Terms of use

These terms describe what you may and may not do with this website, what we promise and what we do not, and the limits of our responsibility for the information published here. They apply to every visitor to this website and to anyone interacting with SmartGov through the application process or related channels. By using this website, you accept these terms.

1. About these terms

These terms are a public commitment between SmartGov Société Civile and you, the visitor or user of this website. They are written to be readable. Where legal language is necessary, plain meaning is also provided.

These terms govern:

• Your use of this website (raqeb.org and related subdomains)
• The application process at /apply
• Communication with SmartGov via channels listed on this site
• Use of public information published by RAQEB about the platform, methodology, and license

These terms do not govern:

• The full legal license agreement signed between SmartGov and an adopting organization — see /license
• Findings published by individual RAQEB deployments — those are governed by the adopting organization's terms
• Third-party websites and platforms linked from this site

2. Use of this website

You may:

• Read, view, and quote content on this site for non-commercial purposes such as research, journalism, education, academic study, and civic discussion
• Link to any page of this site
• Share content with proper attribution to RAQEB and SmartGov Société Civile
• Apply to deploy RAQEB through the application form at /apply

You may not:

• Reproduce the website in full or substantial part on another domain or platform
• Use any content from this site to claim affiliation with, endorsement by, or partnership with SmartGov or RAQEB without our written agreement
• Scrape, mass-download, or systematically harvest content from this site
• Attempt to compromise the security of this site, the application form, or the infrastructure behind it
• Submit false or misleading information through the application form or any other channel
• Use this site or any communication channel to harass, defame, or threaten any person or organization
• Impersonate another person or organization in any communication with SmartGov

Attribution: when quoting or sharing content, attribute it to "RAQEB, a project of SmartGov Société Civile" with a link to the relevant page.

3. The application process

The application form at /apply is a serious organizational vetting intake. By submitting an application, you confirm:

• You are authorized to submit the application on behalf of the applying organization
• The information you have provided is accurate and complete to the best of your knowledge
• You understand SmartGov will review the application and may contact you for additional information
• You understand approval is at SmartGov's discretion and is not guaranteed
• You understand decline of an application does not entitle you to compensation or explanation beyond what is provided in the decline notice

The application is a request, not a contract. The license agreement — described at /license — is the contract, and it is signed separately by approved applicants before deployment begins.

False, misleading, or materially incomplete information in an application may result in:

• Immediate decline
• Disqualification from future application cycles
• Where a deployment has already begun, license revocation under the terms described at /license

4. Information published by RAQEB

This website publishes information about the RAQEB platform, the methodology, the license, the application process, and related matters. We commit to the following standards for what we publish here:

• Information is published in good faith and to the best of our knowledge at time of publication
• Material changes are logged in the relevant page's change history
• Where we identify an error, we correct it openly rather than silently
• Where information is forward-looking or aspirational, we mark it as such

We do not, however, warrant that every word on this site is current or complete. The web is a living medium; some pages may lag behind our practice. If you find a discrepancy that matters for your decision-making, contact us before relying on the page.

5. Findings published by deployments

This is the most important section.

RAQEB deployments are operated independently by adopting organizations under the shared methodology described at /methodology. Findings published by a deployment are the editorial output of that adopting organization — not of SmartGov Société Civile.

Therefore:

• Findings are data-driven analyses produced under the RAQEB methodology. They are not legal judgments. They do not constitute formal determinations of breach by any electoral or regulatory authority.
• The adopting organization operating a specific deployment is responsible for the accuracy, framing, and publication of its findings.
• The adopting organization is responsible for compliance with the laws and regulations of its operating jurisdiction.
• SmartGov Société Civile is not responsible for findings published by individual deployments or for the consequences of those publications in the operating jurisdiction.
• Findings published by one deployment are not adopted, endorsed, or republished by SmartGov or by other deployments.
• The shared methodology is published openly. Adherence to the methodology does not transfer responsibility from the adopting organization to SmartGov.

If you are affected by a finding published by a deployment, contact that deployment through its published correction channel. SmartGov can route a contact to the relevant deployment but does not adjudicate findings on the deployment's behalf.

6. Intellectual property

Platform and methodology

The RAQEB platform, the shared methodology, and all associated training material, framing guidelines, and toolkits remain the property of SmartGov Société Civile. Use rights are granted to adopting organizations under the license agreement described at /license. No general public license is granted by this website.

Brand and visual identity

The RAQEB name, logo, and visual identity are the property of SmartGov Société Civile. They may not be used to suggest affiliation, endorsement, or partnership without our written agreement. Journalists and researchers may use the logo for editorial coverage of RAQEB under standard fair-use principles.

