Terms of Service

The Elephant Observatory (TEO) is an AI-assisted knowledge platform. It processes publicly available YouTube videos — lectures, conversations, essays — into structured knowledge nodes: concise, attributed summaries that preserve the core ideas of the original thinker.

TEO does not claim credit for anyone's ideas. It is a lens, not an author. Every node is traceable to its source video and its Observer (the person who made it).

TEO works exclusively with videos that are publicly accessible on YouTube — the same videos anyone can watch for free in a browser without signing in.

We process each video in three stages:

1. Transcription — the spoken words are captured as text
2. Summarisation — an AI model extracts the key insight(s) and describes them in plain language
3. Publication — the node is published with full attribution: creator name, video title, and a direct link back to the original video on YouTube

We do not host the original audio or video. We do not reproduce long verbatim excerpts. Every node links directly to the source so that readers can — and are encouraged to — engage with the original work.

Every node on TEO credits the Observer — the person who spoke the words in the source video — by name, and links to the original YouTube video. TEO does not assert ownership over the ideas, arguments, or frameworks described in any node.

We deliberately chose the word "Observer," not "Author" or "Originator." Many of the thinkers featured on TEO are synthesists: they draw on, integrate, and build upon the work of others. A lecture that weaves together ideas from Whitehead, Deacon, and Langer into a novel framework is genuine intellectual work — but the individual ingredients are not "original" to the speaker. The Observer is the lens through which these ideas entered the Observatory, not necessarily their sole originator.

As the knowledge graph grows, intellectual lineage becomes visible through the graph itself. When multiple Observers discuss overlapping concepts, edges form between their nodes, and the topology reveals who originated what, who synthesised what, and how ideas flow across thinkers.

If you believe a node misattributes an idea — or if your own work is being credited to someone else — please tell us through Hermes. We take intellectual provenance seriously and will correct it.

If you are a creator and you would like your content removed from TEO, you can request this at any time. There are no conditions, no negotiations, no waiting periods. We will remove it promptly and respectfully.

To request removal, reach out through Hermes — tell us what you'd like removed and why. No forms, no conditions.

We also welcome feedback, corrections, and conversation. If you think a node misrepresents your work — even if you don't want it removed entirely — please tell us. We want to get it right.

TEO is AI-assisted. Transcripts, summaries, and descriptions are generated by large language models (currently Anthropic Claude and Google Gemini). These models are capable and useful, but they are not infallible.

Nodes may contain inaccuracies. The Oracle (our AI search interface) can hallucinate — it may state things with confidence that are simply wrong.

TEO uses email and password authentication via Supabase. Your account data is used to provide the service: your progress, your Grimoire (saved content), and your subscription tier.

We do not sell your data. We do not share it with third parties except as required to operate the service (Supabase for the database, Stripe for subscription payments). Stripe handles all payment data — TEO never sees your card details.

This platform is in its earliest stages. Features will change. Nodes will be added, edited, and occasionally removed. The subscription tiers and pricing may evolve. The Oracle will improve.

We are building this carefully and openly. If something is broken, confusing, or feels wrong, please tell us. Use Hermes — that is what it is there for.

TEO is an independent project. For any questions about these terms, content removal, or anything else, the fastest path is through Hermes.