Terms

My-Thesis.org

Real scholars, real research

Last updated: [July 19^th 2026]   •   Effective: [July 19^th 2026]

These Terms of Use govern your use of https://www.my-thesis.org (the 'Site'). Please read them carefully. By accessing or using the Site in any way, you agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree, you must stop using the Site immediately.

These Terms apply to all users of the Site, including visitors, registered users, scholars and researchers whose content is featured on the Site, and universities and other academic institutions.

PART 1 - ABOUT US AND THESE TERMS

1.  About Us

My-Thesis CIC, a not-for-profit community interest company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales under company number 17112609, with its registered office and main trading address at The Tythe Barn, Foxcote, Bath BA3 5YE, United Kingdom, and operates the Site under licence.

1.2  My-Thesis.org is an academic curation and promotion platform. Our purpose is to catalogue, showcase, and promote short research presentation videos — produced and published by universities and academic institutions — so that genuine scholarship reaches the widest possible audience. We are not a video hosting service: all videos are embedded from the platforms on which they have been published by the producing institution.

1.3  To contact us: admin@my-thesis.org | The Tythe Barn, Foxcote, Bath BA3 5YE, UK.

2.  Definitions

In these Terms, the following words have the meanings set out below.

“Catalogue Entry”     A page on the Site containing an Embedded Presentation together with associated metadata, tags, editorial content, and other information.

“Content”       Any material, information, or data uploaded, submitted, or contributed to the Site by a User, including text, images, video, audio, profile information, and comments.

“Embedded Presentation”  A research presentation video produced and published by an Institution on YouTube or a similar public video platform, which is displayed on the Site by embedding from that platform.

“Institution”  A university, academic institution, or other organisation that has produced and published one or more Presentations. 

“Partner Institution”  An Institution that has entered into a formal Partnership Agreement with us.

“Presentation” A academic research presentation video (including Three Minute Thesis-style presentations, equivalent formats and Thesis defence) produced by or on behalf of a Scholar and filmed and published by an Institution.

“Privacy Policy”           Our Privacy Policy, available at https://my-thesis.org/node/72, which forms part of these Terms.

“Scholar”        An individual (typically a student, postgraduate researcher, or academic) who delivers a Presentation featured on the Site.

“Site”   The website at https://www.my-thesis.org and all associated pages, services, and features.

“User” Any person who accesses or uses the Site in any capacity, including as a visitor, registered user, Scholar, or Institution representative.

3.  Structure and Related Documents

3.1  These Terms consist of this document together with our Privacy Policy, which is incorporated into these Terms by reference. Where you use the Site on behalf of a company, university, institution, or other organisation, you confirm that you have authority to bind that entity and that both you and the entity are parties to these Terms.

3.2  In the event of conflict between these Terms and the Privacy Policy, the Privacy Policy prevails in respect of personal data matters.

3.3  Additional terms may apply to specific features or services of the Site. Where this is the case, we will make those terms available before you use the relevant feature. Additional terms supplement these Terms; in case of conflict, the additional terms prevail in respect of that feature.

4.  Changes to These Terms and the Site

4.1  We may update these Terms from time to time to reflect changes in the law, our services, or our practices. We will post the updated Terms on the Site with a revised effective date. For material changes, we will provide reasonable notice to registered users (for example by email or by a prominent notice on the Site).

4.2  Your continued use of the Site after the effective date of any updated Terms constitutes acceptance of those updated Terms. If you do not accept the updated Terms, you must stop using the Site.

4.3  We may modify, suspend, withdraw, or discontinue any part of the Site, its features, or its content at any time without notice, to the extent permitted by law.

PART 2 - WHAT MY-THESIS.ORG DOES

5.  The My-Thesis.org Platform

5.1  My-Thesis.org is a curated catalogue of academic research presentations. We identify, categorise, and promote Presentations that have been produced by Institutions and published on YouTube or similar public video platforms. Our catalogue enables users — including students, academics, employers, journalists, and members of the public — to discover authentic academic research presented by the scholars who conducted it.

