Terms of Service

1.1 "Account" means a registered profile enabling access to the Service and associated functionality.

1.2 "Affiliate" means any entity that directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with the Company.

1.3 "Applicable Law" means all federal, state, provincial, local, foreign, and international laws, rules, regulations, court orders, and governmental directives that apply to the Service or your use thereof (including, as applicable, GDPR/UK GDPR, ePrivacy/PECR, CCPA/CPRA, LGPD, COPPA, CAN-SPAM, and anti-spam/telemarketing laws).

1.4 "App" / "FRIENDS" / "Service" means the FRIENDS mobile application(s), websites, APIs, software, documentation, user interfaces, back-end systems, and all related services provided by the Company.

1.5 "Content" means any text, images, audio, video, code, links, metadata, in-app communications, feedback, ratings, or other material displayed, uploaded, posted, transmitted, or otherwise made available within or through the Service by any party.

1.6 "Intellectual Property" means all copyrights, trademarks, service marks, trade names, domain names, logos, patents, trade secrets, moral rights, database rights, mask work rights, know-how, and other proprietary rights, whether registered or unregistered.

1.7 "Proximity-Based Features" means features that use device signals (e.g., GPS, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, IP-based signals) to surface or rank nearby users, events, or places.

1.8 "Subscription" means any recurring or time-limited paid plan, in-app purchase, or premium feature set.

1.9 "User Data" means any information collected through or in connection with the Service, including personal and non-personal data, as described in the Privacy Policy.

1.10 "Violation" means any breach of these Terms, the Privacy Policy, the Cookies Policy, community guidelines, or Applicable Law.

1.11 "Third-Party Services" means services not owned or controlled by the Company (e.g., app stores, social logins, payment processors, analytics/advertising networks, map providers).

1.12 "Device" means any phone, tablet, computer, wearable, or other hardware used to access the Service.

1.13 "Update" means any patch, fix, upgrade, modification, or new release of the Service.

1.14 "Beta Features" means pre-release, experimental, or test functionality provided "as is" without support or warranties and subject to change or removal at any time.

1.15 "Feedback" means any suggestion, idea, enhancement request, recommendation, or other input relating to the Service.

1.16 Construction. Words in the singular include the plural and vice-versa. "Including" means "including without limitation." Headings are for convenience only. In case of conflict among documents: (a) mandatory Applicable Law controls; (b) the Terms govern procedural matters (e.g., arbitration, jurisdiction, liability limits); (c) the Privacy Policy governs data processing; (d) the Cookies Policy governs device storage/access; (e) any feature-specific additional terms govern that feature.

2.1 Binding Agreement. By downloading, installing, accessing, or using the Service, you (a) accept these Terms, the Privacy Policy, and the Cookies Policy, (b) agree to be legally bound by them, and (c) represent that you have legal capacity to do so. If you do not agree, you must not use the Service.

2.2 Click-Wrap/E-Signature. Your acceptance may be captured by clicking "Accept," creating an Account, or continuing to use the Service after notice of changes. Such acceptance constitutes an electronic signature with the same legal effect as a handwritten signature.

2.3 Updates to Terms. The Company may modify these Terms at any time as permitted by law. Material changes will be posted in-Service and/or communicated via reasonable means. Except where additional consent is required by law, continued use after the effective date constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms.

2.4 Arbitration; Class Action Waiver. Disputes are subject to mandatory binding arbitration and a class action waiver as set forth in Section 19 of these Terms (incorporated here by reference). You acknowledge that you have read and understand those provisions.

2.5 Electronic Communications. You consent to receive communications electronically (e.g., email, in-app messages, push notifications) and agree that all notices, disclosures, and other communications we provide electronically satisfy any legal requirement that such communications be in writing. You may manage marketing preferences as described in the Privacy Policy.

2.6 Conflicts with App Stores. If you downloaded the App from a third-party app store (e.g., Apple App Store, Google Play), that store's terms apply in addition to these Terms; in case of conflict, these Terms control the relationship between you and the Company.

2.7 No Contrary Terms. Any terms proposed by you that are in addition to or inconsistent with these Terms are rejected and have no effect unless expressly accepted in a signed writing by an authorized Company representative.

