The rules, in plain English

1. Who we are and what these terms cover

BOLO Texas ("BOLO", "we", "us") is operated by [legal entity name], [street address], Texas. These terms cover the website, the classifieds marketplace and in-app chat, email newsletters and text alerts. By using BOLO you agree to them and to the other policies on this page.

2. Who can use BOLO

Anyone can read BOLO. You must be at least 18 to create an account, post a listing, message another user, submit content or sign up for text alerts. One person, one account; keep your sign-in details to yourself.

3. Your content

You keep ownership of the listings, photos, tips, comments and messages you submit. You give BOLO a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide licence to host, display, reformat, distribute and promote that content in connection with the service. You promise that you have the right to post it and that it follows our community guidelines and classifieds rules. We may remove content or suspend accounts that break these rules.

4. Our content

Stories, photos, graphics, data displays and the BOLO name and logo belong to BOLO or its licensors. You may share links and short excerpts with credit. Do not scrape, republish or train automated systems on BOLO content without written permission.

5. News and live information

We work to be accurate and we correct errors (see newsroom standards). Drive times, weather, road closures, scores and public-safety alerts come from third-party and public sources, can be delayed or wrong, and are provided "as is". Do not rely on BOLO in an emergency: call 911, and follow instructions from local officials.

6. Buying, selling and meeting people

BOLO is a venue. We are not a party to any sale, rental, job, service or meeting arranged through classifieds or chat, we do not inspect items or verify users, and we do not handle payment between users. You are responsible for your own transactions and your own safety. See the classifieds rules.

7. Paid features

Optional paid features, such as featuring a listing or buying advertising, are priced at the point of purchase. Unless the law requires otherwise or we say so at checkout, fees for a feature that has started running are not refundable. If we remove a paid placement because of our own error, we will re-run or refund it.

8. Disclaimers and limits on liability

BOLO is provided "as is" and "as available", without warranties of any kind to the extent the law allows. To the extent the law allows, BOLO is not liable for indirect, incidental, special or consequential damages, or for the conduct of other users, and our total liability for any claim is limited to the greater of $100 or the amount you paid us in the 12 months before the claim. Nothing here limits rights you have under Texas or federal consumer law that cannot be waived.

9. Indemnity

If someone brings a claim against BOLO because of content you posted or because you broke these terms or the law, you agree to cover our reasonable losses and legal costs.

10. Disputes and governing law

Texas law governs these terms. Talk to us first at legal@[domain]; most problems are resolved that way. Otherwise, disputes go to the state or federal courts located in [county] County, Texas. [Counsel to decide: arbitration clause and class-action waiver, with opt-out.]

11. Changes

We may update these terms. We will post the new date here and, for significant changes, tell account holders by email at least 30 days ahead. Using BOLO after a change takes effect means you accept it.

1. What we collect

• Information you give us: email address (newsletter, account), mobile number (text alerts), name and profile details, listings and photos, chat messages, tips and submissions, and advertiser billing contacts.
• Information from your device: pages viewed, approximate location derived from your IP address (city level), browser and device type, and referring page.
• Preferences stored on your device: your chosen city and zone, theme and saved listings. See cookies and storage.

2. Location

BOLO is organised by city and zone, so location matters. There are two ways we learn yours:

• You pick it. Choose a city and zone from the picker in the header. This is always available and needs no permission.
• You tap "Use my location". Your browser asks permission, then matches your coordinates to the nearest city and zone on your device. We keep the city and zone only: no stored coordinates, no sharing with advertisers, no background tracking.

You can refuse or withdraw location permission in your browser settings at any time and BOLO will keep working. Under Texas law, precise geolocation is sensitive data; we use it only with your consent and only for the purpose above.

3. How we use information

• To show news, events, listings and live conditions for your city and zone.
• To run the marketplace: publish listings, deliver chat messages, and prevent fraud and abuse.
• To send the emails and texts you asked for.
• To choose which ads to show. Ads on BOLO are matched to the place a page is about (region, city, zone or ZIP code), not to a profile of you.
• To measure readership in aggregate and fix problems.

4. When we share it

We do not sell personal data and we do not share it for cross-context targeted advertising. We share it only with:

• Service providers that host the site, send email and texts, process payments and help moderate content, under contracts that limit what they can do with it.
• Other users, to the extent you choose: your public profile name, listings and the messages you send. Your phone number and email are hidden in chat unless you share them yourself.
• Authorities, when we are legally required to (for example, a valid subpoena or court order), or to prevent serious harm.
• A successor, if BOLO is merged or sold, subject to this policy.

Advertisers receive totals, such as how many times an ad was shown in a city. They do not receive information that identifies you.

