Terms of Service

Last updated: October 15, 2026

These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your use of The Black Files at https://theblackfiles.org/ (the "Service"), operated by The Black Files ("we", "us"). By uploading, downloading, or otherwise using the Service you agree to these Terms and to our Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, do not use the Service.

1. The Service

The Service lets you upload a file and share a link to it. Links are temporary:

• Guest uploads are deleted automatically 15 minutes after upload.
• Registered members may keep up to 15 files for 90 days each. Additional uploads beyond those slots are deleted automatically after 30 minutes.
• Files are deleted when they expire, when the uploader deletes them (from the dashboard, or with the private management link shown once after upload), when an account is deleted, or when we remove them under these Terms. Deletion is permanent. We keep no backups of user files.

The Service is provided for lawful personal and business file transfer. It is not a backup service, an archive, or a content hosting platform, and you must not rely on it as your only copy of anything.

2. Eligibility and accounts

• You must be at least 18 years old, or the age of majority where you live, to use the Service.
• You must verify your email address within 24 hours of registering; unverified accounts are deleted automatically.
• You are responsible for keeping your password secure and for everything done through your account. Notify us immediately at abuse@theblackfiles.org if you suspect unauthorised use.
• One person may not hold multiple accounts to circumvent limits. Accounts may not be sold, shared, or transferred.

3. Acceptable use — prohibited content and conduct

You may only upload content that you own or have the right to share. You agree not to upload, share, link to, or attempt to distribute through the Service any content that:

• depicts or promotes the sexual abuse or exploitation of minors in any form, including drawn, generated, or "virtual" depictions;
• is non-consensual intimate imagery, or depicts sexual violence;
• infringes any copyright, trademark, trade secret, or other intellectual property right;
• contains malware, ransomware, spyware, exploits, phishing kits, credential dumps, or other code intended to harm or gain unauthorised access to systems or data;
• contains personal data of others published without consent (doxxing), including identity documents, financial information, or private communications;
• promotes terrorism, violent extremism, or provides instructions for the manufacture of weapons, explosives, or controlled substances;
• facilitates fraud, scams, counterfeiting, or the sale of illegal goods or services;
• harasses, threatens, defames, or incites violence or hatred against any person or group;
• is otherwise unlawful in the United States or in the jurisdiction from which it is uploaded or downloaded.

You further agree not to:

• use automated tools, scripts, or multiple accounts to upload at scale, evade expiry or storage limits, or scrape the Service;
• probe, scan, or test the vulnerability of the Service, bypass access controls, or interfere with its operation or other users' use;
• misrepresent the origin of a file or impersonate any person or organisation;
• use the Service to distribute unsolicited bulk messages (spam) or to host content for spam campaigns.

4. Enforcement

We may, at our sole discretion and without notice, remove any file, quarantine any file pending review, block a file's cryptographic hash from future upload, suspend or terminate any account, and restrict access from any IP address or network. We may do so for suspected violations of these Terms, in response to a valid complaint, to comply with the law, or to protect the Service and its users. We are not obliged to pre-screen content but we reserve the right to do so.

Illegal content. Where we identify or are notified of child sexual abuse material we remove it, preserve the file and all associated records, and report it to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) and/or law enforcement as required by law. We cooperate with lawful requests from law enforcement and courts and may disclose uploader records (including IP addresses, timestamps, account details, and file hashes) in response to a valid subpoena, court order, warrant, or emergency request.

5. Copyright complaints (DMCA)

We respond to notices of alleged copyright infringement that comply with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (17 U.S.C. §512). Send notices via our report form or to abuse@theblackfiles.org including: (a) identification of the copyrighted work; (b) the URL of the file; (c) your name, address, telephone number, and email; (d) a statement that you have a good-faith belief the use is not authorised; (e) a statement, under penalty of perjury, that the information is accurate and you are authorised to act for the owner; and (f) your physical or electronic signature. Because files on the Service expire within minutes to 90 days, the reported file may already be gone when we process your notice. We terminate the accounts of repeat infringers. Uploaders who believe a file was removed in error may submit a counter-notice with the information required by §512(g).

6. Your content and licence

You keep ownership of what you upload. You grant us a limited, non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free licence to store, copy, transmit, and display your files solely as needed to operate the Service (e.g., to deliver the file to people who have the link) and to comply with the law. This licence ends when the file is deleted, except for records we must retain under our Privacy Policy or applicable law.

7. Links are the only access control

Anyone who has a file's link can download the file until it expires. We do not restrict downloads by identity, and we cannot recall a link once it has been shared. Do not upload confidential or sensitive material unless you have encrypted it yourself before uploading. We do not scan files for viruses; downloaders act at their own risk.

8. Service availability and changes

The Service is provided free of charge and "as is". We may change, suspend, or discontinue all or part of the Service, change the limits described in Section 1, or impose new limits at any time. We may delete files earlier than their stated expiry in case of technical problems, abuse, or legal requirement, and we are not liable for any such deletion.

9. Disclaimer of warranties

TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, THE SERVICE IS PROVIDED WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NON-INFRINGEMENT, AVAILABILITY, SECURITY, OR THAT FILES WILL BE PRESERVED OR DELIVERED. YOU USE THE SERVICE AND ANY FILE DOWNLOADED FROM IT AT YOUR OWN RISK.

10. Limitation of liability

TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, THE BLACK FILES AND ITS OPERATORS SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, OR ANY LOSS OF DATA, PROFITS, OR GOODWILL, ARISING FROM YOUR USE OF OR INABILITY TO USE THE SERVICE, ANY FILE OBTAINED THROUGH IT, OR ANY CONDUCT OF A THIRD PARTY. OUR TOTAL LIABILITY FOR ALL CLAIMS RELATING TO THE SERVICE SHALL NOT EXCEED ONE HUNDRED US DOLLARS (US$100).

11. Indemnity

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless The Black Files and its operators from any claim, loss, liability, or expense (including reasonable legal fees) arising from content you upload, your use of the Service, or your violation of these Terms or of any law or third-party right.

12. Termination

You may stop using the Service at any time and may delete your account from your dashboard, which deletes your files. We may terminate or suspend your access at any time for any reason, including violation of these Terms. Sections 4, 6 (as to retained records), 9, 10, 11, and 14 survive termination.

13. Changes to these Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. The "last updated" date above will change and, for material changes, we will post a notice on the Service. Continued use after changes take effect constitutes acceptance.

14. Governing law and disputes

These Terms are governed by the laws of the United States, without regard to conflict-of-law rules. Any dispute shall be brought exclusively in the courts located there, and you consent to their jurisdiction. If any provision of these Terms is held unenforceable, the remainder remains in effect. These Terms are the entire agreement between you and us regarding the Service.

15. Contact

Abuse reports, legal notices, and questions: abuse@theblackfiles.org or the report form.