# pvtcoms Trademark Policy

The **AGPL-3.0-or-later** license ([`LICENSE`](./LICENSE)) covers pvtcoms's **source code**. It
does **not** grant any rights to the pvtcoms **name, logo, or other brand marks** — copyleft
licenses explicitly exclude trademarks. This policy keeps those separate so a fork cannot
impersonate the official, audited build.

## You may, without permission
- Use the code under the AGPL (including modifying and redistributing it).
- State factually that your software "is based on pvtcoms" or "is a fork of pvtcoms," clearly
  and truthfully, in a way that does not imply official endorsement.

## You may NOT, without written permission
- Distribute a **modified** version under the name **"pvtcoms"** or a confusingly similar name,
  or using the pvtcoms logo, in a way that suggests it is the official build.
- Use the name/logo to imply endorsement, certification, or affiliation that does not exist.

## Why this matters here
pvtcoms is a security/anonymity tool. The trust users place in "pvtcoms" depends on it being the
**reviewed, reproducible-build, audited** release. A backdoored fork shipping under the same name
and logo would endanger users. AGPL forces such a fork to publish its source, but only the
trademark stops it from *masquerading as the real thing*. Forks are welcome — under their own name.

## Rebranding a fork
If you fork pvtcoms, please choose your own name and logo. The build system should make it easy to
set a distinct application name/identifier; do so before distributing.

## Contact
Trademark questions / permission requests: (contact for the pvtcoms project / foundation — TBD;
see `BUILD_PLAN.md`). Copyright © 2026 the pvtcoms contributors.