5. Your rights under the Texas Data Privacy and Security Act

If you are a Texas resident, the Texas Data Privacy and Security Act (Texas Business & Commerce Code, chapter 541) gives you the right to:

• confirm whether we process your personal data, and access it;
• correct inaccuracies;
• delete personal data you provided or that we obtained about you;
• get a portable copy of data you provided;
• opt out of the sale of personal data, targeted advertising, and profiling that produces legal or similarly significant effects. BOLO does none of these today, and we honour recognised browser opt-out signals such as Global Privacy Control.

• Ask: email privacy@[domain] from your account address, or use My BOLO.
• Answer: within 45 days; we may extend once by 45 days when reasonably necessary.
• Appeal: reply to our decision; we answer within 60 days. If denied, you may contact the Texas Attorney General's consumer protection division.
• We will not treat you differently for using your rights.

[Counsel to confirm whether the operating entity is a "small business" under the Act and adjust this section accordingly.]

6. How long we keep it

Account and listing data: while your account is open and up to [24] months after. Chat messages: [12] months after a listing closes, so we can investigate reports. Text-alert consent records: at least four years. Server logs: [90] days.

7. Children

BOLO accounts, classifieds and text alerts are for adults. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under 13. If you believe a child has given us information, contact us and we will delete it.

8. Security and contact

We use encryption in transit, access controls and vendor review to protect data, but no system is perfectly secure. Privacy questions: privacy@[domain] or [postal address].

These apply to everything users contribute: listings, chat, tips, event submissions, bulletin posts and profile details.

Do

• Post things that are real, yours to post and relevant to your city or zone.
• Describe items, events and services honestly, with your own photos.
• Treat the person on the other end the way you would treat them at the feed store.
• Send tips with what you saw, where and when. Our editors verify before publishing.

Do not

• Harass or threaten anyone, or encourage others to.
• Attack people for who they are: race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, age or familial status.
• Share private information about someone else (home address, phone number, licence plate, medical or financial details) without their permission.
• Name or picture someone as a criminal suspect. Public-safety posts describe what happened; identifying suspects is for law enforcement. Report crimes to police, not to BOLO.
• Mislead: no scams, fake listings, impersonation, fake reviews or undisclosed advertising.
• Spam: no duplicate posts, keyword stuffing or bulk messaging.
• Post sexual content, graphic violence or anything that exploits or endangers children.
• Infringe someone's copyright or trademark.

How we enforce

Reports go to a human moderator. Depending on severity we may remove content, limit features, suspend or close an account, and refer illegal activity to law enforcement. Threats of violence and child-safety violations lead to immediate removal. If we remove something of yours we will tell you which rule applied, and you can ask for a second look by replying to that notice within 14 days.

Posting basics

• You must be 18 or older to post, message or make an offer.
• Choose the right category and the city and zone where the item actually is.
• Use your own photos and an honest description, including defects.
• State a real price. "Free" means free.
• Featured listings are paid placements and are always labeled "Featured". Paying to feature a listing does not exempt it from these rules.

Prohibited items

These may not be listed, requested or traded on BOLO, in any category, including Hunting & Outdoors and Farm & Ranch:

• WeaponsFirearms, firearm parts, suppressors, and other regulated weapons.
• AmmunitionAmmunition, magazines, reloading components, explosives and fireworks.
• AlcoholBeer, wine and spirits, including collectible bottles with contents.
• Tobacco and vapesCigarettes, cigars, e-cigarettes, liquids and nicotine products.
• DrugsIllegal drugs, prescription medication, cannabis and hemp-derived intoxicants, and paraphernalia.
• Recalled goodsAnything under a safety recall, including cribs, car seats and appliances.
• CounterfeitsFakes, replicas and unauthorised copies of branded goods or media.
• Adult itemsPornography, sexual services and adult-only products.

Also not allowed: stolen property, government IDs and licences, hazardous materials, human remains, tickets priced or sold unlawfully, multi-level marketing recruitment, and anything else illegal to sell in Texas. Hunting & Outdoors welcomes blinds, feeders, stands, decoys, optics, clothing and leases.

Pets and rehoming

• Animals may be listed only by a rescue or shelter or a breeder holding any licence Texas requires (Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation), and the listing must show the organisation name or licence number.
• Individuals may rehome their own pet for an adoption or rehoming fee only; no sales for profit, no "stud" services, no auctions.
• Puppies and kittens must be at least eight weeks old. State age, vaccination status and whether the animal is spayed or neutered.
• No wildlife, exotic or dangerous animals, or animal parts. Farm & Ranch covers equipment such as trailers, panels, feeders and hay, not live animals.

