Terms of Service

Effective Date: July 23, 2026

Welcome to aknationnews.com ("AK Nation News", "we", "us", or "our"). We are a US-based independent media and news commentary website operated by Akintunde Kayode ("Operator"). These Terms of Service ("Agreement" or "Terms") govern your access to and use of our website, including its subdomains, livestream feeds, replay videos, community discussions, merchandise store references, and text message alert programs (collectively, the "Site" or "Service").

1. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing, browsing, registering for, or using the Site, you represent that you have read, understood, and agreed to be legally bound by this Agreement and our Privacy Policy. This Agreement constitutes a legally binding contract between you and the Operator. If you are accepting on behalf of an entity, you represent and warrant that you have the authority to bind that entity to this Agreement.

If you do not agree with any provision of this Agreement, you must immediately cease all use of the Site. Continued use of the Site constitutes ongoing acceptance of these Terms, as they may be updated from time to time.

2. Eligibility

You must be at least thirteen (13) years of age to access or use the Site. If you are between thirteen (13) and eighteen (18) years of age, you may use the Site only with the consent and active supervision of a parent or legal guardian who agrees to be bound by these Terms.

• Minimum Age for Transactions: You must be at least eighteen (18) years of age or the legal age of majority in your jurisdiction to purchase any subscription memberships, send livestream SuperChats, buy official merchandise, or engage in any paid financial transactions on the platform.
• Geographic Restrictions: The Site is intended for use by individuals located in the United States. We make no representation that the content, products, or services on the Site are appropriate or available for use in other locations. Those who access the Site from outside the United States do so at their own initiative and are responsible for compliance with all applicable local laws.

3. Account Registration & Security

To access certain customized interactive features of the Site—including sending community chat messages, posting video replies, participating in the direct messaging (DM) system, gaining levels/XP, and managing premium tier perks—you must create a user account.

• Single Sign-On (SSO) via Google: Account registration and login are managed exclusively through Google Sign-In. By registering with a Google account, you authorize AK Nation News to receive your Google profile name, email address, and profile picture to create and manage your user account on the Site.
• Account Security: You are solely responsible for maintaining the security of your Google account credentials. You agree to immediately notify us at support@aknationnews.com if you become aware of any unauthorized use of your account or any other breach of security.
• One Account Per Person: Each individual is limited to one (1) registered account on the Site. Creating multiple accounts to circumvent bans, timeouts, leaderboard rules, or subscription requirements is grounds for permanent banning.

4. Membership Plans & Billing

AK Nation News offers optional premium membership subscriptions, processed securely through our third-party payment processor, Stripe, Inc. The following tiers are currently available:

For additional details on billing policies, refunds, and payment disputes, please refer to our Billing Policy.

5. SuperChats System

During active livestream broadcasts on the Site, registered users may buy and send "SuperChats" in designated denominations ranging from $1.00 to $500.00 USD. SuperChats allow you to pin, highlight, and color-code your message in the live chat feed for other viewers and the host to see.

• Temporary Display & Highlighting: SuperChats are voluntary digital tips designed to highlight your user-generated message during a live broadcast. The styling, color, and duration of the highlighted message are determined dynamically based on the transaction amount.
• No Guarantee of Response or Creator Visibility: We do not guarantee that your highlighted message will remain visible for any specific duration, nor do we guarantee that the livestream host (including Akintunde Kayode or featured guests) will read, respond to, read aloud, or acknowledge your SuperChat. High volumes of chat traffic, stream endings, network issues, or moderation actions may reduce the visibility of your SuperChat.
• Refund Policy for SuperChats: All SuperChat transactions are final and non-refundable. Because SuperChats represent voluntary, real-time digital tips in exchange for a fleeting display feature—not a tangible good or guaranteed service—they are not eligible for refunds, chargebacks, or credits under any circumstances.

