TERMS & CONDITIONS of USE

These terms and conditions (the "Terms") govern your access to and use of DateSites’ websites that link to or reference these Terms ("Site"). By accessing or using the Site, you are implicitly agreeing to these Terms and concluding a legally binding contract with Matchmaker Media Inc. ("DateSites"), a Hong Kong based company. Do not access or use the Site if you are unwilling or unable to be bound by these Terms.

1. DEFINITIONS
1. Content

"Content" means text, images, photos, audio, video, and all other forms of data or communication. "Your Content" means Content that you submit or transmit to, through, or in connection with the Site, such as ratings, reviews, messages, and information that you publicly display. "User Content" means Content that other users transmit or submit to, through, or in connection with the Site. "DateSites’ Content" means Content that we create and make available in connection with the Site. "Third Party Content" means Content that originates from parties other than DateSites or its users, which is made available in connection with the Site. "Site Content" means all of the Content that is made available in connection with the Site, including Your Content, User Content, Third Party Content, and DateSites Content.

2. Parties

"You" and "your" refer to you, as a user of the Site. A "user" is someone who accesses, browses, crawls, scrapes, or in any way uses the Site. "We," "us," and "our" refer to DateSites.

2. CHANGES TO THE TERMS OF SERVICE

We may modify the Terms from time to time and appropriately post any modifications on this website. You understand and agree that your access to and use of the Site is governed by the Terms effective at the time of your access to or use of the Site. If we make material changes to these Terms, we will notify you by email or by posting a notice on the Site prior to the effective date of any changes. We will also post an indicator at the top of this page displaying the date that revisions were last made. You should return to the Terms page on a regular basis as revised versions will be likewise binding to you, the user. Modifications will be instantaneously effective, beginning with the posting of new Terms. You understand and agree that your continued access to and use of the Site after the effective date of modifications to the Terms indicates your acceptance of the modifications.

3. USING THE SITE
1. Site Availability

The Site may be modified, updated, interrupted, suspended or discontinued at any time without notice or liability to DateSites.

2. Eligibility

To access or use the Site, you must be 18 years or older and have the requisite power and authority to enter into these Terms. You are strictly prohibited from accessing or using the Site if you are a competitor of ours or if we have previously banned you from the Site or closed your account.

3. Permission to Use the Site

We grant you permission to use the Site subject to the restrictions in these Terms. Your use of the Site is at your own risk, including the risk that you might be exposed to Content that is offensive, indecent, inaccurate, objectionable, or otherwise inappropriate.

4. Owner Accounts

To the owners of the sites, brands and applications being reviewed by users on DateSates; we afford the opportunity to rebut or reply to reviews by User Accounts discussing that brand by allowing designated representatives to register an “Owner Account”. Through these confirmed “Owner Accounts” brands and sites will be able to respond directly to reviews and reviewers. To obtain an Owner Account, an individual must submit the requisite application and proof of ownership.

Almost all the restrictions and requirements that apply to “User Accounts” also apply to “Owner Accounts”, with certain key exceptions. Complete information can be found on the within the “Owners Panel”

5. User Accounts

You must create an account and provide certain information about yourself in order to use some features that are offered through the Site, like reviews. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account password. You are also responsible for all activities that occur in connection with your account. You agree to notify us immediately of any unauthorized use of your account. We reserve the right to close your account at any time for any or no reason.

Your account is for your personal, non-commercial use only. In creating it, we ask that you provide complete and accurate information about yourself to bolster your credibility as a reviewer to the Site. You may not impersonate someone else (e.g., adopt the identity of a celebrity or your next-door neighbor), create or use an account for anyone other than yourself, provide an email address other than your own, or create multiple accounts. If you use a pseudonym, take care to note that others may still be able to identify you if, for example, you include identifying information in your reviews, use the same account information on other sites, or allow other sites to share information about you with DateSites. Please read our Privacy Policy for more information

6. Communications from DateSites and other Users

By creating an account, you agree to receive certain communications from DateSites and other users and third parties, including marketing communications, in connection with the Site. For example, you might receive messages from other Users.