2.8 Export Controls & Sanctions. You represent you are not located in, under the control of, or a national or resident of any country or region subject to U.S. embargo/sanctions and are not on any U.S. government restricted list. You agree not to use or export the Service in violation of export control or sanctions laws.

2.9 Right to Refuse Service. The Company may refuse, suspend, or terminate access (in whole or in part) to any user at any time for any lawful reason, including risk, security, or compliance concerns, without liability to you.

3.1 Age & Capacity. You must be at least 13 years old (or the minimum age required by local law) to use the Service. Users under 18 must have the consent of a parent or legal guardian. For EU/UK users, parental consent is required for users under the applicable "digital consent" age.

3.2 Parental Responsibility. If you are a parent/guardian providing consent, you are responsible for the minor's use of the Service and for monitoring their interactions and privacy settings.

3.3 Banned/High-Risk Users. Individuals previously suspended or terminated by the Company or convicted of certain offenses (including sexual offenses, stalking, violent crimes, fraud, or identity theft) are prohibited from using the Service. The Company may implement checks to enforce this policy to the extent permitted by law.

3.4 Geographic & Legal Restrictions. Certain features may be unavailable or restricted in specific jurisdictions due to legal, regulatory, or business constraints. The Company may geo-block or otherwise limit access to comply with Applicable Law.

3.5 Sanctions/Prohibited Persons. You represent you are not located in any U.S. embargoed country/region and are not a person on U.S. sanctions or denied persons lists.

3.6 Entity Users. If you use the Service on behalf of an entity, you represent that you are authorized to bind that entity to these Terms, and "you" includes such entity.

3.7 Accurate Information. You agree to provide accurate, complete information and to keep it updated. You must not impersonate another person or misrepresent your identity or affiliation.

3.8 Single User; No Account Sharing. Accounts are personal to the registrant. You may not share login credentials or allow others to access your Account. You are responsible for all activities under your Account.

3.9 Verification; KYC. The Company may require identity or age verification (including document checks or micro-transactions) to prevent fraud, enhance safety, or comply with law. Failure to complete verification may result in restricted access or termination.

3.10 Competitor Access. Access to the Service for purposes of competitive analysis, benchmarking, or development of a competing product is prohibited without prior written consent.

4.1 License Grant. Subject to your compliance with these Terms, the Company grants you a limited, revocable, non-exclusive, non-transferable, non-sublicensable license to download, install, and use the App and access the Service for your personal, non-commercial use. The Company reserves all rights not expressly granted.

4.2 Ownership. The Service is owned by the Company and its licensors and is protected by Intellectual Property laws. No title or ownership to any Intellectual Property is transferred to you by use of the Service.

4.3 Updates & Changes. The Service may automatically download and install Updates. You consent to receive Updates, which may be required for continued use. Features may change or be discontinued at any time without liability.

4.4 Beta Features. Beta Features are provided "as is," may contain bugs, may be withdrawn at any time, and are excluded from any service level commitments. Your use is voluntary and at your own risk.

4.5 AI-Based Matching & Recommendations. Any matching, ranking, or recommendations (including AI-assisted features) are informational only, may be inaccurate, biased, or incomplete, and are not advice. You are solely responsible for decisions you make and interactions you undertake.

4.6 Third-Party Services. The Service may interoperate with Third-Party Services (e.g., social logins, payments, maps). The Company is not responsible for Third-Party Services, which are governed by their own terms and policies. The Company may change, disable, or remove integrations without liability.

4.7 Connectivity & Devices. You are responsible for obtaining and maintaining compatible Devices and internet/mobile connections. Carrier data rates and fees may apply. The Company does not guarantee compatibility with any Device or OS version.

4.8 Fees & Subscriptions. Certain features may require payment. You authorize recurring charges for Subscriptions until canceled. Prices and features may change with notice as required by law. Taxes may apply. Refunds are provided only where required by law or expressly stated by the Company.

4.9 In-App Purchases via App Stores. Purchases made through app stores are subject to the store's terms. Refunds or billing disputes for store-processed transactions must be handled through the applicable store.