6. Community Guidelines

To maintain an engaging, civilized, and robust platform for independent news commentary, sports analysis, and cultural critique, all users must adhere to our Community Guidelines. You agree that you will not post, publish, send, transmit, or otherwise make available any User-Generated Content (including comments, livestream chat messages, direct messages, and profile names) that:

• Is unlawful, harmful, threatening, abusive, harassing, tortious, defamatory, vulgar, obscene, libelous, invasive of another's privacy, hateful, or racially, ethnically, or otherwise objectionable.
• Contains unsolicited commercial messages ("spam"), bulk messages, chain letters, pyramid schemes, or any form of unsolicited advertising.
• Impersonates any person or entity, including but not limited to the Operator, moderators, or other users.
• Contains software viruses or any other computer code, files, or programs designed to interrupt, destroy, or limit the functionality of any computer software or hardware or telecommunications equipment.
• Infringes upon the copyrights, trademarks, patent rights, trade secrets, privacy rights, or other proprietary rights of any third party.
• Constitutes doxxing, i.e., the public disclosure of private, identifying information about another person without their explicit consent.

7. XP & Leaderboard System

The Site incorporates an Experience Point (XP) and monthly Leaderboard system to reward user engagement, which is tracked through activities such as sending chat messages, watching livestream and replay content, and sending SuperChats.

• XP Accumulation: XP is earned through eligible platform activities and is tracked in three categories: Session XP, Monthly XP, and All-Time XP. The specific XP amounts awarded for each activity are determined by the Operator and may be adjusted at any time without notice.
• Monthly Leaderboard & Prizes: At the end of each calendar month, the user with the highest Monthly XP will be recognized and may receive a prize or reward at the sole discretion of the Operator. Prizes may include, but are not limited to, exclusive merchandise, discount codes, or promotional recognition on the Site or associated social media accounts.
• No Cash Value: XP points and leaderboard rankings carry no intrinsic monetary value and cannot be exchanged for currency, credits, or any form of payment.
• Anti-Manipulation: Any attempt to artificially inflate XP through bots, scripts, multiple accounts, self-dealing, or any other manipulative tactic is strictly prohibited and may result in XP forfeiture and account termination.

8. User-Generated Content (UGC)

You retain ownership of any intellectual property rights that you hold in the content you submit, post, or transmit on or through the Site ("User-Generated Content" or "UGC"), such as comments, chat messages, direct messages, and replies.

However, to operate, display, and promote our community platform, we require a license from you. By posting, uploading, or transmitting UGC on the Site, you grant to AK Nation News and Akintunde Kayode a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable, fully sublicensable, and transferable license to host, store, reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, translate, edit, create derivative works from, distribute, publicly perform, and publicly display such UGC in connection with operating, promoting, distributing, and improving the Site, our social media channels, and our content syndication networks across any and all media formats now known or hereafter developed.

You represent and warrant that you own or have the necessary licenses, rights, consents, and permissions to grant the foregoing license, and that your UGC does not infringe, violate, or misappropriate any third-party intellectual property or privacy rights.

9. Content Moderation and Disciplinary Action

While we encourage robust debate, sports analysis (including Caitlin Clark and WNBA discussions), and free-flowing commentary, we reserve the right to enforce order and safety on the platform.

• Right to Moderate: The Operator and designated moderators reserve the absolute, non-negotiable right to review, monitor, edit, refuse to post, or remove any UGC from the Site at any time, with or without notice, in our sole and absolute discretion.
• Disciplinary Measures: We reserve the right to take immediate action against any user who violates these Terms or our Community Guidelines. Disciplinary actions include, but are not limited to: issuing informal warnings, putting accounts in "timeout" (disabling chat/commenting privileges for a specified period), suspending accounts, or permanently banning accounts and IP addresses from accessing the Site.

10. Livestream Participation & Rebroadcast Consent

AK Nation News produces live broadcast programming that includes audience participation through voice calls, video appearances, and live chat interactions. By voluntarily participating in any AK Nation News livestream—whether by calling in, joining a video feed, appearing on camera, sending a SuperChat, or contributing to the live chat—you acknowledge and agree to the following:

Removal Requests: While we are under no legal obligation to do so, AK Nation News will consider good-faith requests to remove or obscure a participant's appearance from future rebroadcasts. Such requests should be submitted in writing to legal@aknationnews.com and will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis at our sole discretion.

11. Fair Use & Third-Party Content Disclaimer

AK Nation News is an independent news commentary and analysis platform. Our programming regularly incorporates brief excerpts, clips, and references to third-party content—including but not limited to news broadcasts, press conferences, public statements, published articles, social media posts, and publicly available footage—for the purposes of news reporting, commentary, criticism, education, and transformative editorial analysis.

