Changes to Kickstarter's Terms of Use aim at streamlining and keeping the program clear and straight to the point.
The update was announced by Yancey Strickler, Kickstarter CEO, in a blog post a few days ago, and is set to commence on Oct. 19. According to the crowdfunding company, several updates have been made during the previous year. The overhauled Terms of Use is the company's latest attempt to help it further achieve its goals.
The company had stressed from the beginning that the revision had focused on simplifying the language, removing jargon from legal content, and revamping the terms to make them clear and direct. Moreover, the company also spelled out what is expected from both backers and creators and what each of them should do when a project faces trouble.
"For the overwhelming majority of projects, it's pretty simple: creators finish the work they planned, backers are happy, and nobody sweats the details," said Kickstarter.
The company understands that sometimes projects don't turn out the way they were planned, so it added some exceptions to point out what needs to happen when a project meets some challenges along the way. It also outlined the expected moves from backers and creators alike.
Investing in a crowdfunded project may entail a risk; an investor may not gain a return on his money. Kickstarter stressed in the Terms of Use that investors, otherwise known as campaign creators, should issue refunds when a product fails to materialize. They are also warned of the possibility of dealing with legal action undertaken by backers.
Kickstarter describes the update as a move to establish best practices. The community strives at gaining positive results from campaigns even amid challenges.
"Incorporating them into these terms is a small but important part of building a healthy, trusted environment where people work together to bring creative projects to life," the company said.
Creators should be able to explain what is happening and where all the money is going, making sure that backers are given appropriate refunds. Backers should also be able to understand "how those funds will be used to complete the project in some alternate form."
