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Pings for Purpose – Official Contest Rules

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN

Contest Period

The Pings for Purpose contest runs from June 1, 2025 at 12:00:01 AM Mountain Time (MT) through August 31, 2025 at 11:59:59 PM MT (“Contest Period”). Monthly judging periods run from 12:00:01 AM MT on the 1st day through 11:59:59 PM MT on the last day of each calendar month during the Contest Period (June 1-30, July 1-31, August 1-31, 2025).

Sponsor

SciPinion LLC, 777 E Main St Suite 202, Bozeman, MT 59715

Contest Structure

This is a skill-based contest where winners are determined by expert evaluation of scientific merit, with skill being the predominant factor in determining outcomes. Community engagement metrics serve only as advisory input to expert judges and do not determine winners.

Eligibility

  • Open to verified SciPinion platform users aged 18 or older
  • Participants must complete email verification before the start of each monthly judging period
  • SciPinion employees, contractors, officers, directors, and their immediate family members (spouse, children, parents, siblings) and household members are ineligible
  • Participants should verify compliance with employer policies regarding contests and external activities
  • Void where prohibited by law

How to Enter

  • No Purchase Required: Entry is free through participation in the SciPinion Pings platform
  • Submit original questions and/or answers through the Pings platform during the Contest Period
  • All submissions must comply with SciPinion’s Terms of Service and Community Guidelines
  • Participants may submit unlimited entries during each monthly period

Monthly Awards

Insight Award (ARV: $500)

Prize: $250 Charitable Donation + $250 SciPinion Match = $500 total donation to winner’s selected charity

  • Awarded to the participant whose answers demonstrate the highest level of scientific expertise, accuracy, and contribution to scientific discourse as determined by SciPinion’s expert evaluation team
  • Alternative: Receive $250 cash directly (ARV: $250)

Inquiry Award (ARV: $500)

Prize: $250 Charitable Donation + $250 SciPinion Match = $500 total donation to winner’s selected charity

  • Awarded to the participant who poses the question that generates the most scientifically valuable discussion as determined by SciPinion’s expert evaluation team
  • Alternative: Receive $250 cash directly (ARV: $250)

Total Contest ARV: $3,000 (six monthly prizes over three months)

Selection Criteria

Winners are selected by SciPinion’s evaluation team of scientific experts based on objective assessment of scientific merit, accuracy, clarity, and contribution quality. Community engagement metrics (such as upvotes) serve only as advisory input and do not determine winners. SciPinion’s expert judgment is the predominant and controlling factor in all winner determinations. All judging decisions are final and not subject to appeal.

Odds of Winning

Odds of winning depend on the number of eligible participants and quality of submissions each month. Based on historical platform usage, estimated odds are approximately 1 in 500 eligible participants per monthly award.

AI Content Guidelines

  • All submissions must be original content created by the human participant
  • AI-assisted content is permitted but must be clearly disclosed with the tag [AI-Assisted]
  • Fully AI-generated content without human input is prohibited and will result in disqualification
  • SciPinion reserves the right to use detection tools to verify content originality
  • Participants are responsible for ensuring accuracy of all submitted content

Prize Details and Tax Information

Charitable Donation Option (Recommended)

  • SciPinion makes $250 donation on winner’s behalf
  • SciPinion matches with additional $250 donation (total $500 to charity)
  • Winner receives written confirmation of charitable donation

Cash Option

  • $250 paid directly to winner
  • Winner responsible for all applicable taxes
  • Prize value will be reported to winner for tax purposes
  • Payment via electronic transfer (Veem) within 30 days of verification

Eligible Charitable Organizations

Winners choosing the charitable option may select 501(c)(3) organizations or approved international non-profits focused on:

  • Scientific research and education
  • Science literacy and public understanding
  • STEM education initiatives
  • Environmental research and conservation
  • Medical research foundations

All organizations must be qualified 501(c)(3) charities with science-focused missions. For international participants, we can work with equivalent charitable organizations in your country that focus on scientific research and education.

Winner Selection and Notification

  • Winners selected by SciPinion’s evaluation team within 10 business days after each monthly period ends
  • Winners notified via email associated with their SciPinion account
  • Winners have 14 days to respond and claim prize
  • Failure to respond within deadline may result in disqualification and selection of alternate winner
  • Winner verification required before prize award

Winner Requirements

Selected winners must:

  • Confirm eligibility and acceptance of prize within 7 days via email
  • Provide any required tax documentation (W-9 or W8  if applicable)
  • For charitable donations: confirm selected organization and provide written consent
  • Verify continued compliance with eligibility requirements

Privacy and Publicity

  • Winner recognition optional and limited to username only (no real names disclosed)
  • Personal information never shared publicly
  • Winners may opt out of any public recognition
  • SciPinion may use aggregated, anonymized contest statistics for promotional purposes

Geographic Restrictions

  • Primary program open to participants in United States, Canada, United Kingdom, European Union, Australia, and New Zealand
  • Alternative arrangements available for participants in other regions where legally permitted
  • Void where prohibited by law

General Conditions and Force Majeure

  • SciPinion reserves the right to verify eligibility and disqualify entries that violate rules
  • Entries become property of SciPinion for evaluation purposes only
  • SciPinion not responsible for technical difficulties, lost entries, or communication failures
  • SciPinion reserves the right to cancel, suspend, or modify the contest if fraud, technical difficulties, or other circumstances compromise the integrity of the contest
  • Contest void where prohibited, restricted, or taxed
  • SciPinion reserves right to modify rules with 7 days’ advance notice posted on the contest website
  • In the event of force majeure (including but not limited to natural disasters, technical failures, or legal restrictions), SciPinion may cancel or modify the contest without liability

Dispute Resolution

Any disputes arising from this contest shall be resolved through binding arbitration in accordance with the rules of the American Arbitration Association, conducted in Bozeman, Montana. Participants waive the right to jury trial and class action participation. Montana state law governs all aspects of this contest.

Limitation of Liability

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, participants agree to release and hold harmless SciPinion LLC, its employees, officers, directors, agents, affiliates, and representatives from any and all claims, damages, losses, costs, injuries, or expenses of any kind arising from contest participation, prize acceptance, or use of prizes. SciPinion’s total liability shall not exceed the value of the prize awarded. SOME JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW LIMITATION OF LIABILITY, SO THESE LIMITATIONS MAY NOT APPLY TO ALL PARTICIPANTS.

Winner Disqualification

Participants may be disqualified for:

  • Submitting false information
  • Violating SciPinion Terms of Service
  • Posting inappropriate, offensive, or plagiarized content
  • Using fully AI-generated content without disclosure
  • Attempting to manipulate voting or gaming the system
  • Failing to meet deadlines or respond to communications
  • Violation of any contest rule

Donation List

For a list of donations, send a self-addressed stamped envelope to: SciPinion Contest Winners, 777 E Main St Suite 202, Bozeman, MT 59715. Requests must be received by October 31, 2025.

Questions

For questions about contest rules or procedures, contact support: https://scipinion.com/support/

These rules constitute the complete and final agreement regarding this contest. Participation constitutes acceptance of these rules and SciPinion’s decisions regarding all aspects of the contest. SciPinion reserves the right to interpret these rules and resolve any disputes in its sole discretion.

Last Updated: 6/1/2025