Terms of Use
Standard Intelligence
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Last Updated: 19 August 2025
Effective Date: 19 August 2025
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Introduction and Acceptance of Terms
Welcome to Standard Intelligence, a blog focused on regulatory analysis and business model commentary. These Terms of Use function as a contract between you and Michael Clark that governs your use of our website and services.
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Understanding these terms is essential because they establish the rules for our relationship and protect both parties. By accessing or using www.standardintelligence.com, you automatically agree to be bound by these terms. If you disagree with any part of these terms, you must discontinue use of the website immediately.
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Think of these terms as the foundation upon which we build our professional relationship. Just as regulatory frameworks provide structure for business operations, these terms provide structure for how we interact online. They ensure clarity about expectations, responsibilities, and rights for everyone involved.
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About Standard Intelligence and Our Services
Standard Intelligence operates as an educational and informational resource focused on regulatory analysis, business model evaluation, and industry commentary. Our mission centres on providing thoughtful analysis that helps readers understand complex regulatory environments and business strategies.
What We Provide
Educational Content: We publish articles, analysis pieces, and commentary designed to enhance understanding of regulatory frameworks, compliance requirements, and business model innovations. This content represents our professional opinion and analysis rather than definitive legal or business advice.
Newsletter Services: We offer email newsletters containing curated regulatory updates, business insights, and analysis. Subscribers receive regular updates about topics relevant to regulatory compliance and business strategy.
Interactive Features: Our website includes contact forms for reader enquiries, survey tools for gathering feedback, and comment systems for fostering discussion about our content.
What We Do Not Provide
Understanding our limitations helps set appropriate expectations. Standard Intelligence does not provide legal advice, financial planning services, or professional consulting. Our content serves educational purposes and should complement, not replace, professional advice from qualified experts in relevant fields.
We do not guarantee outcomes from implementing ideas discussed in our content. Regulatory environments change rapidly, and what applies in one jurisdiction or timeframe may not apply in another. Always verify current regulations and seek professional guidance for specific compliance requirements.
User Responsibilities and Acceptable Use
Creating a productive environment for learning and discussion requires clear expectations about appropriate behaviour. Think of these guidelines as establishing a professional conference atmosphere where respectful exchange of ideas flourishes.
Permitted Uses
You may use Standard Intelligence for legitimate educational and informational purposes. This includes reading our content, sharing articles with proper attribution, participating in surveys and feedback requests, and engaging with our content through social media platforms.
You may quote brief excerpts from our articles for criticism, review, or commentary purposes, provided you include proper attribution and links back to the original content. This fair dealing exception under UK copyright law supports scholarly discussion and helps spread valuable insights.
You may subscribe to our newsletter services and contact us with genuine business enquiries or questions about our content. We encourage engagement that advances understanding of regulatory and business topics.
Prohibited Activities
Certain activities undermine the integrity of our platform or violate legal requirements. You must not attempt to disrupt website functionality through hacking, introducing malware, or overwhelming our servers with automated requests. Such activities not only violate these terms but may constitute criminal offences under UK computer crime legislation.
You must not reproduce substantial portions of our content without permission. While brief quotations fall under fair dealing provisions, copying entire articles or substantial portions without authorisation infringes our copyright and dilutes the value we provide to legitimate readers.
You must not use our website for any unlawful purpose or in any way that could damage our reputation or interfere with other users' ability to access our services. This includes posting defamatory comments, sharing confidential information inappropriately, or misrepresenting your identity or affiliations.
Content Submission Guidelines
When you submit content through contact forms, comments, or surveys, you grant us permission to use that content for improving our services and responding to your enquiries. However, you retain ownership of your original ideas and personal information.
Your submissions must be truthful, relevant, and respectful. We reserve the right to moderate, edit, or remove content that violates these standards or applicable laws. Remember that anything you submit may be retained according to our privacy policy and data retention schedules.
Intellectual Property Rights and Content Ownership
Understanding intellectual property rights helps clarify what you can and cannot do with our content while protecting the creative work that makes Standard Intelligence valuable.
Our Copyright Ownership
All original content published on Standard Intelligence, including articles, analysis pieces, graphics, website design, and proprietary methodologies, remains the intellectual property of Michael Clark. This protection extends to the unique insights, analytical frameworks, and presentation methods that distinguish our work.
Copyright protection arises automatically under UK law and gives us exclusive rights to reproduce, distribute, display, and create derivative works from our original content. This protection enables us to maintain the quality and integrity of our brand while ensuring we can continue investing in high-quality analysis.
Your Rights to Use Our Content
We encourage sharing our insights because widespread understanding of regulatory and business topics benefits everyone. You may share links to our articles on social media, include brief quotations in your own analysis (with proper attribution), and reference our work in academic or professional contexts.
For substantial use beyond fair dealing provisions, please contact us for permission. We generally grant permission for educational use, academic research, and professional development purposes, provided the use enhances rather than competes with our services.
