they contribute to the Platform.

Deletion of your Commonlands account does not require participating Organizations to delete information they are independently entitled or required to retain under applicable law or their own policies.

If you wish to request deletion of information held by an Organization, you should contact that Organization directly unless applicable law provides otherwise.

Our Commitment

Commonlands seeks to explain clearly which categories of information may be deleted, which may be retained, and which cannot be deleted because of legal or technical limitations.

Where reasonably practical, we design the Platform to maximize participant control while preserving the integrity, provenance, and long-term verifiability of trustworthy information.

Part III — How the Platform Works

10. Certificates and Verification

In Plain English

Commonlands certificates are designed to help you demonstrate trustworthy information about yourself in a way that can be independently verified.

A certificate may represent your identity, participation in a project, completion of an activity, a verification performed by an Organization, or other information supported by the Commonlands Platform.

Verification confirms that a certificate is authentic and has not been altered since it was issued. It does not guarantee that every statement contained within the certificate is objectively true.

What Is a Certificate?

A Commonlands certificate is a digital record issued through the Platform in accordance with defined platform rules, organizational authority, participant actions, or approved automated platform processes.

Certificates are intended to be portable, participant-centered, and independently verifiable.

Certificate Issuance

Certificates may be issued by:

  • authorized Organizations;
  • authorized Project Administrators;
  • participant actions;
  • automated Platform processes operating according to predefined objective criteria; or
  • other issuance mechanisms approved by Commonlands.

The Organization or authority issuing a certificate remains responsible for the information it certifies.

Certificate Verification

Commonlands provides verification services that enable recipients of a certificate to determine whether the certificate remains authentic and has not been modified since issuance.

Verification is intended to establish confidence in:

  • the authenticity of the certificate;
  • the integrity of the information presented;
  • the provenance of the certificate; and
  • the identity of the issuing authority where applicable.

Verification does not independently verify the factual accuracy of information originally supplied by participants, Organizations, administrators, or third parties.

Participant Control

Unless otherwise required by applicable law or the terms governing a particular program or service, you decide when and with whom your certificates are shared.

You are responsible for deciding whether to share your certificates and for understanding that recipients may rely upon information you voluntarily choose to disclose.

Independent Verification

One of the objectives of Commonlands is to enable certificates to remain independently verifiable even if Commonlands is no longer operating.

Where reasonably practical, participants should preserve copies of their certificates and any associated verification information needed to support future verification.

Because verification technologies continue to evolve, the methods available for verification may change over time while preserving the integrity and authenticity of previously issued certificates wherever reasonably practical.

Certificate Limitations

Certificates do not automatically establish legal rights, ownership, eligibility, financial approval, employment status, governmental recognition, or any other legal entitlement unless expressly recognized by the Organization or authority relying upon the certificate.

Each Organization remains responsible for determining how it uses certificates within its own programs, services, or decision-making processes.

11. Organizations and Project Administrators

In Plain English

Organizations use Commonlands to administer projects, record information, issue certificates, and manage participant activities.

Commonlands provides the Platform that enables these activities. Organizations remain responsible for the information they contribute, the permissions they obtain, and the decisions they make.

Organizations

Organizations using Commonlands may include governments, financial institutions, businesses, nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, humanitarian organizations, healthcare organizations where appropriate, community organizations, and other entities authorized to use the Platform.

Organizations may use Commonlands to:

  • enroll participants;
  • administer projects and services;
  • contribute information;
  • issue certificates;
  • verify certificates;
  • manage authorized participant activities; and
  • use other Platform services made available by Commonlands.

Organizations are responsible for complying with applicable law, obtaining any permissions or consents required for their activities, and ensuring that information they contribute is accurate to the best of their knowledge.

Project Administrators

Organizations may designate one or more Project Administrators to act on their behalf.

Project Administrators may perform functions authorized by their Organization, including enrolling participants, recording participant activities, issuing or approving certificates, verifying information, and administering projects.

Actions performed by a Project Administrator are considered actions of the Organization that authorized the administrator, subject to applicable law.

Organizational Decisions

Organizations remain solely responsible for decisions relating to their own programs, projects, services, certifications, employment, financial products, humanitarian assistance, education, land administration, healthcare, benefits, or other organizational activities.

Commonlands does not independently determine participant eligibility, legal rights, ownership, financial approval, employment decisions, governmental determinations, healthcare decisions, or other substantive outcomes.

Participant Relationships

Your relationship with an Organization using Commonlands is governed by any applicable agreements, policies, or legal obligations between you and that Organization.

Use of the Commonlands Platform does not replace or modify those relationships unless expressly stated in a separate written agreement.