5.2  We add curatorial and editorial value by: assigning subject tags; writing editorial descriptions; creating searchable catalogue records; publishing promotional content on our own channels; and providing a single access point for research presentations across many institutions and disciplines.

5.3  Scholars may also register with us to create and manage enhanced profiles that link their Presentations, research biography, and publications. Institutions may enter into Partnership Agreements with us that give them additional tools to submit, promote, and track engagement with their researchers' presentations.

5.4  My-Thesis.org is not a journal, publisher, or examiner. Nothing on this Site should be understood as the peer-reviewed publication, formal assessment, or academic endorsement of any research.

6.  Access to the Site

6.1  Access to the Site is free of charge for visitors and registered users. We do not guarantee uninterrupted, error-free access. The Site is provided 'as is' and 'as available'.

6.2  You are responsible for ensuring that all persons who access the Site through your internet connection are aware of and comply with these Terms.

6.3  We may restrict access to parts of the Site, or to the whole Site, at any time, including in respect of registered users who have breached these Terms.

6.4  Age requirements: You must be at least 13 years old to use the Site, or such higher minimum age as is required by the laws of your jurisdiction. Where Content is contributed by or relates to individuals under 18, you confirm that all required consents have been obtained from parents, guardians, or the relevant institution.

PART 3 - REGISTERED USERS 

7.  Registered User Accounts

7.1  Registration is voluntary. To register, you must provide accurate and complete information and keep it up to date. You may not register on behalf of another person without their knowledge and consent.

7.2  You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials and for all activity that occurs under your account. Notify us immediately at admin@my-thesis.org if you suspect unauthorised use.

7.3  You may not create more than one account without our prior written consent, or create an account for the purpose of impersonating another person or organisation.

7.4  We may suspend or terminate your account in accordance with clause 22. 

8.  Content You Submit

8.1  Ownership

You retain ownership of Content you submit to the Site. We do not claim ownership of your Content.

8.2  Licence to Us

By submitting Content to the Site, you grant My-Thesis.org a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free, transferable, and sublicensable licence to:

•       host, store, reproduce, and make available the Content on and through the Site;

•       display, distribute, and promote the Content for the purpose of operating and developing the Site and related services;

•       transcribe, translate, summarise, index, and tag the Content for the purpose of search and curation;

•       create derivative works (such as edited highlights or promotional clips) with your consent where required.

This licence continues for as long as your Content remains on the Site. You may withdraw it at any time by requesting removal of your Content (see clause 8.3).

8.3  Removal of Your Content

You may request removal of Content you have submitted by contacting admin@my-thesis.org. We will remove your Content within 30 days unless we are required by law to retain it or its removal would infringe the rights of a third party. Removal does not affect any licence granted in respect of Content that was already publicly accessible before the removal request.

8.4  Your Warranties

By submitting Content, you warrant that:

•       you own the Content or have all necessary rights, licences, and consents to submit it and grant the licence in clause 8.2;

•       the Content does not infringe any third-party intellectual property, privacy, or other rights;

•       where the Content features another individual (including a Scholar), you have that individual's informed consent to submit the Content and to grant the licence in clause 8.2;

•       the Content complies with the Content Standards in clause 12.

PART 4 - THE RESEARCH CATALOGUE  

9.  How We Catalogue Presentations

9.1  We source Presentations from YouTube and similar public video platforms where they have been published by Institutions. All Embedded Presentations are displayed using the originating platform's authorised embedding mechanism, within the scope of that platform's terms of service.

9.2  In constructing Catalogue Entries, we use metadata and thumbnail images obtained via the originating platform's authorised API or Embed mechanism. We supplement this with editorial content, subject tags, and, where available, information provided by the Scholar or Institution.

9.3  My-Thesis.org exercises its editorial discretion in selecting which Presentations to catalogue. We do not guarantee to list every Presentation that meets our criteria, and we may remove a Catalogue Entry at any time.

9.4  Publication of a Catalogue Entry does not constitute our endorsement of the research, its findings, or the views of the Scholar.