4. CONTENT
1. Our Right to Use Your Content

We may use Your Content in a number of different ways, including publicly displaying it, reformatting it, incorporating it into other works (possibly including advertisements), creating derivative works from it, promoting it, distributing it, and allowing others to do the same in connection with their own websites and media platforms ("Other Media"). As such, you hereby irrevocably grant us world-wide, perpetual, non-exclusive, royalty-free, assignable, sub-licensable, transferable rights to use Your Content for any purpose. Please note that you also irrevocably grant the users of the Site and any Other Media the right to access Your Content in connection with their use of the Site and any Other Media. Finally, you irrevocably waive, and cause to be waived, against DateSites and its users any claims and assertions of moral rights or attribution with respect to Your Content. By "use" we mean use, copy, publicly perform and display, reproduce, distribute, modify, translate, remove, analyze, commercialize, and prepare derivative works of Your Content.

2. Responsibility for Your Content

You alone are responsible for Your Content, and once published, it cannot always be withdrawn. You assume all risks associated with Your Content, including anyone's reliance on its quality, accuracy, or reliability, or any disclosure by you of information in Your Content that makes you personally identifiable. You represent that you own, or have the necessary permissions to use and authorize the use of Your Content as described herein. You may not imply that Your Content is in any way sponsored or endorsed by DateSites.

You may potentially expose yourself to liability if Your Content contains material that is false, intentionally misleading, or defamatory; violates any third-party right, including any copyright, trademark, trade secret, patent, moral right, right of publicity, privacy right or any other intellectual property or proprietary right; contains material that is in violation of legal codes and standards, including illegal hate speech or pornography; exploits or otherwise harms minors; or violates or advocates the violation of any law or regulation.

3. Ownership

As between you and DateSites, you own Your Content. We own the DateSites Content, including but not limited to visual interfaces, interactive features, graphics, designs, compilations (including, but not limited to, our compilation of User Content and other Site Content), computer code, products, software, aggregate user review ratings, and all other elements and components of the Site excluding Your Content, User Content and Third Party Content. We also own the copyrights, trademarks, service marks, trade names, and other intellectual and proprietary rights throughout the world ("IP Rights") associated with DateSites Content and the Site, which are protected by copyright, trade dress, patent, trademark laws and all other applicable intellectual and proprietary rights and laws. As such, you may not modify, reproduce, distribute, create derivative works or adaptations of, publicly display or in any way exploit any of the DateSites Content in whole or in part except as expressly authorized by us. Except as expressly and unambiguously provided herein, we do not grant you any express or implied rights, and all rights in and to the Site and DateSites Content are retained by us.

4. Advertising

DateSites and its licensees may display publically advertisements and other information adjacent to or included with Your Content. You are not entitled to any compensation for such advertisements. The mode, manner and extent of these advertisements are subject to change without notice.

5. Other

User Content (including any that may have been created by users employed or contracted by DateSites) does not necessarily reflect the opinion of DateSites. We reserve the right (but have no obligation) to remove, screen, edit, or reinstate User Content from time to time at our sole discretion for any reason or no reason, and without notice to you. For example, we may remove a review if we believe it violates our Review Guidlines. We have no obligation to retain or provide you with copies of Your Content, nor do we make any representations or warranties, or otherwise make any guarantees, regarding confidential treatment of Your Content.

5. RESTRICTIONS

We are under no obligation to enforce the Terms on your behalf against other users. While we encourage you to let us know if you believe a fellow user has violated the Terms, we reserve the right to investigate and take appropriate action at our discretion and only at our discretion.

