Echo Terms of Service
Effective Date: March 1, 2026
Please read these Terms of Service ("Terms") carefully before using Echo. By registering for an account, accessing or using the Echo platform, or submitting any content, you agree to be legally bound by these Terms and our Privacy Policy, which is incorporated herein by reference. If you do not agree, do not use Echo.
Welcome to Echo ("Echo," "we," "us," or "our"), a professional peer and manager feedback platform accessible at https://www.echocore.net. Echo enables verified professionals to submit ratings and written reviews of coworkers and supervisors, claim and manage their own professional profiles, and participate in a workplace community forum.
These Terms apply to all users of Echo, including visitors, registered users, Members (users with claimed profiles), and any person whose professional information appears on the platform.
Table of Contents
1. Definitions
2. Eligibility and Account Registration
3. User Roles and Profile Claiming
4. Content Standards and Prohibited Conduct
6. Anonymity and Reviewer Identity
7. Dispute Resolution and Content Removal
11. Disclaimers
13. Indemnification
14. Platform Immunity (Section 230 CDA)
16. DMCA / Copyright Takedown Policy
18. Modifications to These Terms
19. Account Termination and Suspension
20. Governing Law and Dispute Resolution
21. Miscellaneous
1. Definitions
As used throughout these Terms, the following definitions apply:
"Echo" or "Platform": The website located at https://www.echocore.net, all associated web pages, features, applications, APIs, and services operated by Echo.
"User": Any individual who accesses or uses the Platform, whether or not registered or authenticated.
"Registered User": A User who has created an account via email/password or Google OAuth and completed email verification.
"Person" or "Profile": A professional record in the Echo database representing a real individual, which may be an unclaimed record created by a coworker or a claimed profile owned by the individual.
"Member": A Registered User who has successfully claimed a Person profile through one of Echo's verification methods and has a forum identity.
"Review" or "Feedback": A Resonance or Dissonance rating and accompanying written content submitted by a Member regarding another Person with whom they share verified work history overlap.
"Resonance": A positive rating (1–5 scale) within the Echo rating system, awarded across six professional subdimensions.
"Dissonance": A constructive critical rating (1–5 scale) within the Echo rating system, awarded across six professional subdimensions.
"Echo Credits": A numerical balance associated with each Registered User reflecting the net balance between Resonance ratings given (which add credits) and Dissonance ratings given (which subtract credits). Echo Credits are not monetary and have no cash value.
"Content": Any text, ratings, comments, messages, files, images, links, forum posts, or other materials submitted, posted, uploaded, or otherwise transmitted by a User through the Platform.
"Reviewee": The Person who is the subject of a Review.
"Reviewer": The Member who submits a Review. Reviewer identity is kept strictly anonymous from other users.
"Work History Overlap": A verified period of time during which a Reviewer and Reviewee were employed by the same organization concurrently, as confirmed by Echo's overlap verification system.
"Forum Identity": A pseudonymous handle and avatar chosen by a Member for participation in the "In Echo" community forum.
2. Eligibility and Account Registration
2.1 Age and Legal Capacity
You must be at least 18 years of age and have the legal capacity to enter into a binding contract in your jurisdiction to register for or use Echo. By creating an account, you represent and warrant that you meet these requirements. Echo does not knowingly collect personal information from individuals under 18. If you become aware that a minor has created an account, please contact us immediately at the address in Section 22.
2.2 Account Creation
You may create an account using a personal email address and password, or by signing in via Google OAuth. You agree to:
- Provide accurate, current, and complete registration information;
- Maintain the accuracy of your account information and update it promptly when it changes;
- Keep your password and credentials confidential and not share them with any third party;
- Notify Echo immediately of any unauthorized use of your account or any security breach;
- Be solely responsible for all activity that occurs under your account.
Echo reserves the right to reject or cancel any account registration at its sole discretion.
2.3 One Account Per Person
You may maintain only one active Echo account. Creating duplicate accounts is prohibited and may result in termination of all associated accounts. You may not transfer your account to another person or entity without Echo's prior written consent.
2.4 Business and Organizational Use
Echo is designed for use by individual professionals. Use of the Platform on behalf of an organization, as an agent, or in any automated manner (including bots, scrapers, or bulk review submissions) requires Echo's prior written authorization. Employers and organizations may not use Echo to solicit, coordinate, or incentivize employee reviews of any kind.
