VeriMe Terms of Use

Last Updated 2025-06-24

1.0 Introduction

These Terms of Use describe conditions under which VeriMe allows the public to use the VeriMe Websites.  Among the items included, there are:

  • A license from VeriMe to you regarding use of the VeriMe software, including to create a VeriMe Account;

  • A license from you to VeriMe and the public to use data you deposit in your Account;

  • A list of impermissible activities and conditions under which VeriMe may terminate your access to your Account; and

  • An explanation of the potential scope of liability for you and VeriMe related to your use of the Websites. 

The Terms of Use also contain a link to VeriMe’s Privacy Policy which is part of the Terms of Use.  We recommend that you read the full Terms of Use below carefully as they create a legally binding agreement between you and VeriMe.  

2.0 Welcome and Consent to Terms

VeriMe Cooperative (referred to as “VeriMe”, “us” “our” and “we”) is a cooperative organization that operates certain Websites at the  verime.coop, verimyid.coop, and verimyid.com URLs (“Websites”). 

VeriMe Cooperative (referred to as “VeriMe”, “us” “our” and “we”) is a limited cooperative association organized under the Colorado Uniform Limited Cooperative Association Act, C.R.S. Title 7, Article 58 (“ULCAA”) and registered in Colorado, U.S.A. The Cooperative’s business is conducted on a cooperative basis for the mutual benefit of the Cooperative’s Members.

The purpose of VeriMe is to increase trust in digital infrastructure that supports scholarship and research; supply methods and services for supporting integrity and trust in digital research contributions; and ensure trust and integrity in research contributor digital identity worldwide.

We provide individual researchers a means to create an account to manage and share their digital identity, including services to link to external accounts and to verify their identity and personhood.  As a cooperative, we welcome Members to support our governance and operations.

By using our Websites, whether by creating a VeriMe Account, acting as a Subscriber and using the Subscriber Portal or Subscriber APIs, you are agreeing to these Terms of Use, including VeriMe’s Privacy Policy. Please read these Terms of Use and the Privacy Policy carefully. If you do not agree to these Terms of Use and the Privacy Policy, please refrain from using the Websites.  

If you have questions about our Websites, please contact us at info@verimyid.com. 

3.0 Terms

In this document, we use “you” to refer to researchers and other users of the Websites. We also use the following defined terms:

  • Websites: Websites at the verime.coop, verimyid.coop, and verimyid.com domains.

  • Member: An individual who has entered into a membership agreement with VeriMe.

  • VeriMe Account or Account: An account created by an individual as part of the VeriMe Account registration process.

  • Account Holder: The individual who owns a VeriMe Account.

  • Account Data: The data associated with a VeriMe Account, such as the account information, related logs, and audit trail necessary to support, protect, and operate the service.

  • Private Data: VeriMe Account Data that the Account Holder has given a visibility setting of “private”. 

  • Shared Data: VeriMe Account Data that the Account Holder has given a visibility setting of “shared”. 

  • Subscribers: Entities that enter into a Subscriber Agreement with VeriMe.

  • Subscriber Portal: A system used by VeriMe Subscribing Organizations to manage their subscriber information, and provides other functionality such as the ability to query VeriMe Accounts using public data, specifically ORCID iDs.  Access to the Subscriber Portal is by invitation only for administrators at Subscribing Organizations.

4.0 Your Right to Use the Websites

The Websites contain technology that is owned by VeriMe or third parties. We grant you a limited license to make use of the VeriMe software. In addition, we grant you a license to use Account Data marked “Shared” subject to these Terms of Use, including the limits described in the section Limitations on Use below.  By “use” we mean sublicense, reproduce, store, transmit, distribute, publicly perform and publicly display the Account Data for non-commercial and commercial uses.  We also grant you a license to use the Websites to create and manage one and only one VeriMe Account for yourself, become a VeriMe Member, and perform the duties and privileges of Membership in the cooperative. 

If you are interested in other uses of the VeriMe software platform, please note that where possible, we make VeriMe software available on an open source basis under an Apache 2.0 license.

VeriMe owns the VeriMe trademark and logo displayed on the Websites. The license granted herein does not include a right to use the VeriMe trademark or any other marks on the website without the express permission of the trademark owner.

All rights not explicitly granted herein are reserved.

5.0 Depositing Account Data

VeriMe is organized as a cooperative governed by its members and community stakeholders. Account Holders control their VeriMe accounts, and Members can verify identity and personhood and are also eligible for patronage distributions. 