Vehicles

• Every vehicle listing must include the 17-character VIN and the title status: clean, salvage, rebuilt, bonded, lien held, or no title.
• The seller must be the titled owner or a licensed dealer; dealers must show their Texas dealer number.
• State the odometer reading accurately. Odometer fraud is a federal and state offence.
• Buyers: check the VIN with the Texas DMV title check before you pay, and complete the title transfer together.

Housing and rentals: Fair Housing

Every Housing & Rentals listing carries this notice:

Describe the property, not the tenant you want. Phrases such as "no kids", "adults only", "Christian home" or "perfect for a single professional" will get a listing removed. Limited exemptions in the law (for example, qualifying senior housing or a shared living space) must be stated accurately.

Chat and Safe Exchange

• Keep it in the app. Phone numbers and email addresses are hidden by default. Moving a conversation off BOLO removes our ability to help.
• Meet at a Safe Exchange Zone. Many Texas police departments offer well-lit, camera-monitored parking spots for online sales. BOLO does not operate or monitor these locations.
• Inspect before you pay. Pay in person. Never send deposits, gift cards, wire transfers or verification codes to someone you have not met.
• Block and report anyone who pressures you, asks for personal information or seems off. Messages may be reviewed when a conversation is reported.

Browse classifieds · Post a listing · Your inbox and listings

Who is responsible for listings

Users write listings and messages; BOLO does not. Under 47 U.S.C. § 230 (Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act), BOLO is not treated as the publisher or speaker of user content.

We moderate in good faith: we screen for prohibited items, act on reports and remove rule-breaking content. We do not review every listing first, and moderating does not make us responsible for what users post. Section 230 does not cover federal criminal law or intellectual-property claims.

Copyright complaints (DMCA)

If you believe something on BOLO infringes your copyright, send a notice under 17 U.S.C. § 512(c) to our designated agent:

Your notice must include:

• your physical or electronic signature;
• the work you say is infringed, and the exact URL of the material;
• your contact details;
• a statement that you believe in good faith the use is not authorised;
• a statement, under penalty of perjury, that the notice is accurate and you are authorised to act.

We remove qualifying material promptly, notify the poster, accept counter-notices, and close the accounts of repeat infringers.

1. How ads are labeled

We follow the Federal Trade Commission's guidance on native advertising: a label must be clear, in plain language, and placed on or right next to the ad where you will see it before you read or click.

• AdvertisementDisplay adsBanners and rectangles on any page.
• SponsoredNative cardsIn-feed cards shaped like a story card, with "Paid content by" and the advertiser's name.
• Paid content by …Sponsored storiesFull articles paid for by an advertiser, labeled on the card and at the top of the story.
• Presented by …SponsorshipsCity, zone, live strip, events, scoreboard, newsletter and text-alert sponsors.
• FeaturedBoosted listingsClassifieds and directory entries that paid for placement.
• Political advertisementPolitical adsWith the disclaimer described below.

Labels may not be removed, restyled, shrunk or hidden by an advertiser. Links in ads are marked as sponsored for search engines.

2. Sponsored and native content

• Sponsored stories are produced by or for the advertiser, not by the BOLO newsroom, and say so at the top: "Paid content by advertiser".
• Sponsorship of a section ("Traffic & weather presented by …") buys the placement only. Sponsors do not see, approve or shape coverage.
• Paid content may not imitate breaking news, emergency alerts or BOLO's own bylines.
• Reviews, endorsements and testimonials in ads must be genuine and must disclose any material connection.

3. Political advertising

Political advertising is accepted from identified candidates, committees and organisations, and is labeled "Political advertisement".

• Texas races and measures. Under Texas Election Code § 255.001, an ad with express advocacy must say on its face that it is political advertising and give the full name of whoever paid for it, or of the committee or candidate that authorised it.
• Federal races. Ads must carry the "paid for by" and authorisation statements required by Federal Election Commission rules.
• Before it runs we collect the purchaser's name and address, the candidate or measure concerned and the name of the campaign treasurer or responsible officer, and we keep a record of the ad, where it ran and what was paid.
• No false statements about when, where or how to vote. No ads that pose as news, as official government communications or as another campaign.
• Political ads are sold at published rates, on the same terms to all candidates for the same office.

This summary is not a substitute for the Election Code or Texas Ethics Commission guidance. Advertisers are responsible for the legality of their own ads.

4. Restricted and prohibited categories

Not accepted: illegal products or services; firearms, ammunition and weapons; tobacco, vaping and nicotine; illegal or intoxicating drugs; adult content and services; counterfeit goods; payday and title loans above legal rate caps; "get rich quick" schemes; products making unproven health claims; discrimination in housing, employment or credit; hate or harassment.