10.  Scholars Featured in Catalogue Entries

10.1  Processing of Scholar Personal Data

By creating a Catalogue Entry, we process personal data about the Scholar featured in it. Scholars are often not registered users of the Site: their details are sourced from the originating platform and publicly available institutional information. Our obligations to Scholars as data subjects are addressed in full in our Privacy Policy (Section 8 — Article 14 Transparency Notice), which forms part of these Terms.

10.2  Lawful Basis

We process Scholar personal data on the basis of our legitimate interests in promoting authentic academic research, which we consider to be in the public interest. A Legitimate Interests Assessment is available on request.

10.3  Scholar Notification

We endeavour to notify Scholars of their Catalogue Entry within one month of listing, where a publicly available contact address can be identified. Where direct notification is not reasonably practicable, the Privacy Policy (available on the Site) serves as the public transparency notice required by applicable data protection law.

10.4  Scholar Opt-Out and Rights

Any Scholar may at any time request removal of their Catalogue Entry by emailing admin@my-thesis.org with the subject 'REMOVAL REQUEST — [Name]'. We will act within 30 days. Scholars also have the full range of data subject rights described in the Privacy Policy, including rights of access, rectification, restriction, and objection.

Removal from My-Thesis.org does not affect the Scholar's Presentation on YouTube or any other platform. Scholars who wish to have the video itself removed must contact their Institution and/or the relevant video platform separately.

10.5  Enhanced Scholar Profiles

Scholars are invited (but not required) to register with the Site and create an enhanced profile that adds biographical information, links to publications, and connections to other Presentations. Enhanced profile features are provided only with the Scholar's express consent, given through the registration process. 

11.  Universities and Institutions

11.1  Intellectual Property in Presentations

We recognise that Institutions typically hold copyright or other intellectual property rights in Presentations they have produced. We do not claim any ownership of, or licence beyond, what is described in this clause 11.

11.2  Basis for Embedding

When an Institution uploads a Presentation to YouTube, it accepts YouTube's Terms of Service. Those terms permit third parties to embed publicly available videos using YouTube's standard embedding mechanism. My-Thesis.org's display of Embedded Presentations is within the scope of that permission. No separate copyright licence from the Institution is required for embedding.

11.3  Thumbnails and Metadata

Thumbnails and metadata (title, description, duration) are obtained via YouTube's authorised API and are used solely to identify and promote the relevant Presentation. We regard this as authorised by the Institution's acceptance of YouTube's terms. We seek written acknowledgement from Institutions of this arrangement (see clause 11.6).

11.4  Institutional Name

We display the Institution's name in connection with each Catalogue Entry. If an Institution does not want their name displayed, then they have the right to request removal under clause 11.7.

11.5  Scholar Consent — Institutional Responsibility

Institutions that produce and publish Presentations are responsible for having obtained from the relevant Scholars all consents required by applicable employment, student, data protection, and intellectual property law in their jurisdiction — including consent to be filmed and to have the recording made publicly available. My-Thesis.org relies on Institutions having done so.

11.6  Institutional Acknowledgement

We proactively contact Institutions to inform them that their Presentations are listed on the Site, to seek written acknowledgement of the arrangement described in this clause 11, and to invite their participation as Partner Institutions. We will send Institutions a standard Acknowledgement Letter for this purpose.

Where an Institution does not respond to our outreach, we treat the absence of objection as acceptance of the arrangement described here, subject always to the Institution's right to request removal under clause 11.7.

11.7  Institutional Opt-Out

Any Institution may request removal of its Presentations and/or institutional details from the Site by emailing admin@my-thesis.org with the subject 'INSTITUTIONAL REMOVAL REQUEST — [Institution Name]'. We will act within 30 days. Removal does not affect the Institution's own publication on YouTube or other platforms.

12.  Partner Institutions

12.1  Institutions may enter into a formal Partnership Agreement with My-Thesis.org. Partnership may include institutional profile pages, direct submission of Presentations for listing, access to engagement analytics, and promotional collaboration. Partnership is currently offered at no charge.

12.2  Partner Institutions that submit Presentations directly to us warrant that:

•       they have all rights necessary to make the Presentation publicly available;

•       they have obtained all consents required from Scholars under applicable law;

•       the content of the Presentation does not infringe third-party rights; and

•       the Presentation complies with the Content Standards in clause 16.

