Istina

1. Platform Role

Istina acts solely as a technology platform that enables users to create, host, and participate in contests.

Istina is not the organizer, sponsor, or promoter of any contest and does not offer, fund, or guarantee prizes or prize pools.

2. Creator Responsibility

You are solely responsible for your contest, including:

its description and content,
the prizes you choose to offer,
compliance with applicable laws, and
communications with participants.
clearly stating all applicable contest rules in the contest description and making them available to participants prior to participation.

All applicable contest rules must be clearly stated in the contest description and made available to participants prior to participation.

For the avoidance of doubt, contest rules defined by the creator do not include the ranking logic, which is determined exclusively by Istina’s technical mechanisms.

You acknowledge that any promotion or marketing of a contest is your sole responsibility and must comply with applicable advertising, consumer protection, and promotional laws.

3. Contest Rules and Ranking

Participation in contests on Istina is open to all eligible Istina users, subject to the Terms of Service and applicable platform rules.

Contest ranking is determined automatically by Istina’s technical mechanisms and is not configurable by the creator.

Unless expressly stated otherwise in the contest description:

ranking is determined primarily by the number of likes received by eligible submissions; and
in the event of an equal number of likes, ranking is determined by the earliest valid submission.

You acknowledge and accept that:

the ranking logic is fixed and applied uniformly to all participants;
you cannot modify, influence, or override the ranking mechanism; and
Istina’s ranking system is provided on an “as is” basis and does not guarantee any particular outcome.

4. Prizes and Prize Pools

4.1 Creator-Funded Prizes

You may choose to offer prizes to contest participants, including prizes awarded to the top three (3) winners using Istina’s technical features.

All prizes are creator-funded. Istina does not provide, sponsor, or finance prizes or prize pools.

4.2 On-Chain Escrow Mechanism

For contests that include a prize pool, prize funds may be locked and managed through on-chain smart contracts that function as an escrow-like mechanism.

Prize funds remain non-custodial.
Istina does not have access to, custody of, or control over prize funds.
Istina cannot unilaterally withdraw, redirect, or use prize funds.

5. Curator Code and Participation Reward

Contests created using a valid curator code may be eligible for specific benefits.

Where a curator code is used at the time of creation, applicable platform fees for the contest creator may be waived.

In such cases, the curator associated with the code may be eligible to receive up to five percent (5%) of the total prize pool of the relevant contest, capped at 5,000 USDC per contest.

Any curator reward is conditional upon the successful completion of the contest and the effective distribution of the prize pool to the designated winners.

This program is offered for a limited period and may be modified, suspended, or discontinued at any time at Istina’s sole discretion.

A unique curator code will be provided to the curator after the curator application is accepted.

6. Prize Distribution and Istina Review

At the conclusion of a contest, prize distribution is subject to:

confirmation of results by you as the creator; and
review by Istina, acting reasonably and in good faith, that the applicable rules, platform conditions, and integrity requirements have been met.

“Istina review” is a procedural verification process and does not constitute sponsorship, funding, custody, or control of prize funds, nor the provision of escrow, payment, or money transmission services.

If you fail to confirm results within a reasonable time, Istina may take reasonable steps to verify results based on the information reasonably available and proceed in accordance with the stated rules.

7. Cancellation, Disputes, and Refunds

You agree to comply with the Event Cancellation & Refund Policy.

If you request cancellation of a contest, prize pools may be refunded only after verification by Istina and where technically possible.
If a contest has effectively concluded, or if cancellation would unfairly prejudice participants, Istina may approve prize distribution to eligible winner(s) notwithstanding a cancellation request.
Istina may pause prize distribution while disputes or reviews are conducted.

8. Legal Compliance and Jurisdictional Restrictions

You represent and warrant that your contest complies with all applicable laws and regulations in each jurisdiction where it is promoted or accessible, including but not limited to:

promotional contest, lottery, and gaming laws,
consumer-protection laws,
advertising restrictions,
youth-protection laws.

Certain contest formats or prize mechanisms may be restricted or prohibited in some jurisdictions.

Prohibited/Restricted Jurisdictions: Paid‑entry contests with prizes are prohibited or heavily regulated in certain jurisdictions (e.g., some US states may require registration or have strict rules; paid entry contests with prizes are prohibited in Vermont and Maryland, and are restricted in Arizona; some EU countries may restrict paid contests).

You must be very careful if creating contests or targeting users in these areas — additional registration/bonding may be required. Check local laws before proceeding. Additional registration may be required elsewhere.

Istina does not assess or guarantee compliance. Creators are solely responsible for determining whether registration, bonding, or disclosure obligations apply in their jurisdiction.

Violations may result in immediate suspension / cancellation.

9. Prohibited Content and Targeting

You must not create or promote a contest that:

targets or is intended to attract minors under the age of 18;
promotes alcohol, tobacco, vaping products, drugs, controlled substances, prescription medicines, or medical treatments;
encourages unlawful, harmful, or unsafe behavior.

10. Consumer Rights

Nothing in this declaration limits any mandatory consumer rights that cannot be excluded under applicable law.

11. Consumer Law Disclosure

You acknowledge that certain EU/EEA consumers may have statutory withdrawal rights unless they expressly consent to immediate performance and acknowledge the loss of such rights. You agree not to misrepresent withdrawal or refund rights and to comply with applicable consumer protection laws when promoting your contest.

12. Enforcement

Istina reserves the right to suspend, modify, or remove any contest, submission, or related content at any time if necessary to:

enforce its Terms or policies,
prevent fraud, abuse, or manipulation,
comply with legal or regulatory obligations, or
protect participants or the integrity of the Service.

13. Acceptance of Governing Documents

By publishing a contest, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by:

You acknowledge that participants in your contest are subject to the applicable Contest Participation Rules (Participant Notice), which you must not contradict or override.

You are responsible for ensuring that your description and rules are consistent with the applicable Participation Rules.

Contest Creator Declaration