Terms & Conditions

Effective 12 May 2025

These amended Terms & Conditions set out the terms for users to access and use https://www.r5news.com (the “Website”) and the R5News application (the “App”). The Website and App are owned independently and operated by R5News Private Limited, registered office at 8-2-293, Plot No. 499, First Floor, Road No. 36, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad 500033 (“Company”, “R5News”, “we”, “us”, “our”).

Visitors are bound by these Terms. If you do not agree, do not use this site. Questions: reach@r5news.com.

This document is to be read with the other terms on the website and apps of R5News Private Limited. It is published in accordance with the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, which require the rules and regulations, Privacy Policy, and Terms & Conditions for access to the website and the R5News app.

Your access and use are conditioned on acceptance of these Terms. By accessing or using the Website or App you agree to be legally bound by them. R5News may modify these Terms at any time without prior written notice, and you agree to be bound by the modifications. If you do not agree, refrain from using the App or discontinue access to the Website.

Definitions

“App” means the R5News mobile platform downloadable from Google Play or the App Store, owned by us, including updates.
“Country” means India.
“Device” means any device that can access our content, such as a smartphone or a digital tablet.
“Sponsored Content” means content distinct from regular editorial content, in audio, video, text, and/or image, which supports a third party’s brand message or views and is identifiable upfront by a distinct font, colour, or display, or by words such as “Ad”, “Powered by”, “Sponsored by”, “With”, “Advertorial”, or a phrase of like meaning.
“Terms and Conditions” (also “Terms”) mean these Terms, which form the entire agreement between you and the Company regarding use of the Service.
“Third-party Service” means any service or content, including data, information, products, or services, provided by a third party that may be displayed, included, or made available on the App.
“User”, “You”, or “Your” means a person who has accepted this agreement in order to download and use the App.

Disclaimer of warranties

The warranty, accuracy, and “as is” terms are set out on the Disclaimer page and form part of these Terms.

Availability

R5News controls and operates the App and this website from India and makes no representation that the materials are appropriate or will be available in other locations. If you use them from outside India, you are entirely responsible for compliance with applicable local laws.

R5News has one App offering services, content, and other functionalities (the “Services”) to specific regions. Services in one region may differ from another because of availability, local or regional laws, and other considerations. R5News does not warrant that a user in one region may obtain the Services from the site in another region, and may cancel an order or redirect a user to the site for that user’s region.

Information on the App may refer to programs and services that are not announced or available in your country. That does not mean R5News intends to announce them in your country.

Links to third-party sites

The App may link to websites that R5News does not control or maintain, which may contain material that is objectionable, unlawful, or inaccurate. Those links are not an endorsement. They are provided only as a convenience. You decide whether any services or products available through them suit your purposes. R5News is not responsible for the owners or operators of those websites, for goods or services they supply, or for their content, and does not accept liability in relation to them, including any claim that an external website infringes a third party’s intellectual property.

Third-party content

Content on the App may be sourced from independent third-party providers and is identified and marked: “The story is not journalistic copy righted by the R5News Network and does not reflect the views of R5News.” R5News does not exercise editorial control over that content and makes no representation or warranty about its accuracy, completeness, legality, or reliability. R5News disclaims all warranties and is not liable for claims, damages, or violations arising in connection with that content, or for third-party content, applications, services, advertisements, or links accessible through the App.

Complaints about third-party content or activities are submitted through the designated takedown process. R5News will process them in accordance with its takedown policy and applicable law. By using the App, you consent to that handling.

You may use general informational content only as expressly authorised: do not remove proprietary notices; use it only for personal, non-commercial, informational purposes unless otherwise agreed in writing; do not modify it; and do not make additional representations or warranties about it. The full copyright rules are in the Copyright Policy.

Trademarks

The R5News mark and all logos denoted with TM are trademarks or registered trademarks of R5News. They may not be used in connection with any product or service that is not an R5News product or service.