12.3  Partnership Agreements are governed by their own terms. In the event of conflict between a Partnership Agreement and these Terms, the Partnership Agreement prevails in respect of the matters it addresses.

PART 5 - ACCEPTABLE USE AND CONTENT STANDARDS 

13.  Lawful Use

13.1  You may use the Site only for lawful purposes and in accordance with these Terms. You must not use the Site:

•       in any way that breaches any applicable local, national, or international law or regulation;

•       in any way that is unlawful, fraudulent, deceptive, or has any unlawful or fraudulent purpose or effect;

•       to harm, threaten, harass, bully, stalk, or abuse any person;

•       to upload, transmit, or reuse any material that does not comply with the Content Standards in clause 16;

•       to send or facilitate unsolicited or unauthorised advertising, promotional material, spam, or chain messages;

•       to knowingly transmit any material containing viruses, malware, spyware, ransomware, Trojans, worms, or other malicious or harmful code. 

14.  Prohibited Technical Conduct

14.1  You must not:

•       reproduce, duplicate, copy, resell, or exploit any part of the Site in breach of these Terms;

•       access without authority, interfere with, damage, or disrupt the Site, any server, network, or database connected to the Site, or any software used to provide it;

•       use automated tools (bots, crawlers, scrapers, or similar) to access or extract data from the Site without our prior written consent, except to the extent expressly permitted by any robots.txt or API terms we publish;

•       attempt to gain unauthorised access to any part of the Site, accounts belonging to other users, or systems or networks connected to the Site;

•       perform any action that imposes an unreasonable or disproportionate load on our infrastructure;

•       frame or mirror any part of the Site without our express written consent. 

15.  Research Integrity

15.1  My-Thesis.org is dedicated to authentic academic research. You must not:

•       submit or promote content that misrepresents the nature, findings, or authorship of research;

•       impersonate a Scholar, Institution, or member of our team;

•       use the Site to promote AI-generated or synthetic content as authentic scholarly work;

•       artificially inflate engagement metrics (views, likes, shares) by automated means. 

16.  Content Standards

16.1  These Content Standards apply to all Content submitted to the Site by any User.

Content must:

•       be accurate where it states facts;

•       be genuinely held where it states opinions;

•       comply with applicable law of the UK and of any country from which it is submitted;

•       be submitted only where you hold the necessary rights, permissions, and consents.

Content must not:

•       be illegal, unlawful, fraudulent, or misleading;

•       be defamatory, libellous, or likely to damage the reputation of any person without justification;

•       be obscene, offensive, hateful, inflammatory, or sexually explicit;

•       promote violence or discrimination on grounds of race, sex, gender, religion, nationality, disability, sexual orientation, or age;

•       infringe any copyright, database right, trade mark, or other intellectual property right;

•       breach any duty of confidence, privacy, or contractual obligation;

•       cause or be likely to cause harm, loss, or damage to any person or organisation;

•       constitute harassment, intimidation, or stalking;

•       facilitate or promote illegal activity;

•       give the impression of originating from us where this is not the case.

17.  Online Safety and Moderation

17.1  My-Thesis.org takes its responsibilities under the UK Online Safety Act 2023 seriously. We take proportionate measures to minimise the risk of illegal content appearing on the Site and to protect Users from harm, having regard to the nature of our platform.

17.2  Where we provide interactive services (including user comments, profile pages, or messaging), we will indicate the nature of the service and the moderation approach applied.

17.3  We are not responsible for Content posted by Users but, where we become aware of Content that breaches these Terms or applicable law, we will act proportionately and promptly.

admin@my-thesis.org with sufficient detail to enable us to locate and review the Content. We will assess reports and respond within a reasonable time.

PART 6 - INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY  

18.  Our Intellectual Property

18.1  The Site and all materials created by My-Thesis.org — including our selection and arrangement of Catalogue Entries, editorial descriptions, tags, blog posts, graphic design, software, databases, and trade marks (including the My-Thesis.org name and logo) — are owned by or licensed to My-Thesis.org and are protected by copyright, database rights, trade marks, and other intellectual property laws.

