DYSG: Decoded Contributor Terms & Conditions

Last Updated: September 11, 2026

DYSG: Decoded is a platform of DYSG Media™ created to celebrate perspectives, ideas, commentary, and creativity throughout geek culture and the communities surrounding it.

DYSG Media welcomes submissions from writers, fans, creators, and members of the community who have something worth saying and a unique voice with which to say it.

By submitting an article, essay, commentary, review, opinion piece, image, or other content for consideration by DYSG: Decoded (“Submission”), you acknowledge and agree to the following Contributor Terms & Conditions.

1. Submission and Publication

Submitting content to DYSG: Decoded does not guarantee publication.

DYSG Media™ reserves the right to accept, decline, postpone, or request revisions to any Submission at its discretion. Publication decisions may be based on subject matter, quality, relevance, available publishing space, editorial direction, or compatibility with the mission and standards of DYSG Media.

DYSG Media is not obligated to provide a reason when a Submission is declined.

2. Ownership of Your Work

Your work remains your work.

Contributors retain ownership and copyright of their original Submissions. Submission to DYSG: Decoded does not transfer ownership or copyright to DYSG Media™.

By submitting content that is ultimately accepted for publication, you grant DYSG Media™ a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to publish, reproduce, display, format, distribute, archive, and promote the Submission through DYSG Media-owned or operated platforms and promotional channels.

Because this license is non-exclusive, contributors remain free to publish, reproduce, adapt, or otherwise use their original work elsewhere.

3. Permission to Promote Published Work

If your Submission is published, you grant DYSG Media™ permission to use your submitted byline or creator name, article title, brief excerpts, approved biography, submitted promotional imagery, and links associated with your Submission for the purpose of promoting the article and DYSG: Decoded.

Promotion may include DYSG Media's website, social media accounts, podcasts, video content, newsletters, promotional graphics, and other DYSG Media-owned or operated channels.

This permission does not transfer ownership of your name, likeness, brand, or original work to DYSG Media.

4. Originality and Authority to Submit

By submitting content, you represent that:

  • The Submission is your original work or you otherwise have the legal right and permission to submit it.

  • The Submission does not knowingly infringe another person's copyright, trademark, privacy, publicity, or other legal rights.

  • Any quotations, images, artwork, photographs, graphics, video, audio, or other third-party materials have been appropriately attributed and used with any permission or license required.

  • You have not knowingly presented another person's work as your own.

Plagiarized material will not be accepted.

If DYSG Media™ reasonably believes that published material infringes another person's rights, DYSG Media may remove or restrict access to that material while the issue is reviewed.

5. Images and Other Third-Party Materials

Contributors are responsible for ensuring they have the necessary rights or permissions for photographs, artwork, graphics, screenshots, or other media submitted with their work.

Providing a source or credit for an image does not necessarily mean that permission exists to reproduce it.

DYSG Media™ reserves the right to decline a submitted image, request proof of permission or licensing, select an alternative image, or publish an article without the submitted image.

When requested, contributors should provide the creator, source, and applicable license or permission information for submitted media.

6. Editorial Rights

DYSG Media™ may make reasonable editorial changes to accepted Submissions, including corrections involving:

  • Grammar and spelling

  • Punctuation

  • Formatting

  • Readability and clarity

  • Headlines and subheadings

  • Categorization

  • Links

  • Length

  • Site presentation

  • Factual or attribution concerns

DYSG Media will make reasonable efforts not to materially change a contributor's central argument, opinion, or intended meaning without consulting the contributor.

When substantial changes are necessary, DYSG Media may request a revised Submission rather than altering the work without the contributor's involvement.

7. Contributor Opinions

DYSG: Decoded exists in part to provide space for different voices and perspectives.

Unless otherwise stated, views and opinions expressed in contributor Submissions belong solely to the individual contributor and do not necessarily represent the views, positions, policies, or opinions of DYSG Media™, its owners, hosts, employees, staff, contributors, partners, sponsors, or affiliates.

DYSG Media may include an editorial disclaimer on published contributor content identifying it as the opinion or work of the individual author.