4.10 User Content License to Company. You retain ownership of your User Content. You grant the Company a worldwide, royalty-free, transferable, sublicensable, non-exclusive, perpetual license to host, store, reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, translate, create derivative works from, distribute, publicly perform, and display your User Content in connection with operating, improving, promoting, and providing the Service (including for safety and moderation).

4.11 Publicity & Display. Depending on your settings, elements of your profile and Content may be visible to others. The Company is not responsible for how others use Content you make available.

4.12 Feedback. You grant the Company a perpetual, irrevocable, worldwide, royalty-free license to use, reproduce, disclose, and exploit Feedback without restriction or attribution.

4.13 Safety; No Emergency Services. The Service does not provide emergency response. In an emergency, call local authorities. The Company does not conduct comprehensive background checks and does not guarantee the identity or intentions of users. Offline meetings are at your own risk.

4.14 Monitoring & Moderation. The Company may (but has no obligation to) monitor or review Content and communications for safety, compliance, or operational purposes and may remove or restrict Content or accounts at any time at its sole discretion.

4.15 Record Preservation. The Company may preserve and disclose Content, communications, and logs where required by law or where reasonably necessary to protect rights, safety, or property.

4.16 No Professional Advice. The Service is for social and informational purposes and does not constitute legal, medical, psychological, safety, or other professional advice.

4.17 Reservation of Remedies. Any breach of these Terms may result in suspension, termination, Content removal, feature restrictions, denial of refunds, referral to law enforcement, and pursuit of available legal and equitable remedies.

5.1 Permitted Use. You may use the Service only (a) for lawful purposes, (b) in accordance with these Terms and Applicable Law, and (c) in a respectful manner toward other users.

5.2 Zero-Tolerance Categories. The following are strictly prohibited and may result in immediate termination and reporting to authorities where applicable:

• CSAM/Exploitation: Child sexual abuse material, grooming, or exploitation of minors;
• Violence/Threats: Threats of harm, incitement to violence, terrorism;
• Harassment/Hate: Stalking, bullying, doxxing, hate speech, discriminatory abuse;
• Illegal Activity: Fraud, scams, money laundering, drug/human trafficking, solicitation or facilitation of illegal acts;
• Non-Consensual Content: Revenge porn, intimate imagery without consent, or other privacy violations.

5.3 General Prohibitions. Without limitation, you agree not to:

• impersonate any person or entity, misrepresent affiliation, or create deceptive or fake profiles;
• solicit or obtain others' personal data without consent; publish private or confidential information about others;
• upload or share Content that is unlawful, defamatory, obscene, pornographic (where prohibited), infringing, or otherwise objectionable;
• engage in spamming, phishing, pyramid schemes, multi-level marketing, or unsolicited commercial messages;
• use automated scripts, bots, scrapers, crawlers, data mining, or similar tools to access or collect data from the Service;
• copy, reproduce, distribute, publicly perform, or display any portion of the Service except as expressly permitted;
• reverse engineer, decompile, disassemble, or attempt to derive source code or underlying algorithms;
• bypass, disable, or interfere with security-related features, rate limits, access controls, or content protections;
• probe, scan, or test the vulnerability of the Service or any network without prior written authorization from the Company;
• interfere with, disrupt, or impose an unreasonable load on the Service (e.g., DDoS, flooding, mailbombing);
• upload malware, spyware, adware, or other malicious code;
• use the Service for any commercial activity without express written consent (including advertising, endorsements, lead generation, data brokerage);
• use Proximity-Based Features to stalk, surveil, track, or harass others, or to infer specific addresses or routines;
• post or transact in weapons, drugs, contraband, or other regulated goods/services in violation of law;
• use the Service while operating a vehicle or in any manner that may endanger yourself or others;
• circumvent regional restrictions, sanctions, or export controls;
• gather or store personal data of other users for unlawful purposes or for any purpose beyond the scope of the Service.

5.4 Location & Safety Controls. You are solely responsible for your privacy and safety settings, including whether to enable location permissions. Do not rely on the Service for personal security.

5.5 Reporting & Cooperation. Use in-app tools to report violations. The Company may request additional information, preserve evidence, and cooperate with law enforcement. Submitting false or malicious reports is itself a Violation.

