You agree to the terms of service below, and the Terms of Use for Substack, the technology provider.
Terms of Service
Effective Date: 23 April 2025
Underground Media Network (UMN)
Operated by: Landon Ashton Versace Germanotta-Mills
ABN: 84 381 279 660
Location: Waterloo, NSW 2017, Australia
Welcome
Welcome to Underground Media Network (“UMN”), a survivor-led, independent investigative publication hosted on Substack. These Terms of Service (“Terms”) form a legally binding agreement between you and UMN (“we”, “our”, “us”). By accessing, subscribing to, or interacting with our publication, you agree to comply with these Terms and those of our hosting platform.
Because UMN operates on Substack, you also agree to:
1. Eligibility
You must be at least 16 years old to access or interact with this publication. By doing so, you confirm that you meet this minimum age requirement.
2. Account Creation and Access
Certain features of our publication may require a Substack account. You are solely responsible for keeping your account secure and for all activity conducted under your login.
3. Content Ownership and Licensing
You retain full ownership of any original content you create or contribute to UMN.
All content published by UMN — including but not limited to investigative articles, survivor testimonies, commentary, photographs, and case reports — is protected under Australian and international copyright law.
You may not reproduce, publish, or distribute our work without explicit written permission, except under fair dealing provisions or unless otherwise stated.
If you are a journalist or media outlet requesting citation or syndication rights, contact:
📧 undergroundmedianetwork@proton.me
4. Subscriptions and Payments
UMN offers both free and paid subscriptions via Substack. Payments are processed securely through Stripe. We do not access or store your full billing information.
By subscribing, you agree to the listed fees unless you cancel before the renewal period. You may cancel at any time through your Substack account.
Refunds are not guaranteed and are considered on a case-by-case basis unless otherwise required by Australian Consumer Law.
5. Confidentiality and Ethical Commitments
UMN adheres to the following standards:
The MEAA Journalist Code of Ethics
Trauma-informed reporting principles
Aboriginal cultural safety protocols
We will never publish identifying details of survivors or whistleblowers without their explicit written consent. Consent may be withdrawn at any point prior to publication.
We reserve the right to withhold names, locations, or case details where doing so is necessary to protect the safety, wellbeing, or legal rights of those involved.
6. Prohibited Conduct
By engaging with UMN, you agree not to:
Violate any applicable law, including defamation, privacy, or copyright legislation
Harass, threaten, or intimidate contributors or story subjects
Copy, scrape, or republish UMN content without consent
Impersonate a journalist, editor, or affiliate of UMN
Use our platform to promote hate speech, conspiracy theories, or misinformation
Breaches of these terms may lead to account restrictions, reporting to authorities, or legal action.
7. Third-Party Links
Some of our content may include links to external websites for source verification or public reference. UMN is not responsible for the policies, safety, or content of third-party sites. Clicking external links is at your own discretion.
8. Limitation of Liability
To the fullest extent permitted by law, UMN shall not be held liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, or consequential damages arising from your use of our content or platform.
All reporting is published in good faith, based on verified information available at the time of writing.
9. Termination
UMN reserves the right to suspend or terminate your access to the publication at any time, without notice, if you are found to have violated these Terms.
You may unsubscribe or delete your Substack account at any time via your account settings.
10. Changes to These Terms
These Terms may be updated from time to time. If significant changes are made, UMN will notify subscribers via email or a public post. Continued access after an update constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.
11. Governing Law
These Terms are governed by the laws of New South Wales, Australia. Any disputes shall be resolved under the exclusive jurisdiction of the NSW courts.
12. Contact Information
For legal enquiries, source protection concerns, or permission requests, contact us:
📧 undergroundmedianetwork@proton.me