Organizational Responsibilities

Organizations remain responsible for:

  • the information they contribute to the Platform;
  • obtaining any required permissions, authorizations, or consents;
  • the actions of their authorized Project Administrators;
  • compliance with applicable law;
  • the security of their own systems and credentials; and
  • decisions they make using information available through the Platform.

Integration with Commonlands does not transfer these responsibilities to Commonlands.

Commonlands' Role

Commonlands provides the infrastructure that enables trusted identity, certificate issuance, verification, participant-controlled information sharing, and related Platform services.

Except where expressly stated in these Terms or required by applicable law, Commonlands is not a party to the legal relationships, contracts, certifications, financial decisions, employment decisions, governmental determinations, healthcare decisions, land determinations, or other substantive decisions represented within the Platform.

12. Third-Party Services and Integrations

In Plain English

Commonlands is designed to work with other trusted systems rather than operate in isolation.

Where appropriate, Commonlands may exchange information with authorized third-party systems to help participants build a trusted, portable record of information while preserving privacy, security, and participant control.

Authorized Integrations

Commonlands may integrate with authorized third-party services, including:

  • government systems;
  • financial institutions;
  • educational institutions;
  • humanitarian organizations;
  • healthcare organizations where appropriate;
  • identity providers;
  • payment providers;
  • geographic information systems;
  • participant-authorized digital wallets or personal data stores;
  • verification providers; and
  • other technology platforms approved by Commonlands.

Available integrations may change over time.

Information Exchange

Information exchanged with third-party systems is intended to:

  • support legitimate participant or organizational purposes;
  • be limited to the information reasonably necessary for the requested purpose;
  • preserve the origin and provenance of information where reasonably practical;
  • respect participant permissions where applicable;
  • maintain appropriate security protections; and
  • use technical methods appropriate to the sensitivity of the information being exchanged.

Participant Authorization

Where required by applicable law or the nature of the integration, Commonlands will seek participant authorization before sharing information with third-party systems.

Certain integrations may be initiated by an Organization participating in Commonlands where that Organization has the legal authority to request or receive the information.

Third-Party Services

Third-party services operate under their own terms, privacy policies, and security practices.

Commonlands is not responsible for the availability, content, security, or practices of third-party systems that are not owned or operated by Commonlands.

Participants should review the applicable terms and privacy practices of any third-party service they choose to use.

Responsibility

Each participating Organization and third-party service remains responsible for:

  • the information it contributes;
  • the decisions it makes;
  • compliance with applicable law;
  • and the security and operation of its own systems.

Connecting to Commonlands does not transfer those responsibilities to Commonlands.

Future Interoperability

Commonlands seeks to support open, secure, and standards-based interoperability wherever reasonably practical.

As technologies evolve, Commonlands may introduce new integration methods, APIs, software development kits, verification mechanisms, or data exchange standards that remain consistent with these Terms and the Commonlands Trust & Governance Blueprint.

13. Distributed Ledger and Cryptographic Verification

In Plain English

Commonlands uses cryptographic technologies to help protect the integrity and authenticity of certificates and other verification records.

Rather than storing personal information on a public blockchain, Commonlands is designed to use cryptographic evidence that allows certificates and other records to be independently verified while helping protect participant privacy.

Cryptographic Verification

Commonlands may use cryptographic technologies, including digital signatures, cryptographic hashes, timestamps, distributed ledger technologies, and other verification mechanisms to support:

  • certificate authenticity;
  • information integrity;
  • provenance;
  • long-term verification;
  • fraud prevention; and
  • platform security.

The technologies used by Commonlands may evolve over time as security practices and industry standards change.

Protection of Personal Information

Commonlands is designed to avoid intentionally placing personally identifiable information directly on public distributed ledger systems.

Where distributed ledger technologies are used, Commonlands generally records cryptographic evidence rather than personal information whenever reasonably practical.

Independent Verification

One of the objectives of Commonlands is to enable certificates and other important records to remain independently verifiable even if Commonlands is no longer operating.

Participants are encouraged to retain copies of certificates and any associated verification information they receive.

Verification technologies may evolve over time, but Commonlands seeks to preserve the ability to verify previously issued certificates wherever reasonably practical.

Technology Evolution

The cryptographic and distributed ledger technologies used by Commonlands may change as technology, security practices, operational requirements, and legal or regulatory frameworks evolve.

Such changes are intended to strengthen the integrity, security, portability, and long-term reliability of the Platform while remaining consistent with the principles described in these Terms and the Commonlands Trust & Governance Blueprint.

No Guarantee of Permanent Availability

While Commonlands seeks to support long-term verification, no technology can guarantee perpetual availability of every verification service or external network.

Independent verification may depend upon technologies, standards, or third-party infrastructure that evolve over time.

Commonlands will seek to preserve verification capabilities wherever reasonably practical but cannot guarantee the continued operation of third-party distributed ledger networks or external verification services beyond its reasonable control.