5.6 Moderation Authority; No Obligation to Monitor. The Company may remove Content or restrict accounts at any time for any reason or no reason, consistent with Applicable Law. The Company is not obligated to pre-screen Content and disclaims liability for user-generated Content to the maximum extent permitted by law.

5.7 Injunctive Relief. You agree that any actual or threatened breach of Sections 5.2–5.3 will cause irreparable harm to the Company for which monetary damages are inadequate. The Company is entitled to seek injunctive or other equitable relief without posting a bond, in addition to any other remedies.

5.8 Costs of Enforcement. You will reimburse the Company for reasonable costs and expenses (including attorneys' fees) incurred to investigate and enforce violations of this Section, to the extent permitted by law.

5.9 Repeat Infringer Policy. The Company may terminate accounts of repeat infringers and comply with applicable notice-and-takedown regimes.

6.1 Your Representations. You represent and warrant that:

• you own or have all necessary rights to submit, post, display, or otherwise make available any Content you provide;
• your Content and its use by the Company as permitted herein do not infringe, misappropriate, or violate any third-party right (including copyright, trademark, trade secret, privacy, publicity, or contractual rights);
• your Content is accurate, lawful, and compliant with these Terms and Applicable Law; and
• you have obtained all required consents for any personal data, likeness, or voice contained in your Content.

6.2 License to the Company. You grant the Company a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free, transferable, sublicensable, irrevocable, and perpetual license to host, store, cache, index, reproduce, modify, adapt, translate, create derivative works, publish, transmit, distribute, publicly perform, publicly display, and otherwise use your Content in connection with (a) operating, maintaining, improving, marketing, and promoting the Service, (b) ensuring safety, security, moderation, and enforcement, and (c) developing new features and services (including AI-assisted functionality consistent with the Privacy Policy). This license survives termination to the maximum extent permitted by law.

6.3 Name, Likeness, and Publicity. You grant the Company a worldwide, royalty-free license to use your name, username, likeness, profile information, and public Content for (a) in-Service display and discovery, and (b) marketing and promotional purposes relating to the Service, subject to your privacy settings and Applicable Law.

6.4 Moral Rights Waiver. To the fullest extent permitted by law, you waive any and all moral rights or rights of attribution/integrity in your Content as against the Company and its sublicensees, or you agree not to assert them.

6.5 No Duty to Store or Return Content. The Company has no obligation to store, maintain, or provide you with copies of Content. Content may be deleted, removed, or modified at any time, including for maintenance, storage limits, legal compliance, or policy violations.

6.6 Company Ownership. The Service, including all software, designs, code, databases, text, graphics, logos, trademarks, and other materials (collectively, "Company IP"), is owned by the Company or its licensors and protected by Intellectual Property laws. Except for the limited license in Section 4.1, no rights are granted. You shall not use Company IP except as expressly authorized.

6.7 Feedback. As stated in Section 4.12, any Feedback you provide is licensed on a perpetual, irrevocable, royalty-free basis and may be used without restriction or attribution.

6.8 Open Source Components. Certain components may be provided under open-source licenses. To the extent of conflict, the applicable open-source license controls that component only.

6.9 Takedown / Repeat Infringers. The Company may remove Content and terminate accounts of repeat infringers. See Section 6.10 regarding DMCA.

6.10 DMCA / IP Agent. If you believe Content infringes your copyright, send a compliant notice to our DMCA Agent:

Your notice must include: (a) identification of the copyrighted work; (b) identification of infringing material and its location; (c) contact information; (d) a statement of good-faith belief; (e) a statement under penalty of perjury of accuracy and authority; and (f) a physical or electronic signature. We may notify the user and accept a counter-notice where permitted. The Company may remove material at its discretion and without admitting liability.

6.11 Indemnity for Content. You will indemnify and defend the Company and its Affiliates against any claim arising from your Content (including IP and publicity/privacy claims), as further detailed in Section 18.

7.1 Privacy Policy Incorporated. The Privacy Policy forms part of these Terms and explains how we collect, use, disclose, transfer, and secure personal data. By using the Service, you consent to processing as described in the Privacy Policy and Cookies Policy.