Advertisements on the App are published on an “as is, where is” basis. R5News does not endorse any advertised product or service, and does not guarantee quality, quantity, or usefulness. Verify authenticity and other attributes yourself.
R5News does not verify the authenticity, qualifications, age, region, gender, religion, or caste of individuals in matrimonial advertisements. Verify claims before any alliance. R5News is not responsible for misrepresentations in those advertisements.
Advertisements may appear as pop-ups, scrolls, tickers, buttons, paid links, and banner ads. Users should not object to their presence.
Access is at your own risk. R5News does not guarantee availability of the website, services, or facilities, or the accuracy, quality, or prompt delivery of services on its platforms.
Correspondence, transactions, or promotions with Sponsored Content or third-party providers, including payment, delivery, and related warranties, are strictly between you and that third party. R5News is not liable for loss or damage from those interactions or from Sponsored Content on the App.
Do not use foul language or conduct yourself illegally on the website or App. R5News may share available details of such a user or visitor with the person aggrieved or with regulators.
R5News may change, add to, delete, or improve the website and apps at any time.

Indemnity

Visitors and users shall indemnify R5News against all claims in respect of any material, comments, news, or content they post on the R5News apps, and against third-party claims of intellectual-property infringement in respect of that material.

Limitation of liability

The website and apps are provided on an “as is” and “as available” basis. R5News makes no representation or warranty about the operation of the site or the accuracy of information, content, materials, or products. Use is at your own risk.
R5News does not guarantee that the website, apps, servers, or emails are free from viruses or harmful components, and is not liable for damages from use of the site, including direct, indirect, incidental, punitive, or consequential damages.
R5News gives no warranty, express or implied, for advertisement materials as to quality, quantity, usefulness, originality, authenticity, legality, or timeliness of goods or services, and does not guarantee that the website or apps will be free of disruption or failure.
R5News is not liable for injury, damage, or hardship from errors, failures, discrepancies, or harmful content. Users release R5News from liability related to those issues.
No staff member, director, or agent of R5News is liable for claims by visitors or users for loss, damage, cost, or expense from using the website or App.
Articles, stories, news, and predictions are provided by their authors. Verify them from reliable sources. R5News is not liable for actions or damages resulting from use of that information.
R5News is not responsible for inaccurate, false, outdated, or irrelevant information on its platforms, or for errors users make when submitting information.
R5News is not responsible for infringement of third-party intellectual property by users of the website or App.
Content is sourced from agencies, authors, and the in-house team. R5News does not assume responsibility for inaccuracies. Aggrieved parties should contact the authority indicated on the site.
Horoscopes and predictions are sourced from experts. R5News does not guarantee their accuracy.
Financial articles are sourced from qualified professionals. Investors should seek professional advice rather than relying only on those articles.
R5News, its staff, and directors are not liable for inaccuracies in horoscopes, financial information, investment opportunities, job opportunities, educational resources, examination results, or government notifications.
Bus, train, and flight schedule information is provided on a best-effort basis. Verify timings elsewhere.
Do not use foul language or act illegally on the website or App. You may face legal consequences. R5News may share available details with the person aggrieved or with regulators. R5News and its staff are not responsible for the acts of visitors or users.

Information you must not host or share

Users and contributors shall not host, display, upload, modify, publish, transmit, store, update, or share any information that:

belongs to another person and to which the user has no right;
is obscene, pornographic, paedophilic, invasive of another’s privacy including bodily privacy, insulting or harassing on the basis of gender, racially or ethnically objectionable, relating to or encouraging money laundering or gambling, or an online game that causes user harm, or promoting enmity between groups on grounds of religion or caste with intent to incite violence;
is harmful to a child;
infringes any patent, trademark, copyright, or other proprietary right;
deceives or misleads the addressee about the origin of the message, or knowingly and intentionally communicates misinformation or information which is patently false and untrue or misleading, or, in respect of any business of the Central Government, is identified as fake, false, or misleading by a fact-check unit the Ministry specifies by notification in the Official Gazette;
impersonates another person;
threatens the unity, integrity, defence, security, or sovereignty of India, friendly relations with foreign States, or public order, or causes incitement to the commission of any cognisable offence, or prevents investigation of any offence, or is insulting to another nation;
contains a software virus or any other computer code, file, or program designed to interrupt, destroy, or limit the functionality of any computer resource;
is in the nature of an online game that is not verified as a permissible online game;
is in the nature of an advertisement or surrogate advertisement or promotion of an online game that is not a permissible online game, or of any online gaming intermediary offering such a game;
violates any law for the time being in force.