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Respecting Third-Party Rights
Standard Intelligence respects intellectual property rights of others and expects users to do the same. When we reference external sources, we provide appropriate attribution and limit our use to what copyright law permits.
If you believe our content infringes your intellectual property rights, please contact us with specific details about the allegedly infringing material and evidence of your ownership rights. We will investigate promptly and take appropriate action if infringement has occurred.
Disclaimer of Warranties and Professional Advice
This section addresses one of the most critical aspects of our relationship: understanding what Standard Intelligence can and cannot guarantee. Legal frameworks require clear disclaimers to protect both parties and ensure appropriate expectations.
Educational Purpose Disclaimer
Standard Intelligence content serves educational and informational purposes exclusively. Our regulatory analysis represents our understanding and interpretation of complex legal and business environments, but these interpretations may not apply to your specific circumstances or jurisdiction.
Regulatory requirements vary significantly between industries, jurisdictions, and time periods. What applies to one business model or regulatory environment may not translate directly to another. Our analysis provides a starting point for understanding, not a complete compliance roadmap.
No Professional Advice Relationship
Reading our content or interacting with our website does not create a professional advisory relationship. We do not provide legal advice, financial planning guidance, or business consulting services. Our commentary represents general observations about regulatory trends and business strategies rather than specific recommendations.
Think of our content as providing the map and compass for your journey, but you must navigate the specific terrain of your regulatory environment with qualified local guides. Professional advisers familiar with your jurisdiction, industry, and specific circumstances can provide the tailored guidance that general commentary cannot.
Accuracy and Currency Limitations
We strive for accuracy in our analysis, but regulatory environments change rapidly and our understanding may become outdated between publication and your reading. Laws change, interpretations evolve, and new precedents emerge regularly in the regulatory space.
We make no warranties about the completeness, accuracy, or currency of our content. Information presented reflects our understanding at the time of publication but should be verified against current sources before making business decisions.
Limitation of Liability and Consumer Rights
UK law provides important protections for consumers while allowing businesses to establish reasonable limits on their liability. Understanding these protections helps clarify what happens if something goes wrong.
Consumer Rights Protection
If you access our website as a consumer (rather than for business purposes), your statutory rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 remain fully protected. These terms cannot and do not exclude or limit rights that UK law prohibits businesses from excluding.
Your consumer rights include the right to receive digital content that matches our description, is of satisfactory quality, and is fit for purpose. If our website fails to meet these standards, you may be entitled to remedies under consumer protection legislation.
Liability Exclusions Permitted by Law
To the maximum extent permitted by UK law, we exclude liability for indirect, consequential, or special damages arising from your use of our website. This means we are not responsible for lost profits, business opportunities, or other indirect consequences of relying on our content.
We also exclude liability for any losses arising from your reliance on our content for professional decision-making without seeking appropriate qualified advice. Our educational content cannot replace professional guidance tailored to your specific circumstances.
Liability We Cannot Exclude
UK law prohibits excluding certain types of liability, and we do not attempt to exclude these responsibilities. We remain fully liable for death or personal injury caused by our negligence, fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation, and any other liability that cannot be excluded under applicable law.
Our total liability to you for any claims arising from your use of our website, where liability is not excluded by law, shall not exceed £100 in aggregate. This limitation reflects the free educational nature of most of our content and helps ensure we can continue providing valuable insights without excessive legal risk.
Commercial Disclosures and Affiliate Relationships
Transparency about commercial relationships builds trust and ensures compliance with UK advertising standards. Understanding how we monetise our content helps you evaluate the independence and objectivity of our analysis.
Affiliate Marketing Disclosure
Standard Intelligence participates in affiliate marketing programmes where we earn commissions from purchases made through our referral links. When you see content marked with "Ad" or "Advertisement," we may receive financial compensation if you purchase products or services through those links.
This compensation does not influence our editorial judgment or the substance of our analysis. We only recommend products, services, or resources that we believe provide genuine value to our readers. Our affiliate relationships supplement our revenue while helping readers discover useful tools and resources.
Sponsored Content Policy
When we publish sponsored content or accept payment for specific coverage, we clearly label such content as "Sponsored," "Advertisement," or "Paid Partnership." This transparency ensures you can distinguish between our independent editorial content and material created in collaboration with commercial partners.
Sponsored content maintains our editorial standards and provides genuine value to readers while transparently acknowledging the commercial relationship. We retain editorial control over sponsored content to ensure it meets our quality standards and serves our readers' interests.
Professional Independence
Our analysis and commentary remain independent despite commercial relationships. We do not allow affiliate relationships or sponsorships to compromise the integrity of our regulatory analysis or business model commentary. Our primary obligation remains providing valuable, honest insights to our readers.
Data Protection and Privacy Integration
While our Privacy Policy provides comprehensive details about data handling, these Terms of Use establish the contractual framework for data processing activities necessary to provide our services.
