Acceptable Use Policy

ArcAnswer, a product of Birchwood Group LLC

At a glance: This Acceptable Use Policy explains how ArcAnswer may and may not be used. In short: use ArcAnswer to audit websites you own or are authorized to analyze, respect other people and their rights, and do not abuse the Service. Following these rules keeps ArcAnswer safe, fast, and available for everyone.

Introduction

Birchwood Group LLC ("Birchwood Group," "we," "us," or "our") operates ArcAnswer, a premium, AI-powered Chrome extension that audits web pages for AI search readiness and generates one-click, copy-ready fixes for engines such as ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Perplexity. This Acceptable Use Policy ("Policy") sets out the rules for using ArcAnswer responsibly.

We wrote this Policy to be clear and reasonable. The vast majority of users will never come close to breaking these rules, because they simply describe the normal, good-faith use of a professional tool. The Policy exists to protect the community of ArcAnswer users, to keep the Service reliable and secure, and to give us a fair and transparent framework for addressing the rare cases of misuse.

This Policy is part of, and incorporated into, our Terms of Service. It should also be read alongside our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy.

Table of Contents

1. Executive Summary
2. Purpose
3. Scope
4. Definitions
5. Acceptable Use
6. Prohibited Activities
7. Automation, Scraping, and Rate Limits
8. Security and API Abuse
9. Account Sharing and Licensing
10. Intellectual Property and Legal Compliance
11. Enforcement
12. Reporting Abuse
13. Appeals
14. User Responsibilities
15. Company Responsibilities
16. Examples
17. Frequently Asked Questions
18. Contact Information
19. Future Policy Changes
20. Conclusion

Executive Summary

ArcAnswer is intended for legitimate, professional use: auditing websites you own or are authorized to analyze and improving their readiness for AI search. Prohibited uses include spam, fraud, malware, unauthorized scraping, security attacks, reverse engineering, circumventing usage limits, sharing a single subscription across many people, and any illegal activity.

We enforce this Policy proportionately, typically starting with a warning for minor or first-time issues, and escalating to suspension or a permanent ban for serious or repeated violations. We offer a fair appeals process, and we provide a channel for reporting abuse.

Purpose

The purpose of this Policy is to define acceptable and unacceptable use of ArcAnswer, to protect the Service and its users from abuse, and to explain how we respond when the rules are broken. Clear rules and fair enforcement help keep ArcAnswer fast, secure, and trustworthy for everyone.

Scope

This Policy applies to:

• All users of the ArcAnswer browser extension, on the free tier and on paid Pro plans.
• Any use of our website, support channels, and, if offered, any API.
• Anyone acting on behalf of an organization that uses ArcAnswer.

This Policy applies regardless of whether you are a paying subscriber, and it applies in addition to the rules in our Terms of Service.

Definitions

Acceptable Use

You may use ArcAnswer for legitimate, good-faith purposes, including:

• Auditing your own websites for AI search readiness and technical SEO.
• Auditing websites you are authorized to analyze, such as a client's site with their permission.
• Generating fixes, such as structured data and llms.txt, for sites you control or are authorized to improve.
• Tracking readiness over time using Projects and Reports for sites you manage.
• Sharing reports you generate with colleagues or clients in the ordinary course of your work.

Best practice: Before auditing a site on behalf of someone else, make sure you have their authorization. ArcAnswer is a professional tool, and professional use includes respecting the ownership and permissions of the sites you analyze.

Prohibited Activities

To keep ArcAnswer safe and reliable, the following activities are prohibited. This list is illustrative, not exhaustive; the underlying principle is to use the Service lawfully, fairly, and without harming others.

Spam

Do not use ArcAnswer or any output it generates to create, distribute, or facilitate spam, including unsolicited bulk messaging, deceptive content designed to manipulate rankings dishonestly, or content that violates anti-spam laws.

Automation Abuse

Do not use scripts, bots, or automation to operate ArcAnswer in ways that bypass its intended interactive use, exceed usage limits, or place an unreasonable load on the Service.

Fraud

Do not use ArcAnswer to commit or facilitate fraud, including payment fraud, chargeback abuse, impersonation, or misrepresentation of your identity or authorization.

Malware

Do not use the Service to create, host, distribute, or facilitate malware, viruses, ransomware, or any malicious code, and do not attempt to introduce malicious code into the Service.

Reverse Engineering

Do not reverse engineer, decompile, disassemble, or otherwise attempt to derive the source code, scoring methodology, or internal logic of the Service, except to the limited extent such restriction is prohibited by law.

Illegal Activities

Do not use ArcAnswer for any unlawful purpose or to facilitate any illegal activity, including violating export controls, sanctions, or other applicable laws.

Intellectual Property Violations

Do not use the Service to infringe the intellectual property rights of others, to misappropriate content, or to publish material you do not have the right to publish.

Security Abuse

Do not attempt to probe, scan, or test the vulnerability of the Service, breach security or authentication measures, or interfere with the Service's infrastructure or other users.

Account Sharing

Do not share a single subscription across multiple people or organizations in a way that circumvents licensing, and do not resell access to the Service without our written permission.

API Abuse

If we offer an API, do not exceed published rate limits, use stolen or shared credentials, or use the API to build a competing product by extracting our methodology or output at scale.

Scraping

Do not use ArcAnswer to conduct unauthorized, large-scale scraping of websites you do not own or have permission to analyze, and do not use the Service in a way that violates a target site's terms or applicable law.

Rate-Limit Circumvention

Do not attempt to bypass the free-tier limits, Pro entitlements, or any technical control through manipulation, multiple identities, or other means.

Warning: Attempting to bypass usage limits, security controls, or licensing is a serious violation and may result in immediate suspension or a permanent ban.

Automation, Scraping, and Rate Limits

ArcAnswer is designed for interactive, on-demand use: you open a page, click the icon, and review the results. This design keeps the Service fast for everyone and keeps audits private to your device.

• Rate limits on the free tier (for example, daily and monthly scan caps) exist to ensure fair use. Do not attempt to circumvent them.
• Automation that mimics or amplifies human use to exceed intended limits is prohibited.
• Scraping websites you do not own or are not authorized to analyze, especially at scale, is prohibited and may violate the target site's terms and applicable law.

Note: Responsible, authorized analysis of your own sites, including reviewing many of your own pages over time, is fully acceptable. The prohibition targets abusive, unauthorized, or infrastructure-harming automation, not normal professional work.

Security and API Abuse

The security of the Service protects every user. You agree not to:

• Attempt to gain unauthorized access to the Service, its infrastructure, or another user's data.
• Interfere with, disrupt, or overload the Service.
• Probe or test security measures without authorization.
• Use stolen, shared, or fraudulent credentials.
• Exploit or attempt to exploit any vulnerability, rather than reporting it responsibly.

If you discover a security vulnerability, we ask that you report it responsibly to security@bwg.llc rather than exploiting or publicizing it. We appreciate good-faith security research and will work with responsible reporters.

Account Sharing and Licensing

A Pro subscription is intended for the individual or organization that purchased it. You may use ArcAnswer across your own devices, but you may not:

• Share a single subscription among many unrelated users to avoid paying for additional seats.
• Resell, sublicense, or redistribute access without our written permission.
• Misrepresent the scope of your license.

If your team needs multiple seats or organization-wide access, contact us and we will help you find the right arrangement.

Intellectual Property and Legal Compliance

You are responsible for ensuring that your use of ArcAnswer, and any content you publish based on it, complies with the law and respects the rights of others. This includes intellectual property rights, privacy rights, and any contractual obligations you have. Do not use ArcAnswer to create or distribute content that is defamatory, harassing, hateful, deceptive, or otherwise unlawful.

Best practice: Review every generated fix before publishing it, and make sure the content you add to your site is accurate and something you have the right to publish.

Enforcement

We enforce this Policy fairly and proportionately. Our goal is to correct behavior and protect the Service, not to punish good-faith mistakes. Depending on the nature and severity of a violation, we may take one or more of the following actions.

Warnings

For minor or first-time issues, we generally start with a warning, giving you a clear description of the problem and an opportunity to fix it.

Suspensions

For repeated or more serious issues, we may temporarily suspend access while we investigate or while you correct the behavior. We aim to communicate clearly about why a suspension occurred and what is needed to restore access.

Permanent Bans

For severe, repeated, or malicious violations, such as security attacks, fraud, or distributing malware, we may permanently terminate access. Where the law requires, we may also report certain activities to the appropriate authorities.

Note: We reserve the right to take immediate action, including suspension or termination, when necessary to protect the Service, other users, or third parties, even without a prior warning in serious cases.

Reporting Abuse

If you believe someone is misusing ArcAnswer, or if you have encountered content or behavior that violates this Policy, please tell us.

1. Email abuse@bwg.llc with a description of the issue.
2. Include details, such as what happened, when, and any relevant links or context.
3. We review every good-faith report and take appropriate action.

We treat abuse reports seriously and confidentially, and we appreciate the community's help in keeping ArcAnswer safe.

Appeals

We recognize that enforcement decisions are not always clear-cut and that mistakes can happen. If you believe an action taken against your access was incorrect, you may appeal.

1. Submit an appeal to appeals@bwg.llc, explaining why you believe the decision was mistaken.
2. Provide context, including any information that helps us understand the situation.
3. We review appeals in good faith and respond with our decision and reasoning.

We aim to be fair, to consider the full context, and to reverse decisions that were made in error.

Best practice: When appealing, be specific and factual. Clear information helps us review your case quickly and accurately.

User Responsibilities

As a user, you agree to:

• Use ArcAnswer only on websites you own or are authorized to analyze.
• Respect usage limits, security controls, and licensing.
• Refrain from the prohibited activities described in this Policy.
• Report abuse and security issues responsibly.
• Ensure your use and published content comply with the law.

Company Responsibilities

Birchwood Group LLC commits to:

• Apply this Policy fairly, consistently, and proportionately.
• Communicate clearly about enforcement actions where practical.
• Offer a good-faith appeals process.
• Protect the Service and its users from abuse.
• Keep this Policy accurate and up to date.

Examples

Example 1 — Acceptable professional use. An SEO consultant audits a client's website with the client's permission, tracks its readiness over several months in Projects, and shares branded reports with the client. This is exactly what ArcAnswer is for.

Example 2 — Prohibited automation. A user writes a script to drive ArcAnswer across tens of thousands of unrelated websites they do not own, in order to build a dataset. This violates the rules on automation, scraping, and authorization, and may lead to suspension.

Example 3 — Responsible security reporting. A researcher notices a potential vulnerability. Instead of exploiting it, they email security@bwg.llc with the details. We thank them, investigate, and fix the issue. This is the responsible path we encourage.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I audit websites I do not own? Only if you are authorized to analyze them, such as a client's site with their permission. Unauthorized mass scanning is prohibited.

What happens if I break a rule by accident? For minor or first-time issues, we generally start with a warning and a chance to fix the behavior.

Can I share my Pro subscription with my whole team? A subscription is intended for the individual or organization that purchased it. For multiple seats, contact us and we will help.

How do I report someone misusing ArcAnswer? Email abuse@bwg.llc with details, and we will review and act on good-faith reports.

Can I appeal a suspension or ban? Yes. Email appeals@bwg.llc, explain why you believe the decision was mistaken, and we will review it in good faith.

What should I do if I find a security issue? Report it responsibly to security@bwg.llc rather than exploiting or publicizing it.

Contact Information

• Report abuse: abuse@bwg.llc
• Security reports: security@bwg.llc
• Appeals: appeals@bwg.llc
• General support: support@bwg.llc
• Company: Birchwood Group LLC, State of Florida, United States
• Websites: https://arcanswer.com and https://bwg.llc

Effective Date, Version, and Last Updated

• Effective Date: July 19, 2026
• Version: 2.0
• Last Updated: July 19, 2026

Future Policy Changes

We may update this Acceptable Use Policy to address new forms of misuse, to reflect changes in the Service, or to comply with the law. When we make material changes, we will update the "Last Updated" date and provide notice where appropriate. Your continued use of ArcAnswer after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the revised Policy.

Conclusion

Acceptable use comes down to a simple idea: use ArcAnswer the way it was meant to be used, respect other people and their rights, and do not abuse the Service. Nearly every user does exactly this without a second thought. For the rare cases of misuse, this Policy gives us a fair, transparent framework to keep ArcAnswer secure, reliable, and welcoming for the whole community. Thank you for using ArcAnswer responsibly.