Part IV — Platform Security

14. Security

In Plain English

Protecting participant information and maintaining the integrity of the Platform are fundamental to Commonlands.

We use administrative, technical, and organizational safeguards designed to protect the information we process. However, no technology platform can guarantee absolute security, and participants and Organizations also play an important role in protecting their accounts and information.

Our Security Practices

Commonlands seeks to protect the Platform by implementing security measures appropriate to the nature, sensitivity, and intended use of the information being processed.

These measures may include:

  • identity verification;
  • authentication controls;
  • role-based access controls;
  • encryption and cryptographic protections where appropriate;
  • audit logging;
  • security monitoring;
  • fraud detection;
  • secure software development practices;
  • incident response procedures; and
  • other administrative, technical, and organizational safeguards designed to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the Platform.

Security technologies and practices may evolve over time as threats, technologies, industry practices, and legal requirements change.

Your Responsibilities

You are responsible for helping protect your account by:

  • maintaining the confidentiality of your authentication credentials;
  • using secure devices and networks where reasonably practical;
  • promptly notifying Commonlands if you believe your account has been compromised or accessed without authorization; and
  • following reasonable security instructions provided by Commonlands.

Organizations are responsible for protecting their own administrator accounts, internal systems, and credentials used to access the Platform.

Security Incidents

If Commonlands becomes aware of a security incident affecting protected information, we will investigate the incident and take reasonable steps to contain, mitigate, and respond to it.

Where required by applicable law or contractual obligation, Commonlands will provide appropriate notification to affected participants, Organizations, or authorities.

Platform Availability

Commonlands seeks to provide reliable Platform services but does not guarantee uninterrupted or error-free operation.

Scheduled maintenance, software updates, security measures, internet disruptions, third-party service failures, force majeure events, and other circumstances beyond our reasonable control may affect Platform availability.

Security Limitations

While Commonlands continuously seeks to strengthen the security of the Platform, no system can guarantee absolute security or prevent every unauthorized act, cyberattack, system failure, or fraudulent activity.

Participants and Organizations should use the Platform with an understanding of these inherent risks while recognizing Commonlands' commitment to maintaining a secure, trustworthy, and resilient platform.

15. International Users

In Plain English

Commonlands is designed to support participants and Organizations across multiple countries, legal systems, and regulatory environments.

Because privacy, biometric, consumer protection, and other laws differ between jurisdictions, certain rights, obligations, or Platform features may vary depending on where you live or how you use the Platform.

International Operation

The Commonlands Platform may be accessed and used by participants and Organizations located in multiple jurisdictions.

Commonlands seeks to operate in accordance with applicable laws governing the jurisdictions in which it provides services.

Local Laws

You are responsible for ensuring that your use of the Platform complies with the laws applicable to you.

Organizations remain responsible for complying with all laws and regulations governing their own operations, including obtaining any permissions, authorizations, or consents required for their use of the Platform.

Jurisdiction-Specific Rights

Depending on your location, you may have additional rights relating to privacy, biometric information, consumer protection, data access, correction, deletion, or other matters under applicable law.

Where required by law, Commonlands will honor those rights in accordance with applicable legal requirements.

Cross-Border Services

Because Commonlands operates internationally, information may be processed, stored, or made available in jurisdictions other than the country in which it was originally collected, subject to appropriate legal, contractual, and security safeguards where required by applicable law.

Changes in Law

Privacy, identity, cybersecurity, biometric, and other laws continue to evolve.

Commonlands may update the Platform, these Terms, operational practices, or jurisdiction-specific notices as necessary to comply with changing legal or regulatory requirements.

Part V — Legal Terms

16. Acceptable Use

In Plain English

Commonlands exists to help individuals and Organizations create, verify, preserve, and share trustworthy information.

To protect participants, Organizations, and the integrity of the Platform, you agree to use Commonlands responsibly and in accordance with these Terms and applicable law.

Permitted Use

You may use the Platform only for lawful purposes and in a manner consistent with these Terms.

You agree to use the Platform honestly, responsibly, and in a way that supports the integrity, security, and intended operation of Commonlands.

Prohibited Activities

You may not:

  • create or attempt to create multiple Commonlands identities for the same individual without authorization;
  • impersonate another person or Organization;
  • knowingly provide materially false or misleading information;
  • submit information you do not have the legal authority to provide;
  • interfere with or disrupt the operation or security of the Platform;
  • attempt to gain unauthorized access to accounts, systems, or information;
  • circumvent security or authentication measures;
  • misuse certificates or verification services;
  • use the Platform to commit fraud or other unlawful activity;
  • upload malicious software, code, or content intended to damage or interfere with the Platform;
  • violate the intellectual property or other legal rights of Commonlands or third parties; or
  • use the Platform in any manner that violates applicable law.

