Terms and Conditions — Reuse of Web Content
This is the first captured version of FAO's website reuse terms — the whole document appears as new because there was no earlier snapshot to compare against, not because FAO rewrote its terms. The document sets out how you may reuse FAO text, data, photos and logo (free for non-commercial study, research and teaching with credit; permission needed for commercial use, translation or modifying photos), disclaims accuracy and liability, sets rules for FAO discussion forums, and describes cookie use and traffic monitoring. FAO can change the terms at its own discretion and keeps its UN privileges and immunities.
FAO keeps UN immunity, so suing it is very hard
As a UN agency, FAO holds legal privileges and immunities, and these terms make clear it is not giving any of them up. In practice that means an ordinary national court is unlikely to hear a claim you bring against FAO.
“No part of these Terms and Conditions shall constitute or be interpreted as a waiver of the privileges and immunities of FAO.”
Cookies are treated as accepted just by visiting
FAO uses cookies to gather anonymous information about how you browse, and treats your use of the site as agreement to placing them on your computer or phone. It also logs network traffic for security. FAO says it does not otherwise try to identify individual users, except in authorized investigations.
“By using the FAO website, users agree that FAO can place cookies on users' computer, mobile phone or handheld devices”
What you can do — Read the linked Privacy Policy and use your browser settings to block or clear FAO cookies if you don't want them.
FAO accepts no responsibility for errors, and you carry the copyright risk
The site is offered "as is" with no promise of accuracy, and FAO says it will not be liable for any loss you suffer from using its information. On top of that, if you reuse a table, chart or photo on an FAO page that actually belongs to someone else, any legal claim from the real owner is entirely your problem.
“The risk of claims resulting from such infringement rests solely with you.”
What you can do — Before republishing anything with images, tables or figures, check the credit line and get permission from the original owner; ask rights queries by email through the address on the page.
Terms can change at any time with notice only on the page itself
FAO can amend these conditions whenever it likes. The only notice you get is a post on this same web page, so unless you check back you may be following outdated rules.
“FAO reserves the right to amend this policy at its own discretion. Notifications of any significant amendment will be posted on this page.”
What you can do — If you rely on FAO content regularly, re-check this terms page before a major reuse or publication.
You can be banned from forums for repeat posts
If you repeatedly post material FAO considers abusive, unlawful, infringing or spam, your posts can be removed and you can be banned from the discussion forums. No appeal process is described.
“Users repeatedly posting material that falls into the above categories will be removed and/or banned from participating in the related fora and commenting tools.”
Permission required for commercial use, translations and edited photos
Free reuse only covers private study, research, teaching and non-commercial products, and always requires crediting FAO. Selling, translating, adapting, or altering photographs needs written permission first, and FAO can refuse if it thinks the use is inappropriate.
“Permission must be requested for any commercial use, advertising, marketing, storage or third-party distribution of FAO photographs.”
What you can do — For any commercial or translated use, submit the online Licence Request Form or email the rights address before you publish.
| 1 | ##### **REUSE OF WEB CONTENT** | |
+ ADDEDBaseline capture of the full reuse terms There was no previous version on file, so the entire document is recorded here for the first time. Nothing below is a change FAO just made — it is the starting point that future changes will be measured against. | ||
| 2 | ||
| 3 | Content on the FAO website is protected by copyright. To ensure wide dissemination of its information, FAO is committed to making its content freely available and encourages the use, reproduction and dissemination of the text, multimedia and data presented. The use of publications and documents available in the [**FAO Knowledge Repository**](https://openknowledge.fao.org/home), is governed by an [**Open Access policy**](https://openknowledge.fao.org/3/i9461en/online/i9461en.html). Please consult this policy for detailed terms and conditions applicable to the use of FAO publications and documents. | |
| 4 | ||
| 5 | Specific statistical databases are covered by the [**Open Data Licensing Policy**](https://openknowledge.fao.org/handle/20.500.14283/cd7464en), and governed by the [**Statistical Databases Terms of Use**](https://www.fao.org/contact-us/terms/db-terms-of-use/en/). | |
| 6 | ||
| 7 | All other content on the FAO website (except where otherwise indicated), may be copied, printed and downloaded for private study, research and teaching purposes, and for use in non-commercial products or services, provided that appropriate acknowledgement of FAO as the source and copyright holder is given and that FAO's endorsement of users' views, products or services is not stated or implied in any way. FAO encourages unrestricted use of news releases provided on the FAO website; no formal permission is required to reproduce these materials. | |