3. User Roles and Profile Claiming
3.1 Unclaimed Person Profiles
Registered Users may create a Person profile for a coworker or former colleague when adding that person to the Platform. Such profiles are initially "unclaimed." An unclaimed profile displays professional information submitted by Users and any Reviews submitted about the person. The individual identified in an unclaimed profile may claim it to take ownership and manage its content.
3.2 Profile Claiming and Verification
To claim a Person profile and become a Member, a Registered User must verify that they are the individual identified in the profile. Echo offers three verification methods:
- Work Email Verification: You provide an organization email address whose domain matches your current employer's domain on the profile. Echo will send a one-time passcode (OTP) to that address for verification.
- LinkedIn Verification: You authorize Echo to retrieve your basic LinkedIn profile (name and email only) via LinkedIn OAuth. Echo will compare the name on your LinkedIn account to the name on the profile. A match constitutes verification.
- Admin Manual Review: You submit documentary evidence of your identity and employment, such as a pay stub, offer letter, employment letter, tax document, or company directory listing, along with reference webpage links. An Echo administrator will review your submission and approve or reject the claim.
By submitting documents for Admin Review, you represent and warrant that those documents are authentic, unaltered, and accurately reflect your identity and employment. Submitting fraudulent documentation is grounds for immediate account termination and may expose you to legal liability.
Echo reserves the right to reject any claim verification at its sole discretion and without obligation to provide a reason.
3.3 Member Privileges and Responsibilities
Once you become a Member, you may: (i) manage and edit your Person profile; (ii) submit Reviews of coworkers and supervisors with whom you share verified Work History Overlap; (iii) participate in the In Echo community forum using your Forum Identity; and (iv) dispute Reviews submitted about your claimed profile. You acknowledge that as a Member, your full name (as verified) is associated with your account on the backend, even though your identity as a Reviewer remains strictly anonymous to other users.
3.4 Forum Identity
Upon claiming a profile, you will create a Forum Identity consisting of a pseudonymous handle and optional avatar and bio. Your Forum Identity is distinct from your full name and is used to attribute forum posts and comments you choose to make pseudonymously. You may not use a Forum Identity that impersonates another person, infringes trademarks, or is offensive, vulgar, or deceptive.
4. Content Standards and Prohibited Conduct
4.1 Accuracy and Good Faith Requirement
By submitting any Content on Echo, you represent, warrant, and affirm that:
- The Content reflects your genuine, first-hand professional experience with the individual being reviewed;
- You have a verified Work History Overlap with the Reviewee during the period to which the Review relates;
- All factual statements in the Content are true and accurate to the best of your knowledge;
- Your submission is made in good faith, not for purposes of retaliation, harassment, competitive harm, or other improper motive;
- You are not submitting the review on behalf of, at the direction of, or in coordination with any employer, organization, or third party.
4.2 Prohibited Content
You agree that you will not post, submit, upload, share, or transmit Content that:
- Is false, misleading, fabricated, or does not reflect your honest personal experience;
- Is defamatory, libelous, or constitutes an unprivileged false statement of fact about any person;
- Harasses, intimidates, threatens, or targets any individual, including the Reviewee;
- Contains hate speech, discriminatory language, or content that disparages a person based on race, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, age, or any other protected characteristic;
- Discloses the confidential information, trade secrets, proprietary business information, or non-public personal data of any employer, organization, or individual;
- Constitutes doxxing — i.e., publishing private or personally identifying information about another person (including home address, personal phone number, personal email, or financial information) without their consent;
- Violates any non-disclosure agreement, confidentiality obligation, or other legally enforceable duty you owe to any employer or third party;
- Infringes any copyright, trademark, patent, trade secret, or other intellectual property right of any person;
- Contains sexually explicit or pornographic material;
- Promotes, glorifies, or facilitates violence, self-harm, or illegal activity;
- Contains spam, unsolicited commercial messages, pyramid schemes, or any form of deceptive solicitation;
- Involves impersonation of any person or entity, or misrepresentation of your affiliation with any person or entity;
- Contains viruses, malware, or other harmful code;
- Is submitted in exchange for monetary compensation, gifts, employment benefits, or any other form of consideration;
- Violates any applicable local, state, national, or international law or regulation.