If R5News becomes aware of inappropriate use of the App, website, or any Service, it will respond in any way it deems appropriate. R5News may report to law-enforcement authorities any actions that may be illegal, and any information it receives of such conduct, and will co-operate with those agencies when requested.

Unauthorised use of materials on the App and website may violate copyright, trademark, privacy and publicity laws, communications statutes, and other laws. You alone are responsible for your actions and for any person using your username and/or password. You shall indemnify and hold harmless R5News and its officers, directors, employees, affiliates, agents, licensors, and business partners from loss, costs, damages, liabilities, and expenses (including attorneys’ fees) arising from a claim that such use violates any law or the rights of any third party.

General

R5News may terminate access to the App and website at any time without notice. This limited licence terminates automatically, without notice, if you breach these Terms. On termination you must immediately destroy any downloaded and printed materials.
R5News may change these Terms and the disclaimer from time to time. By using the App and website you accept the current terms, and you should check them each time you return.
R5News may change the format and content of the App and website at any time, and may suspend the website for support, maintenance, updates, or any other reason.
Personal details provided through the App and website will be used only in accordance with the Privacy Policy. By providing those details you consent to that use.
For a question or complaint, contact reach@r5news.com.
R5News reserves all other rights.

Applicable law and jurisdiction

These Terms are governed by the laws of India, without regard to choice or conflict-of-law rules. You agree that any dispute relating to these Terms or to the website, whether in contract, tort, or otherwise, is subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts at Hyderabad, India.

Reporting violations

Report a violation of these Terms or of content on the App by writing to grievances@r5news.com with a screenshot or a link to the post, and the reasons for objecting. Assessment of complaints about content on the App is limited to whether the content violates these Terms or R5News policies and guidelines. That decision is final and binding as regards content on the App. R5News does not undertake a legal analysis or judgment on the nature of reported content.

Notices and takedown

R5News is not responsible for content or advertisements accessible through the App or Website. R5News may remove or disable access to content claimed to infringe third-party rights, and may terminate accounts of users who infringe the intellectual property or other rights of R5News or of third parties. Grievances about the App or its content may be sent to the Grievance Officer at grievances@r5news.com. R5News shall try to resolve grievances within the timelines in applicable law.

A person or entity aggrieved by content or an advertisement may file a complaint. A legal heir, agent, or attorney may also file one, and must submit documentary proof of the right to act for the aggrieved party. If the complaint does not fall under the ambit of crime, an unrelated person who has no interest in and is not aggrieved by the content cannot file a valid complaint.

As an intermediary under the Information Technology Act, 2000, R5News is obligated to take down content or an advertisement hosted on the App if it receives a written complaint, with supporting documents that clearly establish at first look that the content or advertisement infringes a third party’s rights, or if it receives a takedown order from a competent legal authority. R5News may also give you details of the publisher so you can take the matter up directly.

R5News’s process for investigating complaints against an article or advertisement follows the Information Technology Act, 2000, the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines) Rules, 2011, read with the Information Technology (Reasonable Security Practices and Procedures and Sensitive Personal Data or Information) Rules, 2011, and the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, and amendments. Those rules govern the relationship between you and R5News and set the terms on which you may access and use the App.

R5News is not under a legal obligation to investigate beyond the information and documents in the complaint. Any further action is at R5News’s sole discretion, and R5News is not required to communicate the outcome to the complainant or to any third party.

R5News Network contributors

R5News Network is a platform for citizens to report news. These contributor terms are to be read with the other terms of R5News Private Limited.

