SciReg Has Been Updated: New Terms, Digital Signatures and a Cleaner Registration Workflow
SciReg has undergone a substantial internal update.
The service itself remains deliberately simple: upload a work, register it, receive a certificate and keep a verifiable record of the registration.
But behind that simple workflow, quite a lot has changed.
Over the past several days we have revised key service documents, cleaned up the registration process, strengthened file handling, added digital signatures, improved payment logic and updated the way SciReg explains what it actually does.
The result is not a redesign.
It is something more useful:
a more coherent, more verifiable and less fragile registration system.
Updated Terms of Use
The Terms of Use have been revised to better reflect how SciReg currently operates.
The previous version had accumulated language from older stages of the service and no longer described every part of the current workflow clearly enough.
The updated Terms now better distinguish between:
- the act of submitting a work;
- creation of a registration record;
- certification;
- payment;
- file storage;
- user responsibility for submitted material;
- and the evidentiary purpose of the SciReg certificate.
The goal was not to add legal fog.
Quite the opposite.
A registration service should explain, in plain language, what it records, what it certifies and what it does not claim to do.
SciReg does not magically create copyright.
Copyright generally arises independently under applicable law.
What SciReg provides is a dated registration record, a certificate and associated technical evidence showing that a particular file was submitted to the system at a particular time.
That distinction is now explained more clearly.
F.A.Q. Rewritten and Expanded
The F.A.Q. section has also been substantially updated.
A lot of the old wording reflected the service as it existed years ago.
The new version focuses much more directly on the questions users actually need answered:
What is SciReg?
What exactly is being registered?
Does registration replace a government copyright office?
What does the certificate prove?
What happens to uploaded files?
What is free?
What requires payment?
What happens if a payment is interrupted?
How can the authenticity of a certificate be checked?
These sound like basic questions.
They are.
Which is precisely why the answers should not be buried under legal decoration.
Digital Signatures for Files
One of the most important technical changes is the introduction of digital file signatures.
When a registered file is processed by the system, SciReg now creates a cryptographic signature associated with that file.
This gives the registration record another technical layer of integrity.
The purpose is straightforward:
If the file changes, its cryptographic fingerprint changes.
That means the file associated with a registration can be distinguished from a later modified version.
For copyright evidence, that matters.
A timestamp alone tells you when something happened.
A cryptographic signature helps establish what exact digital object was involved.
Those are different questions.
A useful evidence system should answer both.
Certificates Are Now Signed Too
The certificate itself also receives a digital signature.
This is important because a certificate is not merely a decorative PDF.
It is part of the evidentiary chain.
The updated system now links together:
the account
→ the uploaded file
→ the registration record
→ the generated certificate
→ the file signature
→ the certificate signature
That gives SciReg a much cleaner internal chain than the older system had.
It also means the certificate is no longer just a human-readable document.
It has a machine-verifiable technical identity as well.
Registration and Payment Logic Has Been Cleaned Up
The registration workflow has also been reorganized.
Previously, some parts of the old system were too closely tied to session state and could create awkward edge cases around uploads, validation and payment.
That logic has been tightened.
Form validation now occurs before payment.
Incomplete or invalid submissions are stopped earlier.
The payment process no longer needs to create meaningless empty registrations just because somebody clicked a button and then disappeared.
The first two uploads remain free.
Paid registration begins only when the user deliberately chooses the certified registration route.
This makes the process both cleaner for users and cleaner internally.
A registration database should contain registrations.
Not abandoned shopping-cart ghosts.
Stripe Integration Was Reworked
The Stripe payment flow has also been updated.
Secret credentials were moved outside the public web directory.
The checkout process was reorganized so that payment happens only after the application has passed validation.
That sounds like basic housekeeping.
It is.
Security is mostly basic housekeeping performed before something catches fire.
The user-facing result is simple:
Fill in the application.
Validate it.
Proceed to payment.
Complete the registration.
No unnecessary intermediate records.
No dependency on payment to determine whether the form itself was valid.
Account Confirmation and Event Logging
Account confirmation has been checked and repaired as part of the update.
SciReg also now keeps a much more useful internal event log.
The system can record stages such as:
- registration started;
- account created;
- account confirmed;
- file uploaded;
- certificate generated;
- file signed;
- certificate signed.
This is primarily an operational tool, but it also helps us see exactly where a user reaches in the registration process and where something fails.
For an old service that has been running for many years, visibility matters.
If something breaks silently, it is difficult to fix.
Now it is much less silent.
Service Descriptions Have Been Rewritten
The main SciReg descriptions have also been revised.
Some of the previous wording had become too vague, too old or simply too complicated.