4.3 Review-Specific Requirements
In addition to the general content standards above, Reviews must comply with the following:
- You may submit only one Review per Reviewee. No duplicate reviews of the same individual are permitted.
- Self-reviews are strictly prohibited.
- Reviews must be submitted within Echo's rate limits (currently 5 reviews per 15-minute window).
- Reviews must be based on direct, personal professional observation — not rumor, hearsay, or speculation.
- Review text is subject to length limits: titles up to 200 characters; content, strength, and weakness fields up to 2,000 characters each.
4.4 Forum and Comment Conduct
Participation in the In Echo community forum and in comments on Reviews is subject to all Content Standards above, and additionally requires that:
- Posts are professionally relevant and constructive in nature;
- You do not use forum posts or comments to identify, speculate about, or attempt to unmask an anonymous Reviewer;
- You do not use the platform to coordinate campaigns, brigades, or organized rating efforts against any individual.
4.5 Content Moderation
Echo reserves the right, but not the obligation, to review, monitor, moderate, edit, refuse to post, or remove any Content at any time and for any reason, including Content that violates these Terms or that Echo, in its sole discretion, deems inappropriate. Echo does not pre-screen all Content. The presence of any Content on the Platform does not constitute Echo's endorsement of that Content.
Echo is not a finder of fact. Determinations about disputed Content are administrative and do not constitute legal rulings on the truth or falsity of any statement. Echo may defer to a court of competent jurisdiction where a court order addresses specific Content.
5. The Echo Credit System
5.1 Purpose
The Echo Credit system is a core structural mechanism designed to promote platform neutrality, discourage abusive rating behavior, and deter rage-rating or targeted defamation campaigns. It is not a gamification feature and does not constitute a monetary or financial asset of any kind.
5.2 How Credits Work
Each Registered User has an Echo Credit balance. Submitting a Resonance (positive) rating adds credits to your balance. Submitting a Dissonance (constructive) rating subtracts credits from your balance. The system is designed to ensure that each user's total net ratings remain at or near zero over time, requiring users to balance positive and constructive feedback rather than submitting exclusively negative or exclusively positive reviews.
5.3 No Monetary Value
Echo Credits have no monetary value, cannot be exchanged for money or other compensation, cannot be transferred, sold, or gifted, and will not be returned or compensated upon account termination. Echo reserves the right to modify, reset, or discontinue the Echo Credit system at any time without liability.
5.4 Manipulation Prohibited
Any attempt to manipulate the Echo Credit system — including creating multiple accounts to circumvent credit limits, coordinating with others to exchange credits, or any other artificial inflation or deflation of credit balances — is a material breach of these Terms and grounds for immediate account termination.
6. Anonymity and Reviewer Identity
6.1 Reviewer Anonymity
Reviews submitted on Echo are strictly anonymous as displayed on the Platform. The identity of a Reviewer is not displayed in the user interface and is not shared with the Reviewee, other users, or the public. Only the Reviewee (the subject of the review) is identified in connection with a Review.
6.2 Internal Identity Records
Reviewer identity is stored internally in Echo's systems for the following limited purposes: (i) to allow Reviewers to edit or delete their own Reviews; (ii) to enable the reach-out messaging feature, by which a Reviewee or other user may send a message to the Reviewer without knowing the Reviewer's identity; and (iii) for moderation, abuse prevention, and legal compliance purposes. This internal record is not visible to other users.
6.3 Limits of Anonymity
Echo cannot and does not guarantee absolute anonymity. You acknowledge and accept that:
- Depending on the content of a Review, including specific details about your relationship with the Reviewee, your department, location, or dates of employment, other parties may be able to narrow the universe of possible Reviewers;
- Echo may be required by law or court order to disclose Reviewer identity in connection with valid legal process, including subpoenas, court orders, or law enforcement requests;
- Echo will take reasonable steps to resist invalid or overbroad legal demands for user identity, but cannot guarantee that it will be able to protect your identity in all circumstances;
- Anonymous speech, while generally protected in the United States under the First Amendment and related doctrines, is not an absolute right, and may not be protected if a court determines that a Review constitutes unlawful defamation or another actionable offense.
By submitting a Review, you acknowledge these limitations and assume the associated risks. You are strongly encouraged to ensure that all Content you submit is truthful, accurate, and compliant with these Terms.
