The Blackbook Traveler website is provided for the sole purpose of sharing first-hand information, experiences, comments and opinions relating to safety, security and health issues or incidents experienced by travelers world-wide. The site is intended to provide travelers with information that may assist in planning safe travel. The site should not be considered a replacement for undertaking independent research and heeding travel warnings as supplied by governments and other travel advisory services.

For the purpose of this website and under our terms and conditions the word traveler when mentioned is defined to mean 'a person on a journey to a distant or unfamiliar place outside the town in which they normally reside'. Likewise, the word traveling refers to 'a journey to a distant or unfamiliar place outside the town in which that person normally resides'.

This website is offered to you (the user accessing the website) upon acceptance of the terms, conditions and notices (collectively called the 'Agreement') outlined as follows. By accessing and using this website in any manner, you agree to be bound by this Agreement. Please read the Agreement in full. If you do not accept all of these terms and conditions, you are not authorized to use this website. We reserve the right at any time to update or change these terms and conditions. We suggest you review this page from time to time to access the most up to date version. Your continued access to this website signifies acceptance of the updated or amended Agreement.

Website Use

As a condition of use of this website you affirm that:

(a) all information supplied by you is a true, honest, accurate and first-hand.

(b) all information will be posted in the English language.

(c) If you are registered with Blackbooktraveler.com you will keep your account information confidential or be held responsible for use of your account by persons other than yourself.

(d) the incident you submitted took place while you were traveling.

(e) you have no past or current personal or direct business relationship or business competition with any place of business or people from that business you may mention in reporting an incident.

(f) you are 14 years or older to be able to register for this website.

(g) you understand submitting reports to this website on alleged incidents involving a crime is not the same as reporting the alleged incident to police. To report an alleged incident to the police you must contact police separately. Blackbook Traveler does not forward information from this website to police, nor is it within our capabilities to do so. However, Blackbook Traveler will comply with, and provide necessary information in response to, a reasonable law enforcement agency request.

(h) Blackbook Traveler may from time to time email you with information including but not limited to newsletters, alerts and updates. You may opt-out of receiving this information.

Ownership of Content

The contents on this website (including but not limited to any submissions, comments, messages, posts, tributes, text, photos, data, graphics, icons, music, video, code and the infrastructure used to provide such content) is the property of Blackbook Traveler.

Please be aware that by submitting incident reports, travel stories, tributes, ideas, suggestions and any other content onto this site directly or to us via email you grant Blackbook Traveler non-exclusive, royalty-free, perpetual, transferable, irrevocable and a fully sub-licensable right to:

1) produce, use, adapt, translate, modify, distribute, publish, create derivative works from and publicly display and perform such submissions throughout the world in any media.

2) use the name you submit in connection with that submission.

3) lawfully pursue any persons that infringe yours or Blackbook Traveler's rights in relation to the above points regarding unauthorised reproduction of submissions.

By submitting content to this website you also agree to forever waive and agree not to claim or assert any entitlement to any moral rights as an author of the content.

You agree not to use this website or its contents for commercial purposes.

If you would like to reproduce in any format or repost any content from this website, other than through direct social media share options provided through the website, you will need to email us at Blackbook Traveler and first gain permission. You otherwise agree not to copy, modify, distribute, transmit, display, perform, reproduce, publish, license, create derivative works from, transfer, sell or re-sell any information or software obtained from or through this website.

Submissions, comments and tributes to the Incident Log and the Spine Forum

You acknowledge that all member submissions and comments to the Incident Log and member tributes submitted to the Missing Pages are not confidential and may be shared via social media.

A Blackbook Traveler member may access the Blackbook Traveler website via a Facebook account.  If accessing the Blackbook Traveller website via a Facebook account, you acknowledge and agree that your Facebook profile, including the profile name of your Facebook account will be publicly available when you post a submission, comment or tribute to the Blackbook Traveler website.

You acknowledge that all member submissions and comments to the Incident Log and member tributes submitted to the Missing Pages are moderated.

Submissions, comments and tributes are moderated as quickly as possible.

Our decision to publish, reject, edit or remove any submission, comment or tribute is based on the information available to us.

If you consider a submission, comment or tribute to be inappropriate, we encourage you to click the Report Abuse button which appears throughout the site and provide us with supporting information as to why the submission, comment or tribute is inappropriate.

Upon clicking the Report Abuse button, we will reassess the submission, comment or tribute with the further information and supporting material provided as quickly as possible. 

Submissions, comments or tributes are considered inappropriate and will be subject to editing, rejection or removal if the content:

(a) is not based on a genuine first-hand experience;

(b) is not based on true facts;

(c) contains swear words;

(d) contains offensive or derogatory material;

(e) is libelous;

(f) is in contempt of court;

(g) infringes intellectual property rights;

(h) contains content that impersonates any person or entity or misrepresents your affiliation with a person or entity including Blackbook Traveler;

(i) contains any advertising, promotions or spamming;

(j) is written by a business owner about a competitor;

(k) contains private information or that of any third party, including without limitation surnames (family name), phone numbers, addresses, email addresses and credit card numbers or

(l) is not written in English.