The updated text focuses on what the service actually provides today:
independent digital registration of intellectual and creative works with a dated record, certificate and technical verification data.
We have also clarified the relationship between SciReg registration and statutory or governmental copyright registration.
They are not the same thing.
SciReg is not pretending to be the U.S. Copyright Office, EUIPO or a national patent office.
It is an independent registration and evidence service.
That is what it should say.
Copyright News Has Returned
The old Copyright News section has also been revived.
This time, it will not be filled with generic press releases.
The focus is on actual conflicts:
AI training disputes.
Copyright lawsuits.
Piracy.
Platform liability.
Digital libraries.
Scraping.
Licensing wars.
And the increasingly bizarre legal question of what exactly constitutes a “copy” when a neural network is involved.
Recent coverage includes disputes involving Anthropic, OpenAI, Disney, Universal, Midjourney, GEMA, Suno, Thomson Reuters, Cox Communications, Getty Images, Reddit, Perplexity and Internet Archive.
The format is intentionally different from traditional legal reporting.
The facts should be serious.
The writing does not have to be boring.
English News Is Now Visible Across More Language Versions
The English news feeds are also now shown on the Spanish, French and German home pages where local news sections would otherwise be empty.
This is deliberate.
Rather than displaying blank boxes, SciReg now shows the current English system news and copyright news in those versions of the site.
The linked articles open in the English section.
It is a small change, but it makes the multilingual front page considerably less dead.
Live Visitors Added
A live visitor globe has been added to the main page.
It is not essential to copyright registration.
It is there because we like maps.
And because a completely serious registration service is allowed one unnecessary globe.
What Has Not Changed
The basic idea behind SciReg has not changed.
The service is still intentionally simple.
It does not promise magical legal protection.
It does not claim that uploading a file automatically wins a lawsuit.
It does not replace statutory registration where statutory registration is required or advantageous.
What it does is create a structured, dated and now technically stronger record of a submitted work.
That is the job.
The recent update was largely about making the system better at doing exactly that.
Same Service. Better Evidence.
SciReg has existed for a long time.
Long-lived software accumulates layers.
Old assumptions.
Old code.
Old wording.
Old workflows that still function but no longer make much sense.
This update removed a surprising amount of that archaeology.
The visible site still looks familiar.
Underneath it, the registration chain is cleaner, payment handling is safer, documentation is clearer, certificates and files are cryptographically signed, and the system finally provides a better view of what is happening internally.
No revolution.
No “SciReg 2.0.”
Just a useful principle:
If a service exists to preserve evidence, the service itself should leave better evidence too.
Copyright Registration will cost - $7
Public offer - read carefully before registration!
SciReg Terms of Service
1. General Provisions
These Terms of Service ("Terms") constitute a legally binding agreement between you ("Customer," "User," or "you") and SolCity Nav, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company ("SciReg," "Company," "we," "our," or "us"), governing your access to and use of the SciReg website and all related services.
By creating an Account, submitting Registration(s), uploading Submitted Materials, purchasing Registration(s), or otherwise using the Service, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms.
If you do not agree to these Terms, you must not access or use the Service.
The Company reserves the right to modify these Terms at any time. Revised Terms become effective immediately upon publication on the SciReg website. Your continued use of the Service after publication of revised Terms constitutes your acceptance of those revisions.
2. Definitions
For purposes of these Terms:
Account means a registered user account created through the SciReg website.
Customer means any individual or legal entity using the Service.
Service means the SciReg website and all services provided by SolCity Nav, LLC.
Registration means the submission of information and Submitted Materials through the Service for creation of a Registration Record.
Registration Record means the electronic record created and maintained by SciReg containing information supplied by the Customer together with the assigned registration number and registration date.
Registration Certificate means the electronic certificate generated by SciReg confirming creation of a Registration Record.
Submitted Materials means any files, documents, manuscripts, publications, software, databases, images, audiovisual works, research materials, or other content submitted by the Customer through the Service.
3. Description of the Service
SciReg is an independent online registration and publication service that enables Customers to create dated electronic Registration Records for intellectual works and other Submitted Materials.
For each accepted Registration, SciReg may:
- assign a unique registration number;
- record the date and time of Registration;
- maintain a Registration Record;
- securely store Submitted Materials;
- apply a digital signature to the Submitted Materials to enable verification of their integrity and detection of any subsequent modifications;
- generate and issue a Registration Certificate;
- apply a digital signature to the Registration Certificate to enable verification of its authenticity and integrity;
- publish Registration information where publication is selected or otherwise authorized by the Customer.
SciReg operates as a private commercial service and is not affiliated with any governmental authority.
4. Nature of the Service
SciReg is an independent private registration service.