6.4 Identity Disclosure Upon Legal Process
In the event Echo receives a legally valid subpoena, court order, or other government or legal demand for Reviewer identity, Echo will: (i) promptly notify the Reviewer at the email address on file, to the extent permitted by law; (ii) take reasonable legal steps to object to or limit overbroad demands; and (iii) disclose only the minimum information required by the applicable legal process. Echo's ability to protect Reviewer identity is not guaranteed and is subject to the jurisdiction and ruling of competent courts.
7. Dispute Resolution and Content Removal
7.1 Reviewee Disputes
A Member who has claimed the Person profile that is the subject of a Review ("Reviewee") may submit a formal content dispute through the Platform. To submit a dispute, the Reviewee must provide a specific, written reason explaining why the Review violates these Terms. Grounds for a valid dispute include, but are not limited to: factual inaccuracy, absence of Work History Overlap, prohibited content as described in Section 4.2, harassment, or doxxing.
A dispute submission is not, by itself, grounds for removal. Echo will review disputes in good faith and in its sole administrative discretion. Echo is not a finder of fact and does not adjudicate the truth or falsity of specific factual claims in Reviews.
7.2 Dispute Outcomes
Following review, a dispute may be: (i) resolved — the Review is removed from the Platform; (ii) rejected — the Review remains on the Platform; or (iii) left pending for additional review. Echo will notify the Reviewee of the outcome through the Platform notification system. There is currently no formal appellate process; Echo may revisit decisions at its discretion.
7.3 General Content Reports
Any User may report Content that they believe violates these Terms. Echo provides a reporting mechanism for this purpose. Echo reviews reports in its discretion and is not obligated to remove any Content solely based on a report. Echo will not disclose the identity of a reporting User to the subject of a report.
7.4 Voluntary Removal
A Reviewer may edit or delete their own Review at any time through their account. Deletion removes the Review from public display. Echo may retain records of deleted Content for a limited period as required for legal compliance, abuse prevention, and dispute resolution purposes.
7.5 No Commitment to Content Availability
Echo does not guarantee that any Content will be maintained or remain accessible. Echo may remove, archive, or restrict access to any Content at any time and for any reason without notice or liability.
8. Intellectual Property
8.1 Echo's Intellectual Property
The Echo Platform, including its design, architecture, codebase, branding, trademarks, service marks, logos, user interface elements, and all proprietary features (including the Echo Credit system, the Resonance/Dissonance rating framework, and the six-dimension evaluation model) are owned by or licensed to Echo and are protected by applicable copyright, trademark, trade secret, and other intellectual property laws. You are granted a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable, revocable license to access and use the Platform for its intended purposes, subject to these Terms.
8.2 Your Content — License Grant
By submitting Content to Echo, you grant Echo a worldwide, royalty-free, non-exclusive, sublicensable, and transferable license to use, reproduce, distribute, display, modify, and prepare derivative works of your Content solely for purposes of: (i) operating and improving the Platform; (ii) providing the Platform's features and functionality; (iii) enforcing these Terms; (iv) complying with legal obligations; and (v) creating anonymized, aggregated statistical analyses. This license does not grant Echo the right to sell your Content to third parties for independent commercial purposes unrelated to the Platform.
8.3 Your Content — Representations
You represent and warrant that: (i) you own all rights in your Content or have obtained all necessary licenses, consents, and permissions to grant the license above; (ii) your Content does not infringe the intellectual property rights of any third party; and (iii) you have the right to upload any profile photos, logos, or documents you submit.
8.4 Third-Party Content and Logos
Company logos and organizational imagery displayed on the Platform may be retrieved from third-party logo services (currently Brandfetch and Clearbit). Echo does not claim ownership of third-party trademarks or logos. If you are a trademark or brand owner and believe your intellectual property is being used improperly, please contact us using the information in Section 22.
8.5 Feedback
If you submit suggestions, ideas, or feedback about Echo to us, you agree that Echo may use such feedback without restriction, compensation, or obligation to you.
9. Privacy and Data Handling
9.1 Privacy Policy
Echo's collection, use, storage, and disclosure of your personal information are governed by our Privacy Policy, available at https://www.echocore.net/privacy. The Privacy Policy is incorporated into these Terms by reference. By using Echo, you consent to the data practices described in the Privacy Policy.
