LegalDisclaimer
(a Chill Subs side tangent)
Last updated: July 30, 2025
1. Platform Immunity
Contest Calculator is a tool built by Chill Subs but charting its own path. As an interactive computer service under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act (47 U.S.C. § 230), Contest Calculator and Chill Subs cannot be treated as the publisher or speaker of user-generated content (including posts, suggestions, ratings, or comments). We provide the calculator; you crunch the numbers (or question them). Section 230 immunity does not apply to original content authored by Contest Calculator or Chill Subs, for which liability is nevertheless disclaimed to the fullest extent permitted by law.
2. Opinion and Commentary
Any scores, ratings, or comments you see here represent editorial opinions based on public info. Nothing here is fact, a promise, or legal advice. All calculations and rankings are for perspective only. Please do your own research before entering any contest or pulling out your credit card.
3. User-Generated Content and Moderation
Users may submit contest info, suggestions, and edits. If you contribute, you are solely responsible for accuracy and legality. Trolling, spam, or personal attacks are prohibited. We do not pre-screen all content but reserve the right, at our sole discretion, to remove or restrict content that violates our guidelines, the law, or just harshes the vibe. Repeat violators may be banned.
4. Notice and Takedown Procedure
If you believe something here is incorrect or violates your rights, email us at hello@chillsubs.com with:
- The exact content or URL in question
- A short description of the issue
- Supporting evidence
- Your contact info
For copyright concerns, send a DMCA notice to the same address. (We formally designate this email as our DMCA agent.) We investigate valid claims within 5–10 business days. Making false claims may result in liability for damages or perjury.
Notice: Section 230 does not provide immunity from certain federal claims (e.g., intellectual property, federal criminal law, or trafficking).
5. Jurisdiction and Governing Law
Contest Calculator is operated from Sturbridge, MA, USA. All disputes shall be resolved under Massachusetts law and exclusively in MA courts. By using this platform, you consent to this jurisdiction regardless of your location.
6. Limitation of Liability
To the maximum extent permitted by law, neither Contest Calculator nor Chill Subs shall be liable for:
- Any monetary loss from contest outcomes
- Decisions made based on calculator data
- Estimates or projections that don't align with reality
- Glitches, typos, or cosmic irony
Our total liability is limited to $100 or the amount you paid us for the service (likely zero).
7. Consumer Protection Compliance
We do not accept payment to boost contests or alter results. No backroom deals. All scoring is based on transparent, publicly available criteria and internal methodology, which we aim to explain. Still, verify everything for yourself before entering contests.
8. Privacy Policy & Data Protection
8.1 Data We Collect
When you use our newsletter subscription service, we collect:
- Email addresses (when you subscribe to our newsletter)
- IP addresses and timestamps (for consent documentation)
- Subscription preferences and PDF download history
- Technical data necessary for website functionality
- Anonymized analytics data including email domains, subscription events, page views, geographic location (country/region), and general usage patterns (via PostHog)
8.2 How We Use Your Data
- Newsletter delivery and contest updates (with your explicit consent)
- PDF delivery for free writing contest resources
- Improving our service and user experience
- Legal compliance and consent documentation
8.3 Third-Party Services
Google Sheets (Newsletter Management)
We use Google Sheets to manage our newsletter subscriptions. When you subscribe to our Sub Club newsletter, your email address is stored in a secure Google Sheets document for managing our subscriber list. Google is GDPR compliant and acts as our data processor. You can view Google's privacy policy at their privacy policy page.
PostHog (Website Analytics)
We use PostHog for website analytics to understand how users interact with our platform and improve our services. PostHog automatically collects anonymized usage data including:
- Newsletter subscription events (attempts, successes, and failures)
- PDF download activity and user engagement
- Page views and website navigation patterns
- Email domains (not full email addresses) for aggregate analytics
- Geographic location data (country and region) derived from IP addresses
- Device and browser information for technical optimization
PostHog is GDPR compliant and processes data according to their privacy policy. We configure PostHog to create user profiles only for identified users and to respect privacy by default. All data is anonymized and we do not store personal identifiers except for aggregated analytics purposes.
8.4 Your Rights Under GDPR
Under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), you have the following rights:
- Right to access: Request a copy of your personal data
- Right to rectification: Correct any inaccurate personal data
- Right to erasure: Request deletion of your personal data
- Right to data portability: Export your data in a readable format
- Right to withdraw consent: Unsubscribe from our newsletter at any time
- Right to object: Object to certain types of data processing
- Right to complain: File complaints with data protection authorities
8.5 Consent & Unsubscribing
Newsletter subscriptions require your explicit consent via checkbox confirmation. You can withdraw consent and unsubscribe at any time using the unsubscribe link in our emails or by contacting us directly. We automatically document consent with timestamps and IP addresses for legal compliance.
8.6 Contact for Privacy Matters
For privacy questions, data requests, or to exercise your rights, email hello@chillsubs.com. We'll respond to privacy requests within 30 days as required by GDPR.
9. Terms of Use & Updates
Use of Contest Calculator constitutes acceptance of these terms. These terms are part of the broader Chill Subs legal framework, though Contest Calculator operates independently. We may update this disclaimer at any time; by continuing to use the platform after an update, you accept the current version. For official Chill Subs terms and policies, reference our main site.
Contact Information
Questions? Corrections? Existential dread? Contact us: hello@chillsubs.com
Note: This isn't legal advice. If you need real legal help, talk to a lawyer. We're just lit nerds who built a contest tool, not your counsel.