If you create a VeriMe Account and link it to external accounts, verify your identity and personhood, you own the data, but you also grant a license to VeriMe and its users to use the data, pursuant to your sharing settings. Specifically, for any Account Data you mark “Shared”, you grant VeriMe and its users a perpetual, irrevocable, worldwide, royalty-free license to sublicense, reproduce, store, modify, transmit, distribute, publicly perform and publicly display such data in the form of yes-no proofs. This license continues even after you stop using your VeriMe Account. You can remove information or delete your Account; however, if you previously made data publicly available through the Websites, there is no way to stop the public from continuing to use that data.

The Privacy Settings are summarized below and are described in more detail in the Privacy Policy.  We encourage you to read the Privacy Policy, which is part of these Terms of Use.

  • Shared. Data you mark as Shared will be available to Subscribers in the form of a yes-no proof.

  • Private.  Data you mark as Private may be viewed in the Account only by the Account Holder. Private data are not shared with the public or VeriMe Members. Only our staff, and our agents’ or contractors’ staff, with a “need to know” to manage the Websites and process data for us are able to view Private data.

While you are not required to keep your VeriMe Account current (other than your email address), we strongly encourage you to do so to increase the usefulness of your Account for you and your colleagues in the research community.

6.0 Representations and Warranties about Data You Deposit

You represent and warrant to VeriMe that:

  • You will create one and only one VeriMe Account, in accordance with cooperative governance legal tenets.

  • If you create a VeriMe Account, the Account you create is about you and does not misrepresent your identity in any manner.

  • All data you deposit is true and correct at the time of deposit.  If you later discover that any data was not true and correct at the time of deposit, you must correct the data.

  • Your identity documents require updating to maintain validity.  You will endeavor to maintain the currency of your VeriMe identity verifications on at least an annual basis.

7.0 Limitations on Use

VeriMe is an open research infrastructure developed by and for the research community. We aim to create an accurate and privacy-first identity verification service. We encourage you to consider community norms and expectations in using the Websites and information in the Websites. In addition, to help us ensure that VeriMe is a useful and respected community resource, the following are explicitly prohibited in connection with the Websites:

  • You may not create a VeriMe Account for anyone other than yourself.

  • You may not create more than one VeriMe Account. 

  • You may not create a VeriMe Account if you are under 18 years of age (or the age of majority in the jurisdiction in which you are located).

  • You may not use the Websites for any unlawful, illegal (in the United States and any jurisdiction in which you are located), or injurious purpose or to publish, post, distribute, receive, or disseminate defamatory, infringing, confidential, obscene, or other unlawful material or to threaten, harass, stalk, abuse, or other otherwise violate the legal rights (including without limitation, the rights of privacy and publicity) of any third party.

  • You may not deposit, edit, modify or otherwise use any Account Data in a manner that makes it false, incomplete or misleading.

  • You may not use the email addresses obtained from the Websites to send any marketing or other commercial communication to someone, unless you give the person the right to opt-out of such communications.  

  • You may not use any Account Data to send junk mail, spam, chain letters, pyramid schemes, or other similar communications. 

  • You may not use the VeriMe name in any way to suggest VeriMe’s affiliation or endorsement of any individual, organization, product, or service without the prior written consent of VeriMe.

  • You may not manipulate or disguise the origin of any Account Data; knowingly upload or post any Account Data that contains software viruses or any other computer code, files or programs designed to interrupt, destroy or limit the functionality of any software, hardware, or telecommunications equipment; or otherwise intentionally interfere with or disrupt VeriMe servers or networks.

  • You may not use the Websites in any way that damages, disables, overburdens or impairs the operation of the Websites. Such prohibited actions include, but are not limited to: violating or attempting to violate security measures; accessing data that is not intended for your use; logging into a server or account which you are not authorized to access; attempting to probe, scan or test the vulnerability of a system or network; attempting to interfere with the service of any users, host or network; forging any TCP/IP packet header or any part of a header information in any email or posting, or taking any action in order to obtain services to which you are not entitled.

  • You may not export or re-export any part of the Websites to any countries that are subject to the export control restrictions of the United States. The Websites are subject to applicable export control laws and regulations of the United States.

Any unauthorized use of the Websites or other breach of these Terms of Use shall automatically terminate the license granted to you by VeriMe. In addition, VeriMe reserves the right (but is not obligated to) to investigate any potential violations of its Terms of Use and/or any behavior that is potentially unlawful, which may involve cooperation with law enforcement authorities.

