Terms of Service

We Were Here

Last updated: June 2026

Who we are

We Were Here is an independent archive project. Contact us at privacy@wwh26.com.

What We Were Here is

We Were Here is a permanent archive documenting human work. Each tile represents one person, in one occupation, from one country, at one point in time. The archive is visible to anyone who visits the site.

Placing your moment

By placing your moment you agree that:

• The photo you upload is of yourself
• You own the rights to the photo or have the right to use it
• The occupation and country you select accurately represent you
• You are 18 years of age or older
• Your moment will be permanently visible on the canvas
• Your moment cannot be edited once placed

We are not able to verify identity or photo ownership at the point of placement. Responsibility for accuracy rests with you. If you believe a tile violates these terms please contact us at privacy@wwh26.com.

Permanence

This is the most important thing to understand before placing your moment. Once it is live it is part of the permanent record. We Were Here is built on the principle that the archive endures. There are no exceptions to this beyond the removal rights stated below.

WWH removal rights

We Were Here reserves the right to remove any moment at its sole discretion where:

• The moment violates these terms of service
• The photo is not of the person who placed it
• The content is offensive, illegal, or inappropriate
• We are legally required to do so
• The integrity of the archive is at risk

This right exists solely to protect the archive. It is not taken lightly and will only be exercised when necessary. No refund will be issued where a moment is removed due to a terms violation.

Payment

Placing your moment requires a one-time payment processed securely by Stripe. All payments are final and non-refundable. Once your moment is live on the canvas no refund can be issued.

Moment switching

Users may pay a fee to switch their moment with another moment on the canvas. Switching exchanges positions only — each tile number stays fixed to its position, and the photo, occupation, country, and year swap between the two moments. A 7 day cooldown applies to both positions after any switch before either can be switched again. No notifications are sent when a switch occurs. All switch payments are final and non-refundable.

Your photo

By uploading a photo you confirm that it is of yourself and that you have the right to use it. You grant We Were Here a permanent, irrevocable licence to display it as part of the archive.

Prohibited conduct

You must not:

• Upload a photo of someone other than yourself
• Provide false information about your occupation or country
• Upload offensive, illegal, or inappropriate content
• Attempt to manipulate, disrupt, or damage the archive or the platform
• Use We Were Here for any unlawful purpose

Intellectual property

The We Were Here name, design, and concept are the property of We Were Here. Your photo remains yours — you grant us licence to display it as part of the archive, nothing more.

Limitation of liability

We Were Here is provided as is. We are not liable for any loss or damage arising from your use of the platform. Our total liability is limited to the amount you paid to place your moment.

Changes to these terms

If we make meaningful changes we will update the date at the top of this page. Continued use after changes are posted constitutes acceptance.

Governing law

These terms are governed by the laws of New Zealand.

Contact

privacy@wwh26.com