9.2 Data Collected
Echo collects the following categories of data in connection with platform use:
- Account data: email address, hashed password, Google OAuth identifiers;
- Profile data: first name, last name, photo, bio, organization email, LinkedIn identifier (where provided for verification);
- Employment data: organization name, domain, job title, employment and education history;
- Review and content data: ratings, written feedback, comments, forum posts, messages;
- Verification data: work email verification timestamps, OTP hashes, LinkedIn verification state, admin review documents;
- Usage data: follows, likes, votes, saved items, chat messages, read receipts;
- Technical data: IP addresses and request metadata as may be logged by Echo's infrastructure providers (Supabase, Vercel).
9.3 Third-Party Data Processors
Echo uses third-party services to process data. These include Supabase (database and authentication), Vercel (hosting), Resend (transactional email), PeopleDataLabs (person enrichment), Google Gemini (AI embeddings and organization profile generation), LinkedIn (profile claim verification), and Clearbit/Brandfetch (company logos). By using Echo, you acknowledge that data may be transmitted to and processed by these services, subject to their respective privacy policies. Echo takes reasonable steps to ensure that data shared with third parties is limited to what is necessary for the relevant function.
9.4 Data Subject Rights
To the extent required by applicable law (including, without limitation, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA)), you may have rights to access, correct, delete, restrict processing of, or receive a portable copy of your personal data. You may also have the right to object to certain processing activities. To exercise any applicable data rights, please contact us using the information in Section 22. Echo will respond to valid requests within the timeframes required by applicable law.
9.5 Data Retention
Echo retains personal data for as long as your account is active and as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes described in these Terms and the Privacy Policy, or as required by law. Deletion of your account does not guarantee immediate erasure of all data, particularly data subject to legal holds, dispute preservation requirements, or technical infrastructure limitations. Please refer to our Privacy Policy for further details.
10. Third-Party Services
The Platform incorporates, links to, or relies upon third-party services including but not limited to: Google (Google OAuth authentication, Google Gemini AI), LinkedIn (profile claim verification), PeopleDataLabs (professional data enrichment), Supabase (database and authentication infrastructure), Resend (email delivery), Brandfetch and Clearbit (company logos), Vercel (cloud hosting), and OpenAI (AI embeddings, where applicable).
Your use of any third-party service through Echo is subject to the applicable third party's terms of service and privacy policy. Echo does not endorse, warrant, or assume responsibility for the content, accuracy, or practices of any third-party service. Echo is not responsible for the availability of third-party services, and any disruption to a third-party service may affect the availability of certain Platform features.
Your authorization of LinkedIn OAuth during profile claiming grants Echo access only to your basic LinkedIn profile (name and email) for the limited purpose of identity verification. Echo will not use LinkedIn OAuth for any purpose beyond profile claiming, nor will Echo store your LinkedIn access tokens beyond what is necessary for verification.
11. Disclaimers
11.1 No Warranty
THE ECHO PLATFORM IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE," WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED. TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ECHO DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, TITLE, NON-INFRINGEMENT, AND ANY WARRANTIES ARISING FROM COURSE OF DEALING OR USAGE OF TRADE.
11.2 User Content Disclaimer
ECHO DOES NOT ENDORSE, VERIFY, OR GUARANTEE THE ACCURACY, COMPLETENESS, TRUTHFULNESS, RELIABILITY, OR LAWFULNESS OF ANY USER-SUBMITTED CONTENT, INCLUDING REVIEWS, RATINGS, COMMENTS, OR FORUM POSTS. REVIEWS REFLECT THE PERSONAL OPINIONS OF THE SUBMITTING REVIEWER AND DO NOT REPRESENT THE VIEWS OF ECHO. ECHO MAKES NO REPRESENTATION THAT ANY CONTENT IS SUITABLE FOR USE IN EMPLOYMENT, HIRING, PROMOTION, OR OTHER PERSONNEL DECISIONS.
11.3 No Professional Advice
NOTHING ON THE ECHO PLATFORM CONSTITUTES LEGAL, EMPLOYMENT, PROFESSIONAL, OR BUSINESS ADVICE. YOU SHOULD NOT RELY ON ECHO CONTENT FOR EMPLOYMENT DECISIONS, LEGAL PROCEEDINGS, OR ANY OTHER CONSEQUENTIAL PURPOSES.