Public information

Information published on this website — the methodology page, the license summary, the application criteria, the about pages — is published openly. You may quote and link to it freely for non-commercial purposes with attribution. Substantial reproduction requires our written agreement.

Submitted material

When you send us material (an application, a message, an attachment), you retain ownership of your material. You grant SmartGov a limited license to use it for the purposes described in the privacy policy — primarily, to review and respond to your submission.

7. Linked sites

This website links to external sites, including:

• SmartGov's own website at www.smartgov.tech
• The websites of our funders and partner organizations
• News articles, academic references, and methodology sources
• Adopting organizations' deployment websites (where applicable)

We do not control linked sites and are not responsible for their content, practices, or terms. Visiting a linked site is subject to that site's own terms and privacy policy.

8. Accuracy and currency

We try to keep this site current and accurate. We do not, however, warrant that:

• Every statement is current at every moment
• Every link works at every moment
• The site is available without interruption
• Any specific information you seek is present on the site
• Forward-looking statements (e.g., "we plan to publish criteria") will be realized on a particular timeline

Where currency matters for a decision you are making, contact us directly to confirm.

9. No professional advice

Nothing on this website constitutes legal, financial, electoral, technical, or other professional advice. The methodology page describes our practice; it does not substitute for advice tailored to a specific election or jurisdiction. The license summary describes the principles of our license; it is not a substitute for the legal license agreement reviewed and signed during onboarding.

If you need professional advice on any matter related to RAQEB — electoral law in a specific jurisdiction, deployment feasibility for a specific election, compliance with a specific donor's requirements — consult an appropriate professional.

10. Disclaimers

To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, SmartGov Société Civile provides this website and the information it contains on an "as is" basis, without warranties of any kind, express or implied, including warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, accuracy, non-infringement, or uninterrupted availability.

SmartGov is not liable for:

• Decisions you make based on information from this site
• Consequences of relying on a forward-looking statement that did not materialize
• Failures, errors, or delays in the application process
• Acts or omissions of adopting organizations operating their own deployments
• Findings published by any deployment, or the consequences of those findings
• Third-party services or sites linked from this site
• Indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages of any kind

Where the law of your jurisdiction does not permit certain disclaimers, those disclaimers do not apply to you, but the others remain in effect to the maximum extent permitted.

11. Limitation of liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, the total aggregate liability of SmartGov Société Civile to any visitor or user under these terms — for all claims combined — is limited to the amount you have paid SmartGov in connection with this website, which for nearly all visitors is zero.

This limitation reflects the nature of RAQEB as a publicly funded civil-society project providing free public information and a free license. It does not exclude liability that cannot be excluded under applicable law (e.g., for fraud or for personal injury caused by negligence where such liability cannot lawfully be excluded).

12. Misuse and consequences

We reserve the right, at our discretion and without prior notice, to:

• Block access to this website from a specific source if we identify abuse
• Decline an application that is submitted in bad faith
• Disqualify an applicant who provides materially false information
• Refer attempted security compromises, threats, harassment, or fraud to the appropriate authorities
• Suspend or revoke access to any platform-related credentials in case of misuse, as described in the license agreement

Where we take such action, we will document our reasons internally. We will inform affected parties unless doing so would interfere with a legitimate security or legal process.

13. Changes to these terms

These terms will change over time. When they do:

• The "Last updated" date at the top will be revised
• Material changes will be summarized in a change log at the bottom of this page
• Continued use of the website after a change constitutes acceptance of the revised terms
• Where a change materially affects an active application or deployment, we will notify affected parties directly

We do not silently edit these terms.

14. Governing law and disputes

These terms are governed by the laws of Lebanon, without reference to conflicts-of-laws principles.

Any dispute arising out of or in connection with these terms or your use of this website will be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Beirut, Lebanon, except where mandatory provisions of your local law require otherwise.

If you believe these terms are inconsistent with the law of your jurisdiction or with the requirements of a regulatory authority that has jurisdiction over you, contact us — we will discuss adjustments specific to your situation.

15. Severability and entire agreement

If any provision of these terms is held unenforceable, the remaining provisions remain in effect. These terms, together with the privacy policy and the license agreement where applicable, represent the entire agreement between you and SmartGov regarding your use of this website. They supersede any prior agreement or understanding on this subject.

16. Contact

For questions about these terms:

• Legal contact: legal@raqebinitiative.org
• General contact: contact@raqebinitiative.org
• SmartGov general: contact@smartgov.tech
• Postal: Palace of Justice Street, Saray 3106 Building, Floor 4, Tripoli, Lebanon