8.0 Email Address

If you have created a VeriMe Account, you are required to keep your email address up to date.

9.0 Privacy and Processing of Personal Information

VeriMe’s Privacy Policy explains how we treat your personal data and your privacy when you use VeriMe Websites. By using  VeriMe Websites, you agree that VeriMe can use such data in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

10.0 Disputed Account Data

To ensure the transparency of VeriMe data and services, we keep an audit trail of when and by whom Account information has been deposited or changed and any changes to privacy settings. VeriMe requires all data deposited be accurate, and uses third-party services to verify identity documents and personhood checks.  By using our Websites, you agree to follow the procedures set forth in Section 18 of these Terms of Use for settling any disputes regarding the accuracy and integrity of Account Data. You further agree to hold VeriMe and its representatives and agents, and its and their directors, officers and employees, harmless regarding any such disputes.

11.0 Removal of Data and Limitation of Access

VeriMe reserves the right to remove from its and its servers any Account Data or disable access to parts of the VeriMe services. We also reserve the right to discontinue access for any user who violates these Terms of Use or otherwise disrupts the operation of or poses a security threat to the Websites in VeriMe’s sole discretion.

12.0 Security

VeriMe takes a variety of measures to protect the security of our Websites. Despite these measures, we cannot guarantee that unauthorized persons will not be able to hack our system or otherwise defeat our security measures.  Access to your Account is protected using passwords and multi-factor authentication. The account is solely yours to access. You will be solely responsible for any action, activities, and access to our Websites that were taken through your username and password, and that occurred before you notified us of their loss.  If you become aware of any security breach of your password or of the security of the Websites more generally, please let us know by contacting us at privacy@verimyid.com. 

13.0 Links

The Websites contain links to third party websites. VeriMe’s Terms of Use, including the Privacy Policy, do not apply to those websites. VeriMe has not reviewed any third party websites for accuracy, appropriateness, completeness or non-infringement. VeriMe makes no representations and warranties about such third-party websites and content and takes no responsibility and is not liable for such third party websites or the content provided therein.

14.0 Warranties/Disclaimer/Limitation of Liability

VeriMe uses commercially reasonable efforts to protect the security of Private data, and we try protect our users and the integrity of the Websites by posting rules for use of the Websites and Account Data in Section 7.  HOWEVER, YOU USE THE VERIME WEBSITES AT YOUR OWN RISK.  THE VERIME WEBSITES, ACCOUNT DATA, AND THE VERIME SOFTWARE (INCLUDING THE API) (individually and collectively, the “VERIME SYSTEM”) ARE PROVIDED ON AN “AS IS” BASIS, AND VERIME AND ITS DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS, CONTRACTORS AND REPRESENTATIVES (individually and collectively, the “VERIME PARTIES”) DISCLAIM TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW ANY AND ALL REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND (EXPRESS, IMPLIED, ORAL, OR WRITTEN) RELATING TO THE VERIME SYSTEM, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF QUALITY, PERFORMANCE, COMPATIBILITY, MERCHANTABILITY, AND/OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  FOR EXAMPLE, WE DO NOT MAKE ANY PROMISES ABOUT DATA ACCURACY OR THE COMPLETENESS OF THE VERIME SYSTEM, THAT USERS WILL ABIDE BY LIMITATIONS IN SECTION 7, AND THAT YOU WILL NOT SUFFER FROM IDENTITY THEFT OR OTHER MISUSES OF THE VERIME SYSTEM BY THIRD PARTIES. ALSO, WHILE WE TRY TO ENSURE THAT OUR SYSTEM IS SAFE FROM BUGS, VIRUSES, DISRUPTIONS AND DELAYS, WE CANNOT PROMISE THAT IT WILL ALWAYS BE SO.  VERIME IS UNDER NO OBLIGATION TO POLICE AND ENFORCE THE TERMS OF USE.

TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, IN NO EVENT SHALL THE VERIME PARTIES BE LIABLE FOR ANY LOSSES, DAMAGES, LIABILITIES, COSTS OR CLAIMS (“COSTS”) DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF YOUR USE OF THE VERIME SYSTEM OR USE BY A THIRD PARTY OF THE VERIME SYSTEM, INCLUDING USE BY A THIRD PARTY OF YOUR VERIME ACCOUNT DATA.  YOU IRREVOCABLY RELEASE AND HOLD HARMLESS THE VERIME PARTIES FROM ANY SUCH COSTS. 