11.4 Service Availability
ECHO DOES NOT WARRANT THAT THE PLATFORM WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED, ERROR-FREE, SECURE, OR FREE FROM VIRUSES OR OTHER HARMFUL COMPONENTS. ECHO RESERVES THE RIGHT TO MODIFY, SUSPEND, OR DISCONTINUE THE PLATFORM (OR ANY PART THEREOF) AT ANY TIME WITHOUT NOTICE.
11.5 AI-Generated Content
Certain Platform features incorporate AI-generated outputs, including organization profile summaries and industry classifications generated by Google Gemini. These outputs may be inaccurate, incomplete, or reflect the limitations of AI systems. Echo does not warrant the accuracy of AI-generated content and encourages users to verify such information independently.
12. Limitation of Liability
TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, IN NO EVENT SHALL ECHO, ITS OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS, LICENSORS, OR SERVICE PROVIDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO LOSS OF PROFITS, GOODWILL, DATA, BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES, OR OTHER INTANGIBLE LOSSES, ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THESE TERMS OR YOUR USE OF OR INABILITY TO USE THE PLATFORM, REGARDLESS OF THE THEORY OF LIABILITY (CONTRACT, TORT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR OTHERWISE) AND EVEN IF ECHO HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.
TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ECHO'S AGGREGATE LIABILITY TO YOU FOR ALL CLAIMS ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THESE TERMS OR THE PLATFORM SHALL NOT EXCEED THE GREATER OF: (A) THE TOTAL AMOUNT YOU HAVE PAID ECHO IN THE TWELVE (12) MONTHS PRECEDING THE CLAIM; OR (B) ONE HUNDRED U.S. DOLLARS (USD $100).
Some jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion or limitation of certain damages; in such jurisdictions, the above limitations apply to the fullest extent permitted by law.
13. Indemnification
You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless Echo, its officers, directors, employees, agents, licensors, and service providers from and against any and all claims, damages, obligations, losses, liabilities, costs, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising from or relating to:
- Your use of the Platform, including any Content you submit;
- Your violation of these Terms;
- Your violation of any third-party right, including any intellectual property right, privacy right, or contractual right;
- Your violation of any applicable law or regulation, including any employment-related obligation, non-disclosure agreement, or confidentiality obligation;
- Any claim that your Content caused damage to a third party.
This indemnification obligation survives the termination or expiration of these Terms and your use of the Platform.
14. Platform Immunity (Section 230 CDA)
Echo is an interactive computer service within the meaning of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, 47 U.S.C. § 230. Echo does not create or author Reviews, comments, or forum posts; those are created solely by Users. Accordingly, to the extent permitted by applicable law, Echo shall not be treated as a publisher or speaker of any third-party Content for purposes of civil liability.
Section 230 immunity does not extend to: (i) Content created by Echo itself; (ii) federal criminal law; (iii) intellectual property claims; (iv) electronic privacy laws; or (v) sex trafficking laws. Echo's moderation decisions — including decisions to remove, retain, restrict, or decline to restrict Content — are made in good faith and do not constitute co-authorship of third-party Content.
Users who submit unlawful Content remain personally liable for that Content under applicable law. Echo's immunity does not shield individual Users from liability for their own submissions.
15. Employment Law Compliance
15.1 User Responsibility
You are solely responsible for ensuring that your use of Echo complies with all employment-related legal obligations to which you are subject, including but not limited to non-disclosure agreements, confidentiality clauses, non-disparagement agreements, trade secret protection obligations, and any applicable whistleblower or labor laws.
15.2 Prohibition on Confidential Disclosures
You must not disclose in any Review, comment, or forum post any information that is confidential, proprietary, or protected by a non-disclosure or confidentiality obligation owed to your current or former employer. This prohibition applies regardless of whether the information is labeled as confidential.
15.3 No Employment Decisions
Echo Content is not intended and should not be used as the basis for employment decisions, including decisions regarding hiring, termination, promotion, compensation, discipline, or any other adverse personnel action. Employers who become aware of Echo Content relating to their employees or former employees should not use that Content in employment decisions, as doing so may violate applicable employment, privacy, or labor laws. Echo expressly disclaims responsibility for the use of Platform Content in any employment decision context.