1. You agree not to, and to not assist, encourage, or enable others to use the Site to:
1. Violate our Review Guidelines, for example, by writing a fake or defamatory review, trading reviews with other businesses, or compensating someone or being compensated to write or remove a review;
2. Promote a business or other commercial venture or event, or otherwise use the Site for commercial purposes, except as expressly permitted by DateSites; and/or in conjunction with an “Owner Account”.
3. Engage in keyword spamming, or otherwise attempt to manipulate the Site's search results or any third party website;
4. Violate any third party's rights, including any breach of copyright, confidence, trademark, patent, trade secret, moral right, privacy right, right of publicity, or any other intellectual property or proprietary right;
5. Threaten, stalk, harm, or harass others, or promote bigotry or discrimination;Send bulk emails, surveys, or other mass messaging;Solicit personal information from minors, or submit or transmit pornography;
6. Violate any applicable law or regulation.
2. You also agree not to, and will not, encourage, assist, or enable others to:
1. Violate the Terms;
2. Modify, adapt, appropriate, reproduce, distribute, translate, create derivative works or adaptations of, publicly display, sell, trade, or in any way exploit the Site or Site Content (other than Your Content), except as expressly authorized by DateSites;
3. Use any robot, spider, site search/retrieval application, or other automated device, process or means to access, retrieve, scrape, or index any portion of the Site or any Site Content;
4. Reverse engineer any portion of the Site;
5. Remove or modify any copyright, trademark or other proprietary rights notice that appears on any portion of the Site or on any materials printed or copied from the Site;
6. Record, process, or mine information about other users;
7. Access, retrieve or index any portion of the Site for purposes of constructing or populating a searchable database of business reviews;
8. Reformat or frame any portion of the Site;
9. Take any action that imposes, or may impose, in our sole discretion, an unreasonable or disproportionately large load on DateSites’ technology infrastructure or otherwise make excessive traffic demands of the Site;
10. Attempt to gain unauthorized access to the Site, user accounts, computer systems or networks connected to the Site through hacking, password mining or any other means;
11. Use the Site or any Site Content to transmit any computer viruses, worms, defects, Trojan horses or other items of a destructive nature (collectively, "Viruses");
12. Use any device, software or routine that interferes with the proper working of the Site, or otherwise attempt to interfere with the proper working of the Site;
13. Use the Site to violate the security of any computer network, crack passwords or security encryption codes; disrupt or interfere with the security of, or otherwise cause harm to, the Site or Site Content; or
14. Remove, circumvent, disable, damage or otherwise interfere with any security-related features of the Site, features that prevent or restrict the use or copying of Site Content, or features that enforce limitations on the use of the Site.
15. Collect any information about other users or members (including usernames and/or email addresses) for any purpose other than to solicit and share reviews with other DateSites users or members on the DateSites Site in accordance with these Terms of Service;
16. Create any user account by automated means or under false or fraudulent pretenses;
17. Create or transmit unwanted electronic communications such as "spam" to other users or members of the DateSites Site and/or DateSites Service or otherwise interfere with other user's or member's enjoyment of the DateSites Site and/or DateSites Service;
18. Copy, use or store any Content available on the DateSites Site other than for your own personal use;
19. Use any Content marked as obtained from or belonging to DateSites, except in compliance with these Terms of Service;
20. Use the DateSites Site and/or DateSites Service, intentionally or unintentionally, to violate any applicable local, state, federal or international law or regulation;
21. Register more than one user account;
22. Collect or store personal data about other users in connection with any prohibited activity described in this paragraph.
23. Solicit reviews of websites or businesses with which you are affiliated., except in connection with an Owner Account using the tools provided;
24. Solicit reviews of websites or businesses that are competitive with websites or businesses with which you are affiliated.
6. GUIDELINES AND POLICIES
1. Review Guidelines

You represent that you have read and understand our Review Guidelines, if appropriate.

2. Privacy

You represent that you have read and understand our Privacy Policy. Note that we may disclose information about you to third parties if we have a good faith belief that such a disclosure is reasonably necessary to (i) take action regarding suspected illegal activities or violations of these Terms; (ii) enforce or apply our Terms and Privacy Policy; (iii) comply with legal process or other government inquiry, such as a search warrant, subpoena, statute, judicial proceeding, or other legal process served on us; or (iv) protect our rights, reputation, and property, or that of our users, affiliates, or the public. If you use the Site outside of the base location of DateSites’, you consent to having your personal data transferred to and processed in the country of location of DateSites’ and/or that of the location of its servers..

3. Copyright And Trademark Disputes

DateSites has adopted a general policy toward copyright infringement in accordance with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act or DMCA.

• General Policy.

It is DateSites’ policy to (i) block access to or remove material that we believe in good faith to be copyrighted material that has been illegally copied and distributed by any of our advertisers, affiliates, Content providers, members or users; and (ii) remove and discontinue service to repeat offenders.

• Procedure for Reporting Copyright Infringements.

If you believe that material or Content residing on or accessible through the DateSites Site or DateSites Service infringes a copyright, please send a notice of copyright infringement containing all of the following information to the Designated Agent ("Infringement Notice"):

1. A physical or electronic signature of a person authorized to act on behalf of the owner of the copyright that has been allegedly infringed;
2. Specific identification of all works or materials being infringed;
3. Specific identification of the material that is claimed to be infringing, including information regarding the location of the infringing materials that the copyright owner seeks to have removed, with sufficient detail so that DateSites is capable of finding and verifying its existence;
4. Complete contact information about the notifier, including physical mailing address (not P.O. box), telephone number and email address;
5. A statement that the notifier has a good faith belief that the material is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law; and
6. A statement made under penalty of perjury that the information provided is accurate, and the notifying party is authorized to make the complaint on behalf of the copyright owner.
• Upon Receipt of an Infringement Notice.

Once a proper, bona fide Infringement Notice is received by the Designated Agent, it is DateSites’ policy:

1. to remove or disable access to the infringing material;
2. to notify the Content provider, member or user that it has removed or disabled access to the material; and
3. for repeat offenders (or otherwise in DateSites’ discretion), to terminate the Content provider's, member's or user's access to DateSites Services.
• Procedure to Supply a Counter-Notice to the Designated Agent.

If the Content provider, member or user believes that the material that was removed or to which access was disabled is either (a) not infringing, or (b) rightfully posted and used with permission from the copyright owner, the copyright owner's agent, or pursuant to the law, the Content provider, member or user must send a written notice containing the following information ("Right to Use Notice") to the Designated Agent:

1. A physical or electronic signature of the Content provider, member or user;
2. Identification of the material that has been removed or to which access to has been disabled and the location at which the material appeared before it was removed or disabled;
3. A statement that the Content provider, member or user has a good faith belief that the material was removed or disabled as a result of mistake or a misidentification of the material; and
4. The Content provider's, member's or user's name, address, telephone number, email address and a statement that such person or entity consents to the jurisdiction of the appropriate court for the judicial district in which the Content provider's, member's or user's address is located, or if the Content provider's, member's or user's address is located outside of one’s location, for any judicial district in which DateSites is located, and that such person or entity will accept service of process from the person who provided notification of the alleged infringement.
• Removal.

If a Right to Use Notice is timely received by the Designated Agent, DateSites may send a copy of the Right to Use Notice to the original complaining party, informing that person that it may replace the removed material or cease disabling it in ten (10) business days. Unless the copyright owner files an action seeking a court order against the Content provider, member or user, the removed material may be replaced or access to it restored in approximately 10 to 14 business days or more after receipt of the Right to Use Notice, at DateSites’ discretion.

• Address for Designated Agent.

Please contact DateSites’ Designated Agent to Receive Notification of Claimed Infringement,

7. DATESITES ADVERTISING

If you create an Owner Account on the Site or purchase advertising from DateSites, the DateSites Advertising Agreement will apply. In the event of any conflict between the DateSites Advertising Agreement and these Terms, the DateSites Advertising Agreement will prevail.

8. SUGGESTIONS AND IMPROVEMENTS

By sending us any ideas, suggestions, documents or proposals ("Feedback"), you agree that (i) your Feedback does not contain confidential or proprietary information from you or any third party, (ii) we are under no obligation of confidentiality, express or implied, with respect to the Feedback, (iii) we may have something similar to the Feedback already under consideration or in development, and (iv) you grant us an irrevocable, non-exclusive, royalty-free, perpetual, worldwide license to use, modify, prepare derivative works, publish, distribute and sublicense the Feedback, and you irrevocably waive, and cause to be waived, against DateSites and its users any claims and assertions of any moral rights contained in such Feedback.

9. THIRD PARTIES

The Site may include links to other websites or applications (each, a "Third Party Site"). We do not control or endorse any Third Party Site. You agree that we are not responsible for the availability or contents of such Third Party Sites. Your use of Third Party Sites is at your own risk. Some of the services made available through the Site may be subject to additional third party or open source licensing terms and disclosures.

