Terms of Service

These Terms govern your access to and use of GoGuides, including web-intelligence records, search results, AI Rank scoring, provenance, Live Index submissions, Trust Signals, Bot Radar, machine-readable services, web and domain intelligence data, and GoGuides favicon and verification tools.

Last updated: September 3, 2026

1. Agreement

By accessing or using GoGuides (the “Service”), you agree to these Terms. If you do not agree, do not use the Service. GoGuides, LLC (“GoGuides”, “we”, “us”, or “our”) operates the Service.

Plain English GoGuides operates independent web-intelligence, crawling, provenance, search, and machine-readable services. We try to keep the rules clear, protect users, preserve measurement independence, and block abuse.

2. The Service

GoGuides may include features such as:

Independent crawling, web observation, provenance, and indexed web content
Search results generated from GoGuides indexed web content
AI-assisted scoring and quality grading (AI Rank)
Site evaluation and paid Live Index submission tools
Trust Signal, Bot Radar, verification, and related domain-owner services
Machine-readable APIs, JSON endpoints, public data services, Web State, Change Intelligence, and Verified Text
Licensed web and domain intelligence feeds, exports, and tailored datasets

We do not guarantee that any specific site or page will be crawled, displayed, ranked, accepted for Live Index inclusion, or retained in any particular public surface. Observation, AI Rank, eligibility, Live Index inclusion, ranking, and presentation are separate states and may change over time.

3. Privacy

GoGuides is privacy-focused. We do not run third-party ad tracking across the Service and we do not sell personal data. Our Privacy Policy is part of these Terms: Read the Privacy Policy.

4. Acceptable Use

You agree not to misuse the Service. For example, you agree not to:

Scrape, harvest, or systematically copy GoGuides pages or results at scale
Repackage or resell GoGuides results to build a competing index without written permission
Bypass or attempt to defeat rate limits, access controls, or anti-abuse protections
Attempt to gain unauthorized access to systems, accounts, or data
Use the Service for unlawful, harmful, deceptive, or abusive purposes

We may limit, suspend, or block access when we believe activity harms users, the Service, or our systems. Authorized API, bulk-data, feed, or data-licensing customers may receive separate written permissions and usage terms that override these restrictions only to the extent expressly stated in that agreement.

5. Third-Party Websites

Search results, public domain records, provenance pages, machine-readable records, and other GoGuides surfaces may link to third-party websites that GoGuides does not control. You access third-party sites at your own risk. GoGuides is not responsible for third-party content, products, services, claims, or privacy practices.

6. AI Rank, Grades, Observation, and Live Index Eligibility

GoGuides uses automated and AI-assisted systems to evaluate publicly accessible pages and may assign AI Rank scores, grades, policy state, and Live Index eligibility. GoGuides may also independently crawl and maintain observations or provenance records for domains that were never submitted or paid for. These systems can change over time as the web changes and as GoGuides improves its methods.

Scores, grades, observations, and Live Index inclusion do not guarantee traffic, outside indexing, citation, recommendation, ranking position, revenue, or business outcomes. GoGuides may change public presentation, eligibility, policy state, or index inclusion to protect users, enforce policy, or improve quality.

For general eligibility expectations, see: Live Index & AI Inclusion Guidelines.

7. GoGuides Verifiable Favicon System

GoGuides may provide a deterministic favicon or visual marker derived from GoGuides record state. The marker may appear on GoGuides pages, including search and verification surfaces, and on third-party sites that choose to embed an eligible GoGuides-provided marker.

No endorsement

A GoGuides favicon or visual marker is not an endorsement, certification, warranty, security certificate, or guarantee. It reflects GoGuides record state at a point in time and may change when underlying measured inputs or policy state change.

Embedding and permitted use

You may embed the GoGuides favicon on your own site to display your current GoGuides signal, provided that:

You do not alter, modify, or misrepresent the favicon or what it means
You do not present it as an official government or regulatory certification
You do not use it in a deceptive way (impersonation, phishing, false affiliation, etc.)
You do not attempt to obscure the source or block verification (e.g., by hiding the verify link in deceptive contexts)

Abuse and rate limiting

GoGuides may apply caching, throttling, access controls, or blocking to favicon endpoints and verification endpoints to protect the Service. If usage becomes abusive or harms users or infrastructure, GoGuides may restrict access.

Right to change or discontinue

GoGuides may modify, replace, or discontinue favicon formats, endpoints, or rules at any time, including to stop abuse or improve accuracy.

8. Live Index Submission, Trust Signal, Bot Radar, and Payments

GoGuides evaluates Live Index eligibility before requesting payment. Under the current public offer, an approved domain may complete a $69.95 one-time paid submission for inclusion in the GoGuides Live Index and machine-readable trust feeds. The current submission also includes lifetime Trust Signal activation for that domain and the first year of Live Bot Radar. Continued Live Bot Radar after the included year is optional and currently $69.95 per year per domain.

Payment buys approved Live Index inclusion and associated services. Payment does not buy or improve AI Rank, grade, eligibility, favorable evaluation, policy outcome, organic ranking, or crawl priority. Broad GoGuides crawling, observation, and provenance collection are separate from paid Live Index submission.

Payments are processed through PayPal. GoGuides does not store card numbers or bank account information.

9. Web and Domain Intelligence Data

GoGuides may license access to non-personal web and domain intelligence derived from public crawling, observation, provenance, and historical measurement systems. Delivery may include APIs, JSON, bulk exports, change feeds, domain subsets, or other tailored datasets.

Data access, permitted uses, redistribution rights, rate limits, delivery terms, retention rights, pricing, and service commitments may be governed by a separate written data-license or commercial agreement. Unless expressly granted in writing, access to public GoGuides pages does not create a right to reproduce, redistribute, or resell GoGuides datasets at scale.

10. Disclaimers

THE SERVICE IS PROVIDED “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE,” WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND. GOGUIDES DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, INCLUDING MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT, TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW.

GoGuides does not warrant that the Service will be uninterrupted, secure, or error-free, or that search results, observations, scores, grades, provenance records, machine-readable outputs, or automated evaluations will be accurate or complete.

11. Limitation of Liability

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, GOGUIDES WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, OR FOR ANY LOSS OF PROFITS, REVENUE, DATA, OR GOODWILL ARISING OUT OF OR RELATED TO YOUR USE OF THE SERVICE.

IF GOGUIDES IS FOUND LIABLE, OUR TOTAL LIABILITY WILL NOT EXCEED THE AMOUNT YOU PAID DIRECTLY TO GOGUIDES (IF ANY) IN THE 12 MONTHS BEFORE THE EVENT GIVING RISE TO THE CLAIM. IF YOU PAID NOTHING, GOGUIDES SHALL HAVE NO MONETARY LIABILITY.

12. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless GoGuides, LLC and its owners, officers, employees, and agents from any claims, damages, liabilities, and expenses arising from your use of the Service, your violation of these Terms, or your violation of any law or third-party rights.

13. Changes

We may modify, suspend, or discontinue any part of the Service at any time. We may also update these Terms. Continued use of the Service after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.

14. Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, without regard to conflict-of-law rules. Any disputes will be brought in state or federal courts located in Kentucky, and you consent to jurisdiction there.

Questions?

If you have questions about these Terms, you can review the related GoGuides pages below: