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Public APIs Terms of Service

ORCID, Inc. (referred to as “ORCID”, “us” “our” and “we”) is a non-profit organization that operates certain websites at the orcid.org domain (“Websites”) and an open-access registry of researcher identifiers (“ORCID iDs”) and related data (the “Registry”). These Terms of Service describe conditions under which ORCID allows the public to access our Anonymous API and Public API (together the “Public APIs”), to search and access the ORCID Registry and to obtain and use credentials (“Public API Credentials”) which comprise a unique alphanumeric client ID and client secret that grant specific access permissions to the Public API.

Public API Credentials are granted to individuals and not organizations, and your Public API Credentials are personal to you (even if you are using them in connection with your work for an organization). Only an individual with an ORCID iD may obtain Public API Credentials. If you do not have an ORCID iD and would like to obtain one, you can do so by registering at https://orcid.org/register.

These Terms of Service, which include the linked Privacy Policy and Dispute Procedures, create a binding agreement between you and us. If you do not agree to these Terms of Service, the Privacy Policy and Dispute Procedures, please refrain from using the Public APIs. Note that these Terms of Service only apply to use of the Public APIs and Public API Credentials; any other use you make of our Websites and Registry will be governed by ORCID’s Terms and Conditions of Use. 

2. Your Right to Use the Public APIs

We grant you a limited royalty-free license to make non-commercial use of the Public APIs to request permission from ORCID iD holders to retrieve authenticated ORCID iDs and access tokens to read public information from ORCID records, and to search public data in the ORCID Registry. By “non-commercial” we mean that you may not charge any re-use fees for the Public APIs, and you may not make use of the public APIs in connection with any revenue-generating product or service.

In addition, we grant you a limited license to use any Registry data marked “public” subject to these Terms of Service. This license does not extend to materials linked to ORCID iD records, such as full text articles or datasets.

ORCID reserves the right to rate-limit, throttle, apply usage quotas or otherwise limit the use of the Public APIs or require membership and associated fees for extensive or extended use, in its sole discretion; provided, however, that ORCID will provide you with advance notice (to the email address provided when you register for use of the Public APIs) of any fees, and no fees shall be applied retroactively without your affirmative consent. 

All rights not explicitly granted herein are reserved by ORCID. ORCID reserves the right to terminate your use at any time. 

3. Limitations on Use

ORCID is a community-based initiative developed by and for the research community. Any unauthorized use of the Public APIs or other breach of these Terms of Service shall automatically terminate the license granted to you by ORCID. In addition, because the Public APIs are a free service, ORCID reserves the right to terminate access for any user at ORCID’s sole discretion. To help us ensure that ORCID is a useful and respected community resource, the following are explicitly prohibited in connection with the Public APIs:

  • You may not exceed our posted rate limits and usage quotas when accessing the Public APIs.
  • You may not use the Public APIs to continuously poll the ORCID Registry. 
  • An individual may have only one set of Public API Credentials. You may not obtain more than one ORCID iD for the purpose of obtaining multiple sets of Public API Credentials. 
  • You may not share your Public API Credentials or transfer your Public API Credentials to another individual. (If an individual leaves an organization, a new individual at the organization must register for a new set of Public API Credentials in order for the organization to continue to access the Public APIs). Notwithstanding this, ORCID may, at its sole discretion, at your request and with your permission transfer your Public API Credentials to an ORCID member organization to which you are affiliated. Once transferred to a member organization, the credentials become Member API Credentials may not be transferred back to individual control. 
  • You may not use any data obtained from the Registry in a manner that is false or misleading.
  • You may not use email or physical addresses obtained from ORCID records to send junk mail, spam, chain letters, pyramid schemes or similar communications, and you may not send unsolicited electronic marketing communications, unless you have the consent of the person receiving the communication and can comply any privacy and marketing-related laws that apply.
  • You may not use the Public APIs for any unlawful (in the US and any jurisdiction in which you are located) or injurious purpose.
  • You may not use the Public APIs in any way that damages, disables, overburdens or impairs the operation of the Websites or Registry. Such prohibited actions include, but are not limited to: violating, circumventing or attempting to violate or circumvent security measures, rate limits, usage quotas or throttling mechanisms; denial of service attacks, accessing services or data that are not intended for your use; logging into a server or account which you are not authorized to access; attempting to probe, scan or test the vulnerability of a system or network; attempting to interfere with the service of any users, host or network; forging any TCP/IP packet header or any part of a header information in any email, posting or API request; and infecting the Websites or Registry with malware, software viruses or any other computer code, files or programs designed to interrupt, destroy or limit the functionality of any software, hardware, or telecommunications equipment.
  • If you are prohibited from receiving US origin services or software, you may not use the Public APIs. You may not export data obtained from the Public APIs to any countries that are subject to relevant export control restrictions of the United States. 
  • You may not use the ORCID name in any way to suggest ORCID’s affiliation or endorsement of any individual, organization, product, or service without the prior written consent of ORCID.

4. Privacy and Processing of Personal Information

ORCID’s Privacy Policy explains how we treat any personal data (such as an email address) you provide in connection with obtaining a Public API Credential. By obtaining Public API Credentials, you acknowledge that ORCID can use such data in accordance with our Privacy Policy. 

5. Security

You agree to take reasonable efforts to ensure the confidentiality of your Public API Credentials and protect them from any security breaches or other use that is in violation of these Terms of Service or applicable law. This includes not exposing your client secret in any client-side or publically accessible code. You will be liable for any negligent use of your Public API Credentials. If you become aware of any security breach of your Public API Credentials you are required to let ORCID know immediately by contacting the ORCID Help Desk. 

6. Disputed Records

To ensure the transparency of the ORCID Registry, ORCID keeps an audit trail of when and by whom Registry information has been deposited or changed and any changes to privacy settings. You agree to follow the procedures set forth in the Dispute Procedures for settling any disputes regarding the accuracy and integrity of data in the ORCID Registry. You further agree to hold ORCID and its directors, officers and employees, agents, contractors and representatives (individually and collectively, the “ORCID Parties”), harmless regarding any such disputes

The ORCID Registry may contain links to third party sites. These Terms of Service do not apply to those sites. ORCID has not reviewed any third-party websites for accuracy, appropriateness, completeness or non-infringement. ORCID makes no representations and warranties about such third party websites and content and takes no responsibility and is not liable for such third-party websites or the content provided therein. 

8. Warranties/Disclaimer/Limitation of Liability

THE PUBLIC APIs, PUBLIC API CREDENTIALS, THE REGISTRY, THE WEBSITES, RECORD DATA, AND THE ORCID SOFTWARE (individually and collectively, the “ORCID SYSTEM”) ARE PROVIDED ON AN “AS IS” BASIS, AND THE ORCID PARTIES DISCLAIM TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW ANY AND ALL REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND (EXPRESS, IMPLIED, ORAL, OR WRITTEN) RELATING TO THE ORCID SYSTEM, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF QUALITY, PERFORMANCE, COMPATIBILITY, MERCHANTABILITY, AND/OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, IN NO EVENT SHALL THE ORCID PARTIES BE LIABLE FOR ANY LOSSES, DAMAGES, LIABILITIES, COSTS OR CLAIMS (“COSTS”) DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF YOUR USE OF THE ORCID SYSTEM. YOU IRREVOCABLY RELEASE AND HOLD HARMLESS THE ORCID PARTIES FROM ANY SUCH COSTS. 

IN ADDITION, (1) TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, THE ORCID PARTIES SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES OR LOST REVENUES ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO YOUR USE OF THE ORCID SYSTEM OR THIS AGREEMENT EVEN IF INFORMED IN ADVANCE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES AND LOSSES; (2) TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHALL THE AGGREGATE LIABILITY OF THE ORCID PARTIES IN CONNECTION WITH YOUR USE OF THE ORCID SYSTEM EXCEED THE FEES PAID BY YOU TO ORCID FOR YOUR USE OF THE PUBLIC APIs WHICH IS ZERO US. DOLLARS, OR IN THE EVENT THAT A JURISDICTION BARS ZERO DAMAGES, US $10. IN ALL CASES, THE ORCID PARTIES SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY LOSS OR DAMAGE THAT WAS NOT REASONABLY FORESEEABLE. 

9. Indemnity

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless the ORCID Parties from and against any liability, damage, loss, cost or expense (including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys’ fees) arising from or related to your use of the Public APIs. 

10. Modifications to these Terms of Service

We may modify these Terms of Service (including our Privacy Policy and Dispute Procedures) from time to time by posting a revised version on our Websites and/or Registry, provided that no changes will apply retroactively. Your continued use of the Public APIs after the posting of such new Terms of Service means that you agree to the changes.

11. Termination

Any unauthorized use of the Public APIs or your Public API Credentials or other breach of these Terms of Service shall automatically terminate the license granted to you by ORCID. In addition, ORCID reserves the right to investigate any potential violations of these Terms of Service and/or any behavior that is potentially unlawful.

12. General

These Terms of Service, together with the Privacy Policy, make up the entire agreement between ORCID and you with regards to your use of the Public APIs and Public API Credentials, and they do not create any third party rights. If any term is unenforceable, this will not affect the other terms. If you do not comply with any of these Terms of Service, and we do not take action to enforce them right away, that does not mean that we are giving up our rights, including the right to take action in the future. All of our rights and obligations under these Terms of Service are freely assignable by us, consistent with any limitations set forth in the Privacy Policy. You will comply with all applicable laws when using the Public APIs. We may take any actions necessary in order for us to comply with applicable laws. These Terms of Use shall be interpreted under and governed by the laws of the State of New York, US, excluding any laws that might direct the application of the laws of another jurisdiction. All claims, disputes and actions of any kind arising out of or relating to these Terms of Service shall be settled exclusively in New York, NY, US by arbitration pursuant to the Commercial Arbitration Rules of the American Arbitration Association (“AAA”) and conducted by a single arbitrator from the AAA reasonably familiar with the information services industry, and you agree to submit to such jurisdiction. Notwithstanding the foregoing, ORCID shall be entitled (in anticipation of, but not in any limiting arbitration or waiving any other rights or remedies) to injunctive or equitable relief before any court located in New York, NY. If you are using the Public APIs outside the US, you waive all rights, if any, arising under the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods, and all rights of application or appeal, if any, to non-US courts.

13. Translations

Translations of these Terms of Service are provided on our website only for the convenience of users. In case of any divergence in the interpretation of these Terms of Service, the English version shall prevail.

14. Contacts

If you have any additional questions about our Terms of Service, our Privacy Policy, or our Dispute Procedures, please contact the ORCID Help Desk or write to ORCID, 10411 Motor City Drive, Suite 750, Bethesda, MD 20817, USA.

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Last updated 23 October 2024