SciReg is not:
- a government copyright office;
- a patent office;
- a trademark office;
- a governmental registration authority;
- a court of law;
- a notary public;
- an arbitration tribunal.
SciReg does not:
- determine authorship;
- determine ownership of intellectual property rights;
- verify the identity of Customers;
- verify the accuracy of submitted information;
- verify originality of Submitted Materials;
- determine whether Submitted Materials qualify for copyright or other legal protection under any jurisdiction;
- provide legal advice or legal opinions;
- resolve disputes concerning ownership or intellectual property rights.
SciReg creates Registration Records solely on the basis of information provided by the Customer. The Company does not independently verify the identity of the Customer or the accuracy, completeness, legality, ownership, originality, authenticity, or legal status of any Submitted Materials.
A Registration Certificate confirms only that SciReg received specified information and Submitted Materials, created a Registration Record, assigned a registration number, and recorded the corresponding date and time of Registration.
A Registration Certificate is not a governmental registration, is not evidence of ownership or authorship, does not establish the existence or validity of copyright or any other intellectual property rights, and does not constitute a legal opinion, certification, adjudication, or governmental act.
5. Registration Procedure
To create a Registration Record, the Customer must:
- Create a SciReg Account or sign in to an existing Account.
- Complete the Registration form by providing the required information.
- Upload the Submitted Materials. Each Registration may include one archive file not exceeding 7 MB in size.
- Pay the applicable Registration fee, unless the Registration qualifies for a free Registration offered by the Company.
- Submit the Registration through the Service.
Upon successful completion of the Registration process and receipt of payment, if applicable, SciReg will create a Registration Record, assign a unique registration number, record the date and time of Registration, and make a Registration Certificate available to the Customer.
As part of a completed Registration, SciReg applies a digital signature to the Submitted Materials and the Registration Certificate. The digital signature is intended to verify the integrity of the signed files, confirm that the Registration Certificate originated from SciReg, and detect any subsequent modifications to the signed files.
The Company reserves the right to reject or cancel any Registration that violates these Terms or applicable law.
6. Registration Fees
The Company may offer free Registrations and paid Registrations.
Unless otherwise stated on the SciReg website:
- the first two (2) Registrations submitted by a Customer are provided free of charge;
- each additional Registration is subject to a fee of US $7.00.
Registration fees are subject to change at any time. Any revised fees apply only to Registrations submitted after publication of the updated pricing.
All payments are non-refundable except where required by applicable law or expressly approved by the Company in its sole discretion.
Taxes, duties, bank charges, currency conversion fees, and similar charges imposed by third parties remain the sole responsibility of the Customer.
7. Customer Responsibilities
The Customer represents and warrants that:
- the Customer has the legal right to submit the Submitted Materials;
- the Submitted Materials do not knowingly violate any applicable law;
- the Submitted Materials do not knowingly infringe the intellectual property or other legal rights of any third party;
- all information provided during Registration is accurate and complete to the best of the Customer's knowledge.
The Customer is solely responsible for the content, legality, accuracy, ownership, and use of all Submitted Materials.
If Submitted Materials contain confidential, proprietary, trade secret, personal, or otherwise sensitive information, the Customer is solely responsible for determining whether submission to the Service is appropriate.
The Customer remains solely responsible for determining whether any AI-generated or AI-assisted materials qualify for copyright or other legal protection under applicable law.
8. License Granted to SciReg
The Customer retains all ownership and intellectual property rights in the Submitted Materials.
By submitting materials through the Service, the Customer grants SciReg a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to:
- receive and process the Submitted Materials;
- create and maintain Registration Records;
- store backup copies;
- generate Registration Certificates;
- reproduce Submitted Materials as reasonably necessary for operation of the Service;
- publish Registration information where publication is selected or authorized by the Customer.
This license exists solely for the purpose of operating the Service and terminates when continued retention is no longer required for operation of the Service, legal compliance, dispute resolution, or legitimate business purposes.
Nothing in these Terms transfers ownership of the Submitted Materials to the Company.
9. Prohibited Use
The Customer agrees not to use the Service:
- for unlawful purposes;
- to submit malicious software or harmful code;
- to upload material that intentionally infringes the rights of third parties;
- to interfere with operation or security of the Service;
- to attempt unauthorized access to Company systems or other user Accounts;
- to submit false or misleading Registration information.
The Company reserves the right to refuse, suspend, remove, or terminate any Registration or Account that violates these Terms or applicable law without prior notice.
10. Privacy
The Company collects, stores, and processes personal information solely for the purpose of operating the Service, maintaining Registration Records, communicating with Customers, processing payments, complying with legal obligations, preventing fraud, and improving the Service.