Responsible Use

You remain responsible for:

  • information you submit;
  • certificates you choose to share;
  • protecting your account credentials;
  • complying with applicable law; and
  • respecting the rights and privacy of other participants and Organizations.

Organizations remain responsible for the actions of their authorized Project Administrators when acting within the scope of their authority.

Enforcement

Where Commonlands reasonably believes that these Terms have been violated or that use of the Platform threatens the security, integrity, participants, Organizations, or lawful operation of the Platform, Commonlands may investigate the matter and take appropriate action.

Such action may include restricting access, suspending accounts, removing content where appropriate, cooperating with lawful investigations, or taking other actions reasonably necessary to protect the Platform, its participants, Organizations, or third parties.

Any enforcement action taken by Commonlands will be exercised in accordance with applicable law and these Terms.

17. Intellectual Property

In Plain English

Commonlands owns the Platform, including its software, technology, branding, and other intellectual property.

Participants and Organizations generally retain their rights in the information they provide, subject to the permissions they grant through these Terms and applicable law.

Commonlands Intellectual Property

The Platform, including its software, source code, databases, designs, user interfaces, graphics, logos, trademarks, service marks, documentation, and other content created by or for Commonlands, is owned by Commonlands or its licensors and is protected by applicable intellectual property laws.

Except as expressly permitted by these Terms or applicable law, you may not copy, modify, distribute, reverse engineer, create derivative works from, or otherwise exploit Commonlands intellectual property without prior written permission.

Participant and Organization Information

Commonlands does not claim ownership of personal information, certificates, records, or other information submitted or contributed by participants or Organizations.

Participants remain responsible for information they provide or manage through the Platform.

Organizations remain responsible for information they contribute regarding participants, projects, certificates, or other authorized activities.

You represent and warrant that you have the legal authority to provide any information you submit to the Platform.

License to Operate the Platform

By using the Platform and submitting information, you grant Commonlands a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to collect, process, store, use, reproduce, transmit, display, and otherwise process that information solely as reasonably necessary to:

  • operate the Platform;
  • provide requested services;
  • establish and verify participant identities;
  • issue and verify certificates;
  • support participant-authorized information sharing;
  • maintain security and platform integrity;
  • comply with legal obligations; and
  • perform the purposes described in these Terms.

This license continues only for so long as reasonably necessary to provide the Platform, comply with legal obligations, preserve legitimate operational records, or maintain verification systems consistent with these Terms.

Feedback

If you voluntarily provide suggestions, ideas, enhancement requests, or other feedback regarding the Platform, Commonlands may use that feedback without restriction or compensation to improve its products and services.

Feedback does not include your personal information or information protected by applicable law.

Reservation of Rights

Except for the limited rights expressly granted in these Terms, all rights are reserved by their respective owners.

Nothing in these Terms transfers ownership of Commonlands intellectual property, participant information, Organization information, or other legal rights except as expressly stated.

18. Disclaimers

In Plain English

Commonlands works to provide a secure, trustworthy, and reliable Platform. However, no technology platform can guarantee perfect accuracy, uninterrupted availability, or error-free operation.

Participants and Organizations remain responsible for the decisions they make using information available through the Platform.

Platform Provided "As Is"

To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, the Platform is provided on an "as is" and "as available" basis.

Except as expressly stated in these Terms, Commonlands makes no representations or warranties, express or implied, regarding the Platform, including any implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, title, non-infringement, or uninterrupted availability.

Some jurisdictions do not allow certain warranty disclaimers. In those jurisdictions, these disclaimers apply only to the extent permitted by applicable law.

Information and Certificates

Commonlands provides infrastructure for creating, preserving, verifying, and sharing trustworthy information.

Unless expressly stated otherwise, Commonlands does not independently verify every statement, document, or record submitted by participants, Organizations, Project Administrators, or third parties.

Verification confirms the authenticity and integrity of certificates or records according to the applicable verification method. Verification does not guarantee the factual accuracy, completeness, legality, or suitability of the underlying information.

Organizational Decisions

Organizations remain solely responsible for the decisions they make using the Platform, including decisions relating to eligibility, certifications, employment, financial services, humanitarian assistance, education, healthcare, land administration, benefits, or other organizational activities.

Commonlands does not guarantee that any participant will qualify for, receive, or retain any particular opportunity, benefit, service, certification, or outcome.

Third-Party Services

Commonlands is not responsible for the availability, content, performance, security, or practices of third-party systems, services, organizations, or technologies that are not owned or operated by Commonlands.

Your use of third-party services is governed by the terms and policies of those third parties.

