Terms of Service

You agree to the terms below, and to the Terms of Use of Substack, the technology provider.

1. Introduction

Welcome to Rana Ayyub’s Substack, an independent journalism and commentary platform operated by Rana Ayyub.

This publication provides original reporting, analysis, commentary, essays, interviews, newsletters, audio/video material, and subscriber communications focused on politics, human rights, democracy, media, global affairs, and related subjects.

By subscribing to or accessing this publication, you agree to these Terms of Service.

2. Subscription Terms

Free Subscribers

Free subscribers may access selected public posts, newsletters, and updates as decided by Rana.

Paid Subscribers

Paid subscribers may receive access to:

• Subscriber-only essays and investigations

• Audio/video conversations

• Community discussions or live sessions

• Early-access or exclusive reporting

• Archived material

• Commenting privileges

• Exclusive Q&A session

• Podcasts and interviews with newsmakers

Access levels may change over time at the discretion of the publication.

3. Billing, Cancellation & Refunds

Billing

Subscriptions are billed through Substack according to the billing cycle selected at purchase.

Cancellation

You may cancel your subscription at any time. Cancellation prevents future billing but does not automatically generate refunds for previous payments.

Refunds

Refund requests may be considered within 7 days of purchase in cases of:

• Duplicate billing

• Technical issues

• Accidental subscription purchases

Refunds are not guaranteed and may be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

4. Intellectual Property & Republishing

All content published through this platform — including articles, investigations, essays, videos, audio recordings, graphics, newsletters, and archives — remains the intellectual property of the publication unless otherwise stated.

You may not:

• Reproduce full articles without permission

• Republish paywalled material

• Distribute subscriber-only content publicly

• Sell, reproduce, scrape, or commercially exploit the content

• Use content in misleading or defamatory contexts

Reasonable quotation with attribution for commentary, criticism, or journalistic reference is permitted under applicable fair-use principles.

5. Accuracy, Reporting & Editorial Standards

This publication is committed to independent journalism and fact-based commentary. However:

• Opinions expressed are those of the author unless otherwise stated

• Reporting may evolve as new information becomes available

• Corrections, updates, or clarifications may be issued when necessary

Nothing published on this platform constitutes legal, financial, or professional advice.

6. Community Guidelines & Reader Conduct

Subscribers and readers agree not to:

• Harass, threaten, intimidate, or abuse other readers

• Engage in hate speech, doxxing, or targeted harassment

• Post defamatory, discriminatory, or unlawful material

• Impersonate others

• Disrupt discussions or misuse platform features

The publication reserves the right to remove comments, suspend access, or block users who violate these standards.

For a high-profile journalist, this section is particularly important because of coordinated trolling and harassment risks.

7. Privacy & Confidentiality

Subscriber information is handled through Substack and subject to its privacy practices.

The publication does not sell subscriber data to third parties.

Any confidential communication, tips, or sources shared with the publication will be handled in accordance with journalistic ethics and applicable law, though absolute digital security cannot be guaranteed.

8. Third-Party Links & External Content

This publication may contain links to third-party websites, articles, videos, or resources.

The publication is not responsible for:

• External content

• Third-party privacy practices

• Accuracy or reliability of external sites

9. Limitation of Liability

Content is provided on an “as is” and “as available” basis.

The publication does not guarantee uninterrupted access, error-free delivery, or the permanent availability of archived material.

To the maximum extent permitted by law, the publication shall not be liable for indirect, incidental, consequential, or reputational damages arising from use of the platform.

10. Changes to These Terms

These Terms of Service may be updated periodically.

Continued use of the publication after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the revised terms.

11. Contact

For subscription issues, permissions, corrections, or legal concerns, contact: rana.ayyub@gmail.com