The Company does not sell Customers' personal information to third parties.
By using the Service, the Customer consents to such processing of personal information.
11. Electronic Communications
The Customer agrees that all notices, disclosures, Registration Certificates, invoices, receipts, and other communications provided electronically by the Company satisfy any legal requirement that such communications be in writing.
12. Intellectual Property
The SciReg website, software, design, logos, trademarks, text, graphics, databases, and all other materials provided by the Company are the exclusive property of SolCity Nav, LLC or its licensors and are protected by applicable intellectual property laws.
Except as expressly permitted by these Terms, no part of the Service may be copied, reproduced, modified, distributed, reverse engineered, or otherwise used without the Company's prior written permission.
13. Availability of the Service
The Company will use commercially reasonable efforts to keep the Service available.
However, SciReg does not guarantee uninterrupted operation or continuous availability.
The Service may be modified, suspended, restricted, or discontinued at any time without prior notice.
The Company may perform maintenance, upgrades, security improvements, or other technical operations that temporarily interrupt the availability of the Service.
14. Disclaimer of Warranties
THE SERVICE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE."
TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, THE COMPANY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, WHETHER EXPRESS, IMPLIED, STATUTORY, OR OTHERWISE, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, TITLE, NON-INFRINGEMENT, ACCURACY, RELIABILITY, OR AVAILABILITY.
THE COMPANY DOES NOT WARRANT THAT:
- THE SERVICE WILL OPERATE WITHOUT INTERRUPTION;
- THE SERVICE WILL BE ERROR-FREE;
- DEFECTS WILL BE CORRECTED;
- THE SERVICE WILL ALWAYS BE AVAILABLE;
- THE SERVICE WILL MEET THE CUSTOMER'S EXPECTATIONS OR PARTICULAR REQUIREMENTS.
15. Limitation of Liability
TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, SOLCITY NAV, LLC, ITS OWNERS, DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES, CONTRACTORS, AGENTS, AND AFFILIATES SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION LOSS OF PROFITS, LOSS OF DATA, LOSS OF BUSINESS, LOSS OF GOODWILL, OR INTERRUPTION OF BUSINESS ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THE USE OF THE SERVICE.
THE COMPANY SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY LOSS OR DAMAGE RESULTING FROM:
- INFORMATION PROVIDED BY CUSTOMERS;
- UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS TO CUSTOMER ACCOUNTS;
- THIRD-PARTY ACTIONS;
- INTERNET FAILURES;
- FORCE MAJEURE EVENTS;
- VIRUSES OR OTHER HARMFUL SOFTWARE NOT CAUSED BY THE COMPANY'S GROSS NEGLIGENCE OR WILLFUL MISCONDUCT.
TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, THE TOTAL LIABILITY OF THE COMPANY ARISING OUT OF ANY CLAIM RELATING TO THE SERVICE SHALL NOT EXCEED THE TOTAL AMOUNT PAID BY THE CUSTOMER FOR THE REGISTRATION GIVING RISE TO THE CLAIM.
16. Indemnification
The Customer agrees to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless SolCity Nav, LLC, its owners, directors, officers, employees, contractors, and affiliates from and against any claims, liabilities, damages, losses, costs, expenses, and reasonable attorneys' fees arising out of:
- the Customer's use of the Service;
- Submitted Materials;
- violation of these Terms;
- violation of applicable law;
- infringement of any third-party rights.
17. Suspension and Termination
The Company may suspend, restrict, or terminate any Account or Registration at any time if the Company reasonably believes that:
- these Terms have been violated;
- applicable law has been violated;
- continued use of the Service may expose the Company to legal or financial risk;
- fraudulent or abusive activity has occurred.
Termination of an Account does not affect rights and obligations that accrued prior to termination.
The Company may retain Registration Records where required by law, for dispute resolution, fraud prevention, security, or legitimate business purposes.
18. Governing Law and Jurisdiction
These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, United States, without regard to its conflict of law principles.
Any legal action arising out of or relating to these Terms or the Service shall be brought exclusively in the state or federal courts located in the State of Delaware, and the Customer irrevocably submits to the jurisdiction of those courts.
19. Severability
If any provision of these Terms is held to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect.
20. Entire Agreement
These Terms, together with the Privacy Policy, Refund Policy, and any other legal policies published by the Company, constitute the entire agreement between the Customer and SolCity Nav, LLC concerning the Service and supersede all prior understandings relating to the same subject matter.
21. Contact Information
SolCity Nav, LLC
651 North Broad Street
Middletown, Delaware 19709
United States
E-mail: scireg@scireg.org
Website: https://scireg.org