No Guarantee of Continuous Availability

Commonlands seeks to provide reliable Platform services but does not guarantee uninterrupted operation, continuous availability, error-free performance, or that every defect will be corrected.

Maintenance, upgrades, internet disruptions, third-party service failures, cyberattacks, force majeure events, and other circumstances beyond Commonlands' reasonable control may affect Platform availability.

Applicable Law

Nothing in this section limits any rights that cannot be excluded or limited under applicable law.

Where applicable law prohibits a particular disclaimer, that disclaimer will apply only to the extent permitted by law.

19. Limitation of Liability

In Plain English

Commonlands works to provide a trustworthy Platform, but participants and Organizations remain responsible for many of the decisions made using information available through the Platform.

To the extent permitted by applicable law, Commonlands limits its liability as described in this section.

Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, Commonlands, its affiliates, officers, directors, employees, contractors, licensors, and service providers shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, consequential, special, exemplary, or punitive damages arising out of or relating to your use of, or inability to use, the Platform.

This limitation applies regardless of the legal theory on which a claim is based, including contract, tort (including negligence), strict liability, or otherwise, even if Commonlands has been advised of the possibility of such damages.

Decisions Made by Participants and Organizations

Participants and Organizations remain responsible for the decisions they make based on information, certificates, or verification services available through the Platform.

Commonlands is not liable for decisions made by participants, Organizations, Project Administrators, verifiers, employers, financial institutions, government agencies, healthcare providers, educational institutions, or other third parties that rely upon information available through the Platform.

Third-Party Services

Commonlands is not liable for the acts, omissions, availability, security, or performance of third-party organizations, technology providers, distributed ledger networks, internet service providers, cloud infrastructure providers, payment providers, or other third-party services that are outside Commonlands' reasonable control.

Maximum Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the total aggregate liability of Commonlands arising out of or relating to these Terms or your use of the Platform shall not exceed the greater of:

  • the amount you paid directly to Commonlands for the specific service giving rise to the claim during the twelve (12) months preceding the event giving rise to the claim; or
  • one hundred U.S. dollars (US$100).

This limitation does not apply where prohibited by applicable law.

Exceptions

Nothing in these Terms limits or excludes liability that cannot legally be limited or excluded under applicable law, including any rights that applicable consumer protection laws require to remain available.

Where a limitation contained in these Terms is not enforceable, it shall apply only to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law.

20. Indemnification

In Plain English

If your actions cause legal claims or losses because you violate these Terms, misuse the Platform, or infringe the rights of others, you may be responsible for those claims or losses to the extent permitted by applicable law.

Your Responsibility

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, you agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless Commonlands, its affiliates, officers, directors, employees, contractors, licensors, and service providers from and against any claims, liabilities, damages, losses, costs, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising out of or relating to:

  • your violation of these Terms;
  • your unlawful use of the Platform;
  • information you submit without the legal authority to do so;
  • your infringement of the intellectual property, privacy, or other legal rights of another person or organization;
  • your fraudulent, misleading, or intentionally wrongful conduct; or
  • your violation of applicable law.

Organizations

Organizations agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless Commonlands from claims arising from:

  • information contributed by the Organization;
  • actions of the Organization or its authorized Project Administrators;
  • the Organization's decisions regarding participants, projects, certifications, employment, financial services, humanitarian assistance, healthcare, education, land administration, or other organizational activities; and
  • the Organization's failure to obtain permissions, authorizations, or consents required by applicable law.

Commonlands Cooperation

Where Commonlands seeks indemnification under this section, Commonlands will provide reasonable notice of the claim to the extent legally and practically possible and will cooperate reasonably in the defense of the matter at the indemnifying party's expense.

Commonlands reserves the right to participate in the defense of any matter for which indemnification is sought.

Applicable Law

The indemnification obligations in this section apply only to the extent permitted by applicable law.

Nothing in these Terms requires indemnification where such obligations are prohibited or limited by applicable law.

21. Suspension and Termination

In Plain English

You may stop using Commonlands at any time.

Commonlands may suspend or terminate access to the Platform when reasonably necessary to protect participants, Organizations, the integrity of the Platform, or to comply with legal obligations.

Your Right to Stop Using the Platform

You may stop using the Platform at any time.

If you wish to permanently close your Commonlands account, you may request account deletion as described in Section 9 — Account Deletion and Data Retention.

Suspension or Termination by Commonlands

Commonlands may suspend, restrict, or terminate access to the Platform where we reasonably believe it is necessary to:

  • protect the security or integrity of the Platform;
  • investigate suspected fraud or unlawful activity;
  • prevent unauthorized access or misuse;
  • comply with applicable law, court orders, or lawful governmental requests;
  • protect the rights, safety, or security of participants, Organizations, Commonlands, or third parties;
  • address material violations of these Terms; or
  • respond to other circumstances where continued access presents a material risk to the Platform or its users.

