Terms of Service for Freelance Advisor

Last updated: November 2025

We've tried to make these terms as straightforward as possible - no legal jargon where we can avoid it. Please read them carefully before you start using the app.

The Quick Summary (but please read the full terms too!)

  • This is a research project run by Edinburgh Napier University to help freelancers support each other

  • You'll share advice with other freelancers and can get AI-powered suggestions too

  • Your personal details stay private - we only use your email to set up your account

  • Your questions and answers will be anonymised and used for research

  • You can withdraw anytime during the 3-week pilot

  • Complete the pilot (3 questions + 3 answers per week, plus pre- and post-test short surveys) and you'll be entered into a draw for one of 30 × £30 vouchers

  • This is peer advice, not professional advice - always get proper legal or financial advice for important decisions

1. What is Freelance Advisor?

Freelance Advisor is a web-based research project run by Edinburgh Napier University. We're building and testing a platform where creative freelancers can ask questions and share advice with their peers.

The research aim: We want to understand how peer advice systems can help creative freelancers, especially those newer to the career. We're also exploring how AI can complement peer advice (but never replace real people!).

Why we're doing this: There's a gap in support for freelancers. By creating this platform, we'll:

  • Help you access reliable advice from other freelancers

  • Build a database of questions and answers that helps researchers understand the challenges freelancers face

  • Inform government policy on supporting creative freelancers

This research has received approval from the School Research Integrity Committee at Edinburgh Napier University's Business School.

2. Who Can Use This App?

You must:

  • Be 18 years or older

  • Be a freelancer working in the creative industries

  • Provide a valid email address

By signing up, you confirm you meet these requirements.

3. How to Sign Up

You'll need to create an account using your email address and this email will be used for verification purposes.

When you register, we'll ask you for:

  • Your email address

  • Your sector (area of work)

  • Your job role/title

  • Your skills and how you'd rate them

  • How many years of experience you have

4. What You're Agreeing to Do

This is a research study, so there are a few things we need you to do:

During the 3-week pilot, you agree to:

  1. Submit 3 questions per week - ask about anything freelance-related where you need advice

  2. Answer 3 questions per week - share your experience to help others

  3. Complete a questionnaire at the end of the pilot

You also agree to:

  • Keep it appropriate - no abusive, threatening, or inappropriate content

  • Respect others - be helpful and constructive

  • Protect privacy (very important!) - never include personal information in your questions or answers. This means:

    • No full names (yours or anyone else's)

    • No email addresses or phone numbers

    • No specific company names if it could identify someone

    • No addresses or other identifying details

  • Choose a username that doesn't reveal your real identity

  • Not use the platform for spam, advertising, or anything illegal

  • Remember this is peer advice, not professional advice

5. About the AI Feature

When you submit a question, you can choose whether to:

  • Share it only with other freelancers on the platform, OR

  • Also get an AI-generated response

Here's what you should know about our AI:

  • The AI system runs locally on Edinburgh Napier University's own servers

  • Your data never leaves the university server - it's not sent to external AI companies

  • Real people moderate everything - we check all queries to ensure no personal data gets processed

  • The AI learns from the peer advice on the platform to give helpful suggestions

  • The AI is here to help, not replace anyone - it's a tool to complement the advice from real freelancers

6. Content Moderation

All questions and answers will be monitored by the research team to ensure:

  • No personal or identifying information is being shared

  • Content is appropriate and not abusive

  • The system isn't being misused

If we find content that breaks these terms, we may remove it and, in serious cases, remove your access to the platform.

7. Editing and Deleting Your Content

During the pilot: You can contact us at h.patrick@napier.ac.uk to request changes or deletion of your questions/answers.

After the pilot concludes: Your content will be anonymised and retained for research purposes, so it won't be possible to remove individual contributions.

8. Your Reward for Participating

If you complete the full pilot study (all the questions, answers, and the final questionnaire), you'll be entered into a prize draw to win one of 30 × £30 vouchers to a Social Supermarket.

Winners will be notified by email after the pilot concludes.

9. Withdrawing from the Study

You can withdraw at any time during the 3-week pilot by emailing Dr Holly Patrick-Thomson at h.patrick@napier.ac.uk.

If you withdraw:

  • Your account will be closed

  • Your data will be removed from the database

  • You won't be eligible for the prize draw

After the pilot concludes, the data is anonymised and becomes part of the research dataset, so individual contributions can't be removed. However, your personal details (email address) will already have been deleted or separated from the data.

10. What Happens to the App After the Pilot?

The pilot runs for 3 weeks. After that:

  • The app will be paused while we analyse the data

  • We'll seek funding to build a full version

  • If we launch the full version, we'll contact you (if you've consented to us keeping your email) to let you know

11. Intellectual Property

Your content: You retain ownership of the questions and answers you post. By using the platform, you give Edinburgh Napier University permission to use your anonymised contributions for research, academic publications, and policy work.

The platform: All rights in the Freelance Advisor platform, including its design, code, and functionality, belong to Edinburgh Napier University.

12. Disclaimer - This is Peer Advice, Not Professional Advice

Please read this carefully:

Freelance Advisor provides a platform for peer-to-peer advice sharing. This means:

  • Advice comes from other freelancers based on their personal experiences

  • Some responses may come from people with expertise in certain areas, but these are still not a substitute for professional or legal advice

  • The AI suggestions are based on patterns in peer advice and are not professional recommendations

  • We do not verify the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of any advice shared on the platform

For important decisions - especially legal, financial, tax, or contractual matters - always consult a qualified professional.

By using this platform, you acknowledge that:

  • You use all advice at your own risk

  • Edinburgh Napier University is not responsible for any decisions you make based on advice received

  • Neither the university nor the research team can be held liable for any loss, damage, or problems arising from advice shared on the platform

13. Our Responsibilities (and Limitations)

We will:

  • Run the platform to the best of our ability during the pilot

  • Protect your data according to our Privacy Policy

  • Moderate content to keep the platform safe and appropriate

  • Respond to your questions and concerns

However:

  • This is a research pilot, so the platform may have bugs or limitations

  • We can't guarantee the platform will be available 24/7 without interruption

  • We're not responsible for the accuracy of peer advice shared

  • We're not liable for any technical issues, data loss, or problems arising from your use of the platform (except where we're legally required to be)

14. Changes to These Terms

We may update these terms during the pilot if needed. If we make significant changes, we'll email you. Continuing to use the platform after changes means you accept the new terms.

15. Ending Your Access

We may suspend or terminate your access if:

  • You breach these terms

  • You post inappropriate, abusive, or harmful content

  • You attempt to compromise the security of the platform

  • We're required to do so by law

16. General Legal Stuff

Governing law: These terms are governed by the laws of Scotland, and any disputes will be handled by Scottish courts.

Entire agreement: These terms, together with our Privacy Policy, make up the whole agreement between you and Edinburgh Napier University regarding your use of Freelance Advisor.

Severability: If any part of these terms is found to be unenforceable, the rest still applies.

17. Questions or Problems?

For questions about the research or the app:
Dr Holly Patrick-Thomson (Principal Investigator)
Email: h.patrick@napier.ac.uk

For formal complaints:
Edinburgh Napier University
219 Colinton Road
Edinburgh EH14 1DJ

About your data:
See our separate Privacy Policy for full details about how we handle your information.

Thank you for being part of this research. Your participation helps us understand and support the creative freelance community better!