Code of Conduct
SECTION 1. INTRODUCTION
1.1. This Code of Conduct sets the standards for anyone to use MindSumo.com and MBO Websites and Services. Users must comply with this Code of Conduct to be able to use and continue to use the MindSumo.com and MBO Websites and Services.
1.2. Users who do not comply with this Code of Conduct may be subject to disciplinary action which may include restriction or termination of their access, or legal action.
1.3. Capitalized terms used in this Code of Conduct are defined in Key Terms.
SECTION 2. GENERAL
Users shall treat one another with mutual respect. MBO expects Users to uphold high standards of fair business practices.
SECTION 3. PARTICIPATE WITH INTEGRITY
Users shall participate in MindSumo Challenges, any activity on MindSumo.com, and any use of MBO Websites and Services with integrity. Users shall:
3.1. act in good faith;
3.2. be truthful about who they are. A User shall provide true and complete information in connection with registering for MindSumo or establishing accounts or profiles;
3.3. be truthful about who is doing the work. For example, a Problem Solver shall not present a Solution as their own when another individual will be doing the work or has created the idea;
3.4. be truthful about the work done;
3.5. select Winning Solutions in accordance with the terms and conditions in the applicable Problem Solver Agreement and Challenge-Specific Provisions.
SECTION 4. TREAT OTHERS FAIRLY
MBO expects Users to treat others fairly. Users shall not:
4.1. express an unlawful preference in a Challenge post or Solution proposal;
4.2. post Sensitive Data;
4.3. spam other Users with messages, advertisements, or promotions unrelated to the applicable Challenge;
4.4. ask for or demand Deliverables or Work Product beyond what is required in the terms and conditions in the applicable Problem Solver Agreement or Challenge-Specific Provisions including requesting further Deliverables or Work Product as a pre-condition to being selected as Winning Solution or receiving a Challenge Reward;
4.5. request a fee in order to submit a Solution;
4.6. promise to provide a Solution that will be provided by another;
4.7. request or provide Solutions relating to the purchase of cryptocurrency.
SECTION 5. DO NOT MISLEAD OTHERS; DO NOT SHARE ANY MISREPRESENTATIONS
Users shall not engage in any behavior that misrepresents who they are or what they do including:
5.1. misrepresenting their identity or pretending to be someone else;
5.2. pretending that one individual will do work that will be done by another;
5.3. misrepresenting their experience, professional, qualifications and ability to transact business, such as a Problem Solver stating they attend a university that they do not in fact attend or a Challenger misrepresenting their company title or position or their ability to transact on behalf of their company;
5.4. using a profile image that depicts someone else;
5.5. misrepresenting their profile by using someone else’s profile or identity;
5.6. impersonating another individual or entity;
5.7. uploading or sharing profiles or an individual or entity without the individual’s or entity’s permission;
5.8. posting fictitious projects;
5.9. misleading others in any way.
SECTION 6. DO NOT ENGAGE IN UNPROFESSIONAL, MISLEADING, OR MALICIOUS ACTIVITY
Users shall not take actions (or fail to take actions) that is misleading or unprofessional. User shall not:
6.1. create fake profiles;
6.2. provide false information about their credentials;
6.3. override any security feature or bypass or circumvent any access controls;
6.4. not select or use login credentials that MBO, in the sole discretion, deems offensive in whole or in part;
6.5. violate the intellectual property rights of others, including copyrights, patents, trademarks, trade secrets or other proprietary rights. For example, Users shall not copy or distribute Solution, posts, or other content of others without permission;
6.6. violate the intellectual property or other rights of MBO, including, without limitation,
6.6.1. copying or distributing the materials, or
6.6.2. copying or distributing the technology, unless it is released under open-source licenses;
6.7. develop, support, or use software, devices, scripts, robots or any other means or processes (including crawlers, browser plugins and add-ons or any other technology) to scrape the Website or otherwise copy profiles and other data from the Websites;
6.8. copy, use, disclose or distribute any information obtained from the Websites or Services, whether directly or through third parties (such as search engines), without consent;
6.9. post anything that contains Malicious Code, software viruses, worms, or any other harmful code;
6.10. reverse engineer, decompile, disassemble, decipher or otherwise attempt to derive the source code for the Websites or Services or any related technology that is not open source;
6.11. imply or state that you are affiliated with or endorsed by MBO without the prior, express consent;
6.12. use bots or other automated methods to access the Websites and Services, add or download contacts, send or redirect messages;
6.13. monitor the Platform’s availability, performance, or functionality for any competitive purpose;
6.14. engage in “framing,” “mirroring,” or otherwise simulating the appearance or function of the Platform;
6.15. overlay or otherwise modify the Websites and Services or their appearance (such as by inserting elements into the Websites and Services or removing, covering, or obscuring an advertisement included on the Websites and Services);
6.16. use inappropriate language in any context;
6.17. engage in behavior that is a reasonable person would consider unprofessional, harassing and/or intimidating;
6.18. conduct themselves in a manner that is offensive, degrading, unprofessional, or otherwise deemed unconducive to promoting a collaborative workspace.