A breach of any of these conditions may result in member privileges or access being revoked without warning.

Upon clicking the Report Abuse button to notify us of an inappropriate submission, comment or tribute, we encourage you to provide us with as much detail and supporting information as possible to assist the moderation process.

If the submission, comment or tribute is subsequently deemed inappropriate by Blackbook Traveler with the benefit of further information, it will be removed. The Blackbook Traveler member who posted the submission, comment or tribute will be sent an email explaining why the post was rejected or removed. If the post continues to otherwise meet Blackbook Traveler’s guidelines, then the post will remain on the website.

If a business owner flags a submission or comment about their business as inappropriate by clicking on the Report Abuse button, the submission or comment will be removed from the website following notification and held in abeyance pending our review. The business owner will be requested to explain why the submission or comment is inappropriate and the Blackbook Traveler member who posted the submission or comment in question will be requested to explain within seven days why the post should remain on the website.

If the post is subsequently deemed inappropriate by Blackbook Traveler with the benefit of further information, it will be permanently removed or reinstated.

The decision is final and no further correspondence will be entered into.  Blackbook Traveler will not accept phone calls or emails about inappropriate posts.  All inappropriate posts must be flagged via the Report Abuse button on the website.

Blackbook Traveler is not liable for any statements, representations, mistakes, slander, libel, defamation, injurious falsehood, obscenity or pornography you may encounter. For the avoidance of doubt, we are not aware of libelous content until it is brought to our attention via the Report Abuse button.

Please be aware that making false reports via this website may lead to civil proceedings and criminal charges.

Submissions to the Spine Forum

This website contains interactive areas including the Spine Forum where you can post reports, tributes, opinions and other materials relating to travel experiences. You are solely responsible for submissions and comments made to the Spine Forum and use it at your own risk. You are also solely responsible for keeping copies of anything you upload that might be deleted from this website.

You acknowledge that all member submissions and comments to the Spine Forum are not confidential and may be shared via email.

By using the Spine Forum, you expressly agree not to post, upload, create or publish through the site content that:

(a) is not based on a genuine first-hand experience;

(b) is not based on true facts;

(c) contains swear words;

(d) contains offensive or derogatory material;

(e) is libelous;

(f) is in contempt of court;

(g) infringes intellectual property rights;

(h) contains content that impersonates any person or entity or misrepresents your affiliation with a person or entity including Blackbook Traveler;

(i) contains any advertising, promotions or spamming;

(j) is written by a business owner about a competitor;

(k) contains private information or that of any third party, including without limitation surnames (family name), phone numbers, addresses, email addresses and credit card numbers or

(l) is not written in English.

A breach of any of these conditions may result in member privileges or access being revoked without warning.

Please be aware that making false reports via this website may lead to civil proceedings and criminal charges.

Travel Destination Warnings

Blackbook Traveler encourages travelers to review global travel warnings and announcements issued by national government bodies in your own country and those issued by the government in the country you plan to travel to before making any travel arrangements.

By listing information on our website relating to travel destinations, Blackbook Traveler does not warrant that travel to any destination mentioned is advisable or without risk and Blackbook Traveler is not liable for damages or losses resulting from travel to such destinations.

Other Disclaimers

Blackbook Traveler disclaims all warranties and conditions that this website, its server or any email sent from us is free from viruses or other harmful components.

To the maximum extent permitted by law Blackbook Traveler does not guarantee the accuracy of and disclaims all liability (including negligence) for any errors relating to information and content on this website.

Blackbook Traveler will not be liable for any losses, damages or loss of income or profits arising from an inability to access this website and opinions from the website. Any claim against us shall be limited to the amount you paid (if any) for the use of BlackbookTraveler.com

Blackbook Traveler will not be liable for any losses, damages or loss of income or profits occurring in the event that travel alerts are not sent, received or accessed. Any claim against us shall be limited to the amount you paid (if any) for the use of BlackbookTraveler.com

Blackbook Traveler will not be held responsible or liable for any action you take or do not take resulting in injury, theft or loss of life after failing to receive, view or access travel alerts or after viewing or failing to view comments, submissions or alerts from this website.

Software

Please be aware that all software contained on this website is owned by Blackbook Traveler and is protected by copyright laws and international treaty provisions. Any reproduction or redistribution of the software is expressly prohibited and may result in civil and criminal penalties to the maximum extent.

Copyright, Trademark and Patent

All contents on this website are ©2013 Blackbook Traveler. All rights reserved. Blackbook Traveler, the St Christopher logo with the world and open black book may not be copied, imitated or used in part or whole without the prior permission of Blackbook Traveler. Additionally, the look and feel of the site may not be copied or imitated.

The Blackbook Traveler website, format, content and features are the subject of a patent application filed under the Patents Act 1990 with IP Australia which provides international patent pending rights.