Add LEGAL_NOTICE.md and require acceptance during onboarding

Author: eracle

LEGAL_NOTICE.md

@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+# LEGAL NOTICE – OpenOutreach
+
+**Effective upon use of this software**
+
+OpenOutreach is an open-source tool that automates actions on LinkedIn using **your** personal LinkedIn account credentials and browser session. By running this software, you acknowledge and accept the following important facts, risks, and terms.
+
+### 1. LinkedIn Automation Is Prohibited by LinkedIn
+LinkedIn's User Agreement (Section 8.2 and related Help articles) **explicitly prohibits**:
+- Using bots, scripts, software, browser extensions, or any other automated means to access the service, send messages, add connections, visit profiles, or perform other actions.
+- Developing, supporting, or using unauthorized automated methods for any activity on LinkedIn.
+
+Running OpenOutreach (or any similar tool) **violates LinkedIn's Terms of Service**. This can result in:
+- Temporary or permanent restriction/suspension/ban of your LinkedIn account
+- Loss of connections, messages, leads, or professional network
+- In extreme cases, legal action from LinkedIn against users or tool providers
+
+LinkedIn actively detects and penalizes automation. **There is no "safe" level of automation** — even low-volume use carries risk.
+
+### 2. Automatic Newsletter Subscription (Non-GDPR Jurisdictions)
+On first run, OpenOutreach detects the country associated with your LinkedIn account. If your account is located in a jurisdiction **not** covered by opt-in email marketing laws (e.g. GDPR, CASL, LGPD, Spam Act, etc.), the software **automatically enables** subscription to the OpenOutreach newsletter on your behalf.
+
+- **What happens**: Your `subscribe_newsletter` setting is set to `True` without explicit opt-in. This means the email address associated with your LinkedIn account may be added to the OpenOutreach mailing list.
+- **Protected jurisdictions**: Accounts in the EU/EEA, UK, Switzerland, Canada, Brazil, Australia, Japan, South Korea, and New Zealand are **not** auto-subscribed (existing preference is preserved).
+- **Unknown location**: If your country cannot be determined, the software defaults to treating you as protected (no auto-subscription).
+- **Opting out**: You can disable this at any time by setting `subscribe_newsletter` to `False` in the Django Admin under your LinkedInProfile, or during the initial onboarding prompt.
+
+### 3. No Warranty – Use at Your Own Risk
+OpenOutreach is provided **AS IS**, without any warranties of any kind (express or implied), including but not limited to fitness for a particular purpose, non-infringement, or that it will not cause harm to your accounts or data.
+
+The developer(s):
+- Do not guarantee any results from using the tool
+- Are not responsible for any account bans, lost business, legal consequences, or other damages
+- Recommend you **review LinkedIn's current User Agreement** and automation policies yourself before use
+
+### 4. Freemium Promotional Actions
+OpenOutreach is free to use under a **freemium model**. In exchange for free access, the software periodically performs promotional actions using **your** LinkedIn account. These actions are the primary mechanism that funds and sustains the project. Paid plans that reduce or remove them may be offered in the future.
+
+- **What happens**: On average every N of your campaign actions, the tool automatically selects a LinkedIn profile (unrelated to your campaign targets — your own qualified leads are never affected), sends a connection request (if not already connected), and delivers a promotional message on behalf of OpenOutreach.
+- **Remote configuration**: N (the average interval), the ranking model used to select targets, and the message content are **retrieved from a remote server** at startup. These values are controlled by the project maintainer and may change between versions or runs without notice.
+- **Impact on you**: These messages appear as sent from **your** account.
+- **Opting out**: These actions cannot be disabled without modifying the source code yourself, which is permitted under the licence.
+
+### 5. Your Responsibility
+By downloading, installing, configuring, or running OpenOutreach, you:
+- Confirm you are of legal age and have authority to accept these terms
+- Agree to use the tool only in compliance with all applicable laws (including data protection/privacy laws like GDPR if relevant)
+- Accept full responsibility for any consequences of automation on your LinkedIn account(s)
+- Understand that modifying the code to remove/disable freemium promotional actions is permitted under the licence, but doing so remains your responsibility
+
+If you do **not** agree with any part of this notice — especially the freemium promotional actions or the violation of LinkedIn's terms — **do not use this software**. Delete it immediately.
+
+Questions or concerns? Open an issue on the repository or contact the maintainer(s).
+
+**Continued use constitutes acceptance of this Legal Notice.**

README.md

@@ -244,16 +244,14 @@ Join for support and discussions:
 
 ---
 
-## 📜 Legal Disclaimer
+## 📜 Legal Notice
 
 **Not affiliated with LinkedIn.**
 
-Automation may violate LinkedIn's terms (Section 8.2). Risk of account suspension exists.
+By using this software you accept the [Legal Notice](LEGAL_NOTICE.md). It covers LinkedIn ToS risks, built-in self-promotional actions, automatic newsletter subscription for non-GDPR accounts, and liability disclaimers.
 
 **Use at your own risk — no liability assumed.**
 
-<sub>Accounts in non-GDPR jurisdictions are auto-subscribed to the OpenOutreach newsletter on first run. You can disable this via `subscribe_newsletter` in your [account config](./docs/configuration.md#gdpr-location-detection).</sub>
-
 ---
 
 <div align="center">

linkedin/onboarding.py

@@ -216,18 +216,45 @@ def _onboard_account(campaign):
     return profile
 
 
+def _require_legal_acceptance() -> None:
+    """Require the user to read and accept the legal notice before continuing."""
+    url = "https://github.com/eracle/linkedin/blob/master/LEGAL_NOTICE.md"
+    print()
+    print("=" * 60)
+    print("  LEGAL NOTICE")
+    print("=" * 60)
+    print()
+    print(f"Please read the Legal Notice before continuing:\n  {url}")
+    print()
+    while True:
+        answer = input("Do you accept the Legal Notice? (y/n): ").strip().lower()
+        if answer == "y":
+            return
+        if answer == "n":
+            print()
+            print(
+                "You must accept the Legal Notice to use OpenOutreach. "
+                "Please read it carefully and try again."
+            )
+            print()
+            continue
+        print("Please type 'y' or 'n'.")
+
+
 def ensure_onboarding() -> None:
-    """Ensure LLM config, Campaign, and active LinkedInProfile exist.
+    """Ensure Campaign, LinkedInProfile, LLM config, and legal acceptance.
 
     If missing, runs interactive prompts to configure them.
     """
     from linkedin.models import Campaign, LinkedInProfile
 
-    _ensure_llm_config()
-
     campaign = Campaign.objects.first()
     if campaign is None:
         campaign = _onboard_campaign()
 
     if not LinkedInProfile.objects.filter(active=True).exists():
         _onboard_account(campaign)
+
+    _ensure_llm_config()
+
+    _require_legal_acceptance()