12. Intellectual Property Rights

Except for User-Generated Content, all content, visual interfaces, features, and technical assets on the Site—including but not limited to livestream footage, video replays, CC Videos (Caitlin Clark and WNBA coverage), articles, text, news commentary, graphics, logos, images, icons, audio clips, digital downloads, software, and the compilation thereof (collectively, "Site Content")—are the exclusive property of AK Nation News, Akintunde Kayode, or their respective licensors, and are protected by United States and international copyright, trademark, and other proprietary laws.

We grant you a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable, revocable license to access, view, and interact with the Site Content solely for your personal, non-commercial entertainment and information. You are strictly prohibited from copying, distributing, republishing, downloading, performing, broadcasting, commercializing, or creating derivative works from any Site Content without our prior, explicit written permission.

13. DMCA Takedown Procedures

We respect the intellectual property rights of others and respond to notices of alleged copyright infringement in accordance with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act ("DMCA") (17 U.S.C. § 512). If you believe that any material on our Site infringes upon your copyright, you may submit a written notification to our Designated DMCA Copyright Agent containing the following information:

1. A physical or electronic signature of a person authorized to act on behalf of the owner of an exclusive right that is allegedly infringed.
2. Identification of the copyrighted work claimed to have been infringed, or, if multiple copyrighted works at a single online site are covered by a single notification, a representative list of such works at that site.
3. Identification of the material that is claimed to be infringing or to be the subject of infringing activity and that is to be removed or access to which is to be disabled, and information reasonably sufficient to permit us to locate the material (including specific URLs).
4. Information reasonably sufficient to permit us to contact you, such as an address, telephone number, and, if available, an email address.
5. A statement that you have a good faith belief that use of the material in the manner complained of is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law.
6. A statement that the information in the notification is accurate, and under penalty of perjury, that you are authorized to act on behalf of the owner of an exclusive right that is allegedly infringed.

Please note that under Section 512(f) of the DMCA, any person who knowingly and materially misrepresents that material or activity is infringing may be subject to severe liability and damages.

14. Disclaimer of Warranties

COMMENTARY AND OPINION ONLY: THE SITE AND SERVICE CONSIST OF INDEPENDENT NEWS COMMENTARY, SPORTS ANALYSIS, AND CULTURE DISCUSSIONS. ALL VIEWS, OPINIONS, ANALYSIS, AND DISCUSSIONS PRESENTED ON THE SITE (INCLUDING ON CC VIDEOS, LIVESTREAMS, AND REPLAYS) ARE THOSE OF THE INDIVIDUAL HOSTS, GUESTS, OR COMMENTERS AND ARE PROVIDED FOR ENTERTAINMENT AND GENERAL INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. NOTHING ON THE SITE CONSTITUTES PROFESSIONAL ADVICE, LEGAL ADVICE, FINANCIAL ADVICE, MEDICAL ADVICE, OR PROFESSIONAL ATHLETIC COACHING.

AS-IS SERVICE: THE SITE AND ALL CONTENT, FEATURES, FUNCTIONALITY, AND SERVICES ARE PROVIDED ON AN "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE" BASIS WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, TITLE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT.

We do not warrant that: (a) the Site will be available at all times, error-free, or uninterrupted; (b) any content will be accurate, reliable, or current; (c) defects will be corrected; or (d) the Site or the servers hosting it are free of viruses or other harmful components.

15. Limitation of Liability

TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, IN NO EVENT SHALL AK NATION NEWS, AKINTUNDE KAYODE, OR ANY OF THEIR OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS, CONTRACTORS, INTERNS, SUPPLIERS, MODERATORS, SERVICE PROVIDERS, OR LICENSORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE, OR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF PROFITS, REVENUE, GOODWILL, USE, DATA, OR OTHER INTANGIBLE LOSSES, RESULTING FROM:

• Your use of, or inability to use, the Site.
• Any unauthorized access to or alteration of your transmissions, data, or account.
• Any user-generated content or conduct of any third party on the Site.
• Any bugs, viruses, trojan horses, or the like that may be transmitted to or through the Site by any third party.