Where reasonably practical and consistent with applicable law, Commonlands may provide notice and an opportunity to resolve the issue before permanently terminating access.

Effect of Termination

Termination or suspension of access does not automatically:

  • delete participant information;
  • delete organizational records;
  • invalidate previously issued certificates;
  • eliminate cryptographic verification records;
  • affect information that has already been lawfully shared; or
  • relieve any party of legal obligations that survive termination.

Account deletion and data retention are governed by Section 9 — Account Deletion and Data Retention.

Continuing Provisions

The following provisions continue to apply after termination or suspension to the extent relevant:

  • privacy and data retention obligations;
  • intellectual property rights;
  • disclaimers;
  • limitation of liability;
  • indemnification;
  • dispute resolution;
  • and any other provisions that by their nature are intended to survive termination.

Reinstatement

Where appropriate, Commonlands may permit reinstatement of suspended accounts following verification of identity, resolution of the issue giving rise to the suspension, or satisfaction of any applicable requirements.

Reinstatement is subject to Commonlands' reasonable operational and legal requirements.

22. Changes to these Terms

In Plain English

As Commonlands evolves, we may update these Terms to reflect new features, legal requirements, security improvements, or changes in how the Platform operates.

When we make material changes, we will provide notice where required by applicable law.

Updates to these Terms

Commonlands may modify or update these Terms from time to time to reflect changes in:

  • Platform functionality;
  • security practices;
  • legal or regulatory requirements;
  • operational processes;
  • available services; or
  • other aspects of the Commonlands Platform.

Notice of Material Changes

Where required by applicable law, or where Commonlands determines it appropriate, we will provide notice of material changes before they become effective.

Notice may be provided through the Platform, by email, through participating Organizations where appropriate, or by other reasonable means.

Continued Use

Except where additional consent is required by applicable law, your continued use of the Platform after updated Terms become effective constitutes your acceptance of the revised Terms.

If you do not agree to the updated Terms, you should discontinue use of the Platform and may request deletion of your account as described in Section 9 — Account Deletion and Data Retention.

Previous Versions

Commonlands may maintain previous versions of these Terms for transparency, legal compliance, and historical reference.

The version identified as effective at the time of your use of the Platform generally governs that use unless otherwise required by applicable law.

23. Governing Law and Dispute Resolution

In Plain English

If a dispute arises, Commonlands encourages participants and Organizations to first work with us in good faith to resolve the issue informally.

If a dispute cannot be resolved informally, it will generally be resolved through binding arbitration rather than in court, except where applicable law requires otherwise or where these Terms expressly provide another process.

Governing Law

Except where otherwise required by applicable law, these Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Delaware, United States, without regard to its conflict of law principles.

Commonlands Systems LLC is a Delaware limited liability company.

Good Faith Resolution

Before initiating arbitration or legal proceedings, the parties agree to make reasonable, good-faith efforts to resolve the dispute through informal discussions.

Nothing in this section prevents either party from seeking temporary or emergency injunctive relief where reasonably necessary to protect legal rights, confidential information, intellectual property, or Platform security.

Binding Arbitration

Except where prohibited by applicable law or otherwise provided in these Terms, disputes arising out of or relating to these Terms or the Platform shall be resolved through binding arbitration rather than litigation in court.

The specific arbitration rules, arbitration provider, location of arbitration, allocation of arbitration costs, and procedural requirements may be specified by Commonlands in supplemental legal documentation or revised Terms, subject to applicable law.

Exceptions

Nothing in this section prevents:

  • either party from bringing an eligible claim in a court of competent jurisdiction where arbitration is not legally required;
  • either party from seeking temporary injunctive or equitable relief;
  • enforcement of an arbitration award; or
  • exercise of rights that cannot legally be waived under applicable law.

International Users

Participants and Organizations located outside the United States may have additional legal rights under the laws applicable to their jurisdiction.

Where applicable law limits or prohibits arbitration or requires a different dispute resolution process, those legal requirements will prevail to the extent required by law.

Enterprise and Government Agreements

Organizations that enter into a separate written agreement with Commonlands, including enterprise customers, governmental entities, or strategic partners, may agree to different governing law or dispute resolution provisions.

Where such a written agreement expressly conflicts with this section, the dispute resolution provisions of that separate agreement shall govern the relationship covered by that agreement.

24. Contact Information

Questions About These Terms

If you have questions about these Terms, the Commonlands Platform, your account, privacy, certificates, or any other aspect of our services, please contact us:

Commonlands Systems LLC

Email: connect@commonlands.org

Commonlands may update its contact information from time to time. The most current contact information will be made available through the Commonlands website.

