Terms of Use

The following Terms govern all use of the Harvard Web Publishing website (the Site), the web publishing platforms (the Tools), and the services available to the Harvard Community (the Service). By using the Tools, the Service or the Site, you are agreeing to be legally bound by these Terms.

No Warranties

The Tools, the Service and the Site are provided to you “as is”. HARVARD GIVES NO WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, TO ANY USER, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, WARRANTIES OF NON-INFRINGEMENT, MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. WITHOUT LIMITING THE FOREGOING, NO WARRANTY IS GIVEN THAT: (A) THE TOOLS, SERVICE AND SITE OR ANY CONTENT TRANSMITTED, POSTED OR UPLOADED THROUGH USE OF THE TOOLS, SERVICE AND SITE, ARE UP TO DATE, ACCURATE, COMPLETE, OR RELIABLE; (B) ANY DEFECTS OR ERRORS WILL BE CORRECTED; (C) THE TOOLS, SITE OR SERVICE ARE ERROR-FREE, SECURE, OR FREE OF BUGS, VIRUSES OR OTHER HARMFUL COMPONENTS; OR (D) THE RESULTS OF USING THE TOOLS OR THE SERVICE WILL MEET YOUR REQUIREMENTS. YOUR USE OF THE TOOLS, THE SERVICE AND THE SITE IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK.

Limitation of Liability

IN NO EVENT SHALL HARVARD, NOR THE MEMBERS OF ITS GOVERNING BOARDS, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS, PARTNERS, SUPPLIERS OR CONTENT PROVIDERS, BE LIABLE TO ANY USER OF THE TOOL, THE SERVICE OR THE SITE UNDER ANY LEGAL THEORY FOR ANY LOSSES OR DAMAGES OF ANY KIND, INCLUDING DIRECT DAMAGES, LOST PROFITS, LOSS OF DATA, LOSS DUE TO ERRORS OR INTERRUPTION IN AVAILABILITY OF THE TOOLS, THE SERVICE OR THE SITE AND SPECIAL, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, PUNITIVE, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (HOWEVER ARISING), INCURRED AS A RESULT OF YOUR USE OF THE TOOLS, THE SERVICE OR THE SITE.

Governing Law

These Terms shall be governed by and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (excluding the conflict of laws rules thereof). All disputes under these Terms will be resolved in the applicable state or federal courts of Massachusetts.

Site Creation

Site creation is available only to benefits-eligible faculty and staff employed by Harvard and currently enrolled, degree-seeking students. Website requests are approved at the local/school level. When a site owner’s Harvard affiliation ends, the site is subject to removal.​

  • New site requests must be submitted no later than three months prior to the site owner’s graduation or role term end date.​
  • Officially recognized student organizations must designate a faculty or staff sponsor who will serve as the permanent site owner.​
  • When staff leave Harvard it is their responsibility to transfer site management to another active Harvard staff person.​
  • Faculty and student sites will be removed if the site owner leaves Harvard. These site owners will be provided with a grace period (no longer than three months) to aid in their transition. Site owners will lose editing access upon leaving Harvard. 

Site Quality and Accessibility

It is the responsibility of the site administrator(s) to ensure that the site is maintained, accessible and updated periodically.  Sites that are not updated for a period of greater than 12 months, or affirmed as current, are subject to removal. Site administrators should review the Harvard University Digital Accessibility Policy and leverage the many tools, resources, and best practices provided on the HUIT Accessibility site.  

Use Limitations

The Tools, the Service and the Site are provided by Harvard University Information Technology for the purpose of administrative, research and academic website building for Harvard activities. Uses and content inconsistent with this purpose are prohibited, including, but not limited to:

  • Activities or content that defames, harasses, discriminates against, harms or threatens others;
  • Activities or content that is profane, pornographic, obscene, indecent, unlawful or fraudulent;
  • Activities or content that violate the intellectual property rights or other rights of third parties;
  • Commercial or any non-Harvard activity;
  • Advertising or any form of commercial solicitation;
  • Uses or content related to partisan political activities;
  • Uses other than for administrative, research and academic purposes;
  • Activities of unrecognized student organizations;
  • Use that inaccurately represents or implies endorsement, approval, or sponsorship by Harvard University (or any individual officer of the University); 
  • Use that can be confused with official communications of Harvard University or their officers; and
  • Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health (SPH) Affiliates who have not received prior approval from the SPH Web Communications Working Group.

The Tools, the Service and the Site, may not be used in any manner intended to damage, disable, overburden or impair any Harvard site or the computer equipment or networks connected to them or to disrupt or interfere with any user’s enjoyment of a Harvard site; attempt to gain unauthorized access to a Harvard site, accounts, computer equipment or networks through hacking, password mining or other means; obtain or attempt to obtain any materials or information on or via a Harvard site not intentionally made available through the site; copy or use any portion of a Harvard site other than as expressly allowed; or use any high volume, automated or electronic means to access a Harvard site (including without limitation robots, spiders or scripts).

Policy Compliance

Use of the Tools and the Service must comply with University policy, including, but not limited to:

Use of the Tools, the Service and the Site with Confidential Information is Prohibited.

  • Users of the Tools, the Service and the Site must not publish or store content that is deemed Level 3 or higher based on the Harvard University Information Security Policy / Data Classification Table.
  • Because the Tools, the Service and the Site are primarily intended for collaboration and publication of information to users of the Internet, content defined as "high risk" or "confidential" in HEISP is not appropriate for storage or publication in the Tools, the Service and the Site
  • Although the Tools, the Service and the Site feature access control capabilities to restrict access to information on a given site, a certain degree of privacy risk exists any time information is shared over the Internet.
  • Users must take all possible precautions to ensure access settings are correctly configured.
  • Users agree to notify Harvard Web Publishing immediately of any unauthorized use of the Tools, the Service or the Site, or any other known or suspected breach of security.

Termination and Changes

Harvard reserves the right to discontinue any or all online services at any time or to revise these Terms. Changes to these Terms will be posted on this site. Harvard reserves the right to remove content on a website and/or the whole website itself if it becomes aware of use that does not comply with these Terms, but it is under no obligation to do so.   Technical Support For additional guidance and support, please see the Harvard Web Publishing support articles.

Privacy & EU GDPR

See the Harvard Web Publishing Privacy Policy.  To report a privacy-related problem, please contact ithelp@harvard.edu or you can find information regarding the GDPR guidelines for Harvard Entities

Copyright Notice

All sites created with the use of the Tools or Service shall include a link to Harvard’s DMCA agent at https://www.harvard.edu/copyright-issue.  

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Last updated: December 7, 2023