IN ANY CASE, OUR AGGREGATE LIABILITY TO YOU FOR ALL CLAIMS ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THE USE OF THE SITE SHALL NOT EXCEED THE TOTAL AMOUNT PAID BY YOU, IF ANY, TO US DURING THE SIX (6) MONTHS PRECEDING THE DATE OF THE CLAIM.

16. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless AK Nation News, Akintunde Kayode, and their officers, directors, employees, agents, contractors, moderators, licensors, and service providers from and against any and all claims, liabilities, damages, losses, costs, expenses, or fees (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising from:

• Your use of the Site or any activity under your account.
• Your User-Generated Content and any claims that your UGC violates any third-party rights.
• Your breach or violation of these Terms of Service or our Community Guidelines.
• Your interaction with other users or any dispute arising from user-to-user communications (including via the DM system).
• Your violation of any applicable local, state, federal, or international law, or any rights of a third party (including intellectual property, trademark, trade secret, or privacy rights).

17. Governing Law

These Terms of Service, your use of the Site, and any dispute arising therefrom shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without regard to its conflict of law provisions. You agree that any legal action or proceeding not subject to binding arbitration shall be brought exclusively in the state or federal courts located in New York County, New York, and you consent to the personal jurisdiction and venue of such courts.

18. Dispute Resolution

In the event of any dispute, claim, or controversy arising out of or relating to these Terms of Service or the breach, termination, enforcement, interpretation, or validity thereof, including the determination of the scope or applicability of this agreement to arbitrate (each, a "Dispute"), the following procedures shall apply:

• Informal Resolution First: Before commencing any formal dispute resolution proceeding, you agree to first contact us at support@aknationnews.com and attempt to resolve the Dispute informally for at least forty-five (45) days.
• Binding Arbitration: If the Dispute cannot be resolved informally within forty-five (45) days, both you and the Operator agree that the Dispute shall be settled by final, binding arbitration administered by the American Arbitration Association ("AAA") in accordance with its Consumer Arbitration Rules. The arbitration shall be conducted by a single, neutral arbitrator. The place of arbitration shall be New York, New York, unless we mutually agree in writing to a different location or to conduct the proceedings virtually.
• Class Action Waiver: YOU AND THE OPERATOR AGREE THAT EACH MAY BRING CLAIMS AGAINST THE OTHER ONLY IN YOUR OR ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY, AND NOT AS A PLAINTIFF OR CLASS MEMBER IN ANY PURPORTED CLASS, COLLECTIVE, OR REPRESENTATIVE PROCEEDING.
• Exceptions to Arbitration: Either party may bring an individual action in small claims court in a jurisdiction of competent jurisdiction. Additionally, either party may seek emergency injunctive or temporary relief in a court of competent jurisdiction to protect intellectual property rights (such as copyright, trademark, or trade secrets) or prevent unauthorized use of the platform.

19. Termination

We reserve the right to terminate or suspend your access to the Site and its services, at our sole discretion, with or without notice and with or without cause, at any time.

• Causes for Termination: Causes for termination include, but are not limited to: a breach or violation of these Terms of Service or our Community Guidelines; non-payment of subscription fees; fraudulent billing or chargeback attempts; engaging in conduct harmful to the Operator, moderators, users, or the reputation of AK Nation News; or at the request of law enforcement or government authorities.
• Effect of Termination: Upon termination of your account, your right to use the Site and access premium Membership benefits ceases immediately. Any accumulated XP, levels, community badges, or pending leaderboard rewards will be permanently forfeited and cannot be recovered.
• Survival: All provisions of these Terms which by their nature should survive termination shall survive termination, including ownership provisions, UGC licenses, DMCA procedures, disclaimers of warranties, limitations of liability, indemnification obligations, governing law, and dispute resolution.

20. Changes to Terms

We reserve the right to modify, amend, or update these Terms of Service at any time, in our sole discretion. When we make material changes, we will update the "Effective Date" at the top of this document and post the revised Terms to the Site.

Your continued use of the Site after any changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of those changes. We encourage you to review these Terms periodically for any updates.

21. Contact Information

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns about these Terms of Service, please contact us at: