Terms of Service

1. Definitions

In these Terms, unless the context otherwise requires:

• "AADE", "we", "us" or "our" means the Asia Academy of Digital Economics, a not-for-profit organisation incorporated in Singapore, with registered address at 1 Paya Lebar Link, #06-08 PLQ 2, Paya Lebar Quarter, Singapore 408533.
• "Services" means the website at aades.academy and all sub-pages, as well as events, training programmes, research publications, newsletter distribution, digital tools, and any other services we provide.
• "Content" means all text, articles, research reports, graphics, photographs, logos, data, video, audio, software, and other materials published on or through our Services.
• "User", "you" or "your" means any person who accesses or uses our Services.
• "User-Submitted Content" means any content, materials, or information you submit, post, or transmit to us through our Services.

2. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing our website or using any of our Services, you confirm that:

• You are at least 18 years of age, or are accessing the Services under the supervision of a parent or legal guardian who agrees to be bound by these Terms;
• You have the legal capacity to enter into a binding agreement; and
• You agree to comply with these Terms in their entirety.

These Terms constitute a legally binding agreement between you and AADE under the laws of Singapore, including the Electronic Transactions Act 2010 (Cap. 88) and the Contracts Act 1950 (Cap. 53A) as applicable in Singapore.

3. Description of Services

AADE is Asia's leading platform for digital economic research and knowledge exchange. Through our Services, we provide:

• Research publications, white papers, reports, and analysis on digital economy topics
• Events, conferences, forums, seminars, and webinars
• Training and professional development programmes
• News and insights on digital economy developments
• Digital innovation tools and AI-related products (including AI Presence Accelerator, LUCA, Janus, and others)
• Partnership and membership-related information and activities

We reserve the right to modify, suspend, or discontinue any part of our Services at any time, with or without notice, and without liability to you.

4. Intellectual Property Rights

All Content on our Services, including but not limited to research publications, text, graphics, logos, icons, images, audio clips, digital downloads, and software, is the exclusive property of AADE or its licensors and is protected under the Copyright Act 2021 of Singapore (Cap. 63) and applicable international intellectual property laws.

What You May Do

• Access and view Content for personal, non-commercial, informational purposes
• Share links to our published content on social media or other platforms
• Print or download a single copy of research articles for personal reference, provided all copyright notices remain intact
• Quote brief excerpts of our research publications for the purpose of commentary, criticism, or academic citation, provided proper attribution to AADE and the relevant publication is included

What You May Not Do

• Reproduce, republish, or distribute our Content in any medium without our prior written consent
• Use our Content for commercial purposes, including resale or incorporation into commercial products
• Remove, alter, or obscure any copyright, trademark, or other proprietary notices
• Create derivative works from our Content without express authorisation
• Use AADE's name, logos, or trademarks without prior written permission

Requests for reproduction or licencing of our Content should be directed to contact@aades.academy.

5. Permitted Use and Restrictions

You agree to use our Services only for lawful purposes and in a manner that does not infringe the rights of any third party. You must not:

• Use our Services in any way that violates applicable Singapore law or regulation, including the Computer Misuse Act 1993 (Cap. 50A) or the Cybersecurity Act 2018
• Attempt to gain unauthorised access to any part of our Services, servers, or networks
• Introduce any virus, malicious code, or harmful components that may damage our Services or systems
• Use automated scripts, bots, crawlers, or scrapers to extract data from our Services without our prior written consent
• Use our Services to transmit unsolicited commercial communications (spam)
• Engage in any conduct that is fraudulent, deceptive, harassing, defamatory, or otherwise harmful to AADE or any third party
• Impersonate AADE or any person, or misrepresent your affiliation with any person or entity

Violation of these restrictions may result in immediate termination of your access to our Services and may expose you to civil or criminal liability.

6. Research Publications and Academic Content

AADE publishes research, analysis, and commentary on digital economy topics. All such Content is provided for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice, including legal, financial, investment, regulatory, or policy advice.

Research publications represent the views and analysis of the authors at the time of publication and may not reflect the current state of law, market conditions, or technological developments. AADE does not warrant the accuracy, completeness, or fitness for purpose of any research content.

If you intend to rely on any research content for decision-making, you should seek independent professional advice appropriate to your specific circumstances.

7. Event Registration and Participation

Where you register for an AADE event, conference, training programme, or webinar:

• Registration constitutes a binding agreement to attend and comply with the event's terms and code of conduct
• Cancellations and refunds (where applicable) are subject to the specific terms communicated at the time of registration
• AADE reserves the right to cancel, postpone, or modify events and will endeavour to provide reasonable notice in such circumstances
• Photography, video, and audio recording may be conducted at events; by attending, you consent to your image or voice being captured and used by AADE for legitimate organisational purposes, including promotional materials and event documentation
• Participants are expected to conduct themselves professionally; AADE reserves the right to remove any participant whose conduct is disruptive, offensive, or harmful to others

8. User-Submitted Content

Where you submit any content to us (e.g., through contact forms, event feedback, or other channels), you represent and warrant that:

• You own or have the right to submit such content
• The content does not infringe any third party's intellectual property, privacy, or other rights
• The content is not defamatory, fraudulent, misleading, obscene, or otherwise unlawful under Singapore law including the Defamation Act 1957 (Cap. 75) and the Protection from Harassment Act 2014

By submitting content to us, you grant AADE a non-exclusive, royalty-free, perpetual licence to use, reproduce, and publish that content for the purposes for which it was submitted. We reserve the right to remove any content that we determine, in our sole discretion, violates these Terms or is otherwise objectionable.

9. Third-Party Links and Resources

Our Services may contain links to third-party websites, publications, or resources that are not owned or controlled by AADE. We provide these links for convenience only and do not endorse or assume any responsibility for the content, accuracy, privacy practices, or views of any linked third-party sites.

Your use of any third-party website or resource is subject to that party's own terms and privacy policies. We encourage you to review the terms and privacy policies of any third-party sites you visit.

10. Disclaimers and No Warranties

To the fullest extent permitted by law, our Services and all Content are provided on an "as is" and "as available" basis, without any express or implied warranties of any kind, including but not limited to:

• Warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement
• Warranties that the Services will be uninterrupted, timely, secure, error-free, or free from viruses or other harmful components
• Warranties as to the accuracy, completeness, currency, or reliability of any Content

Nothing in these Terms shall exclude or limit any warranties that cannot be excluded or limited under applicable Singapore law, including the Consumer Protection (Fair Trading) Act 2003 (Cap. 52A) to the extent applicable.

11. Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable Singapore law, AADE and its officers, directors, employees, advisers, and partners shall not be liable to you for any:

• Indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive loss or damage
• Loss of profits, revenue, data, goodwill, or business opportunity
• Loss or corruption of data or information
• Damage arising from your use of, or inability to use, our Services or any third-party sites linked from our Services

These limitations apply whether the claim is based in contract, tort (including negligence), statute, or any other legal theory, even if AADE has been advised of the possibility of such damages.

Where liability cannot be excluded by law, our total aggregate liability to you shall not exceed SGD 500 or the amount you paid to us (if any) in connection with the specific Services giving rise to the claim in the 12 months preceding the claim, whichever is lower.

12. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless AADE, its officers, directors, employees, advisers, and partners from and against any claims, liabilities, damages, losses, costs, and expenses (including reasonable legal fees) arising out of or in connection with:

• Your breach of these Terms
• Your violation of any applicable law or regulation
• Your infringement of any third party's intellectual property, privacy, or other rights
• Any User-Submitted Content you provide to us

13. Privacy

The collection, use, and protection of personal data through our Services is governed by our Privacy Policy, which is incorporated into and forms part of these Terms. By using our Services, you acknowledge that you have read and understood our Privacy Policy.

14. Governing Law and Jurisdiction

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), shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Republic of Singapore, without regard to its conflict of law principles.

Subject to Section 15 below, you irrevocably submit to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Singapore to settle any dispute or claim arising under or in connection with these Terms.

15. Dispute Resolution

In the event of any dispute arising out of or in connection with these Terms, the parties agree to first attempt to resolve the dispute through good-faith negotiation within 30 days of one party notifying the other of the dispute in writing.

If the dispute cannot be resolved through negotiation, either party may refer the dispute to mediation administered by the Singapore Mediation Centre in accordance with its applicable mediation procedures, before commencing formal legal proceedings. Participation in mediation is a condition precedent to litigation, except where a party seeks urgent injunctive or other interim relief.

Nothing in this clause prevents either party from seeking urgent equitable relief (including injunctions) from a court of competent jurisdiction.

16. General Provisions

Severability

If any provision of these Terms is found to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, that provision shall be modified to the minimum extent necessary to make it enforceable, or severed from these Terms if modification is not possible. The remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect.

Waiver

No failure or delay by AADE in exercising any right under these Terms shall constitute a waiver of that right. Any waiver must be in writing to be effective and shall not be deemed a waiver of any subsequent breach or default.

Entire Agreement

These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy and any additional terms notified to you at the point of registration for specific Services, constitute the entire agreement between you and AADE relating to your use of our Services and supersede all prior agreements, representations, or understandings.

No Agency

Nothing in these Terms creates any partnership, joint venture, agency, franchise, or employment relationship between you and AADE. You have no authority to bind AADE in any manner whatsoever.

Assignment

You may not assign or transfer your rights or obligations under these Terms without AADE's prior written consent. AADE may assign its rights and obligations under these Terms freely, including in connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets.

17. Changes to These Terms

We reserve the right to amend these Terms at any time. Updated Terms will be posted on this page with a revised effective date. We will endeavour to provide reasonable notice of material changes via email (where we hold your contact information) or through a notice on our website.

Your continued use of our Services after the effective date of revised Terms constitutes your acceptance of those Terms. If you do not agree to the revised Terms, you must cease using our Services.

18. Contact Us