Terms of Service

hese Terms of Service (“Terms”) govern your access to and use of Great Lakes Chronicle (the “Website”), located at http://greatlakeschronicle.com, operated by Great Lakes Chronicle (“we,” “us,” or “our”).

By accessing or using the Website, you agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree, please do not use the Website.

1. Use of the Website

Great Lakes Chronicle provides news, commentary, analysis, and public-interest journalism for informational and educational purposes only.

You agree to use the Website lawfully and in a manner that does not infringe on the rights of others or restrict or inhibit their use of the Website.

2. Editorial Independence

All content published on Great Lakes Chronicle is produced independently. Opinions expressed in articles, commentary, or multimedia content belong to the individual authors and do not necessarily reflect a unified editorial stance.

We do not guarantee the completeness, accuracy, or timeliness of all content, particularly in developing or breaking news situations.

3. No Legal or Professional Advice

Content on this Website does not constitute legal, medical, financial, or professional advice. Readers should consult qualified professionals before acting on information obtained from the Website.

4. Intellectual Property

Unless otherwise stated, all original content on the Website, including articles, text, graphics, logos, and multimedia, is the property of Great Lakes Chronicle or its content creators and is protected by copyright and applicable intellectual property laws.

You may:

  • Share links to our content

  • Quote brief excerpts with proper attribution and a link back

You may not:

  • Republish full articles without permission

  • Copy, modify, or distribute content for commercial purposes without authorization

5. User Contributions and Comments

If you submit comments, tips, or other content to the Website:

  • You retain ownership of your content

  • You grant Great Lakes Chronicle a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to publish, display, and distribute it in connection with our journalism

We reserve the right to moderate, edit, or remove user submissions that are unlawful, abusive, defamatory, misleading, or otherwise inappropriate.

6. Anonymous Submissions

Anonymous tips and comments are permitted. However, anonymity does not exempt users from compliance with these Terms or applicable laws.

We do not guarantee publication, response, or confidentiality for any submission.

7. Third-Party Content and Links

The Website may contain links to third-party websites or embedded content. We do not control or endorse third-party content and are not responsible for their practices, policies, or accuracy.

Accessing third-party content is at your own risk.

8. Disclaimer of Warranties

The Website is provided “as is” and “as available.”

Great Lakes Chronicle makes no warranties, express or implied, regarding:

  • Accuracy or reliability of content

  • Availability or uninterrupted access

  • Security of the Website or communications

9. Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, Great Lakes Chronicle shall not be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, consequential, or punitive damages arising from your use of the Website or reliance on its content.

10. Journalism and Source Protection

Great Lakes Chronicle operates as a journalistic publication engaged in newsgathering.

We assert all applicable rights and protections under:

  • Journalist shield laws

  • Freedom of the press provisions

  • Constitutional and statutory protections

Nothing in these Terms waives or limits those rights.

11. Privacy

Your use of the Website is also governed by our Privacy Policy, which explains how we collect, use, and protect information.

12. Changes to These Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated effective date. Continued use of the Website constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.

13. Governing Law

These Terms shall be governed and interpreted in accordance with applicable laws, without regard to conflict-of-law principles.

14. Severability

If any provision of these Terms is found to be unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect.

Final Notice

Nothing in these Terms is intended to restrict lawful speech, journalism, or constitutionally protected expression.

Effective 12-25-2025