SECTION 7. DO NOT MAKE FALSE OR DECEPTIVE REPORTS
Users shall not engage in any false or deceptive reporting in order to avoid obligations, defraud any other User or MBO, or to circumvent any of the Terms of Use or the Related Agreements and Policies. This includes but is not limited to, reporting the following:
7.1. any untruthful or falsified information as a breach or violation;
7.2. false or misleading disputes;
7.3. erroneous or unfounded reports that a Problem Solver’s Deliverables or Work Product infringes on another’s intellectual property in order to prevent that Problem Solver’s Solution from being selected as the Winning Solution;
7.4. erroneous or unfounded reports that a Problem Solver’s Deliverables or Work Product infringes on another’s intellectual property in order to avoid all or a portion of a Challenge Reward payment.
SECTION 8. MAINTAIN CYBERSECURITY
MBO is committed to protecting the security of Users and of MBO. Users shall:
8.1. protect their credentials. Users shall safeguard and keep their username and password confidential;
8.2. have their own, unique login. Each login is for a single User only. Login credentials and each account are unique and may only be used by one User;
8.3. not select or use login credentials of another person with the intent to impersonate that person;
8.4. not disclose or share login credentials with any other person. Users shall not provide their username or password to any third party;
8.5. not allow any access to their accounts or login credentials by anyone other than the User;
8.6. immediately notify MBO if their login credentials are lost, stolen, or otherwise compromised. Immediately change their password if their password is lost, stolen or otherwise compromised;
8.7. be solely responsible for all use of their login credentials for any actions taken through their login credentials;
8.8. notify MBO at [email protected] of any unauthorized use of your account or breach of security, including loss, theft, or unauthorized disclosure of your password or login information;
8.9. notify MBO at [email protected] or if you learn of a security breach related to MindSumo.com or any of our Website or Services.
MBO may cancel or suspend a User’s access to the Platform if a User transfers or shares their credentials. Users authorize MBO to access any account or profile, as necessary to administer or configure the site or applicable platform.
SECTION 9. ELIMINATE CORRUPTION
MBO is committed to conducting business honestly, ethically and with integrity.
9.1. A User shall not offer, make, or allow discounts, payments, gifts, or anything of value to another User to obtain an advantage, such as a Problem Solver agreeing to receive a reduced portion of the value of a Challenge Award in order to have their idea selected as the Winning Solution. A User shall not accept payments, gifts, or anything of value that is intended to secure an improper advantage for the User or anyone else.
9.2. A User shall not engage in or assist any third party with any money laundering, terrorist financing or other financial crime activities.
SECTION 10. DO NOT ABUSE GIFTS, ENTERTAINMENT, OR HOSPITALITY
A User shall not (either personally or via an intermediary) give or receive gifts or business courtesies from another User in exchange for favorable treatment or entry into any business relationship.
SECTION 11. PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY/PRIVACY
11.1. A User shall abide by their obligations relating to protection, collection, and proper handling of Confidential Information and Personal Information.
11.2. A User shall not disclose to MBO or its affiliates, or to any Challenger, any information which they are under an existing contractual or other legal obligation to maintain in confidence or otherwise do not have the right to sell or license.
11.3. A User will not discuss or release any Confidential Information which belongs to other parties or Users related to any MindSumo Challenge.
11.4. A User shall comply with applicable Data Protection Laws and any other applicable laws governing protection of Personal Information and Confidential Information.
SECTION 12. AVOID AND DISCLOSE ANY CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
A User shall avoid, neutralize, and/or mitigate organizational or personal conflicts of interest. Each individual situation should be examined on the basis of its particular facts and the nature of the proposed Challenge and or Solution. The exercise of common sense, good judgment, and sound discretion is required in both the decision on whether a significant potential conflict exists and, if it does, the development of an appropriate means for resolving it.
12.1. The two underlying principles are:
12.1.1. preventing the existence of conflicting roles that might bias a User’s judgment;
12.1.2. preventing unfair competitive advantage. A User shall promptly disclose any conflict of interest to any party who might be affected.
SECTION 13. RESPECT HUMAN RIGHTS
Companies should support and respect the protection of internationally proclaimed human rights. MBO is committed to upholding the human rights of all Users, and to treat them with dignity and respect as understood by the international community.
13.1. Users shall uphold the human rights of all other Users and treat them with dignity and respect.
13.2. Users shall not be complicit in human rights abuses.
SECTION 14. ELIMINATE FORCED LABOR
MBO prohibits all forms of forced and compulsory labor.
14.1. Users shall not allow or benefit from forced, bonded (including debt bondage) or indentured labor, involuntary or exploitative prison labor, slavery or trafficking of persons shall not be used. This includes transporting, harboring, recruiting, transferring, or receiving persons by means of threat, force, coercion, abduction or fraud for labor or services. For example:
14.1.1. Problem Solvers shall not threaten, coerce, or force another to complete Deliverables or Work Product on their behalf;
14.1.2. Challengers shall not threaten, coerce, or force a Problem Solver to submit a Solution. All work performed related to Deliverables and Work Product is voluntary, and Problem Solvers shall be free to participate or not participate in a MindSumo Challenge at any time.
SECTION 15. ABOLISH CHILD LABOR
MBO prohibits all forms of child labor. The term “child” refers to any person under the age of 15, or under the age for completing compulsory education, or under the minimum age for employment in the country, whichever is greatest.
15.1. For the purposes of MindSumo.com and MBO Websites and Services, minors (those under 18 years of age, or otherwise under applicable law), or individuals or organizations who cannot form legally binding contracts under applicable law may not use MindSumo.com and or any other MBO Websites and Services.
SECTION 16. ELIMINATE DISCRIMINATION
MBO prohibits unlawful discrimination. MBO strives to treat all individuals and entities with dignity, respect, and courtesy.
16.1. Users shall treat each other and others fairly and with dignity, respect, and courtesy.
16.2. Users shall not discriminate against other Users, Problem Solvers, Challengers, Service Buyers, or other persons based on such factors as race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, citizenship, age, ancestry, disability, veteran status or any other protected class is unlawful.
SECTION 17. PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT, PROMOTE GREATER ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY, AND ENCOURAGE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY TECHNOLOGIES
MBO recognizes that that environmental responsibility is integral to provide world class services. MBO supports efforts to minimize adverse effects on the community, environment and natural resources while safeguarding the health and safety of persons and the public. MBO seeks to be an environmentally responsible neighbor in the communities where we operate, and act promptly and responsibly to correct incidents or conditions that endanger health, safety or the environment. MBO supports the development of environmentally friendly technologies.
17.1. Users shall support efforts to minimize adverse effects on the community, environment, and natural resources while safeguarding the health and safety of persons and the public.
17.2. Users shall support efforts to conserve natural resources by reusing and recycling materials, purchasing recycled materials, and using recyclable packaging and other materials.
17.3. Users shall support the responsible use of energy throughout the business, including conserving energy, improving energy efficiency, and giving preference to renewable over nonrenewable energy sources when feasible.
17.4. Users shall support the development of environmentally friendly technologies.
SECTION 18. VIOLATIONS OF THIS CODE OF CONDUCT
Compliance with this Code of Conduct is mandatory. MindSumo.com and MBO Websites and Services is only for use by authorized parties who comply with this Code of Conduct. MBO monitors activity within its systems to identify improper or unauthorized use.
18.1. Consent to Monitoring. By using MindSumo.com and MBO Websites and Services, Users consent to their activities being monitored. If criminal activity is detected, evidence from these tools may be provided to law enforcement. MBO will take appropriate action against any User or other person or entity who violates this Code of Conduct.
18.2. Reporting. Users shall immediately report any violation or suspected violation of this policy.
18.3. Failure to Report is a Violation. The failure to report circumstances that may indicate a violation and the unreasonable failure to detect a violation of this policy may constitute cause for appropriate action by MBO.
18.4. Retaliation Prohibited. MBO prohibits retaliation against anyone who reports a potential violation of this policy in good faith. Retaliation against anyone who reports a suspected violation of this policy will also constitute cause for appropriate action by MBO.