IN ADDITION, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, THE VERIME PARTIES SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES OR LOST REVENUES ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT EVEN IF INFORMED IN ADVANCE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES AND LOSSES. 

TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHALL THE AGGREGATE LIABILITY OF THE VERIME PARTIES IN CONNECTION WITH YOUR USE OF THE VERIME SYSTEM EXCEED THE FEES PAID BY YOU TO VERIME FOR YOUR USE OF THE WEBSITES (OTHER THAN ANY INDEMNITY OBLIGATIONS UNDER SECTION 15). IN ALL CASES, THE VERIME PARTIES SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY LOSS OR DAMAGE THAT WAS NOT REASONABLY FORESEEABLE.  

15.0 Indemnity

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless VeriMe, and its agents and representatives, and its and their directors, officers and employees from and against any liability, damage, loss, cost or expense (including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys’ fees) arising from or relating to your use of the Websites, including data deposited by you, or violation of these Terms of Use.   

16.0 Business Use of VeriMe Websites

If you are using the Websites on behalf of a business, that business accepts these Terms of Use.  It will hold harmless and indemnify VeriMe, and its agents and representatives, and its and their directors, officers and employees from and against any liability, damage, loss, cost or expense (including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys’ fees) arising from or relating to its and your use of the Websites, including data deposited by you or it, or violation of these Terms of Use.  

17.0 Use outside the United States

VeriMe is committed to building a global service. If you are using the Websites from outside the United States you consent to having your personal data transferred to the United States, which may have privacy laws different from those in your country. We take your rights with respect to your personal information seriously. Please see our Privacy Policy for more details on what data we collect and how we share your information.  

If you are prohibited from receiving U.S. origin services or software, you may not use the Websites.

18.0 Arbitration/Governing Law

These Terms of Use shall be interpreted under and governed by the laws of the State of Colorado (United States) excluding any laws that might direct the application of the laws of another jurisdiction. You waive all rights, if any, arising under the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods, and all rights of application or appeal, if any, to non-U.S. courts in connection with any question of law. Except as set forth herein, all claims, disputes and actions of any kind arising out of or relating to this Agreement (“Disputes”) shall be settled exclusively in Colorado (unless otherwise agreed by VeriMe) and you agree to submit to such jurisdiction.

Except as set forth herein, all Disputes shall be resolved by through a desk arbitration administered by the American Arbitration Association in the case of domestic Disputes and the International Centre for Dispute Resolution of the American Arbitration Association in the case of international Disputes (either, the “AAA”) governed by its applicable rules, as modified by the following: (i) regardless of the amount in controversy, the matter shall be determined by one arbitrator familiar with the information technology sector based upon written submissions in English and one or more telephonic hearings in English (as determined by the arbitrator); (ii) the Parties shall submit documents pertaining to the arbitration consistent with AAA rules and as directed by the arbitrator; and (iii) the arbitrator shall render a final binding decision 14 days after the arbitrator declares the hearing closed. The decision of the arbitrator shall be final and binding on both parties, and may be enforced in any court of competent jurisdiction. Notwithstanding the foregoing, VeriMe shall be entitled, in anticipation of, but not in any way limiting, arbitration or waiving any other rights or remedies, to injunctive or other equitable relief before any court located in Colorado and you acknowledge that unauthorized use of the  VeriMe Websites, and/or security breaches could cause VeriMe irreparable harm.

19.0 Modifications to these Terms of Use

We may modify these Terms of Use from time to time by posting a revised version on our Websites. Your continued use of the Websites after the posting of such new Terms of Use means that you agree to the changes; therefore, if you do not agree to the changes, you should discontinue use of the Websites. If there is a conflict between these Terms of Use and the new/additional Terms of Use, the new/additional Terms of Use will control.  See our Privacy Policy for specific terms governing modifications to that policy and collection and use of your personal data.

20.0 General

These Terms of Use, together with the Privacy Policy, make up the entire agreement between VeriMe and you, and they do not create any third party rights. If any term is unenforceable, this will not affect the other terms. If you do not comply with any of these Terms of Use, and we do not take action to enforce them right away, that does not mean that we are giving up our rights, including the right to take action in the future. All of our rights and obligations under these Terms of Use are freely assignable by us, consistent with any limitations set forth in the Privacy Policy. You will comply with all applicable laws when using the Websites. We may take any actions necessary in order for us to comply with applicable laws.

21.0 Contacts

If you have any additional questions about our Terms of Use or the Websites, please contact VeriMe at info@verimyid.com.