+ ADDEDFree reuse for non-commercial purposes, with credit You can copy, print and download most FAO website content for private study, research and teaching, and use it in non-commercial products, as long as you credit FAO and don't suggest FAO endorses you. News releases can be reused freely with no permission at all. Publications in the Knowledge Repository and statistical databases follow their own separate policies. | ||
| 8 | ||
| 9 | All requests for translation and adaptation rights, and for resale and other commercial use rights should be addressed to [**\[email protected\]**](https://fao.org/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#2a49455a5358434d425e6a4c4b450445584d) or submitted via the online [**Licence Request Form**](https://www.fao.org/contact-us/licence-request/en/) when downloading. | |
+ ADDEDCommercial use, translations and logo need written permission Selling, translating or adapting FAO content, and any commercial use, advertising or redistribution of FAO photographs, requires you to ask first by email or through the licence request form. Photos can't be edited without permission and must be credited. The FAO logo is off-limits without prior approval. | ||
| 10 | ||
| 11 | ##### **RECOMMENDED CITATION:** | |
| 12 | ||
| 13 | \[© FAO\] \[Year of publication\] \[Title of content\] \[Page number (for publications)\] \[Location on FAO website\] \[Date accessed and/or downloaded\] | |
| 14 | ||
| 15 | Third-party content-FAO does not necessarily own each component of the content contained within the work. FAO therefore does not warrant that the use of any third party-owned individual component or part contained in the work will not infringe on the rights of those third parties. The risk of claims resulting from such infringement rests solely with you. If you wish to re-use a component of the work, it is your responsibility to determine whether permission is needed for that re-use and to obtain permission from the copyright owner. Examples of components can include, but are not limited to, tables, figures, or images. | |
+ ADDEDYou carry the risk for third-party material inside FAO content Some tables, figures and images on FAO pages belong to other people. FAO does not promise that reusing them is safe, and if the real owner sues, that is on you — you have to check and get permission yourself. | ||
| 16 | ||
| 17 | All queries on rights and licenses should be addressed to [**\[email protected\]**](https://fao.org/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#b7d4d8c7cec5ded0dfc3f7d1d6d899d8c5d0) | |
| 18 | ||
| 19 | ##### **REUSE OF PHOTOGRAPHS** | |
| 20 | ||
| 21 | Conditions for reuse of photographs on the FAO website are the same as those for other content, with the exception that photographs must not be modified without prior permission. | |
| 22 | ||
| 23 | Permission must be requested for any commercial use, advertising, marketing, storage or third-party distribution of FAO photographs. FAO reserves the right to withhold distribution and/or permission to reproduce FAO photographic material should the intended use be considered inappropriate. FAO photographs must be credited each time they are published. The recommended citation format for photographs is FAO/\[name of photographer\]. | |
| 24 | ||
| 25 | To request permissions, please send the URL address in which the photograph(s) appear to [**\[email protected\]**](https://fao.org/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#394951564d561455505b4b584b40795f585617564b5e). | |
| 26 | ||
| 27 | ##### **NON-FAO CONTENT** | |
| 28 | ||
| 29 | The FAO website may include third party copyright material for which rights and permissions must be obtained from the copyright holder(s) indicated. | |
| 30 | ||
| 31 | ##### **USE OF FAO LOGO** | |
| 32 | ||
| 33 | The FAO logo is the corporate identifier and official seal of the Organization, and it is protected under international treaties and conventions on intellectual property. Its use is highly restricted and is prohibited without prior permission. Requests for use of the FAO logo for any reason whatsoever, whether or not in association with other logos, must be addressed to [**\[email protected\]**](https://fao.org/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#563539262f243f313e221630373978392431). If permission for use of the FAO logo is granted, instructions for its placement and display, including related disclaimers, must be strictly adhered to. The use and reproduction of content containing the FAO logo must not be in association with advertising or with the names of proprietary products and must not imply FAO's endorsement of products or services in any way. FAO reserves the right to request the immediate removal of its logo from unauthorized websites or products. | |
| 34 | ||
| 35 | ##### **LINKING TO THE FAO WEBSITE** | |
| 36 | ||
| 37 | FAO encourages users to establish hyperlinks to the FAO website and prior permission is not required. The FAO logo should not be included when linking to the FAO website, unless prior permission has been granted (see Use of FAO logo) | |
| 38 | ||
| 39 | ##### **DISCLAIMERS** | |
| 40 | ||
| 41 | The designations employed and the presentation of information on the FAO website do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of FAO concerning the legal or development status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The mention of specific companies or products of manufacturers, whether or not these have been patented, does not imply that these have been endorsed or recommended by FAO in preference to others of a similar nature that are not mentioned. | |
