Policies & Publications

Terms and Conditions

The SBS website network ("Network") is owned and operated by the Special Broadcasting Service Corporation ("SBS"). By using the Network, you agree to comply with the Terms of Use listed on this web page and elsewhere within the Network ("Terms of Use"). You also agree to comply with section 4 of the Terms of Use (“User Participation”) when you contribute to third party social media platforms where SBS has a branded presence (for example, when you post content to an SBS program-related Facebook page or to an SBS Twitter account). SBS may amend the Terms of Use from time to time without prior notice.

1. Copyright

1.1 All information, artwork, graphics, text, copy, data, software, advertisements and other material included in the Network ("Material") is SBS’s or its licensor’s copyright material. All Material is protected in Australia by the Copyright Act 1968 and by applicable legislation in other jurisdictions. All rights not expressly granted by these Conditions of Use are reserved.

1.2 Material may not be reproduced, distributed, downloaded, uploaded, modified, adapted or communicated to the public in whole or in part except as set out below:

(a) You may retrieve Material for personal, non-commercial purposes only;
(b) You may save a local, temporary copy of Material or send it to your printer for your own personal, non-commercial use or in order to inform authorised and potential users about Material. Any commercial exploitation of Material included on the Network is expressly forbidden;
(c) Educational institutions and/or government may be permitted to copy publications, audio and/or audio-visual files in accordance with the Copyright Act. For more information about educational statutory licences (Parts VA and VB), please contact Copyright Agency Limited (CAL) on (02) 9394 7600; or Screenrights - audio-visual (licensing@screenrights.org).

1.3 Any copies of Material must be kept in the same form as shown on the Network and must include all copyright, trade mark and other proprietary notices.

1.4 You must not modify any Material without the written permission of SBS.

1.5 For copyright conditions relating to user-generated content, see clauses 4,4 and 4.5 below.

2. Trademarks

2.1 You must not use any SBS Trademark without the prior written permission of SBS. “SBS Trademarks” include the SBS name and logo and any other trademarks registered by SBS.

2.2 Other product, service and company names and logos displayed on the Network may be trademarks of third parties and may only be used with the permission of the relevant third party.

3. Advertisements and links to third party sites

3.1 The Network contains links to other third party websites. These websites are not within the control of SBS and SBS makes no representations or warranties about the accuracy, appropriateness or completeness of content of any other website which may be accessed directly or indirectly through the Network. Links are provided as a courtesy only and in no way should be interpreted as an endorsement by SBS. You acknowledge that you click on links to other websites entirely at your own risk.

3.2 The Network also contains non-SBS advertisements which contain links or which refer you to third party websites. All third party advertising is paid for by the relevant third party advertisers and are not recommendations or endorsements by SBS or its partners of the products and services advertised. Please contact the relevant advertiser for all information regarding the advertiser and its products or services.

3.3 Non-SBS advertisements may contain representations or offers by advertisers which you can accept by clicking on links to the advertiser's website and accepting the advertised offer. Such offers are not made by SBS, and the third party advertiser is solely responsible to you for the security of your data or information, or delivery of any goods or services you purchase from that third party website.

4. User Participation

4.1 The Network contains opportunities for you to make contributions, including to blogs and forums (“Contributions”).  SBS’s participation in third party social media platforms may also enable you to make Contributions (for example, to an SBS Facebook page or an SBS Twitter account).

4.2 While SBS encourages robust debate and discussion, all users should treat each other with tolerance, courtesy and respect.

4.3 SBS does not endorse the opinions contained in the Contributions. While SBS seeks to represent a range of significant perspectives on issues of public interest in the programs it broadcasts on SBS’s television and radio services, and online content produced by SBS and published on the Network (or on social media platforms), the majority of these Contributions are created by members of the public and reflect the opinions of those who choose to make Contributions, which may affect the balance of opinions contained in the Contributions.

4.4 By submitting a Contribution, you grant to SBS a perpetual, royalty free, non-exclusive, unrestricted worldwide licence to do the following in relation to your Contribution:

(a) use, copy, communicate, redistribute or adapt the Contribution, and
(b) sublicense to any third party the same rights.

4.5 In order for SBS to use your Contribution (whether it is text, a photograph, video, audio or otherwise), you confirm and warrant that it is your own original work, that it is not in breach of any law (whether the laws of Australia or another jurisdiction), that you have the right to make the Contribution and that you have the consent of anyone who is identifiable in your Contribution.

4.6 All Contributions are published at SBS’s sole discretion. Your Contribution may be edited or removed or not published if SBS considers it to be:

(a) false, misleading or in breach of any law, whether the laws of Australia or another jurisdiction, including defamation, contempt of court, privacy, discrimination, harassment, and racial vilification;
(b) an infringement of intellectual property rights (including in relation to copyright and trademarks), whether of SBS or a third person;
(c) expressing prejudice against any person or group on the basis of their race, ethnicity, nationality, sex, age, sexual preference, religion, disability, mental illness, or marital, parental or occupational status;
(d) abusive, offensive, insulting, hateful, violent, threatening, harassing, vulgar, sexually explicit, obscene or deliberately provocative towards other users;
(e) inappropriate, off-topic, repetitive of other Contributions, vexatious or in breach of any ‘house rules’ posted on the relevant site;
(f) an intrusion of privacy of any person, including the inappropriate provision of personal information (such as an email address, home address or phone number);
(g) an advertisement or promotion, including inappropriate or gratuitous references to a company or product, service, person, organisation or cause which unduly promotes that company or product, service, person, organisation or cause; or
(h) a solicitation for donations.

Further action may also be taken by SBS for serious or systematic breaches of these Terms of Use, including removing or banning you from the relevant site or suspending Contributions on a website.

4.7 You must not use your Contributions to impersonate any person, group or entity or misrepresent your affiliation with any person, group or entity.

4.8 You agree not to disrupt, modify or interfere with the Network or its associated software, hardware and/or servers in any way, and you agree not to impede or interfere with others' use of the Network. You agree that you will not post any content that contains viruses, corrupted files, or any other similar software or programs that may adversely affect the operation of the Network, or any feature of the Network.  You further agree not to alter or tamper with any information or materials on, or associated with, the Network.

4.9 You may be held legally responsible for the material you submit to the Network or to a social media platform, such as Facebook. SBS reserves the right to cooperate fully with any law enforcement authority in any jurisdiction regarding material which may violate any applicable law, including a request to disclose your identity or other information.  SBS reserves the right to inform your Internet Service Provider (“ISP”) if you breach any of the Terms of Use and you consent to the disclosure of your personal information to the ISP.

4.10 Children’s contributions should be supervised by an adult.

5. Registration 

5.1 To make Contributions, you may be required to register on the Network.

5.2 In order to register, you may be required to choose a password, a user name, and/or other registration information (collectively, “Registration Information”). You agree that all Registration Information provided by you will be accurate and up-to-date. If any of your Registration Information changes, you must update it by using the appropriate update mechanism on the Network.

5.3 Certain user names and images associated with your SBS profile may be unacceptable to SBS because they are offensive, misleading, use company or organisation names, names promoting political or religious issues or breach copyright, trademark or other laws.  SBS may refuse any user name or user image at its sole discretion.

5.4 SBS reserves the right to refuse to register any individual or group where SBS takes the view that the Contributions of that individual or group are likely to be vexatious, deliberately provocative of other users of the Network, in breach of discrimination, vilification or other laws or otherwise inappropriate for inclusion on the Network.  SBS may refuse to register any individual or group at its sole discretion.   Similarly, SBS reserves the right to suspend or terminate the registration of any individual or group at its sole discretion.

5.5 You will be responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your Registration Information. You may not authorise others to use your Registration Information.

5.6 You are responsible for all usage and activity on your account including, but not limited to, use of the account by any person who uses your Registration Information, with or without authorisation, or who has access to any computer on which your account resides or is accessible.

5.7 You should not associate the same email address with more than one registration.

5.8 If you have reason to believe that your account is no longer secure (for example, in the event of unauthorised use), you must promptly change the affected Registration Information by using the update mechanism on the Network and notify SBS.

5.9 Any personal information supplied to SBS in the registration process will be treated in accordance with SBS’s Privacy policy. SBS may show your registered name and location next to your comment. SBS advises that you should be cautious about revealing any other personal information about yourself when making Contributions.

5.10 You acknowledge that it may be possible for your Contributions to be read and accessed by users of the Network who are not registered users.

6. Disclaimer

6.1 SBS makes no claims and makes no representations as to the content or suitability of the information on the Network for any purpose.

6.2 SBS does not warrant that the Network will be provided on an uninterrupted basis, that your access to the Network will be error-free or that the Material will be free of any viruses or defects that may damage your computer. You acknowledge that you must take your own precautions as to virus checking and security of your computer and any network of which it forms part.

6.3 All other warranties, whether express or implied, in relation to the Network (including, without limitation, implied warranties as to merchantability and fitness for purpose) are expressly excluded, except where such exclusion is prohibited by legislation.

6.4 SBS will not be liable for any losses, claims or damages whatsoever including special, indirect or consequential damages, loss of revenue or loss of data as a result of the use of the Network.

7. Termination or suspension of access to the Network

SBS has the right to terminate and/or suspend your ability to access the Network (or any part of it), for any or no reason, or may prevent your use of the Network with or without notice to you.  You agree that you do not have any rights in the Network and that SBS will have no liability to you if the Network is discontinued or your ability to access it is terminated.