Terms of use

1. Agreement to terms

By accessing or using the Centralised Web Accessibility Checker (CWAC) web platform (the "Service"), you agree to these Terms of use ("Terms"). If you do not agree, you must stop using the Service immediately.

These Terms are a binding agreement between you and the Public Service Commission acting through the Government Digital Delivery Agency (GDDA) ("we", "us", and "our") and apply to all content on the Service and to any feedback or submissions provided through the Service.

2. Changes to these Terms

We may change these Terms from time to time. We will publish the updated Terms in the Service and change the effective date. Where practicable, we will give users reasonable notice of important changes. If you continue to use the Service after the updated Terms take effect, you agree to them.

3. Eligibility requirements

You may use the Service only if:

• your organisation is a New Zealand public sector organisation that participates in the CWAC monitoring programme
• you are employed or contracted by that organisation
• your organisation has authorised you to access and use the Service on its behalf.

You must stop using the Service if:

• you are no longer employed or contracted by a participating organisation
• your organisation withdraws permission
• your organisation stops participating in the CWAC monitoring programme.

4. Acceptable use

You must use the Service only for lawful purposes and in a way that does not harm the Service, other users, or the web pages being scanned. You must:

• only scan web pages that you own, manage, administer, or have permission to scan
• follow all relevant laws, regulations, and organisational policies
• respect the privacy and security of ICT systems and information.

You must not:

• try to access our networks, servers, databases, or related systems without permission
• disrupt the operation, performance, or security of the Service
• cause disruption, excessive load, or damage to another person or organisation's systems.

5. Access and security

You sign in to the Service with your email address and password. You must:

• keep your password confidential and not share it with anyone
• keep the device you use to access the Service secure, up to date, and free from malicious software
• tell us immediately if you think someone has accessed or used your account without permission.

6. Privacy and information handling

You must make sure your use of the Service follows your organisation's policies and relevant laws, including the Privacy Act 2020.

Only enter information that you are allowed to use. Do not enter sensitive, confidential, or classified information unless we have confirmed that the Service is approved for it and your organisation has approved its use.

The Service stores information needed to operate and manage it. This includes user email addresses and password hashes, URL lists, scan settings, scan results, and system logs.

Authorised administrators may access this information to:

• support users
• maintain and improve the service
• investigate security or operational issues
• meet legal or audit requirements.

You are still responsible for meeting your organisation's legal and policy obligations for information entered into or produced by the Service. This includes any relevant obligations under the Public Records Act 2005, the Official Information Act 1982, the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987, and other laws.

By using the Service, you allow us to store and process the information you provide only when needed to operate, support, secure, audit, or improve the Service, or to meet legal obligations.

You and your organisation keep any rights you have in information supplied to the Service, including URL lists, scan settings, and scan results.

7. Copyright and intellectual property

Unless we say otherwise, the GDDA owns or is licensed to use all content, code, branding, logos, and other material available through the Service. This material is protected by Crown Copyright.

Unless we say otherwise, text and other copyright material published through the Service by the GDDA is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. The licence does not cover software code, the New Zealand Coat of Arms, government agency logos or other official emblems, personal information, third-party material, or content and data supplied by users.

You must get written permission before using or reproducing the New Zealand Coat of Arms, government agency logos, or other official emblems.

8. Disclaimers and Service availability

We provide the Service "as is" and "as available", without warranties of any kind.

We do not guarantee that the Service will always be available or free from errors. Maintenance, updates, or technical problems may make it temporarily unavailable.

We provide links to third-party websites or services for convenience only. We do not endorse or accept responsibility for their content, privacy practices, or availability.

9. Limitation of liability

New Zealand law may not allow us to exclude some types of liability. Subject to those limits, the GDDA is not liable for loss or damage connected with accessing, using, or being unable to use the Service. This applies whether a claim is based on contract, tort (including negligence), equity, statute, or anything else.

10. Suspension and termination

We may suspend or end your access if you breach these Terms. We may also do this when reasonably necessary to protect the Service, its users, system security, or compliance with the law. We may act without notice if immediate action is needed. Otherwise, we will give reasonable notice where practicable.

If any part of these Terms is invalid or cannot be enforced, the rest of the Terms continue to apply.

11. Governing Law

New Zealand law governs these Terms. Any dispute about these Terms must be resolved only by the courts of New Zealand.

12. Artificial intelligence (AI)

The Service may use AI tools to assist with the creation, editing, or generation of content. Any content produced with the assistance of AI is reviewed and edited by staff to ensure accuracy, quality, and appropriateness.

13. Contact

If you have questions about the Service or these Terms of use, please contact the Web Standards team at web.standards@gdda.govt.nz