Terms of Service

Last updated: 2026-05-01

Welcome to RateMyBioLab ("the Service"). By creating an account or using the Service, you agree to these Terms. If you do not agree, do not use the Service.

1. What the Service Is

RateMyBioLab is a platform where current and former members of academic biology research labs (graduate students, postdocs, technicians, undergraduates, visiting scholars, and interviewees) may post anonymous opinion-based reviews of their experience.

The Service is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by any university, research institution, funding agency, or principal investigator listed on the platform.

2. Eligibility

You must be at least 18 years old and have first-hand experience with a lab in order to review it. By creating an account you represent that both are true.

3. Accounts

• One account per person.
• You must provide a valid email address; we will send a verification link.
• You are responsible for keeping your password secure.
• We may suspend or terminate accounts that violate these Terms, at our sole discretion, with or without notice.

4. Content Rules — What You May Post

Reviews must:

• Be based on your own first-hand experience in or with the lab being reviewed.
• Reflect your honest opinion, clearly framed as opinion ("I felt unsupported," "in my experience the hours were long") rather than as factual accusation.
• Concern the lab as an organizational unit (e.g., "Matthews Lab" at a given institution and department) in its professional capacity.

Reviews must not:

• Name or identify any individual lab member — including the principal investigator by first name or full name, postdocs, students, technicians, or staff. Refer to the lab only by its conventional name (e.g., "the Matthews Lab").
• Make factual accusations of crimes, misconduct, fraud, harassment, or assault. If you have experienced or witnessed such things, report them to your institution's Title IX / research integrity office, the Office of Research Integrity (ORI), or law enforcement — not to a public review site.
• Disclose private information (home addresses, phone numbers, medical info, immigration status, sexual orientation, family details) about any person.
• Contain slurs, threats, harassment, or content targeting protected classes.
• Contain content you do not have the right to post (copyrighted material, confidential lab data, unpublished results, IP).
• Be posted on behalf of someone else, in exchange for payment, or as part of a coordinated campaign.

5. Moderation and Removal

We reserve the right (but have no obligation) to review, edit, refuse to post, or remove any content for any reason, including suspected violations of these Terms. We may also suspend or terminate accounts.

6. Takedown Requests (for Subjects of Reviews)

If you are a PI or institution and believe a review about you violates these Terms — particularly if it makes factual accusations, identifies non-PI lab members, or discloses private information — please email info@ratemybiolab.com with:

• The URL of the lab page
• The specific review(s) at issue (quote the text)
• The basis for your request (which rule it violates)
• Your name and affiliation

We aim to respond within 14 days. We may remove, edit, or leave the content at our discretion. We are not a court and do not adjudicate factual disputes; for legal claims, follow the process in Section 11.

7. DMCA / Copyright

To report copyright infringement under the DMCA, send a notice meeting 17 U.S.C. § 512(c)(3) requirements to info@ratemybiolab.com with subject line "DMCA Notice."

8. Your License to Us

When you post a review you grant us a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable license to host, display, reproduce, and distribute the content on the Service. You retain ownership of your content.

9. Disclaimers

• Reviews are the opinions of individual users, not statements of fact by us.
• We make no warranty that reviews are accurate, complete, current, or representative.
• The Service is provided "as is" without warranties of any kind, express or implied.
• We do not verify employment, enrollment, or first-hand experience of reviewers.

10. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, we are not liable for any indirect, incidental, consequential, special, or punitive damages, or for any loss of data, reputation, or opportunity, arising from your use of the Service.

11. Governing Law and Disputes

These Terms are governed by the laws of the United States, without regard to conflict-of-laws rules. Any dispute shall be resolved exclusively in a competent court located in the United States, and you consent to personal jurisdiction there.

12. Section 230

The Service is an interactive computer service under 47 U.S.C. § 230. We are not the publisher or speaker of user-posted content.

13. Changes

We may update these Terms. Material changes will be announced via the Service and/or by email. Continued use after the effective date constitutes acceptance.

14. Contact

info@ratemybiolab.com