18.2  No part of the Site may be reproduced, copied, adapted, distributed, or used commercially without our prior written consent, except to the extent permitted by law (including fair dealing for the purposes of criticism, review, or reporting current events).

18.3  Use of the My-Thesis.org name or logo for any purpose — including on social media, in publications, or in press materials — requires our prior written consent, save that Partner Institutions may use the designation 'Partner of My-Thesis.org' in accordance with any branding guidelines we provide.

19.  Third-Party Intellectual Property

19.1  The intellectual property in each Embedded Presentation (including the underlying video recording) is owned by the producing Institution or, where agreed otherwise, the Scholar or a third party. My-Thesis.org does not claim any rights in those recordings.

19.2  The copyright in individual research theses, papers, and publications referenced on the Site is owned by the respective authors and publishers. Links or references to third-party works do not constitute a licence for you to reproduce or exploit those works.

19.3  All third-party trade marks, logos, and brand names appearing on the Site remain the property of their respective owners. Nothing in these Terms grants any right to use them.

20.  Reporting Intellectual Property Infringement

admin@my-thesis.org with: your name and contact details; a description of the relevant work and the allegedly infringing material; a statement that you have a good-faith belief that the use is unauthorised; and a statement that the information in your notice is accurate. We will assess the notice and take appropriate action.

PART 7 - PRIVACY AND DATA PROTECTION  

21.  Privacy

21.1  How we collect, use, share, and protect personal data — including personal data relating to Scholars who have not themselves registered with us — is explained in our Privacy Policy, which is incorporated into and forms part of these Terms. Please read it carefully. The Privacy Policy is available at https://my-thesis.org/node/72.

21.2  The Privacy Policy also contains our transparency notice for featured Scholars (Privacy Policy, Section 8), required by UK GDPR Article 14. Scholars are encouraged to read that section.

21.3  Our use of cookies and similar technologies is described in our Cookie Policy at https://my-thesis.org/cookies/documentation.

21.4  When you play an Embedded Presentation, the originating platform (typically YouTube, operated by Google LLC) may set cookies and process your personal data in accordance with its own privacy policy. My-Thesis.org has no control over and is not responsible for YouTube's or Google's data practices.

22.  Consent Records

22.1  Where we obtain consent from Scholars or Institutions (for example for enhanced profile features or partnership arrangements), we keep a record of: the identity of the consenting party; the date and means of consent; the scope of consent; and any subsequent withdrawal.

22.2  Consent records are retained for the period of the consent plus six years thereafter.

22.3  Any consent given may be withdrawn at any time by contacting admin@my-thesis.org. Withdrawal does not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before withdrawal.

PART 8 - LIABILITY AND INDEMNITY   

23.  Disclaimers

23.1  The Site and its contents are provided for general informational and promotional purposes only. Nothing on the Site constitutes academic, legal, medical, financial, or professional advice.

23.2  My-Thesis.org does not peer-review, endorse, or take any position on the accuracy, validity, or quality of any research presented in a Catalogue Entry. We make no warranty that any research, data, or findings referenced on the Site are accurate, complete, or fit for any particular purpose.

23.3  We do not guarantee that the Site will be available at all times, free from errors, or free from viruses or other harmful components. We do not guarantee that defects will be corrected.

23.4  Links to third-party websites and embedded content from third-party platforms are provided for convenience only. We do not endorse, control, or take responsibility for the content of any third-party website or platform, including YouTube. Access to third-party websites and platforms is at your own risk and subject to their own terms and privacy policies.

24.  Limitation of Liability

24.1  Nothing in these Terms limits or excludes our liability for: death or personal injury caused by our negligence; fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation; any other liability that cannot lawfully be excluded or limited.

24.2  Subject to clause 24.1 and to the extent permitted by law:

•      we exclude all implied conditions, warranties, representations, or other terms that may apply to the Site or its content;

•       we will not be liable to you for any loss or damage, whether in contract, tort (including negligence), breach of statutory duty, or otherwise, arising from or in connection with the use of, or inability to use, the Site or its content;

•       in particular, we will not be liable for loss of profits, revenue, data, business, or anticipated savings; business interruption; any indirect or consequential loss or damage; or reliance on any information or content on the Site.

