# Legal and Compliance

#### 🚫 Remove Singapore Government Branding :flag\_sg:

AskGov is open source, but **you must not use the official Singapore Government branding** in deployments outside authorized Singapore Government contexts.

**Branding Removal Checklist**

**Frontend Components:**

* [ ] **Government Logos**: Remove all .gov.sg logos from `/public/icons/`
* [ ] **App Metadata**: Update site title and description in `app/root.jsx`
* [ ] **Footer Links**: Remove Singapore-specific links and references
* [ ] **Agency References**: Replace with your own agency list

**Environment Variables:**

* [ ] **App name —** Change from "AskGov" to your organization name
* [ ] **App url —** Use your organization's domain
* [ ] **Mail from —** Use your organization's email domain

**Singapore-Specific Services:**

* [ ] **Postman**: Replace with your email/SMS service
* [ ] **Government Integration**: Remove any Singapore government API references

**Verification Script:**

```bash
# Check for Singapore references
grep -r -i "singapore\|gov\.sg\|ogp" \
    app/ public/ \
    --exclude-dir={node_modules,dist,build} \
    --exclude="*.{test,spec}.{ts,tsx,js,jsx}"
```

#### Open Source License Compliance

**MIT License Requirements**

AskGov is licensed under the **MIT License**, which means:

✅ **You CAN**: Use commercially, modify, distribute, use privately

❌ **You MUST**: Include original license, maintain copyright notices

⚠️ **You CANNOT**: Use AskGov trademark without permission

**Third-Party Dependencies**

**Dependency License Review:**

* [ ] Review all dependency licenses
* [ ] Document any GPL/copyleft requirements
* [ ] Check for commercial license conflicts

**License Audit Script:**

```bash
npx license-checker --summary --out licenses.txt
```

#### Data Protection Considerations

Review your local requirements for:

* [ ] **Privacy Notice** - What data you collect and why
* [ ] **Data Retention** - How long you keep citizen data
* [ ] **Data Localization** - Where data must be stored
* [ ] **User Rights** - Access, correction, deletion procedures

#### Disclaimer and Liability

**AskGov Project Disclaimer**

AskGov is provided "AS IS" under the MIT License. The original developers:

* Provide no warranty or guarantee of fitness for purpose
* Are not liable for damages from your use of the software
* Do not provide commercial support or SLA guarantees

**Your Deployment Responsibility**

As the deploying organization, you are responsible for:

* **Security** - Proper configuration and hardening
* **Compliance** - Meeting all applicable laws and regulations
* **Support** - Helping your users and maintaining documentation
* **Operations** - Keeping the system running and updated

#### Pre-Deployment Legal Checklist

Before going to production, confirm:

* [ ] All Singapore branding removed (run verification script)
* [ ] Your privacy policy covers Q\&A data collection
* [ ] Terms of service clearly state service limitations
* [ ] Data protection requirements addressed
* [ ] Records management policy in place
* [ ] Incident response procedures documented

***

{% hint style="warning" %}
**⚖️ Legal Principle**: You are responsible for ensuring your AskGov deployment complies with applicable laws, regulations, and organizational policies in your jurisdiction. Consult with your legal team for specific requirements.
{% endhint %}


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