What AGPL-3.0 means
AGPL is a strong copyleft license designed for network software. It extends the GPL with one additional requirement: if you run a modified version of World Monitor as a publicly accessible service, you must make your source code available to users of that service.| You can | You must | You cannot |
|---|---|---|
| View, study, and learn from the source code | Distribute source code with any binary distribution | Use World Monitor commercially without a commercial license |
| Modify and create derivative works for personal/research use | License derivative works under AGPL-3.0 | Sublicense under a different license |
| Run a personal instance for non-commercial use | State changes you made to the code | Remove or obscure the original copyright and license notices |
| Contribute improvements back to the project | Provide source access to users of any public-facing modified deployment | Rebrand and sell as your own product |
Rebranding and commercial forks are prohibited
Commercial use requires a separate license
Any commercial use of World Monitor requires a commercial license from the maintainer. This includes but is not limited to:- Rebranding or white-labeling: Forking the code, changing the name/logo, and deploying it as your own product or service
- Running as a paid product: Offering World Monitor (or a modified version) behind a paywall, subscription, or any fee
- Embedding in commercial products: Using World Monitor code, components, UI, or data pipelines inside a product you sell
- SaaS or consulting: Offering World Monitor’s capabilities as part of a consulting engagement, managed service, or SaaS platform
- Internal corporate use: Using World Monitor inside a for-profit company to generate revenue or competitive advantage
- Selling data derived from World Monitor: Using the platform to collect, process, or resell intelligence data commercially
Enforcement
The maintainer actively monitors for unauthorized commercial use, rebranding, and license violations. If you are found to be in violation:- You will receive a formal takedown notice requiring immediate cessation of the infringing activity.
- If the violation is not resolved promptly, the maintainer reserves the right to pursue legal remedies, including injunctive relief and damages, under applicable copyright law.
- AGPL violations are enforceable under international copyright law (Berne Convention), the DMCA, and equivalent statutes in the EU and other jurisdictions.
Common scenarios
Personal use or research: Free to use, modify, and self-host. No restrictions beyond AGPL compliance. Self-hosting for a non-profit or educational institution: Permitted under AGPL. If you modify the code and make it publicly accessible, you must share your modifications. Running a modified public instance (non-commercial): You must retain all copyright notices, state that it is a fork of World Monitor, and make your modified source code available to users who interact with your deployment. Using World Monitor’s public API in your own tool: If your tool calls World Monitor’s public API and displays the results, your tool is not a derivative work. No AGPL obligations apply. However, if your tool is commercial, you must comply with the API terms of service. Contributing a pull request: By submitting a PR, you agree that your contribution is licensed under AGPL-3.0, consistent with the rest of the project. Commercial use (any of the above in a for-profit context): Requires a separate commercial license. Contact the maintainer at the GitHub repository.Why AGPL + Commercial License
World Monitor aggregates publicly available intelligence data and makes it accessible to everyone. The dual-license model (AGPL for open use, commercial license for business use) ensures that:- The community benefits: Individual researchers, journalists, students, and open-source contributors can freely use and improve the platform.
- Commercial use is sustainable: Companies that derive commercial value from World Monitor contribute back through licensing fees, which fund continued development.
- The project stays open: AGPL prevents a scenario where a commercial entity takes the open-source code, adds proprietary features, and competes with the project without contributing back.