15.4 Anti-Retaliation
Echo prohibits the use of the Platform to retaliate against any individual for whistleblowing, reporting workplace misconduct, participating in protected labor activity, or exercising any legally protected right. Content submitted for retaliatory purposes violates these Terms and may be subject to removal.
15.5 Protected Characteristics
Reviews and other Content must not reference or be motivated by a person's race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, age, disability, pregnancy, marital status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable local, state, or federal law.
16. DMCA / Copyright Takedown Policy
16.1 Notification of Infringement
If you believe that Content on Echo infringes your copyright, you may submit a written notice of claimed infringement to Echo's designated agent at the contact information in Section 22. Your notice must include:
- An electronic or physical signature of the copyright owner or a person authorized to act on their behalf;
- A description of the copyrighted work you claim has been infringed;
- A description of where the allegedly infringing material is located on the Platform (e.g., a URL);
- Your contact information (name, address, telephone number, and email address);
- A statement that you have a good faith belief that use of the material is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law;
- A statement, made under penalty of perjury, that the information in your notice is accurate and that you are the copyright owner or authorized to act on the copyright owner's behalf.
16.2 Counter-Notification
If you believe Content was removed from Echo in error, you may submit a counter-notification to Echo's designated agent. Your counter-notification must include: your physical or electronic signature; identification of the removed material and its location before removal; a statement, under penalty of perjury, that you have a good faith belief the material was removed by mistake; your name, address, and telephone number; and a consent to jurisdiction of the federal court in the district in which you reside.
16.3 Repeat Infringers
Echo will terminate the accounts of Users who are determined to be repeat infringers of intellectual property rights.
17. International Users
Echo is operated from the United States. If you access or use the Platform from outside the United States, you do so at your own initiative and are responsible for compliance with all applicable local laws. By using Echo from outside the United States, you consent to the transfer of your personal data to the United States and to other countries where Echo's third-party service providers operate, and acknowledge that such transfers may involve countries with data protection laws that differ from those in your country of residence.
Echo is committed to complying with applicable international data protection laws. Users in the European Economic Area (EEA), United Kingdom, and other regions with specific data rights may have additional rights regarding their personal data, as described in Section 9.4 and in Echo's Privacy Policy. If you are accessing Echo from a jurisdiction where such a platform may be regulated or prohibited, you are solely responsible for compliance with applicable local laws.
18. Modifications to These Terms
Echo reserves the right to modify these Terms at any time. When we make material changes, we will update the "Effective Date" at the top of these Terms and, where feasible, provide notice to Registered Users via email or an in-Platform notification. Minor or non-material changes may be made without advance notice.
Your continued use of the Platform after any modification to these Terms constitutes your binding acceptance of the revised Terms. If you do not agree with any modified Terms, you must immediately cease using the Platform and may delete your account. It is your responsibility to review these Terms periodically.
19. Account Termination and Suspension
19.1 Termination by Echo
Echo reserves the right to suspend, restrict, or permanently terminate your account and access to the Platform at any time, with or without notice, for reasons including but not limited to:
- Violation of these Terms, including any Content Standards or Prohibited Conduct;
- Fraudulent, abusive, or illegal conduct;
- Submission of fraudulent verification documentation;
- Receipt of a valid legal demand requiring account action;
- Prolonged account inactivity;
- Technical or security reasons;
- Echo's decision to discontinue the Platform or a feature.
19.2 Termination by You
You may terminate your account at any time by contacting Echo at the address in Section 22 or through any account deletion feature made available on the Platform. Upon termination, your access to the Platform will cease. Content you have previously submitted may remain on the Platform in accordance with Echo's data retention policies and these Terms, including Section 7.4.
19.3 Effect of Termination
Upon termination for any reason: (i) all rights and licenses granted to you under these Terms will immediately cease; (ii) provisions that by their nature should survive termination will continue in effect, including Sections 8 (Intellectual Property), 11 (Disclaimers), 12 (Limitation of Liability), 13 (Indemnification), 20 (Governing Law and Dispute Resolution), and any other provisions that by their nature survive; and (iii) Echo may retain data relating to your account as required for legal compliance or legitimate operational purposes.