8. Content Standards

DYSG Media™ reserves the right to reject or remove content that includes, among other things:

  • Plagiarism or deliberate copyright infringement

  • Knowingly false or defamatory statements

  • Credible threats or targeted harassment

  • Unlawful content

  • Malicious links, malware, or deceptive material

  • Unauthorized disclosure of another person's private information

  • Undisclosed paid advertising or promotional content

  • Content that substantially violates DYSG Media's editorial or community standards

Disagreement, criticism, unpopular opinions, or spirited debate alone do not necessarily constitute a violation of these standards.

DYSG Media encourages contributors to have a point of view. Contributors are expected to express that point of view responsibly.

9. Sponsored Content, Products, and Conflicts of Interest

Contributors must disclose any material relationship that could reasonably influence the content of their Submission.

This includes, when applicable, payment, sponsorship, affiliate relationships, employment relationships, free products or services, gifts, or other compensation connected to the subject of the Submission.

DYSG Media™ reserves the right to require an appropriate disclosure within the published article or to decline the Submission.

10. Artificial Intelligence

DYSG: Decoded is intended to showcase the perspectives and voices of real people.

Contributors must disclose material use of generative artificial intelligence in preparing submitted content.

AI tools may be used for purposes such as brainstorming, organization, research assistance, transcription, proofreading, or editing. However, contributors remain fully responsible for the accuracy, originality, sourcing, rights clearance, and final content of anything submitted under their name.

DYSG Media™ reserves the right to decline substantially AI-generated articles or other content when DYSG Media determines that the work does not meaningfully represent the contributor's own voice, perspective, or creative contribution.

Failure to disclose substantial AI-generated content may result in rejection or removal of the Submission.

11. Accuracy and Fact-Checking

Contributors are responsible for making reasonable efforts to ensure that factual claims in their Submissions are accurate.

DYSG Media™ may request sources, citations, clarification, corrections, or supporting information before or after publication.

If a significant factual error is discovered after publication, DYSG Media may correct, update, annotate, or remove the affected material as appropriate.

12. Compensation

Unless DYSG Media™ and the contributor have agreed otherwise in writing before publication, community contributions to DYSG: Decoded are voluntary and unpaid.

Submission, acceptance, publication, page views, social media engagement, sharing, or other performance of a published Submission does not independently create an obligation for DYSG Media to provide payment, royalties, revenue sharing, or other compensation.

Any future paid contributor arrangement will be governed by the specific terms agreed upon between DYSG Media and that contributor.

13. Removal and Corrections

Contributors may contact DYSG Media™ to request a correction, update, or removal of their published Submission.

DYSG Media will consider reasonable requests in good faith but may retain archival records necessary for administrative, legal, security, or recordkeeping purposes.

Removal of an article from DYSG Media's website may not remove copies, excerpts, previews, cached versions, social media posts, podcast discussions, promotional materials, or other materials that were lawfully created or distributed before the removal request.

14. No Guarantee of Traffic, Exposure, or Promotion

Publication on DYSG: Decoded does not guarantee any particular level of readership, website traffic, social media engagement, promotion, professional opportunity, or other result.

DYSG Media™ may determine how and when published Submissions are promoted through its platforms.

15. Changes to These Terms

DYSG Media™ may update these Contributor Terms & Conditions as DYSG: Decoded and its contributor program evolve.

The version of these Terms presented or linked at the time of a Submission will govern that Submission unless the contributor and DYSG Media agree otherwise.

The effective date of the current Terms will be identified at the top of this page.

16. Questions and Contact

Questions regarding these Contributor Terms & Conditions, published Submissions, corrections, or removal requests may be directed to DYSG Media through the contact information provided on DYSGMedia.com.

Contributor Acknowledgment

By submitting content to DYSG: Decoded, you acknowledge that you have read and agree to these Contributor Terms & Conditions.

You further confirm that you have the authority to submit the work, that the information you provide in connection with your Submission is accurate to the best of your knowledge, and that you grant DYSG Media™ the permissions described above if your Submission is accepted for publication.

You create it. You own it. DYSG: Decoded gives it another place to be heard.