Terms of Service

Last updated: June 30, 2026

These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your access to and use of thecarolinawire.com and related pages operated by The Carolina Wire ("we," "us," or "our"). By using the site, you agree to these Terms. If you do not agree, please do not use the site.

1. About the service

The Carolina Wire is an independent, online-only local news publication focused on hospitality and retail coverage in the North Carolina Piedmont. We publish journalism for general public readership. The site is provided free of charge for personal, non-commercial use unless we expressly state otherwise.

2. Permitted use

You may read our content, share links to our stories on social media or by email, and contact us through the methods we make available. You may quote brief excerpts of our work with proper attribution and a link back to the original story where applicable.

3. Prohibited conduct

You agree not to:

• Use the site in any way that violates applicable law or regulation
• Attempt to gain unauthorized access to our systems, accounts, or infrastructure
• Scrape, crawl, or harvest content or data from the site through automated means without our prior written permission
• Interfere with the security, availability, or performance of the site
• Republish, reproduce, or distribute our content for commercial purposes without written permission
• Misrepresent your affiliation with The Carolina Wire or impersonate our staff

4. Intellectual property

Articles, photographs, graphics, logos, design elements, and other materials published by The Carolina Wire are protected by copyright and other intellectual property laws unless otherwise noted. We retain all rights not expressly granted in these Terms.

You may not copy, modify, distribute, sell, or create derivative works from our content except as permitted by law (such as fair use) or with our prior written consent. Third-party trademarks or materials appearing on the site remain the property of their respective owners.

5. User submissions

If you send us a tip, correction, message, document, image, or other material — including through our contact form or by email — you represent that you have the right to share it and that it is accurate to the best of your knowledge. You grant us a non-exclusive license to use submitted material for editorial, reporting, and operational purposes related to our newsroom.

We are not obligated to publish, respond to, or retain any submission. Do not submit confidential, proprietary, or unlawful material without permission.

6. Accuracy and disclaimers

We strive for accuracy and fairness in our reporting and issue corrections when errors are identified. However, the site and its content are provided for general information only. Nothing on the site constitutes legal, financial, medical, or other professional advice. You should not rely on the site as a substitute for professional advice or independent verification.

Opinions expressed in our work are those of the author(s) as of the date published, unless clearly labeled otherwise. News content reflects information available at the time of publication and may change as new facts emerge.

7. Third-party links

Our stories and pages may link to third-party websites or services. Those sites are not under our control, and we are not responsible for their content, policies, or practices. Your use of third-party sites is at your own risk and subject to their terms.

8. Disclaimer of warranties

The site and all content are provided on an "as is" and "as available" basis without warranties of any kind, whether express or implied, including implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement. We do not warrant that the site will be uninterrupted, error-free, or free of harmful components.

9. Limitation of liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, The Carolina Wire and its owners, contributors, and affiliates will not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, or any loss of profits, data, or goodwill, arising from your use of the site or reliance on its content.

Our total liability for any claim related to the site will not exceed the greater of fifty U.S. dollars ($50) or the amount you paid us to access the site in the twelve months before the claim (which, for most readers, is zero).

10. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless The Carolina Wire from any claims, damages, losses, or expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising from your misuse of the site, your violation of these Terms, or your violation of any third-party rights.

11. Changes to these Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. When we do, we will revise the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. Continued use of the site after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms.

12. Governing law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of North Carolina, without regard to conflict-of-law principles. Any dispute arising from these Terms or your use of the site will be brought in the state or federal courts located in North Carolina, and you consent to their jurisdiction.

13. Severability

If any provision of these Terms is found to be unenforceable, the remaining provisions will remain in full force and effect.

14. Contact

Questions about these Terms may be sent to news@thecarolinawire.com or through our contact page.

See also our Privacy Policy, which explains how we handle personal information.