Legal

General Conduct

Members are to treat one another with respect when communicating through comments. Abusive or racial comments will not be tolerated. While we try not to censor comments if it is clear that a pattern of targeting other people is occurring your comment may be removed.
You will not post photos that belong to someone else unless you have that person's permission.
Your account belongs to you and only you. Anyone caught sharing their account will have their access revoked.
Multiple accounts are not permitted. If you need to have your account combined with another one, let us know.
IMPORTANT: If you have been found to have stolen (taking items from a location that don't belong to you), your account will be terminated. If you are caught vandalizing a location, your account will be terminated.
We rarely need to delete/ban a member. In the rare case where this occurs we will keep the reasons confidential. Only the administration will be informed of the details. If however you choose to complain publicly about your dismissal and in a manner that brings negative attention to the site, we may choose to publicly post the details as to why you were banned.
Members do not 'own' the locations that they create, they only own the photographs. If a member chooses to close their account, their photographs will NOT be automatically removed. You should manually remove your albums first or allow us to keep them online. Again - when creating a location you should be aware that it becomes part of the site, you cannot own an entry. This would be like posting your favourite fishing spot, camp ground, etc. and claiming that it belongs to you.
Members choose to create locations on OAP because it represents a secure environment for their content (as compared to posting it public on social media such as Flickr). The Full Member voting process is meant to ensure that your locations remain in the circle of trust that this website attempts to uphold. Keep in mind that no access system is perfect and there is always potential for word of mouth information spreading. Members who create content on OAP should understand that their locations may be visited by other members and as such, photographs taken by other member's may be posted on websites outside of OAP. When posting photos elsewhere of a location that you found on OAP and which was not created by you, there's an understanding that any details that might lead a person to these properties, is to remain CONFIDENTIAL. This includes addresses or correspondence containing addresses, full names of former occupants, street signs, etc. These should be removed from your photos and from your written descriptions. If you'd like to post these details to accompany your photos, and the location is not yours, you should seek permission from the person who created the entry. Most members do NOT take kindly to anyone reposting content on public blogs, Instagram, etc. where that content leads strangers to the location. (We're not saying that you can't post elsewhere, we're just asking that you ask the location creator first. If you continually disregard the wishes of a location owner, your account will be closed.)
The expectation that members not post personal identifying information is reasonable. You'd not have access to the location if someone else didn't add it to the database. Members who fail to respect this necessary secrecy may lose their access. We cannot function as both a secure database and a "I can do whatever I want with your information" database. We just can't. You give up some free speech for the right to access this website the same way you give up some free speech at work when you sign a confidentiality agreement. Your employer may allow you access to medical files, in return for your agreement not to reveal that information outside of work. We allow you access to a database in return for your agreement to keep this information inside our community.
It is generally understood that locations created on OAP may be visited by extra people who accompany our members (spouses, significant others, a close friend). Use common sense here. If you plan to bring 13 members of your baseball team with you, this could constitute a serious breach of security. We deal with security on a case by case basis.
You may share your own content with whomever you want, and they are free to post full location details if you permit them to. You are in complete control of the locations that you create.

Lastly,

We are always open to suggestions for new features or to make changes. Members are routinely asked for their input when it comes to major changes in the operation of the website. I've said it before and I'll say it again - this is YOUR website, based on your contributions. Feel free to offer any suggestions that you want.

Please remember that your use of this website is a privilege and not a right. If you do not follow these basic conduct expectations, we have every right to close your account.

