Terms of service

What FootageDesk does

You tell us about an incident. We work out which government agency in the United States holds the footage or records, prepare a public records request under that state's law, file it in your name as your authorized agent, follow up with the agency, and post every reply on your dashboard.

We do not guarantee footage. Agencies decide what they release, how much they charge and how long they take. A request can be denied, delayed for months, or released with parts blurred or removed. Some states only answer requests from their own residents. When an agency says no, we show you the reason it gives.

FootageDesk is a private service. It is not a government agency and is not a law firm. Nothing we send you is legal advice.

Your account

• You must be 18 or older.
• Use your own true name and mailing address. Agencies see them on every request.
• One account is for one person. Keep your password private. You are responsible for what happens under your account.

Your authorization and honest answers

Before we file anything you sign an authorization on your profile. It lets us prepare, submit and follow up on requests in your name and read the agency's replies. You can withdraw it at any time by contacting us. Requests already filed may still be answered after that.

Some agencies ask whether a request is for commercial use. We give the answer you saved on your profile, so keep it true. A monetized channel counts as commercial use.

Plans and billing

• Starter: $30 a month for 10 requests.
• Pro: $50 a month for 20 requests.
• Agency: $200 a month for 100 requests.

Plans are billed monthly in US dollars, in advance, through Stripe, and renew automatically until you cancel. We never see or store your card number.

One request is one case sent to one agency. Your request count resets on the first day of each calendar month (UTC). Unused requests do not carry over to the next month and are not refunded.

If we change our prices, the new price applies from your next billing date after we tell you, and you can cancel before then.

Agency fees

Some agencies charge to search, review, redact or copy records. That fee is separate from your plan and is yours to pay. We tell you the amount first and pay nothing without your approval. Agency fees are set and kept by the agency, so we cannot refund them.

Cancelling

You can cancel at any time from Plan and billing on your dashboard. You will not be charged again. Your plan stays active until the end of the month you already paid for, and requests already filed keep going until the agency answers.

Refunds

If you ask within 3 days of a payment and have not submitted a request since that payment, we refund that payment in full.

After 3 days, or once you have submitted a request in that billing month, the payment is not refundable, including for unused requests. If we charge you by mistake, we will always refund the mistake.

To ask for a refund, contact us from the email on your account.

Acceptable use

Do not use FootageDesk to:

• harass, stalk, threaten or expose a private person, or find out where someone lives
• request records about a child for any purpose other than lawful reporting
• give false information to us or to an agency
• break the law, or help someone else break it

We can decline or stop any request that we believe breaks these rules. If we decline a request before filing it, it does not count against your plan.

Footage and how you use it

When footage is released we share a download link on your case. Download links can expire, so save a copy promptly. We may delete our own copy 30 days after we share the link.

You are responsible for how you publish what you receive, including privacy, copyright, defamation and the rules of the platforms you post on. Released records can still show bystanders, victims and minors. Blur or cut what the law or common decency requires.

Limits of our responsibility

We provide the service as it is and do our best to file accurately and follow up on time. We are not responsible for what an agency does or does not release, or for delays caused by agencies.

To the extent the law allows, our total responsibility to you for any claim is limited to the amount you paid us in the three months before the claim.

Ending an account

You can close your account at any time by contacting us. We can suspend or close an account that breaks these terms. If we close your account without a good reason, we refund the unused part of your current month.

Changes to these terms

If we change these terms we will update the date at the top. For a change that matters, we will tell you by email or on your dashboard before it applies. Using the service after that means you accept the change.

Contact

Questions, refunds or anything else: write to support@footagedesk.com.

See also our privacy page.