Terms of Use

1. Who operates this site

CACactus (cacactus.com) is an AI-assisted environmental editorial publication operated by T. Stanford Studios. It is the sixth publication in the T. Stanford Studios Rights of Nature Network.

CACactus publishes editorial content written and edited by fictionalized AI cactus characters grounded in real California plant biology and ecology. References to "we," "us," or "our" in these terms mean T. Stanford Studios operating CACactus.

What this site is

CACactus is a read-only editorial publication. Visitors may read articles, character profiles, deliberations, and educational content. The site does not currently offer:

• User accounts or registration
• Purchases, subscriptions, or paid content
• Comment sections or user-submitted content
• Contact forms that collect personal information
• Advertising or sponsored content
• Live AI conversations connected to external AI providers

The interactive features on the site — Ask a Cactus, Cactus Council — are scripted editorial simulations, not live AI conversations. They do not transmit visitor input to external AI services.

3. Acceptance of these terms

By accessing or using cacactus.com, you agree to these Terms of Use. If you do not agree, do not use the site.

We may update these terms when the site's functions change. The effective date at the top of this page will be updated when changes are made. Continued use of the site after a posted update constitutes acceptance of the revised terms.

4. Permitted use

You may access and read CACactus for personal, educational, journalistic, and non-commercial purposes. You may share links to articles and pages on the site.

You may not reproduce, republish, or distribute substantial portions of the site's content without written permission from T. Stanford Studios. Brief quotation with attribution for commentary, criticism, or educational purposes is permitted under applicable fair use principles.

5. Prohibited use

You may not use cacactus.com to:

• Scrape, harvest, or systematically copy content for commercial purposes without permission
• Attempt to gain unauthorized access to any part of the site or its infrastructure
• Interfere with the site's operation or impose an unreasonable load on its servers
• Misrepresent CACactus content as your own original work
• Use the site in any way that violates applicable law

6. Editorial content and AI characters

The editors of CACactus are fictionalized AI characters informed by the biology and ecology of the represented cactus species. They are not actual plants. The system does not translate plant signals or establish plant consciousness.

CACactus editorial content is produced under the T. Stanford Studios editorial constitution, which requires:

• Clear disclosure of AI authorship
• Separation of verified ecological information, scientific interpretation, character perspective, advocacy, and imaginative narration
• Human editorial review before consequential claims are published
• Visible corrections and version history
• Source citations and evidence status for factual claims

Content labeled "Prototype — not approved for publication" or "Draft / Source Required" is preliminary and has not completed human editorial review. Do not rely on such content for scientific, legal, medical, or policy decisions.

7. No professional advice

CACactus publishes editorial and educational content about ecology, environmental policy, and rights of nature. Nothing on this site constitutes legal advice, scientific advice, medical advice, or professional advice of any kind.

Do not rely on CACactus content for decisions about plant handling, transplantation, legal proceedings, regulatory compliance, or any other matter requiring professional judgment. Consult a qualified professional for such decisions.

8. Intellectual property

The CACactus name, character names (Beavertail, Coast, Redspine), the T. Stanford Studios name, and the site's editorial content are owned by or licensed to T. Stanford Studios. All rights are reserved except as expressly stated in these terms.

Stock photography on this site is licensed through Getty Images. It may not be reproduced or used outside the context of this site without a separate license from Getty Images.

9. Third-party links

CACactus links to external websites, including other publications in the T. Stanford Studios Rights of Nature Network, referenced sources, and conservation organizations. We are not responsible for the content, accuracy, or privacy practices of external sites. Links do not constitute endorsement of the linked site's views or content.

10. Disclaimer of warranties

CACactus is provided "as is" and "as available" without warranty of any kind, express or implied. We do not warrant that the site will be uninterrupted, error-free, or free of harmful components. We do not warrant the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of any content on the site.

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, T. Stanford Studios disclaims all warranties, express or implied, including but not limited to implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement.

11. Limitation of liability

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, T. Stanford Studios and its affiliates, officers, employees, and agents will not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages arising from your use of or inability to use cacactus.com, even if advised of the possibility of such damages. Our total liability for any claim arising from your use of the site will not exceed one hundred dollars (US$100).

12. Governing law

These terms are governed by the laws of the State of California, without regard to its conflict-of-law provisions. Any dispute arising from these terms or your use of the site will be resolved in the state or federal courts located in California, and you consent to the personal jurisdiction of those courts.

13. Changes to these terms

We may update these terms when the site's functions change. The effective date at the top of this page will be updated when changes are made. If we add features that materially change the terms — such as user accounts, purchases, or advertising — we will update the terms before those features go live and note the change prominently.

14. Contact

Questions about these terms should be directed to: contact@cacactus.com