| 42 | ||
| 43 | Information on this site is provided on an "as is" and "as available" basis. FAO makes every effort to ensure, but does not guarantee, the accuracy, completeness or authenticity of the information on the FAO website. FAO reserves the right to alter, limit or discontinue any part of this service at its discretion. Under no circumstances shall FAO be liable for any loss, damage, liability or expense suffered that is claimed to result from the use of information posted on this site, including without limitation, any fault, error, omission, interruption or delay. | |
+ ADDEDInformation given "as is" with a broad liability disclaimer FAO does not guarantee that anything on the site is accurate, complete or genuine, can change or shut down any part of the service whenever it wants, and says it will not be liable for any loss you suffer from relying on the site. | ||
| 44 | ||
| 45 | Hyperlinks to non-FAO websites do not imply any official endorsement of or responsibility on the part of FAO for the opinions, ideas, data or products presented at these locations, or guarantee the validity of the information provided. The sole purpose of links to non-FAO sites is to indicate further information available on related topics. The information is provided on the basis that users accessing the platform assume responsibility for assessing its relevance, accuracy and suitability for application. | |
| 46 | ||
| 47 | No part of these Terms and Conditions shall constitute or be interpreted as a waiver of the privileges and immunities of FAO. | |
+ ADDEDFAO keeps its UN privileges and immunities Nothing in these terms gives up FAO's status as a UN agency, which normally means it cannot be taken to an ordinary national court. | ||
| 48 | ||
| 49 | ##### **DISCUSSION FORA AND COMMENTING TOOLS** | |
| 50 | ||
| 51 | The FAO website contains specialized discussion fora and commenting tools. When participating, users agree not to: | |
| 52 | ||
| 53 | defame, abuse, harass, threaten or otherwise violate the rights of others; | |
| 54 | ||
| 55 | publish, post, distribute or disseminate defamatory, infringing, obscene, indecent or unlawful material; | |
| 56 | ||
| 57 | upload or attach files that contain software or other material protected by intellectual property laws unless the user owns or controls the rights and has received all necessary permissions; | |
| 58 | ||
| 59 | upload, email, transmit or otherwise make available unsolicited advertising of any goods or services, or conduct or forward surveys, contests, "spam" or chain letters, etc. | |
| 60 | ||
| 61 | Users specifically acknowledge that FAO is not liable for the conduct of any other user. Users repeatedly posting material that falls into the above categories will be removed and/or banned from participating in the related fora and commenting tools. | |
+ ADDEDRules for comments and discussion forums In FAO forums you agree not to harass others, post unlawful or infringing material, upload copyrighted files you don't own, or send spam and chain letters. Repeat offenders can be removed or banned. FAO says it is not responsible for what other users do. | ||
| 62 | ||
| 63 | ##### **SECURITY** | |
| 64 | ||
| 65 | For site security purposes and to ensure that this service remains available to all users, FAO employs software programs to monitor network traffic to identify unauthorized attempts to upload or change information, or otherwise cause damage. | |
| 66 | ||
| 67 | Except for authorized investigations and to maintain required correspondence files, no other attempts are made to identify individual users or their usage habits. Raw data logs are used to determine the number of users and, occasionally, which general domains are accessing the FAO website. FAO also collects anonymous information about users' browsing behaviour when users visit the website, through the use of cookies. By using the FAO website, users agree that FAO can place cookies on users' computer, mobile phone or handheld devices | |
+ ADDEDTraffic monitoring and cookies FAO runs software that watches network traffic to spot attacks, and keeps raw logs showing visitor counts and general domains. It also uses cookies to collect anonymous browsing information, and says that simply using the site counts as your agreement to cookies. Beyond authorized investigations and required records, FAO says it does not try to identify individual users. | ||
| 68 | ||
| 69 | Any information provided to FAO by users is held with the utmost care and security, and is not used in any manner other than that set forth in the [**Privacy Policy**](https://www.fao.org/contact-us/privacy-policy/en/), or in any additional site-specific policies, without users' explicit consent. | |
| 70 | ||
| 71 | All FAO employees who have access to or are associated with the processing of personal data are obliged to respect the confidentiality of official business matters, including personal data. | |
| 72 | ||
| 73 | ##### **NOTIFICATION OF AMENDMENTS** | |
| 74 | ||
| 75 | FAO reserves the right to amend this policy at its own discretion. Notifications of any significant amendment will be posted on this page. | |
+ ADDEDFAO can change these terms at will FAO can rewrite this policy whenever it decides to. It only promises to post a notice of significant changes on this same page — it will not contact you. | ||