7.2 Security Measures; No Absolute Security. We implement reasonable technical and organizational safeguards, but no system is 100% secure. To the maximum extent permitted by law, the Company disclaims liability for unauthorized access or incidents arising from sophisticated attacks, third-party failures, force majeure events, or user negligence (e.g., weak passwords, shared devices, jailbroken/rooted devices).

7.3 User Security Responsibilities. You must: (a) maintain the confidentiality of your credentials; (b) enable available security features (e.g., MFA); (c) promptly update devices and apps; and (d) immediately notify us at security@myfriendsapp.com of suspected compromise.

7.4 Data Incidents. In the event of a personal data breach, we will follow the procedures in the Privacy Policy and notify you and/or authorities when required. Such notices are not an admission of liability.

7.5 Third-Party Services and Data. Third-party integrations, app stores, ad networks, payment processors, map providers, and social login platforms are independent providers subject to their own privacy/security practices. We are not responsible for their acts/omissions outside our reasonable control.

7.6 De-identified/Aggregated Data. We may create and use de-identified or aggregated data for analytics, research, product development, safety, and marketing. We take reasonable steps to prevent re-identification.

7.7 Government/Safety Disclosures. We may preserve and disclose information as required by law or when we believe in good faith it is necessary to protect rights, safety, property, or the integrity of the Service.

7.8 AI & Profiling. AI-based features may analyze or infer preferences to personalize your experience. Outputs are informational only and may be inaccurate or biased. See Privacy Policy for lawful bases, safeguards, and your controls.

8.1 Consent and Settings. Certain features rely on location signals (e.g., GPS, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, IP geolocation). You control location permissions at OS level. If disabled, some features may be unavailable or degraded.

8.2 Accuracy and Availability. Location data can be delayed, inaccurate, unavailable, or spoofed due to device, network, environmental, or third-party factors. The Company does not guarantee accuracy, completeness, or availability of location features and disclaims liability to the fullest extent permitted by law.

8.3 Permitted Uses; Prohibited Conduct. Proximity features are for legitimate social purposes only. You may not use them to stalk, surveil, harass, or endanger others, to infer exact addresses, or to bypass user privacy settings. Violations may result in immediate termination, law enforcement referral, and legal action.

8.4 Visibility Controls. You are responsible for adjusting privacy/visibility settings. Public posting of your location or sharing screenshots may disclose your whereabouts; the Company is not responsible for consequences of your disclosures.

8.5 Minors' Location. For users we know are minors, precise location defaults to off and is restricted unless verified consent is provided per the Privacy Policy.

8.6 Processing and Retention. We may process location data to provide features, enhance safety/fraud prevention, and improve services. Retention is limited per the Privacy Policy. Aggregated or de-identified location data may be used for analytics and service improvement.

8.7 Emergency Services. The Service does not provide emergency response or dispatch. In an emergency, contact local authorities. You acknowledge the Service is not a substitute for emergency services.

8.8 Geofencing/Legal Compliance. We may restrict features or access in specific regions for legal, safety, or business reasons. You agree not to circumvent such restrictions (e.g., via VPN).

8.9 Third-Party Mapping/Location Providers. Map tiles, geocoding, and routing may be provided by third parties under their terms. We are not responsible for their availability, accuracy, or data practices outside our control.

8.10 Assumption of Risk. You assume all risks associated with relying on proximity features or meeting others in real life. Follow safety guidelines and use your judgment.

9.1 Billing Authorization. By purchasing a Subscription or paid feature, you authorize us (or our payment processor/app store) to charge your payment method the applicable fees, taxes, and any other charges incurred, recurring until canceled. You represent you are authorized to use the payment method provided.

9.2 Auto-Renewal. Subscriptions automatically renew for successive periods unless canceled before renewal in your account or app store settings. We may send reminders where required by law; however, you remain responsible for timely cancellation.

9.3 Free Trials; Promotions. Trials convert to paid plans unless canceled before trial end. Promotional pricing applies only for the stated term and then reverts to standard rates. Eligibility limits may apply. We may modify or end promotions at any time.

9.4 Price Changes. We may change prices or features with notice as required by law. Changes take effect at the next billing cycle. If you do not agree, cancel before the effective date.

9.5 Refunds. All fees are non-refundable except where required by law or expressly stated by us. Certain jurisdictions (e.g., EU/UK) grant withdrawal rights for digital content; you acknowledge/consent that service begins immediately and you waive statutory withdrawal where legally permitted. App store purchases are subject to the store's refund policies.

9.6 Taxes; Exchange Rates. Prices exclude applicable taxes unless stated. You are responsible for taxes, duties, and currency conversion fees charged by your provider or bank.

9.7 Chargebacks and Disputes. Chargebacks or payment disputes may result in immediate suspension or termination. We may contest chargebacks using logs evidencing use and acceptance of these Terms.

9.8 Non-Payment; Late Fees. Failure to pay may result in suspension, downgrade, or termination. We may charge late fees or collection costs as permitted by law.

9.9 In-App Purchases via App Stores. Purchases made through app stores are processed by the store and subject to its terms. Billing issues for such purchases must be resolved with the store.

9.10 Gift Codes/Credits. Codes/credits are not legal tender, non-transferable, non-refundable, may expire, and may be revoked for fraud or misuse. No cash redemption unless required by law.

9.11 Prohibited Resale/Arbitrage. You may not resell, transfer, or barter your Subscription or benefits.

9.12 Fraud Prevention. We may use fraud/prevention tools and suspend accounts for suspected fraud, abuse, or misuse of promotional offers.

9.13 Enterprise/Group Plans. Any enterprise, group, or partner plan is governed by separate terms; in case of conflict, those terms control for billing matters.

10.1 Your Cancellation. You may cancel your Subscription at any time via the Service or your app store account. Cancellation takes effect at the end of your current billing period unless otherwise stated. No refunds for partial periods except where required by law or expressly offered.

10.2 Termination by Company. We may suspend or terminate your Account or access to some or all of the Service, with or without notice, for any reason or no reason, including: (a) violations of these Terms or Applicable Law; (b) risk to users, the Company, or the public; (c) non-payment; (d) suspected fraud or abuse; (e) law enforcement or regulatory request; (f) discontinuation of the Service or features; or (g) inactivity for an extended period.

10.3 Effect of Termination. Upon termination: (a) all licenses granted to you terminate immediately; (b) you must cease all use and delete the App from your devices; (c) access to Content and features ceases; (d) we may retain, delete, or anonymize data per the Privacy Policy; and (e) any amounts owed remain due.

10.4 Data Handling Post-Termination. We may retain certain data as required by law or for legitimate business purposes (e.g., security logs, fraud prevention, legal holds). Content may persist in backups for a limited window and in other users' accounts if previously shared.

10.5 No Liability for Termination. To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Company is not liable to you or any third party for suspension or termination of your access or for deletion of Content, even if it results in loss of data or access.

10.6 Reactivation. Reactivation, if available, is at the Company's discretion and may require updated verification, payment of fees, or agreement to then-current Terms.

10.7 Investigation Holds. The Company may retain and preserve your Account and Content and delay deletion during an investigation or legal hold, and may disclose information to authorities as permitted by law.

10.8 Survival. Sections that by their nature should survive termination (including, without limitation, ownership, licenses granted to the Company, disclaimers, limitation of liability, indemnification, governing law, and dispute resolution) survive termination.

11.1 Community Standards; Incorporation. You must comply with these Terms and any community guidelines, safety policies, or feature-specific rules the Company publishes or updates from time to time (collectively, "Community Rules"), which are incorporated by reference.

11.2 Moderation Authority. The Company may, in its sole discretion, review, monitor, filter, rank, demote, restrict, label, shadow-ban, remove, or refuse any Content or Account; limit distribution or visibility; disable features; or take other moderation actions at any time and without notice, for any or no reason, to the maximum extent permitted by law.

11.3 No Duty to Monitor. The Company has no obligation to monitor Content or user activity and disclaims liability for user-generated Content or conduct to the fullest extent permitted by law (including protections analogous to 47 U.S.C. § 230 in the United States, where applicable).

