Terms of Use

1. Agreement

These Terms of Use govern BenFranklinClose.com, an independent personal project operated by Ciaran Paul Roche in Pennsylvania (the “Operator,” “we,” “us,” or “our”). By using the site or selecting Ask Ben, you agree to these Terms. If you do not agree, do not use the site.

2. What this tool is

Ben Franklin Close is a general-purpose thinking aid. It compares a user’s answers to ten reflection questions using fixed rules and displays a lean of yes, no, or not yet. It does not investigate facts, predict outcomes, know what is best for anyone, or make a decision on anyone’s behalf.

The rules are intentionally cautious. Serious strain, lasting downside, or a crucial missing fact can outweigh several positive answers and lead to No or Not Yet.

The questions adapt general decision-support concepts for everyday reflection. The tool is not a validated clinical, psychological, financial, legal, or professional instrument. Its result reflects only the choices made during that session and can be incomplete, mistaken, biased, or unsuitable when the user’s information or assumptions are incomplete, mistaken, biased, or unsuitable.

3. Not professional advice

The site does not provide legal, financial, investment, tax, medical, mental-health, safety, employment, real-estate, or other professional advice. Do not use it as the sole basis for a high-stakes decision. Verify material facts and consult an appropriately qualified professional when a decision could significantly affect health, safety, legal rights, finances, employment, housing, or another person.

The site is not an emergency or crisis service. If someone may be in immediate danger, contact 911 or the appropriate local emergency service. Do not delay urgent help to use this tool.

4. It does not close a transaction

No screen, score, animation, or selected answer on this site is an offer, acceptance, signature, authorization, consent, warranty, or binding agreement. The site is not a party, broker, agent, fiduciary, representative, or guarantor in any sale or other transaction. Any real transaction requires its own review, disclosures, agreement, and legally effective acceptance between the actual parties.

5. Your responsibility

You remain solely responsible for your answers, judgment, decision, conduct, and any resulting transaction. You agree to use the site lawfully and in good faith. You may not use it to deceive, pressure, exploit, discriminate against, or misrepresent facts to another person.

If you present the tool during a sale or negotiation, you must make clear that the other person controls the screen, answers, and final decision. Do not answer for them, hide relevant concerns, imply that the result is objective proof, or represent that the Operator endorses you, your product, or the transaction.

6. Age and capacity

The site is intended for adults who can understand and accept these Terms. A minor may use it only with the involvement of a parent or legal guardian. The site is not designed for emergency decisions or for a person who lacks legal capacity to make the decision at issue.

7. Ownership and permitted use

The site’s name, original copy, visual design, software, and other original materials are owned by the Operator or used with permission. You may use the publicly available tool for personal or legitimate business decision-making. You may not copy, resell, frame, scrape, reverse engineer, interfere with, or create a confusingly similar service from protected site materials except where applicable law expressly permits it.

Benjamin Franklin is a historical figure, and this site is an independent creative homage. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by any Franklin estate, museum, historical society, government agency, or educational institution. Except for historical material clearly identified and linked to a source, the illustration and lines marked “Ben’s note” are original creative elements, not authenticated Franklin quotations.

8. Availability and changes

We may change, suspend, or discontinue any part of the site, and may update these Terms by posting a revised date. Continued use after an update means you accept the revised Terms. We do not promise that the site will always be available, error-free, secure, or compatible with every device.

9. Disclaimer of warranties

To the fullest extent permitted by law, the site is provided “as is” and “as available,” without warranties of any kind, express or implied, including warranties of accuracy, reliability, fitness for a particular purpose, merchantability, noninfringement, or results. We do not warrant that use of the site will produce a correct, profitable, safe, lawful, or successful decision.

10. Limitation of liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Operator and anyone involved in providing the site will not be liable for indirect, incidental, special, exemplary, consequential, or punitive damages; lost profits, revenue, data, opportunity, goodwill, or business; personal decisions; or claims arising from a sale, negotiation, or other transaction.

To the fullest extent permitted by law, total aggregate liability for all claims relating to the site will not exceed the amount, if any, you paid the Operator to use the site during the twelve months before the event giving rise to the claim. These limits do not exclude liability that applicable law does not allow to be excluded or limited.

11. Indemnity for misuse

You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless the Operator from third-party claims, losses, liabilities, and reasonable costs arising from your unlawful or deceptive use of the site, your violation of these Terms, your misrepresentation of the site or its result, or a transaction in which you used the site. This section does not require indemnification for the Operator’s own conduct where applicable law prohibits it.

12. Pennsylvania law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, without regard to conflict-of-law rules. Any dispute not resolved informally must be brought in a court of competent jurisdiction in Pennsylvania, unless applicable law requires otherwise.

13. General terms

If a provision is found unenforceable, it will be limited to the minimum extent necessary and the remaining provisions will continue in effect. A failure to enforce a provision is not a waiver. These Terms and the Privacy Notice are the entire agreement concerning use of this site and supersede prior statements about that use.

14. Accessibility

We aim to make the site usable with keyboards, screen readers, browser zoom, and other assistive technology. If an accessibility barrier prevents you from using it, email the address below and describe the problem and device or browser if you can.

15. Contact

Questions about these Terms may be sent to CiaranPaulRoche@gmail.com.