20. Governing Law and Dispute Resolution
20.1 Governing Law
These Terms, and any dispute arising out of or related to these Terms or the Platform, shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of [STATE], United States, without regard to its conflict of laws principles.
20.2 Informal Resolution
Before initiating formal legal proceedings, you agree to first contact Echo in writing at the address in Section 22 describing your dispute and proposed resolution. The parties agree to attempt to resolve the dispute informally for a period of thirty (30) days from the date of your written notice. If the dispute is not resolved within thirty (30) days, either party may pursue formal dispute resolution as described below.
20.3 Binding Arbitration
EXCEPT FOR CLAIMS THAT MAY BE BROUGHT IN SMALL CLAIMS COURT, ALL DISPUTES ARISING OUT OF OR RELATED TO THESE TERMS OR THE PLATFORM SHALL BE RESOLVED BY FINAL AND BINDING ARBITRATION ADMINISTERED BY THE AMERICAN ARBITRATION ASSOCIATION ("AAA") UNDER ITS CONSUMER ARBITRATION RULES, RATHER THAN IN COURT. THE ARBITRATION WILL BE CONDUCTED IN ENGLISH, AND JUDGMENT ON THE AWARD MAY BE ENTERED IN ANY COURT OF COMPETENT JURISDICTION. YOU AND ECHO EACH WAIVE THE RIGHT TO A JURY TRIAL AND THE RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE AS A PLAINTIFF OR CLASS MEMBER IN ANY CLASS ACTION, COLLECTIVE ACTION, OR REPRESENTATIVE ACTION PROCEEDING. THE ARBITRATOR MAY NOT CONSOLIDATE MORE THAN ONE PERSON'S CLAIMS AND MAY NOT OTHERWISE PRESIDE OVER ANY FORM OF CLASS OR REPRESENTATIVE PROCEEDING.
Nothing in this Section prohibits either party from seeking injunctive or other equitable relief from a court to prevent or stop irreparable harm pending the outcome of arbitration.
20.4 Venue
For any claims not subject to arbitration under Section 20.3, or for purposes of enforcing an arbitration award, the parties consent to exclusive personal jurisdiction and venue in the state and federal courts located in [CITY, STATE].
21. Miscellaneous
21.1 Entire Agreement
These Terms, together with the Privacy Policy and any other policies or agreements incorporated by reference, constitute the entire agreement between you and Echo with respect to the Platform and supersede all prior agreements, understandings, representations, and warranties.
21.2 Severability
If any provision of these Terms is found to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable under applicable law, the remaining provisions will continue in full force and effect. The invalid provision will be modified to the minimum extent necessary to make it enforceable.
21.3 Waiver
Echo's failure to enforce any right or provision under these Terms shall not constitute a waiver of that right or provision. Any waiver must be in writing and signed by Echo to be effective.
21.4 Assignment
You may not assign, transfer, delegate, or sublicense your rights or obligations under these Terms without Echo's prior written consent. Echo may freely assign these Terms in connection with a merger, acquisition, sale of assets, or operation of law, without your consent.
21.5 Force Majeure
Echo shall not be liable for any delay or failure in performance resulting from causes beyond Echo's reasonable control, including acts of God, war, terrorism, government action, natural disasters, internet outages, or failures of third-party service providers.
21.6 No Third-Party Beneficiaries
These Terms are for the benefit of you and Echo only, and are not intended to confer any benefit on any third party.
21.7 Electronic Communications
By using Echo, you consent to receive communications from Echo electronically, including via email, in-Platform notifications, and other electronic means. You agree that such electronic communications satisfy any legal requirement that communications be in writing.
21.8 Language
These Terms are written in English. To the extent any translated version of these Terms conflicts with the English version, the English version shall control.
22. Contact Information
For questions about these Terms, to exercise data rights, to report a legal issue, to submit a DMCA notice or counter-notice, or for any other Platform-related inquiry, please contact Echo at:
Echo / EchoCore
Website: https://www.echocore.net
Email: support@echocore.net
Mailing Address: 351 Marin Blvd Unit 3511, Jersey City, NJ 07302, USA
For DMCA / copyright matters specifically, please mark your correspondence "DMCA Notice" and direct it to the contact above.
This Terms of Service document was last updated on March 1, 2026. Echo is committed to maintaining a professional, trustworthy, and fair platform for workplace feedback.