Legal Notices

Where these Terms or applicable law require legal notices to be provided to Commonlands, such notices should be sent using the contact information designated by Commonlands for legal communications.

Commonlands may publish updated contact details or additional methods for legal notices on its website or through other official communications.

Effective Date

These Terms become effective on the date identified at the beginning of this document and remain in effect until replaced by a subsequent version.

Appendices

Appendix A — Biometric Information Policy

Purpose

This Biometric Information Policy explains how Commonlands collects, processes, stores, protects, retains, and deletes biometric information used to establish and verify participant identities.

This Policy forms part of the Commonlands Legal Terms, Privacy & Platform Policies and should be read together with those Terms.

Why We Use Biometric Information

Commonlands uses biometric technologies to help:

  • establish a unique Commonlands identity;
  • determine whether an individual already has a Commonlands identity;
  • prevent duplicate identities and duplicate participation;
  • authenticate participant identity;
  • protect participant accounts;
  • support participant-authorized account recovery;
  • maintain the integrity and security of the Platform; and
  • support other identity verification purposes described in our Terms or authorized by applicable law.

Biometric information is not collected for advertising, behavioral profiling unrelated to Platform integrity, or the sale of biometric information.

Categories of Biometric Information

Depending on the services being used, Commonlands may process:

  • facial images;
  • facial biometric templates;
  • liveness verification information;
  • identity photographs;
  • verification metadata; and
  • future biometric modalities introduced in accordance with applicable law and participant notice or consent requirements.

Consent

Where required by applicable law, Commonlands will obtain your consent before retaining biometric information as part of your Commonlands identity.

Commonlands may perform temporary biometric processing before account creation where reasonably necessary to determine whether an existing Commonlands identity already exists and where permitted by applicable law.

If a new Commonlands identity is created, biometric information will be retained only after any required consent has been obtained.

Storage and Protection

Commonlands stores biometric information using administrative, technical, and organizational safeguards appropriate to its sensitivity.

At the time this Policy becomes effective:

  • facial biometric templates may be retained to support identity verification;
  • participant identity photographs may be retained as part of participant identities; and
  • liveness video recordings are not intentionally retained after enrollment unless required for security, fraud investigation, legal compliance, or another legitimate purpose permitted by applicable law.

Access to biometric information is restricted to authorized personnel with a legitimate operational need and is subject to authentication, logging, and internal security controls.

Retention

Commonlands seeks to retain biometric information only for as long as reasonably necessary to:

  • operate the Platform;
  • maintain participant identities;
  • protect Platform integrity;
  • comply with legal obligations;
  • investigate fraud or security incidents; or
  • satisfy other legitimate operational or regulatory requirements.

When biometric information is no longer required for these purposes, Commonlands will seek to securely delete or permanently de-identify it, unless retention is required or permitted by applicable law or is technically limited by the nature of the underlying technology.

Deletion Requests

Participants may request deletion of biometric information as described in these Terms.

Deletion requests are subject to:

  • identity verification;
  • applicable law;
  • contractual obligations;
  • legitimate security and fraud prevention requirements;
  • operational requirements; and
  • technical limitations.

Deleting biometric information may prevent continued use of identity verification features or other Platform services.

No Sale of Biometric Information

Commonlands does not sell biometric information.

Commonlands does not intentionally disclose biometric information except:

  • with participant authorization where applicable;
  • to service providers acting on Commonlands' behalf under appropriate contractual protections;
  • where required by applicable law;
  • to respond to lawful legal process;
  • to protect the rights, safety, or security of participants, Organizations, Commonlands, or others; or
  • as otherwise permitted by applicable law.

Policy Updates

Commonlands may update this Policy from time to time to reflect changes in technology, Platform functionality, legal requirements, or operational practices.

Where required by applicable law, participants will be provided notice of material changes before they become effective.

Appendix B — Participant Consent for Identity and Biometric Processing

Participant Consent

By creating a Commonlands identity or allowing an authorized Organization or Project Administrator to enroll you in the Commonlands Platform, you acknowledge and agree to the following:

Identity Creation

I understand that Commonlands is designed to establish a single, participant-centered identity that may be used across multiple participating Organizations and Projects.

I understand that this identity is intended to reduce duplicate enrollment, improve trust, and enable me to build a portable record of trustworthy information over time.

Collection of Information

I understand that Commonlands may collect information necessary to establish and operate my participant identity, which may include:

  • my name;
  • my mobile telephone number;
  • my identity photograph;
  • facial biometric information;
  • authentication information;
  • information I voluntarily provide;
  • information contributed by participating Organizations with appropriate authority; and
  • other information reasonably necessary to operate the Platform.