R5News Network is a way to publish articles on the R5News app. Citizens can send news articles and report issues to the in-house journalists and editorial team, who verify, accept, rewrite, and publish articles on the app based on internal checks and policies.

Registration

Register as a contributor on the R5News app to post articles and videos. After registration, R5News will transfer Rs. 100 into the user wallet, which can be redeemed on successful posting or publication of an article within fifteen (15) days of registration. If you send no posts, or none is posted or published within fifteen days, that Rs. 100 is forfeited.

Your name must match your photo ID. Do not use a fake, alias, celebrity, or corporate name of any person or entity.

Content

Title: at least 20 characters, with correct punctuation. Avoid a misleading, distracting, or irrelevant title. The title should relate to the story and be informative.
Content: at least 200 characters and at most 400. Submit only relevant news. Outdated and fake news will lead to escalation. Content must be true, accurate, complete, and updated. Obscene content in text, image, or video will not be accepted. Sensitive content, or content that creates visual discomfort, will not be published. Religiously provoking, criminal, and sensitive content is prohibited. Content must be original and must not be the property of any person or entity.
Quality: the article should be complete and cover what, why, where, who, when, and how. Images should be clear and of decent quality. The story should be clear, free of errors, and not biased or plagiarised.
Images: relevant to the content. Multiple images are not allowed. Sensitive or sexually explicit images are prohibited.
Video: relevant to the content. Shaky and amateur videos are not accepted. Sensitive or sexually explicit videos are prohibited.
Advertising: links and landing pages are allowed. Advertisements and promotional posts will not be accepted. No content will be promoted on the R5News application. Content about how to buy or sell products or make easy money is prohibited. Job offers and self-promotion are restricted.

Copyright rules for contributors, including that plagiarised content is not allowed and that rights in contributor work remain with the contributor while R5News may use the content on the app, are in the Copyright Policy.

Contributor terms

R5News may remove any content found not relevant, without prior notice.
The contributor or reporter is responsible and lawfully accountable for any breach of the content policy, and for infringement of copyright or plagiarised content, in case of prosecution.
The Company is not liable for the accuracy, validity, or authenticity of information the contributor provides.
Content given in one language may be used by R5News for posting in other languages without additional payment or fee.
Videos may be uploaded on the R5News app, on other platforms owned by R5News, and on other online platforms. The contributor is not eligible for a share of revenue R5News generates from other online platforms.
The contributor shall hold harmless and fully indemnify M/s. R5News Private Limited and its directors, employees, and officials from any loss, damage, civil or criminal action, and liability arising out of the contributor’s negligence, including violation of intellectual property rights.
Aggregate liability of R5News under the contributor agreement shall not exceed the service fees paid to the contributor for the news and articles given to R5News. Liability or loss arising from an act of the contributor, or from a news article the contributor submits, shall be recovered from the contributor.
Go through the revenue model carefully. Signing up on R5News Network allows R5News to use your content on its app.
If a contributor does not publish any content or redeem any part of their balance for a continuous period of nine (9) months, the accumulated amount is forfeited. The platform is not liable to refund or reinstate that balance.
Users are not permitted to post content or comments that are defamatory, inflammatory, obscene, derogatory, or otherwise illegal, or to indulge in personal attacks, name-calling, or inciting hatred. R5News Private Limited may take down non-compliant content or comments and may block a user. On request by a complainant, an authority, or the law, details of users involved in such comments will be shared. R5News Private Limited is an intermediary and provides the technology for comments and posts. It does not endorse comments or content on the App. A takedown request may be emailed to grievances@r5news.com or reach@r5news.com with the subject “comment/content grievance”. R5News may terminate a contributor’s services immediately for breach of these terms, non-compliance with rules, the privacy policy, or applicable law.
By providing your mobile number, you agree to receive WhatsApp messages, SMS, or rich text messages from us, which may include updates, offers, or service-related information. You can opt out by replying “STOP” or by contacting support.

Earnings

R5News Network aims to provide earnings to contributors. You can withdraw earnings from your stories via UPI or NEFT. Earnings information is under the Earnings tab in the app.