Effective Date: June 1, 2026
Welcome, and thank you for being part of The Hairy Times community. We built this site because we believe in honest conversation, healthy debate, and finding real common ground in America. These Terms of Service lay out the rules of the road for using our site. We’ve written them in plain English — not legalese — because we want you to actually read them.
By visiting thehairytimes.com or becoming a member, you agree to these terms. If something here doesn’t sit right with you, please reach out before using the site — we’re happy to talk.
1. Acceptance of Terms
By accessing or using The Hairy Times website (thehairytimes.com), you confirm that you are at least 13 years of age and that you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service. If you are using the site on behalf of an organization, you represent that you have the authority to bind that organization to these Terms.
2. Description of Service
The Hairy Times is an independent news and opinion platform. We publish original reporting, commentary, and community discussion on topics including politics, finance, sports, culture, and more. Our site offers both free and membership-based content. Some features — including the ability to comment and submit suggestions — are reserved for paying members.
3. Membership and Subscriptions
Membership Plans
We offer the following membership options:
- Supporting Member – Monthly: $6.00/month
- Supporting Member – Annual: $60.00/year
Both plans provide the same level of access, including the ability to post comments and submit suggestions via the Suggestion Box. Pricing is subject to change with advance notice to members.
Billing and Renewal
Memberships renew automatically at the end of each billing cycle unless cancelled. You may cancel at any time through your account settings. Cancellation takes effect at the end of the current billing period — you will not be charged again, but your access will continue until that period ends.
Refund Policy
- Monthly memberships are non-refundable once the billing period has begun.
- Annual memberships may be refunded within 7 days of purchase if you have not used the commenting or Suggestion Box features during that period. Contact us and we’ll work with you on a refund. After 7 days, annual memberships are non-refundable.
- Revocation for Terms violations: If your membership is revoked due to a violation of these Terms (see Section 4), no refund will be issued for any unused portion of your subscription period.
If you ever have a billing question or think a charge was made in error, please reach out to us at thehairytimes.com before disputing a charge with your bank. We’re real people and we’ll do our best to make it right.
4. User Content and Community Standards
Members may post comments and submit suggestions. When you do, you are responsible for what you post. We ask that all community participation reflect our core values: honest debate, mutual respect, and a genuine desire to engage with ideas — not to attack people.
The Golden Rule
Debate the article, not the person. Critique ideas, challenge arguments, push back hard if you disagree — but attacks on individuals, personal insults, and name-calling will not be tolerated. Ever.
What’s Not Allowed
- Personal attacks or harassment of other members, reporters, or staff
- Hate speech targeting race, religion, gender, nationality, political affiliation, or any other characteristic
- Threats of violence — of any kind, toward anyone (see Zero Tolerance below)
- Spam, off-topic promotion, or repeated disruptive behavior
- Posting content that is defamatory, fraudulent, or illegal
The 3-Strike Policy
- Strike 1: A formal warning is issued and the offending content is removed.
- Strike 2: A second formal warning is issued and the content is removed. Consider this your last chance.
- Strike 3: Your account is permanently deleted. No refunds will be issued.
Zero Tolerance: Threats of Violence
Any threat of violence — regardless of context or claimed intent — results in immediate, permanent account deletion with no warning and no refund. This policy has no exceptions.
Important — Membership Revocation
Members who violate our community standards — especially our core rule to discuss the article, not the person — may have their membership revoked without refund. This is not a decision we will make lightly, but we will not hesitate to enforce it when necessary to protect the integrity of our community. A warning will be issued first whenever circumstances allow.
Our Right to Moderate
We reserve the right — but do not assume the obligation — to review, edit, or remove any user-submitted content at our discretion. Moderation decisions are final. If you believe a moderation decision was made in error, you may contact us to appeal, but we are not obligated to reverse our decision.
5. Comments and Suggestion Box Guidelines
Comments and Suggestion Box submissions are subject to the same community standards described in Section 4. By submitting a comment or suggestion, you:
- Confirm that your submission is your own original content
- Grant The Hairy Times a non-exclusive license to display and use that content on the site
- Acknowledge that your submission may be reviewed, edited, or removed at our discretion
- Understand that suggestions submitted via the Suggestion Box are non-confidential and do not entitle you to compensation
6. Intellectual Property
All content published by The Hairy Times — including articles, graphics, logos, and site design — is the property of The Hairy Times and is protected by applicable copyright and intellectual property laws. You may not reproduce, republish, distribute, or commercially exploit our content without prior written permission.
You are welcome to share links to our articles and quote brief excerpts (with attribution) for commentary or discussion purposes.
7. Privacy and Data
We take your privacy seriously. Here’s the short version of how we handle your information:
- Account information: When you register or purchase a membership, we collect your name, email address, and payment details. Payment processing is handled securely through our payment processor — we do not store your full credit card information on our servers.
- Usage data: Like most websites, we collect basic usage data (such as pages visited and time spent on site) to understand how people use the site and to improve it.
- Cookies: We use cookies to keep you logged in and to support the functionality of our membership system. By using the site, you consent to our use of cookies.
- No selling your data: We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for their marketing purposes. Full stop.
- Email communications: If you become a member, we may contact you with account-related notices (like renewal reminders). You can opt out of non-essential emails at any time.
8. Disclaimer of Warranties
The Hairy Times is provided “as is” and “as available.” We make no warranties — express or implied — regarding the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any content published on the site. News and opinion content reflects the views of individual reporters and contributors and should not be taken as professional legal, financial, medical, or other expert advice.
We do our best to get things right. When we make mistakes, we correct them. But we cannot guarantee that our content is error-free.
9. Limitation of Liability
To the fullest extent permitted by law, The Hairy Times and its staff, contributors, and affiliates shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, or consequential damages arising from your use of the site or reliance on its content. Our total liability to you for any claim arising from your use of the site shall not exceed the amount you paid for your membership in the prior 12 months.
10. Modifications to Terms
We may update these Terms of Service from time to time. When we do, we’ll post the revised Terms on this page with an updated effective date. If the changes are significant, we’ll notify members via email. Your continued use of the site after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the revised Terms.
11. Governing Law
These Terms are governed by the laws of the United States and the state in which The Hairy Times is headquartered, without regard to conflict of law principles. Any disputes arising under these Terms shall be resolved through binding arbitration or in the applicable courts of that jurisdiction.
12. Contact Us
If you have questions about these Terms, please reach out:
📧 suggestions@thehairytimes.com
🌐 thehairytimes.com
A Final Word
These Terms exist not because we distrust you, but because clear expectations make for a healthier community. We believe most people come to The Hairy Times in good faith — curious, engaged, and hoping for something better than the usual online noise. That’s exactly who we built this for. Thanks for being here.
— The Hairy Times