Terms and Conditions
This site is operated by the University of Exeter (＂we＂ or ＂our＂) established by Royal Charter in the UK (RC000653) and our main administrative address is Northcote House, The Queen's Drive, Exeter, Devon, EX4 4QJ, United Kingdom; the Citizen Phage Library is the name of the project running this study. By using our site, you confirm that you accept these terms of use and that you agree to comply with them, which we may amend from time to time.
Our Privacy Policy, which explains how we collect, store and process your personal data, can be found here
If you wish to send us an image(s) of you and/or your child taking samples for the Citizen Phage Library project, please confirm that you are happy for us to use such image(s) on our website for promotional use. If photos are taken at outreach events at your child's school, consent to use the images will be managed through your child's school.
Our site is made available free of charge. We do not guarantee that our site, or any content on it, will always be available or be uninterrupted.
Sample Kits and Samples
You may get involved with the Citizen Phage Library in a number of ways, including collecting samples in your own time as a self-directed research activity without our or anyone’s direct supervision, taking part in a one-day training programme, or being part of a hands-on demonstration of the research techniques. Our kits are distributed through three mechanisms:
- At organised outreach events
- By collection from the University of Exeter
- Occasionally, we randomly select a subset of citizens who have signed up to the website and ask if they would like to receive a kit.
Upon receiving the kit, it is your responsibility to make sure that before first use you read the instructions that come with the kits and supervise any minors (under the age of 18) or vulnerable adults when collecting the samples. It is your responsibility to ensure you have the permission of any landowner where you may be taking samples, where appropriate. Please, carefully read the instructions included in your kit and if you have any further questions about using the kit or performing your tasks please contact admin@citizenphage.com. By using the kit and sending us your samples, and in accordance with these terms and conditions, you confirm that you do not own any intellectual property subsisting in any data that we or our third party collaborators extract or collate, or in any improved clinical products or processes which incorporate the phages identified. We will however let you know the results of our analysis of your sample and mention you in relevant publications if you wish. You will also have the opportunity to provide potential names for the phages found in your samples, should you wish to do so and should those phages represent novel species.
Account Details
If you choose to register an account with us, we will use your email address to send you a confirmation email. Your email address is also used to send you postage labels for returning kits. Your password is encrypted before storage, so we cannot see it. We have the right to disable any account if in our reasonable opinion you have failed to comply with any of the provisions of these terms of use.
Material on our site
We are the owner or the licensee of all intellectual property rights in our site, and in the material published on it. Those works are protected by copyright laws and treaties around the world. All such rights are reserved. The content on our site may be viewed, printed or downloaded for personal, non-commercial use only. It is not to be modified, reproduced, transmitted, published or otherwise made available in whole or in part without the prior written consent of the University of Exeter.
The University of Exeter gives no warranty as to the accuracy of the information or guidance for any specific purpose. The information and guidance contained on the website does not constitute legal or professional advice and you must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Although we make reasonable efforts to update the information on our site, we make no representations, warranties or guarantees, whether express or implied, that the content on our site is accurate, complete or up to date.
Responsibilities for Loss or Damage Caused/Disclaimer
The University of Exeter is in no way responsible or liable for any damage or loss whatsoever arising from viewing or downloading information from this website and from the use of, or reliance on, the information and guidance on this website. We do not exclude or limit in any way our liability to you where it would be unlawful to do so.
Taking samples from water sources obviously carries risk. We have taken every reasonable step to mitigate the impact of these risks on phage hunters. This may include (but is not limited to) providing training and instructions for sampling. It is essential that participants follow the safety instructions provided by field staff, supporting kit documentation or online, and behave in a way that minimises their exposure to risks, and the risks to other people whilst looking for suitable locations and taking samples. These risks include (but are not limited to) those associated with being in the outdoors and near water bodies such as encounters with wildlife, harmful plants, inclement weather and challenging terrain. You understand that such risks can, in extreme and unlikely circumstances, cause or lead to death, injury, illness, or disability, and agree to assume all the risks of your participation, whether mentioned above or not. When you are working without our supervision, you must be the person to determine whether your activities and actions are reasonable and appropriate. You are responsible for making decisions about your safety and whether the conditions for the activity are safe. Any under-18s or vulnerable adults must be accompanied by a parent/guardian who takes full responsibility for their health, safety and wellbeing at all times, and who has read the safety instructions provided. By participating in the activities associated with the Citizen Phage Library project, you agree to forever release, waive and discharge us, to the maximum extent permitted by law, from any liability we may incur in respect to any claim, suit or cause of action, arising from your participation.
Acceptable Use
You may use our site only for lawful purposes. You must not use this website, and/or any interactive facilities which are available through it:
- To breach in any way any applicable local, national or international law or regulation
- In any way that is unlawful or fraudulent, or has any unlawful or fraudulent purpose or effect including but not limited to misrepresenting your identity
- To hack, or attempt to hack, any part of the website or any system used to run it
- To store or use any personal data derived from the website
- To post material that is obscene, offensive, defamatory or otherwise unlawful
- To knowingly transmit any data, send or upload any material that contains viruses, Trojan horses, worms, time-bombs, keystroke loggers, spyware, adware or any other harmful programs or similar computer code designed to adversely affect the operation of any computer software or hardware.
Any complaint made about any material available on the website or information relating to the study will be addressed as soon as possible. Feedback should be sent to admin@citizenphage.com
Governing Law and Jurisdiction
These terms and condition represent the entire agreement between the parties in regard to the use of the website. Please note that these terms of use, their subject matter and their formation, are governed by English law and the courts of England and Wales will have non-exclusive jurisdiction.