Biometric Processing

I understand that Commonlands may process my facial biometric information to:

  • establish my identity;
  • determine whether I already have a Commonlands identity;
  • authenticate my identity;
  • prevent duplicate identities or duplicate participation;
  • protect the security and integrity of the Platform; and
  • support other identity verification functions described in the Commonlands Terms.

I understand that my biometric information will not be sold.

Certificates

I understand that Organizations participating in Commonlands may issue certificates relating to my participation, activities, achievements, or other verified information.

I understand that certificates are intended to be independently verifiable and may remain verifiable even if my Commonlands account is later deleted.

Participant Control

I understand that Commonlands is designed to give me meaningful control over my participant-managed information and certificates, subject to applicable law and the operational requirements of the Platform.

I understand that Organizations remain responsible for information they contribute and may retain records where permitted or required by law.

Account Deletion

I understand that I may request deletion of my Commonlands account in accordance with the Commonlands Terms.

I understand that deleting my account may remove information maintained for my active participant account but may not remove:

  • records retained by participating Organizations;
  • certificates that have already been downloaded or shared;
  • immutable cryptographic verification records; or
  • information retained pursuant to legal obligations.

Privacy

I acknowledge that I have been provided access to the Commonlands Legal Terms, Privacy & Platform Policies, including the Biometric Information Policy.

I understand how my information will be collected, processed, protected, retained, and shared as described in those documents.

Consent

By selecting "I Agree", signing electronically, or otherwise indicating my acceptance, I:

  • acknowledge that I have read or had the opportunity to read these materials;
  • consent to the collection and processing of my information as described;
  • consent to biometric processing where applicable and permitted by law;
  • authorize the creation of my Commonlands identity; and
  • agree to the Commonlands Legal Terms, Privacy & Platform Policies.

Appendix C — Definitions

Purpose

These definitions are provided to promote consistency throughout the Commonlands Legal Terms, Privacy & Platform Policies. Unless otherwise indicated, the following terms have the meanings set forth below.

Commonlands

Commonlands means the Commonlands Platform and the services provided by Commonlands Systems LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, and its authorized affiliates where applicable.

Participant

A Participant is an individual associated with a Commonlands identity.

Participants may receive certificates, participate in Projects, manage participant-controlled information, and selectively share information through the Platform.

Organization

An Organization is a government agency, business, nonprofit organization, educational institution, humanitarian organization, financial institution, healthcare organization where appropriate, community organization, or other legal entity authorized to use the Commonlands Platform.

Organizations may create Projects, enroll Participants, contribute information, issue certificates, and administer Platform services.

Project

A Project is a defined activity, program, initiative, service, or operational unit administered within Commonlands.

Projects provide organizational boundaries for participant management, administration, permissions, reporting, and certificate issuance.

Project Administrator

A Project Administrator is an individual authorized by an Organization to administer one or more Projects within the Commonlands Platform.

Commonlands Identity

A Commonlands Identity is the persistent participant-centered identity established within the Platform that enables a Participant to participate across multiple Organizations and Projects.

Certificate

A Certificate is a digital record issued through the Commonlands Platform that is designed to preserve trustworthy information in a portable and independently verifiable form.

Certificates may represent identity, participation, completion of activities, organizational attestations, or other information supported by the Platform.

Certificate Holder

A Certificate Holder is the Participant to whom a Certificate has been issued.

Verification

Verification is the process of confirming the authenticity and integrity of a Certificate or other Platform record according to the applicable verification method.

Verification does not necessarily establish the factual accuracy of the underlying information.

Participant Information

Participant Information means information associated with a Participant's Commonlands identity.

Organization-Contributed Information

Organization-Contributed Information means information contributed by an Organization regarding a Participant, Project, Certificate, or other authorized Platform activity.

Organizations remain responsible for the information they contribute.

Biometric Information

Biometric Information means facial images, biometric templates, liveness verification information, or other biometric identifiers or biometric information processed by Commonlands for identity verification or related Platform security purposes.

Cryptographic Evidence

Cryptographic Evidence means hashes, digital signatures, timestamps, distributed ledger references, verification records, and other cryptographic artifacts used to preserve the authenticity and integrity of Platform records.

Distributed Ledger

A Distributed Ledger is a distributed verification system used to preserve cryptographic evidence supporting the authenticity and integrity of Platform records.

The specific technology used by Commonlands may evolve over time.

Platform

The Platform means the Commonlands websites, software, applications, services, infrastructure, APIs, verification services, and related technologies provided by Commonlands.

Terms

These Terms mean the Commonlands Legal Terms, Privacy & Platform Policies, including all appendices and any updates made in accordance with those Terms.

Interpretation

Unless the context requires otherwise:

  • singular words include the plural and plural words include the singular;
  • headings are provided for convenience only and do not affect interpretation; and
  • references to applicable law include amendments, replacements, and successor laws.