Consent to Data Processing
By using our website, you consent to the collection and processing of personal information as described in our Privacy Policy. This consent enables us to provide newsletter services, respond to enquiries, and improve our content based on user feedback.
You retain full control over your personal information and can withdraw consent, request data deletion, or exercise other rights described in our Privacy Policy at any time.
Cookie Acceptance
Our website uses cookies and similar technologies to enhance functionality and gather analytics information. Your continued use of the website constitutes acceptance of our cookie practices as described in our Cookie Policy.
You can manage cookie preferences through your browser settings or our cookie management tools, though some website functionality may be limited if you disable certain cookies.
User-Generated Content and Community Guidelines
When users contribute content through comments, contact forms, or surveys, clear guidelines ensure productive engagement while protecting everyone's rights and interests.
Content Submission Rights
When you submit content to Standard Intelligence, you grant us a non-exclusive, worldwide licence to use, display, and modify that content for the purposes of providing our services. You retain ownership of your original content while allowing us to use it appropriately.
This licence enables us to respond to your enquiries, incorporate feedback into our content improvement processes, and display comments or testimonials that enhance other users' experience.
Content Standards
All user-submitted content must be truthful, relevant, and respectful. We prohibit content that is defamatory, discriminatory, harassing, or otherwise inappropriate for our professional environment.
Content must not infringe intellectual property rights, violate confidentiality obligations, or promote illegal activities. We reserve the right to remove content that violates these standards or applicable laws.
Moderation and Enforcement
We moderate user-generated content to maintain quality standards and legal compliance. This moderation may include editing for clarity, removing inappropriate material, or blocking users who repeatedly violate community guidelines.
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Our moderation decisions aim to foster productive discussion while protecting the integrity of our platform and the safety of our community.
Termination and Account Management
Understanding how our relationship can end helps set appropriate expectations about service continuity and your ongoing obligations.
Your Right to Discontinue Use
You may stop using Standard Intelligence at any time by simply ceasing to visit our website and unsubscribing from our newsletter services. Your decision to discontinue use terminates your agreement to these terms for future interactions.
Discontinuing use does not automatically delete previously submitted information. Please refer to our Privacy Policy for information about data retention and your rights to request data deletion.
Our Right to Restrict Access
We reserve the right to restrict or terminate access to our website for users who violate these terms, engage in unlawful activities, or threaten the security and integrity of our services.
Before restricting access, we will typically provide notice and an opportunity to remedy violations, unless immediate action is necessary to protect our website or other users.
Survival of Terms
Certain provisions of these terms continue to apply even after termination, including intellectual property rights, disclaimer provisions, and liability limitations. These surviving terms protect both parties' ongoing interests related to past interactions.
Governing Law and Dispute Resolution
Establishing clear procedures for resolving disagreements helps prevent minor issues from escalating into major conflicts while ensuring both parties understand their rights and obligations.
Applicable Law
These Terms of Use are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales. This choice of law provides predictability and ensures disputes are resolved according to familiar legal principles.
UK law applies regardless of where you access our website, ensuring consistent treatment for all users while acknowledging that Standard Intelligence operates primarily under UK jurisdiction.
Dispute Resolution Process
We encourage resolving disputes through direct communication before pursuing formal legal action. Most disagreements arise from misunderstandings that can be clarified through respectful dialogue.
Contact us directly with any concerns about these terms or our services. We commit to responding promptly and working collaboratively toward mutually acceptable solutions.
Jurisdiction
Any disputes that cannot be resolved through direct communication shall be subject to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales. This jurisdiction clause provides certainty about where legal proceedings would occur while preserving your right to pursue claims in other appropriate venues.
Updates and Modifications
These terms may evolve to reflect changes in our services, legal requirements, or best practices. Understanding our modification process helps ensure you stay informed about your rights and obligations.
Notification Process
We will notify users of material changes to these terms through email notifications to newsletter subscribers and prominent notices on our website. Material changes receive thirty days' advance notice whenever possible.
Minor updates, such as clarifications or formatting improvements, are posted immediately with updated effective dates. We encourage reviewing these terms periodically to stay informed about any changes.
Acceptance of Changes
Your continued use of Standard Intelligence after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the modified terms. If you disagree with material changes, you should discontinue use and contact us to discuss your concerns.
We aim to implement changes that enhance user experience and legal compliance while maintaining the essential character of our services and relationship with users.
Contact Information and Support
Clear communication channels ensure you can reach us when questions arise or issues need resolution.
Michael Clark / Standard Intelligence
Email: privacy@standardintelligence.com
Website: www.standardintelligence.com
We typically respond to enquiries within 48 hours during business days. For urgent matters affecting website security or user safety, please mark your communication as "Urgent" in the subject line.
These Terms of Use are designed to be clear and comprehensive while maintaining fairness for both Standard Intelligence and our users. If any provision requires clarification, please contact us for explanation.