10. INDEMNITY

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold DateSites, its parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, any related companies, suppliers, licensors and partners, and the officers, directors, employees, agents and representatives of each of them (collectively, the "DateSites Entities") harmless, including costs, liabilities and legal fees, from any claim or demand made by any third party arising out of or relating to (i) your access to or use of the Site, (ii) your violation of the Terms, (iii) any products or services purchased or obtained by you in connection with the Site, or (iv) the infringement by you, or any third party using your account, of any intellectual property or other right of any person or entity. DateSites reserves the right, at your expense, to assume the exclusive defense and control of any matter for which you are required to indemnify us and you agree to cooperate with our defense of these claims. You agree not to settle any such matter without the prior written consent of DateSites. DateSites will use reasonable efforts to notify you of any such claim, action or proceeding upon becoming aware of it.

11. DISCLAIMERS AND LIMITATIONS OF LIABILITY

PLEASE READ THIS SECTION CAREFULLY SINCE IT LIMITS THE LIABILITY OF THE DATESITES’ ENTITIES TO YOU. EACH OF THE SUBSECTIONS BELOW ONLY APPLIES UP TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED UNDER APPLICABLE LAW. NOTHING HEREIN IS INTENDED TO LIMIT ANY RIGHTS YOU MAY HAVE WHICH MAY NOT BE LAWFULLY LIMITED. IF YOU ARE UNSURE ABOUT THIS OR ANY OTHER SECTION OF THESE TERMS, PLEASE CONSULT WITH A LEGAL PROFESSIONAL PRIOR TO ACCESSING OR USING THE SITE. BY ACCESSING OR USING THE SITE, YOU REPRESENT THAT YOU HAVE READ, UNDERSTAND, AND AGREE TO THESE TERMS, INCLUDING THIS SECTION. YOU ARE GIVING UP SUBSTANTIAL LEGAL RIGHTS BY AGREEING TO THESE TERMS.

1. THE SITE IS MADE AVAILABLE TO YOU ON AN "AS IS", "WITH ALL FAULTS" AND "AS AVAILABLE" BASIS, WITH THE EXPRESS UNDERSTANDING THAT DATESITES ENTITIES MAY NOT REVIEW, MONITOR, CONTROL, OR VET USER CONTENT. YOUR USE OF THE SITE IS AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION AND RISK. THE DATESITES ENTITIES MAKE NO CLAIMS OR PROMISES ABOUT THE QUALITY, ACCURACY, OR RELIABILITY OF THE SITE, ITS SAFETY OR SECURITY, OR THE SITE CONTENT. ACCORDINGLY, THE DATESITES ENTITIES ARE NOT LIABLE TO YOU FOR ANY LOSS OR DAMAGE THAT MIGHT ARISE, FOR EXAMPLE, FROM THE SITE'S INOPERABILITY, UNAVAILABILITY OR SECURITY VULNERABILITIES OR FROM YOUR RELIANCE ON THE QUALITY, ACCURACY, OR RELIABILITY OF THE BUSINESS LISTINGS, RATINGS, REVIEWS (INCLUDING THEIR CONTENT, ORDER, AND DISPLAY), OR METRICS FOUND ON, USED ON, OR MADE AVAILABLE THROUGH THE SITE.
2. THE DATESITES ENTITIES MAKE NO CLAIMS OR PROMISES WITH RESPECT TO ANY THIRD PARTY, SUCH AS THE BUSINESSES OR ADVERTISERS LISTED ON THE SITE OR THE SITE'S USERS. ACCORDINGLY, THE DATESITES ENTITIES ARE NOT LIABLE TO YOU FOR ANY LOSS OR DAMAGE THAT MIGHT ARISE FROM THEIR ACTIONS OR OMISSIONS, INCLUDING, FOR EXAMPLE, IF ANOTHER USER OR BUSINESS MISUSES YOUR CONTENT, IDENTITY OR PERSONAL INFORMATION, OR IF YOU HAVE A NEGATIVE EXPERIENCE WITH ONE OF THE BUSINESSES OR ADVERTISERS LISTED OR FEATURED ON THE SITE. YOUR PURCHASE AND USE OF PRODUCTS OR SERVICES OFFERED BY THIRD PARTIES THROUGH THE SITE IS AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION AND RISK.
3. THE DATESITES ENTITIES EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES, WHETHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING WARRANTIES AS TO THE PRODUCTS OR SERVICES OFFERED BY BUSINESSES LISTED ON THE SITE, AND IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT. NO ORAL OR WRITTEN INFORMATION OR ADVICE PROVIDED TO YOU BY A REPRESENTATIVE OF ONE OF THE DATESITES ENTITIES SHALL CREATE A REPRESENTATION OR WARRANTY.
4. YOUR SOLE AND EXCLUSIVE RIGHT AND REMEDY IN CASE OF DISSATISFACTION WITH THE SITE, RELATED SERVICES, OR ANY OTHER GRIEVANCE SHALL BE YOUR TERMINATION AND DISCONTINUATION OF ACCESS TO, OR USE OF THE SITE.
5. THE DATESITES ENTITIES' MAXIMUM AGGREGATE LIABILITY TO YOU FOR LOSSES OR DAMAGES THAT YOU SUFFER IN CONNECTION WITH THE SITE OR THESE TERMS IS LIMITED TO THE GREATER OF (i) THE AMOUNT PAID, IF ANY, BY YOU TO THE DATESITES ENTITIES IN CONNECTION WITH THE SITE IN THE 12 MONTHS PRIOR TO THE ACTION GIVING RISE TO LIABILITY, OR (ii) $100.
6. THE DATESITES ENTITIES DISCLAIM LIABILITY FOR ANY (i) INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, PUNITIVE, EXEMPLARY, RELIANCE, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, (ii) LOSS OF PROFITS, (iii) BUSINESS INTERRUPTION, (iv) REPUTATIONAL HARM, OR (v) LOSS OF INFORMATION OR DATA.
12. CHOICE OF LAW AND VENUE