11.4 Grounds for Enforcement (Illustrative).

• Violations of these Terms, the Community Rules, or Applicable Law;
• Safety risks, threats, harassment, exploitation, CSAM, hate, or violent extremism;
• Intellectual property infringement or unlawful publicity/privacy violations;
• Fraud, spam, platform manipulation, or evasion of enforcement;
• Misuse of Proximity-Based Features (e.g., stalking, doxxing, geofencing to target individuals);
• Misrepresentation, deceptive or inauthentic behavior, or identity abuse;
• Attempts to probe, scrape, or interfere with the Service.

11.5 Tools and Signals. Moderation may use automated tools (including AI), human review, user reports, and trusted signals. You acknowledge automated systems may err; the Company assumes no liability for moderation decisions, errors, false positives/negatives, or resulting losses.

11.6 Transparency; No Appeal Right Guaranteed. The Company may (but is not required to) provide reasons or an appeals process. Where provided, appeals must be submitted to support@myfriendsapp.com within 14 days of action; outcomes are at the Company's sole discretion and may be final.

11.7 Evidence Preservation. The Company may preserve Content, logs, and identifiers for investigations, regulatory inquiries, litigation holds, and legal defense, as permitted by law.

11.8 Repeat Violators. Accounts repeatedly violating these Terms may be suspended or terminated without refund. Related or linked accounts may also be restricted.

11.9 No Entitlement. Access to the Service is a revocable privilege, not a right. The Company is not liable for consequences of moderation or enforcement actions, including loss of data, audience, revenue, or goodwill.

12.1 No Background Checks; Assumption of Risk. The Company does not conduct comprehensive background checks or verify identities beyond limited, automated, or risk-based checks. Offline interactions are at your sole risk.

12.2 No Duty to Protect. The Service does not provide security, escort, or protective services and is not a substitute for law enforcement or emergency response. In emergencies, call local authorities.

12.3 Safety Guidance (Non-Exhaustive). Meet in public places, inform a trusted person, control what you share, arrange your own transport, and leave if uncomfortable. These tips are suggestions only and do not create any duty of care.

12.4 Release. To the fullest extent permitted by law, you release and hold harmless the Company and its Affiliates from claims, demands, and damages (actual and consequential) of every kind and nature, known and unknown, arising out of or in any way connected with offline interactions or disputes with other users.

12.5 No Warranties. The Company disclaims all representations as to any user's identity, intentions, compatibility, background, criminal history, health, or behavior. Matching or recommendations (including AI-assisted) are informational only and not guarantees.

12.6 Prohibited Conduct. You must not use Proximity-Based Features to stalk, surveil, harass, or endanger any person; to infer exact addresses or routines; or to share another user's private location without consent. Violations may result in immediate termination and referral to authorities.

12.7 Minors. Special restrictions apply to minors and their data (see the Privacy Policy). Users must not attempt to contact or arrange meetings with minors in violation of law or these Terms.

12.8 Company Remedies. The Company may (but is not obligated to) assist law enforcement, provide account information pursuant to lawful process, and take precautionary measures (e.g., suspensions) to protect users or the public.

13.1 Reporting Mechanisms. Users may report suspected violations via in-app tools or support@myfriendsapp.com. Provide sufficient detail (usernames, timestamps, screenshots/URLs). The Company may request additional information.

13.2 Blocking. The Service may provide blocking tools to restrict contact or visibility. Block features are not guaranteed to achieve complete isolation across all contexts; residual visibility may occur. The Company is not liable for limitations of block functionality.

13.3 Investigations. The Company may investigate reported activity, which may include reviewing Content, metadata, logs, and device signals. Investigations are conducted at the Company's discretion; not all reports will result in action.

13.4 Interim Measures. The Company may impose temporary restrictions (e.g., rate-limits, feature holds, content removals, shadow bans) during review.

13.5 False or Malicious Reports. Knowingly filing false, fraudulent, or bad-faith reports is a Violation and may result in enforcement action, including termination and potential legal remedies.

13.6 Cooperation with Authorities. The Company may preserve and disclose information as required by law or in good faith belief that such action is reasonably necessary to protect rights, safety, or property. The Company may delay notifying you where legally restricted.

13.7 Notice to Reported Users. The Company may notify reported users but is not obligated to do so. We may withhold details to protect reporters, investigations, or legal processes.

13.8 No Retaliation. Retaliation against a user for making a good-faith report is prohibited and may result in enforcement action.

