Legal
Terms of Use
Effective April 2026
About Community Exchange
Community Exchange is a civic platform operated by The Change Lab, a practice fiscally sponsored by Impact Hub Houston. The platform connects Houston residents with civic information, community services, elected officials, and civic participation tools.
Acceptance of Terms
By accessing or using Community Exchange, you agree to these Terms of Use. If you do not agree, do not use the platform. Registered users must also sign our Community User Agreement.
Eligibility
You must be at least 13 years old to create an account. Users between 13 and 17 require parental or guardian consent. The platform is available to all residents regardless of citizenship or immigration status.
Accounts
You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials. You agree to provide accurate information and to update it if it changes. One account per person. We may suspend or terminate accounts that violate these terms or our Community User Agreement.
Permitted Use
Community Exchange is for civic engagement, community connection, and accessing public information. You may use the platform to find your elected officials, learn about policies, discover community services, and participate in civic life.
Prohibited Use
You may not use the platform for commercial solicitation, political campaign advertising, harassment or threats against any person, spreading misinformation, scraping or bulk data collection, or any illegal activity. You may not impersonate another person or misrepresent your affiliation.
Civic Tools Disclaimer
Community Exchange provides civic information for educational and engagement purposes. Call scripts, official contact information, and policy summaries are provided as tools, not legal advice. We make every effort to keep information accurate but cannot guarantee real-time accuracy of all government data. Always verify critical civic information with official government sources.
Intellectual Property
The platform design, code, and original content are owned by The Change Lab. Public government data displayed on the platform remains in the public domain. User-submitted content retains the submitter's ownership but grants Community Exchange a license to display and distribute it.
Third-Party Links
The platform links to external websites including government portals, news sources, and community organizations. We are not responsible for the content, privacy practices, or availability of external sites.
Limitation of Liability
Community Exchange is provided "as is" without warranties of any kind. The Change Lab and its sponsors are not liable for damages arising from your use of the platform, including reliance on civic information provided through the platform.
Governing Law
These terms are governed by the laws of the State of Texas. Any disputes arising from these terms will be resolved in Harris County, Texas.
Changes
We may update these terms at any time. We will notify registered users of material changes. Continued use after changes constitutes acceptance.
Contact
For questions about these terms, contact The Change Lab at our About page.