Hong Kong law will govern these Terms, as well as any claim, cause of action or dispute that might arise between you and DateSites (a "Claim"), without regard to conflict of law provisions. FOR ANY CLAIM BROUGHT BY EITHER PARTY, YOU AGREE TO SUBMIT AND CONSENT TO THE PERSONAL AND EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION IN, AND THE EXCLUSIVE VENUE OF, THE APPROPRIATE COURTS LOCATED WITHIN A LOCATION OF DATESITES’ CHOOSING.

13. TERMINATION
1. These Terms will remain in full force and effect while you use the DateSites Site or DateSites Service. DateSites may terminate these Terms of Service for any reason, at any time, by posting on the DateSites Site.
2. We may close your account, suspend your ability to use certain portions of the Site, and/or ban you altogether from the Site for any or no reason, and without notice or liability of any kind. Any such action could prevent you from accessing your account, the Site, Your Content, Site Content, or any other related information.
3. In the event of any termination of these Terms, whether by you or us, Sections 1, 4, 5, 8 - 14 will continue in full force and effect, including our right to use Your Content as detailed in Section 4.
14. GENERAL TERMS
1. We reserve the right to modify, update, or discontinue the Site at our sole discretion, at any time, for any or no reason, and without notice or liability.
2. We may provide you with notices, including those regarding changes to the Terms by email, regular mail or communications through the Site.
3. Except as otherwise stated in Section 9 above, nothing herein is intended, nor will be deemed, to confer rights or remedies upon any third party.
4. The Terms contain the entire agreement between you and us regarding the use of the Site, and supersede any prior agreement between you and us on such subject matter. The parties acknowledge that no reliance is placed on any representation made but not expressly contained in these Terms.
5. Any failure on DateSites’ part to exercise or enforce any right or provision of the Terms does not constitute a waiver of such right or provision. The failure of DateSites to exercise in any respect any right provided for herein shall not be deemed a waiver of any further rights hereunder.
6. If any provision of the Terms is found to be unenforceable or invalid, then only that provision shall be modified to reflect the parties' intention or eliminated to the minimum extent necessary so that the Terms shall otherwise remain in full force and effect and enforceable.
7. The Terms, and any rights or obligations hereunder, are not assignable, transferable or sub-licensable by you except with DateSites’ prior written consent, but may be assigned or transferred by us without restriction. Any attempted assignment by you shall violate these Terms and be void.
8. The section titles in the Terms are for convenience only and have no legal or contractual effect.