Terms and Conditions

Ontario Abandoned Places (herein referred to as 'OAP') uses reasonable effort to include accurate and up-to-date content in the Site. OAP gives no warranties, representations or conditions as to its accuracy, completeness, quality, reliability, timeliness, legality or suitability of the contents. OAP assumes no liability or responsibility for any errors or omissions in the content or with respect to any links from the Site. You need to be aware that some roads may be private, for logging use or not suitable for car travel. Know the territory before you travel it. Example: If you visit a location and are caught trespassing, you cannot claim that OAP told you that it was safe to trespass on the property. OAP provides information about locations on an "as is" basis, information found on OAP should not be considered legal advice. You should never enter onto someone's property without first seeking permission from the property owner.
Your use and browsing of the site is at your risk. Neither OAP nor any other party involved in creating, producing or delivering the site is liable for any direct, incidental, special consequential, indirect or punitive damages arising out of or relating to your access to, or use of, the site. OAP also assumes no responsibility, and shall not be liable for, any damages to, or viruses that may infect, your computer equipment or other property on account of your access to, use of, or browsing the site or your downloading of any materials, data, text, images, video or audio from this site. In plain English… use of this site is at your own risk.
OAP has not reviewed all of the sites as found on the "Links" to other sites and is not responsible for the access to or contents of any off-site pages.
OAP assumes no responsibility or liability arising from the content of any such location on the site nor for any error, defamation, libel, slander, omission, falsehood, obscenity, pornography, profanity, danger, or inaccuracy contained in any information within such locations on the Site. You are prohibited from posting or transmitting any unlawful, threatening, libelous, defamatory, obscene, scandalous, inflammatory, pornographic, or profane material or any material that could constitute or encourage conduct that would be considered a criminal offense, give rise to civil liability, or otherwise violate the law. OAP does not actively monitor all areas of the site but will remove any content defined in section 4 (above) upon request.
OAP may at any time revise these Terms and Conditions by updating this posting. You are bound by any such revision and should therefore periodically visit this page to review the then current Terms and Conditions to which you are bound.
"Content" includes without limitation any and all information, material, recommendations, reports, web pages, graphics, data, text, video, audio, databases, files and images used or embodied in this Site, including the manner in which the information is presented or appears and all information relating thereto. "The site" refers to ontarioabandonedplaces.com
The information that you enter for location descriptions must be in your own words. You agree to allow us to publish this information even if you decide to leave the site. Factual information is not covered by copyright.

Member Privacy

OAP retains logs of visitors for a limited period only after which they are automatically deleted. Your user information is not, and will not, be sold or exchanged with any third-party.
IPs are logged to identify abuse.
Your e-mail address and name will never ever be sold. Moderators have access to this information to occasionally reach out for administrative purposes.
We may receive messages from property owners asking that their property is removed from the website if it was added without permission. In this circumstance we will contact you to ask that you remove the entry. If we do not receive a response back from you within 24-48 hours, we may remove your location.
We do not 'delete' accounts, we only close accounts. Your locations, comments and forum posts remain on the website in the event you close your account or are banned. Your photos belong to you and may be removed at any time you choose to do so.

Photography

Photographs appearing on this webpage are either provided by OAP, have been uploaded by visitors, or have been obtained from archives. These photographs may be protected under Canadian Copyright Law.
For photographs taken by OAP (Ontario Abandoned Places), permission must be obtained to duplicate or publish these photographs. As this web page is a non-profit service, OAP does not charge any fee to use our photographs.
Permission to use photographs uploaded by other members must be obtained from the photographer as OAP cannot grant permission on their behalf. OAP cannot and will not be responsible for members uploading copyrighted photos. Members are expected to own the copyright for all images which they upload to the site.
Photographs taken from archives shall have their source indicated (if known). If a photograph should appear that originated from your archive, please contact OAP. Every effort has been taken to credit proper sources.
On pages where vintage photographs are used, per sections 6.0 and 10(1) of the Copyright Act, these copyrights may have expired.
Sometimes people make mistakes so if you encounter a photograph that is your intellectual property, please let us know so that we may remove it or credit your work.

Canspam Act

Members agree to receive periodic e-mails alerting them to new content such as new locations, new photo comments or new private messages. The ability to opt out of these alerts is available via the member's account options. Members may also contact the site administrator by private message or via the Contact option to request they no longer receive these messages.

By default these alerts are turned OFF at the time of new account registration.