24.3  Where you are a consumer (i.e. acting outside the course of a business), nothing in these Terms affects your statutory rights.

24.4  We will not be liable for any loss or damage caused by a virus, distributed denial-of-service attack, or other technologically harmful material that may infect your computer equipment, programs, data, or other proprietary material due to your use of the Site.

25.  Indemnity

25.1  You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless My-Thesis.org, its officers, employees, and agents from and against all claims, liabilities, damages, losses, costs, and expenses (including reasonable legal fees) arising out of or in connection with:

•       your use of the Site in breach of these Terms;

•       Content you submit to the Site;

•       your violation of any third-party right, including any intellectual property or privacy right;

•       your violation of applicable law.

25.2  We reserve the right, at our expense, to assume exclusive control over the defence of any matter otherwise subject to indemnification by you. You agree to cooperate with us in the defence of any such claim.

PART 9 - SUSPENSION, TERMINATION AND ENFORCEMENT    

26.  Suspension and Termination

26.1  We may, acting reasonably and proportionately:

•       remove or disable access to any Content at any time, with or without prior notice;

•       suspend or terminate your access to part or all of the Site;

•       suspend or terminate your registered account; and/or

•       remove a Catalogue Entry or institutional profile page from the Site.

26.2  We may take action under clause 26.1 in particular where we reasonably believe that: you have breached these Terms; a Scholar or Institution has exercised their opt-out rights; we are required to do so by law or a regulatory authority; or removal is otherwise necessary to protect My-Thesis.org or other Users.

26.3  To the extent permitted by law, we are not liable for any loss arising from action taken under this clause.

26.4  Termination of your account does not terminate any licence granted to us in respect of Content that was already publicly accessible, except where removal is required by law.

27.  Reporting and Enforcement

27.1 admin@my-thesis.org providing sufficient detail to locate and review the Content. We will respond within a reasonable time.

27.2  Where we take action to remove or restrict Content, and you believe we have done so in error, contact us with an explanation and we will review the decision

PART 10 - GENERAL LEGAL  .

28.  Governing Law and Jurisdiction

28.1  These Terms and any dispute or claim arising out of or in connection with them or their subject matter or formation (including non-contractual disputes or claims) are governed by and construed in accordance with the law of England and Wales.

28.2  The courts of England and Wales have exclusive jurisdiction to settle any dispute or claim arising out of or in connection with these Terms.

28.3  If you are a consumer resident in Scotland, Northern Ireland, or a country in the European Union, you may also be entitled to bring proceedings in the courts of your country of residence. This clause does not affect any mandatory statutory rights you may have. 

29.  Third-Party Rights

29.1  Except as expressly provided in these Terms, nothing in these Terms confers any rights under the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 on any person other than the parties to these Terms.

29.2  Our right to rescind or vary these Terms without the consent of any third party is not affected. 

30.  Severance

If any provision of these Terms is found to be illegal, invalid, or unenforceable under applicable law, that provision shall (to the extent necessary) be severed from these Terms, and the remaining provisions shall continue in full force.

31.  Waiver

A failure or delay by My-Thesis.org to exercise any right or remedy under these Terms does not constitute a waiver of that right or remedy or any other right or remedy. No waiver is effective unless it is given in writing.

32.  Entire Agreement

32.1  These Terms (including the Privacy Policy and any applicable additional terms) constitute the entire agreement between you and My-Thesis.org relating to the Site and replace all prior agreements, representations, and understandings.

32.2  Neither party relies on any statement, representation, or warranty not set out in these Terms. 

33.  Assignment

My-Thesis.org may transfer its rights and obligations under these Terms to another organisation, including in connection with a restructuring, merger, or change of entity. We will notify registered users of any such transfer. You may not transfer any rights or obligations under these Terms without our written consent. 

34.  Contact and Complaints

admin@my-thesis.org

If you have a complaint about our handling of your personal data, you may also contact the UK Information Commissioner's Office: ico.org.uk | 0303 123 1113 citing our contact: Organisation name:  My-Thesis CIC Reference: C1987277