Effective Date: September 27, 2026
These Terms of Service (“Terms”) govern your access to and use of Tampa Bay Spotlight at tampabayspotlight.com, including its articles, guides, business and community information, event listings, advertising services, user submissions, and related website features (collectively, the “Website”).
By accessing or using the Website, you agree to these Terms. If you do not agree with these Terms, please do not use the Website.
1. About Tampa Bay Spotlight
Tampa Bay Spotlight is a Tampa Bay-focused media and community resource providing local information, articles, photography, guides, business and service information, event information, entertainment and food coverage, and other community-oriented content.
2. Use of Website Content
Website content is provided for general informational, educational, and entertainment purposes. Information about businesses, destinations, events, products, services, prices, schedules, hours, availability, policies, and other third-party matters may change without notice.
We encourage users to independently verify important information directly with the applicable business, organization, venue, event organizer, government agency, or other source before relying on it.
3. Accuracy of Information
We make reasonable efforts to provide useful and current information, but we do not guarantee that Website content is complete, accurate, current, or error-free. We may update, correct, modify, or remove content at any time without notice.
4. Business Listings and Directory Information
Business, organization, product, service, and event information may be submitted by businesses or other users, gathered from publicly available sources, or developed through editorial research.
A listing, article, mention, or featured placement does not necessarily constitute an endorsement, certification, guarantee, or recommendation by Tampa Bay Spotlight.
Businesses and organizations that provide information are responsible for ensuring that their submitted information is accurate and that they have the necessary authority to submit it for publication.
5. Event Information
Event dates, times, locations, admission requirements, ticket prices, performers, schedules, cancellations, postponements, and other event details may change.
Tampa Bay Spotlight is not responsible for event cancellations, postponements, schedule changes, sold-out events, ticketing problems, venue policies, or the acts or omissions of event organizers. When you purchase tickets or register through a third-party service, that transaction is governed by the third party’s terms and policies.
6. Advertising and Sponsored Content
Tampa Bay Spotlight may offer advertising, sponsored content, promotional placements, featured listings, and other commercial opportunities.
Advertisers and sponsors are responsible for the accuracy, legality, substantiation, and intellectual-property rights associated with their advertising materials. Paid placement does not by itself constitute a guarantee or representation that Tampa Bay Spotlight independently verifies every claim made by an advertiser.
7. Affiliate Links and Third-Party Offers
The Website may contain affiliate links or links to third-party products and services. Tampa Bay Spotlight may receive compensation for qualifying purchases or transactions.
Third-party products, services, prices, availability, warranties, returns, customer support, and transactions are controlled by the applicable third party. Tampa Bay Spotlight is not responsible for third-party products or services.
8. User Submissions
If you submit text, photographs, artwork, videos, business information, event information, reviews, announcements, or other material (“User Content”), you represent that you have the necessary rights and permissions to submit that material.
By submitting User Content, you grant Tampa Bay Spotlight a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to host, reproduce, display, publish, edit for formatting or editorial purposes, distribute, promote, and otherwise use the submitted material in connection with Tampa Bay Spotlight, its website, social media, marketing, and related media channels, unless a separate written agreement states otherwise.
You remain responsible for your User Content. You must not submit material that is unlawful, fraudulent, defamatory, infringing, invasive of another person’s privacy, threatening, obscene, or otherwise inappropriate.
9. Reviews, Comments, and Opinions
Where reviews, comments, testimonials, or opinions are permitted, they represent the views of the individual contributor and not necessarily Tampa Bay Spotlight.
Users must not submit fabricated reviews, impersonate another person or organization, or manipulate ratings or recommendations. Tampa Bay Spotlight may moderate, edit for formatting, decline, or remove submissions that violate these Terms or applicable law.
10. Intellectual Property
Unless otherwise stated, Tampa Bay Spotlight’s original text, branding, graphics, design elements, photographs, logos, and other original materials are protected by applicable intellectual-property laws.
You may view Website content for personal, non-commercial purposes. You may not reproduce, republish, sell, distribute, modify, scrape, frame, or commercially exploit Website content without appropriate authorization, except as permitted by law.
11. Third-Party Websites and Services
The Website may contain links, embedded content, advertisements, maps, social-media features, ticketing services, affiliate offers, and other resources provided by third parties.
Tampa Bay Spotlight does not control third-party websites or services and is not responsible for their content, availability, privacy practices, security, products, services, or terms.
12. Prohibited Uses
You agree not to use the Website to:
- Violate any applicable law or regulation.
- Interfere with the Website’s operation, security, or availability.
- Attempt unauthorized access to accounts, systems, or administrative areas.
- Introduce malware, malicious code, or harmful material.
- Scrape, harvest, or collect Website information through automated methods without permission.
- Impersonate another person, business, organization, or entity.
- Submit fraudulent, misleading, defamatory, or infringing material.
- Distribute spam or use the Website for unlawful commercial solicitation.
13. Disclaimer of Warranties
To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, the Website and its content are provided on an “as is” and “as available” basis. Tampa Bay Spotlight disclaims warranties, express or implied, regarding accuracy, availability, merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, non-infringement, and uninterrupted or error-free operation, except where such disclaimers are not permitted by law.
14. Limitation of Liability
To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, Tampa Bay Spotlight and its owners, operators, contributors, contractors, and service providers will not be liable for indirect, incidental, special, consequential, exemplary, or punitive damages arising from or related to your use of the Website or reliance on Website content.
Nothing in these Terms is intended to exclude or limit liability that cannot lawfully be excluded or limited.
15. Indemnification
To the extent permitted by law, you agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless Tampa Bay Spotlight and its owners, operators, contributors, contractors, and service providers from claims, damages, liabilities, losses, costs, and expenses arising from your unlawful use of the Website, violation of these Terms, or User Content that you submit.
16. Suspension or Termination
We may restrict, suspend, or terminate access to the Website or particular features when reasonably necessary, including for security, abuse prevention, operational reasons, or violations of these Terms.
17. Changes to These Terms
We may update these Terms from time to time. Updated Terms become effective when posted unless a different effective date is stated. Your continued use of the Website after an update constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms to the extent permitted by law.
18. Governing Law
Unless applicable law requires otherwise, these Terms will be governed by the laws applicable in the State of Florida, without regard to conflict-of-law principles.
19. Contact Us
Questions regarding these Terms may be submitted through our Contact Us page.