Terms of Service

1. Introduction

RootsAndRouts.com (“the Website”) provides high-quality travel and historical content to enrich your exploration of global destinations. By accessing this Website, you agree to abide by these Terms of Use, which govern all interactions with our content. These terms protect both your rights as a user and our intellectual property as creators.

2. Permitted Uses of Content

You may use the Website’s content (including articles, photographs, videos, maps, and graphics) under the following conditions:

A. Personal & Non-Commercial Use

  • Reading/Viewing: Access content for personal enjoyment and education.
  • Trip Planning: Use itineraries, guides, and recommendations to organize your travels.
  • Limited Sharing: Share links to articles via social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.) with proper attribution to RootsAndRouts.com.
  • Printing: Print a single copy of an article for personal reference (e.g., carrying a guide on your trip).

B. Educational & Fair Use

  • Students, researchers, and educators may quote brief excerpts (up to 100 words) in academic work, provided they cite RootsAndRouts.com as the source.
  • Non-profit organizations may request permission to use content for community workshops or cultural programs.

3. Prohibited Uses of Content

Unauthorized use, reproduction, or distribution of Website content is strictly forbidden. This includes, but is not limited to:

A. Commercial Exploitation

  • Republishing: Copying articles (in full or part) on other blogs, websites, or print publications.
  • Tour Operations: Using our guides for paid tours, travel apps, or commercial guidebooks.
  • AI Training: Scraping content for machine learning, chatbots, or AI datasets.
  • Ad Revenue: Reposting our work on ad-supported platforms (e.g., monetized YouTube videos, medium articles).

B. Modification & Misrepresentation

  • Editing/Altering: Changing text, cropping images, or creating derivative works without permission.
  • False Attribution: Claiming credit for our research, photography, or writing.
  • Removing Watermarks/Credits: Cropping out or obscuring copyright notices.

C. Unauthorized Distribution

  • Uploading PDFs/eBooks of our articles to file-sharing sites.
  • Using our images as stock photos for design projects.
  • Translating content into other languages without approval.

4. Copyright & Ownership

A. Roots and Routs’ Intellectual Property

  • All original content is protected under the Indian Copyright Act, 1957 and international copyright laws.
  • Photographs, videos, and graphics—even those submitted by users—become the exclusive property of Roots and Routs upon publication.

B. Third-Party Content

  • Licensed materials (e.g., historical images, museum artifacts) may have additional restrictions.
  • Guest posts remain copyrighted by their authors but grant Roots and Routs permanent publishing rights.

5. Consequences of Violation

Violators will face the following actions:

  1. Legal Notice: A formal cease-and-desist letter demanding content removal.
  2. DMCA Takedown: Filing complaints with Google, hosting providers, and social media platforms.
  3. Financial Penalties: Pursuing compensation for damages (up to ₹2,00,000 per violation under Indian law).
  4. Permanent Ban: Blocking IP addresses from accessing the Website.

6. Licensing & Permissions

To request content usage rights, submit a formal proposal to contact.rootsandrouts@gmail.com with:

  • Purpose (e.g., documentary, academic paper, NGO project).
  • Excerpts Requested (specific text/images/videos).
  • Distribution Scope (expected audience size and territory).

Licensing Fees

  • Non-Commercial Use: Free for accredited schools/non-profits (with credit).
  • Commercial Use: Fees range from ₹5,000–₹50,000 based on reach.

7. User-Generated Content Policy

  • Comments/Forum Posts: Must be original; plagiarized content will be removed.
  • Guest Submissions: By contributing, you grant Roots and Routs exclusive publishing rights.

8. Reporting Violations

Help us protect our work! If you spot unauthorized use of our content:

  • Email contact.rootsandrouts@gmail.com with:
  • URL of the infringing content.
  • Proof of original publication on our Website.

9. Amendments to This Policy

We reserve the right to update these terms. Significant changes will be announced via:

  • A banner notice on the Website.
  • Email alerts for registered users.

Examples of Allowed vs. Prohibited Use

✅ Allowed:

  • Pinning our “Top 10 Temples in South India” article on Pinterest.
  • Quoting 50 words from our Ajanta Caves guide in a university paper.

❌ Prohibited:

  • Copying our “Hidden Trails of the Himalayas” guide to your travel blog.
  • Using our photos for your hotel’s promotional brochure.

Final Note
These terms ensure we can continue delivering authentic, well-researched content while respecting intellectual property rights. Thank you for supporting ethical travel writing!

Last Updated: 22 May 2025
Contact: contact.rootsandrouts@gmail.com

For the full Terms of Service, visit RootsAndRouts.com/legal.