Accepted with conditions:

• Alcohol: licensed sellers only, no appeal to minors, responsibility message included, and not placed beside youth sports or school content.
• Gambling and sweepstakes: only where lawful in Texas, with official rules linked.
• Health and medical: licensed providers; claims must be supportable.
• Legal services: must comply with State Bar of Texas advertising rules.
• Financial products, housing and jobs: must comply with fair-lending, Fair Housing and equal-opportunity law; no targeting that excludes protected groups.
• Cannabis-adjacent and CBD: case by case, subject to current Texas law.

5. How ads are targeted

Ads are placed by geography: statewide, region, city, zone or ZIP code. BOLO does not build advertising profiles of individual readers. See privacy.

6. Our right to refuse

We may decline, relabel or remove any ad. To report an ad, or to book one, see Advertise with BOLO.

• STOPCancelEnds all BOLO texts. You get one confirmation, then nothing.
• HELPGet helpReturns our contact details and these terms.
• STARTRejoinSigns you back up after a STOP.
• VariesFrequencyUsually up to [8] messages a week per city; more during severe weather.

1. The program

BOLO Texas Alerts sends text messages about the city and zones you choose: severe weather, major road closures, public-safety notices, breaking local news and, if you opt in to them, a weekend events digest. Some messages name a sponsor ("Presented by …"), which makes them marketing messages under the law.

2. Your consent

By entering your mobile number and ticking the consent box on a BOLO sign-up form, you give BOLO Texas your prior express written consent to send you recurring automated informational and marketing text messages at that number, including messages sent with an autodialer. Consent is not a condition of buying any goods or services. You confirm that you are 18 or older and the account holder for that number, or have the account holder's permission. We confirm each sign-up with a text you must answer YES to (double opt-in).

3. Opting out and getting help

Reply STOP, END, CANCEL, UNSUBSCRIBE or QUIT to any message, or tell us in any other reasonable way, and we will stop within the time the law allows, normally at once. Reply HELP or write to alerts@[domain] for support. Messages come from short code [short code].

4. Cost and frequency

BOLO does not charge for alerts. Message and data rates may apply under your mobile plan. Message frequency varies with what is happening in your city.

5. Timing

Routine and sponsored messages are sent between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. Central time (noon to 9 p.m. on Sundays). Urgent safety alerts, such as tornado warnings, may be sent at any hour if you chose to receive them.

6. Not an emergency service

Alerts can be delayed or fail to arrive. Mobile carriers are not liable for delayed or undelivered messages. Do not rely on BOLO texts in an emergency: call 911 and keep official Wireless Emergency Alerts switched on.

7. Your number

We use your number to send alerts and keep a record of your consent. We do not sell mobile numbers or share them, or your text-messaging consent, with third parties for their own marketing. If you change or give up your number, reply STOP first or tell us, so the next owner is not messaged. See privacy.

[Counsel to confirm: TCPA and FCC consent and revocation rules, Texas Business & Commerce Code chapters 301, 302 and 304 (telephone solicitation and registration, as applied to text messages), and carrier and CTIA short-code requirements.]

What we do

• Semantic headings and landmarks, and a "Skip to content" link on every page.
• Visible focus outlines and full keyboard operation, including the city picker, chat and story viewer.
• Text contrast of at least 4.5:1 in both light and dark themes.
• Text alternatives for informative images; decorative photos are hidden from screen readers.
• Animation is reduced or removed when your device asks for reduced motion. Stories never advance so fast that they cannot be paused.
• Ads are labeled in text, not by colour alone, and reserve their space so pages do not jump.

Known limits

• Photos uploaded by users and advertisers may lack descriptions. We prompt for them when a listing is posted.
• Live maps are visual; the same traffic and weather information is listed as text on the Live page.
• Third-party embeds, such as video players, may not meet our standard.

Tell us about a barrier

Email accessibility@[domain] or call [phone] with the page address and what happened. We aim to reply within two business days. This statement was last reviewed on November 9, 2026; a full audit is planned before launch.

What BOLO stores on your device

Local storage is a small space in your browser that a site can write to. Unlike a cookie, it is not sent to our servers with every page request. BOLO uses it for:

Stored in this browser right now

Clear BOLO data from this browser

Cookies

This prototype sets no cookies. In production, BOLO will use:

• Essential cookies to keep you signed in and protect forms from abuse. These cannot be switched off.
• Measurement to count visits in aggregate, without cross-site tracking.
• Advertising to count ad views and limit repeats. Ads are chosen by the place a page is about, not from a profile of you.

We will not use cross-site tracking cookies for targeted advertising without your consent, and we honour Global Privacy Control signals. Pictures on this prototype are loaded from a third-party image service, which receives your IP address as any web request does.

Your controls

Clear BOLO's stored data with the button above, change your city from the header at any time, or block storage in your browser settings. If storage is blocked, BOLO still works; it just will not remember your city between visits.