Entity Claiming & Verification Policy

Effective Date: January 14, 2026

The integrity of the Archade Graph relies on accurate entity representation. This policy governs how Firms, Educational Institutions, and Organizations claim and manage their official profiles.

1. Principles of Entity Ownership

Detailed profiles for Firms and Organizations exist on Archade as part of the public record. "Claiming" is the process of an authorized representative taking administrative control of that existing record.

Final Authority: Archade retains exclusive and final discretion over the verification, ownership, and administrative control of all Entity Profiles on the platform. We reserve the right to override claims, transfer ownership, or lock profiles to preserve the accuracy of the index.

2. Eligibility to Claim

You may only claim an Entity Profile if you are an Authorized Representative.

2.1 Authorized Representative Definition

An Authorized Representative must:

Posess a verifiable email address matching the Entity's web domain (e.g., name@zaha-hadid.com).
Hold a role with administrative authority (e.g., Partner, Principal, Director, Marketing/Comms Lead).
Have the authority to bind the Entity to our Terms.

2.2 Prohibited Claimants

Junior employees without administrative authorization.
Third-party SEO or marketing agencies (must be invited as "Editors" by a verified internal Admin).
Fan accounts or unrelated parties.

3. Administrative Roles & Liability

3.1 Role Hierarchy

Primary Owner: The verified Authorized Representative. Has full control, including the ability to transfer ownership.
Admin: Can manage content and roster. Cannot transfer ownership.
Editor: Can edit profile details and projects. Cannot manage users.

3.2 Internal Liability

The Primary Owner is responsible for maintaining the security of the Entity account. Archade is not liable for unauthorized actions taken by users you have granted Admin or Editor access to. Internal disputes (e.g., a rogue employee deleting projects) must be resolved internally by the Firm.

4. Verification Methods

4.1 Domain Verification (Instant)

Connecting a corporate email address or verifying via DNS record TXT entry is the primary method of verification. Priority is given to claimants verified via DNS.

4.2 Manual Documentation (Standard)

If domain verification is impossible, we require:

Business License / Articles of Incorporation.
Letter of Authorization on company letterhead signed by a Director/Officer.

5. Dispute Resolution & "Hostile Claims"

5.1 Competing Claims

If multiple parties claim an Entity:

Domain Authority Rule: The user with the verified domain email prevails over non-domain users.
Seniority Rule: If both have domain emails, we defer to the corporate hierarchy (e.g., a Partner overrules a Marketing Manager) pending written authorization.

5.2 Hostile Takeover Prevention

Archade reserves the right to lock a profile ("Dispute Lock") if we detect suspicious claiming patterns or internal edit wars. During a lock, the profile reverts to its last stable state until the dispute is resolved.

5.3 M&A and Rebrands

In the event of a merger, acquisition, or rebrand:

Continuity: The acquiring entity may request transfer of the acquired entity's profile upon providing proof of the transaction (e.g., press release, legal filing).
Legacy Preservation: Archade may choose to preserve the pre-merger entity as a historical record rather than merging it, at our sole discretion.

6. Revocation of Verified Status

Archade may revoke "Verified" status and Administrative access if:

The entity dissolves or ceases operations.
The administrator spams the network or violates the Code of Conduct.
The verification was obtained via fraud or misrepresentation.

Abuse Penalty: Users attempting to fraudulently claim entities or use "Black Hat" SEO tactics to manipulate the graph will be permanently banned, and their associated Entity Profiles may be blacklisted.

7. Appeals & Finality

Decisions regarding entity ownership are made by the Trust & Safety team.

Appeals: You may appeal a decision once by submitting new, verifiable legal documentation.
Finality: All decisions made after an appeal are final.

Owner: Trust & Safety + Product