13.9 Enforcement Outcomes (Illustrative). Content removal, warnings, temporary or permanent suspensions, device bans, feature restrictions, referral to authorities, loss of premium benefits without refund, and account termination.

13.10 Recordkeeping. The Company may maintain records of reports, investigations, and outcomes for compliance, analytics, and legal defense.

14.1 Independent Services. The Service may link to, embed, or interoperate with third-party services (e.g., app stores, social logins, analytics/advertising networks, payment processors, mapping providers, communications vendors). These services are governed by their own terms and privacy policies. The Company is not responsible for their acts or omissions outside our reasonable control.

14.2 No Endorsement; No Warranty. Inclusion of third-party content, links, or integrations does not constitute endorsement. The Company disclaims all warranties regarding third-party services, including availability, accuracy, security, and fitness for a particular purpose.

14.3 Changes; Deprecations. Third-party APIs and integrations may change or be deprecated. The Company may modify or discontinue integrations without liability. Some features may cease functioning if a third party changes policies or access.

14.4 Payments. Purchases made via app stores or payment processors are processed by those third parties as independent controllers or processors. Refunds and billing disputes for store-processed transactions must be handled through the store.

14.5 Data Sharing & Roles. Data exchanges with third parties follow the Privacy and Cookies Policies. Some third parties act as processors under our instructions; others act as independent controllers. Independent controllers' practices are their responsibility.

14.6 SSO and Social Features. If you use SSO or social integrations, you authorize sharing of limited information necessary to authenticate or enable the feature. You may revoke access via the third party and/or the Service (where available).

14.7 Mapped/Location Content. Mapping, geocoding, and routing may be provided by third parties; accuracy and availability are not guaranteed. Use at your own risk.

14.8 User Responsibility. You are responsible for reviewing and complying with third-party terms and for enabling only integrations for which you have authority. Misuse may result in enforcement action.

14.9 Liability Allocation. To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Company disclaims liability for third-party outages, data breaches, misconfigurations, or policy changes and for any damages arising from your reliance on third-party services.

15.1 Availability; No SLA. The Service is provided on an "as is" and "as available" basis with no uptime guarantee or service level commitments, except where expressly agreed in a separate signed contract.

15.2 Maintenance Windows. The Company may perform scheduled or emergency maintenance, updates, migrations, or security patches at any time, which may degrade or interrupt the Service. The Company is not liable for resulting downtime or data loss.

15.3 Updates & Changes. The Company may modify, improve, or discontinue the Service (in whole or part), including features, content, and compatibility requirements, without liability. You consent to automatic Updates.

15.4 Deprecation; End-of-Life. The Company may deprecate or end support for certain devices, OS versions, APIs, or features with or without notice, as permitted by law.

15.5 Force Majeure. The Company is not liable for delays or failures due to events beyond its reasonable control, including natural disasters, war, terrorism, civil unrest, labor disputes, utility or internet failures, platform/CDN outages, cyberattacks, epidemics/pandemics, governmental actions, or acts of third parties.

15.6 Security Events. To protect users and the platform, the Company may temporarily disable or restrict features in response to threats, vulnerabilities, or suspected abuse. Such actions may occur without notice and do not constitute a breach of these Terms.

15.7 Device/Network Requirements. You are responsible for obtaining compatible devices, software, and internet access. Performance may vary based on hardware, network conditions, and location. Carrier data rates apply. The Company disclaims liability for issues caused by your device, network, or third-party software.

15.8 Data Integrity & Backup. While the Company uses reasonable measures to protect data, it does not guarantee content preservation. You are responsible for maintaining backups of your own Content where feasible. The Company is not responsible for loss or corruption of data to the maximum extent permitted by law.

15.9 Beta Features. Beta or experimental features may be unstable, incomplete, or withdrawn at any time and are provided without warranties or support. Use is at your own risk.

15.10 Remedies Limited. Your sole remedy for dissatisfaction with availability, maintenance, or changes is to stop using the Service and, where applicable, cancel your Subscription as set forth in Section 10. Nothing herein affects non-waivable statutory rights.

16.1 Scope of License; Reservation. Except for the limited license expressly granted in Section 4, the Service and all related software, APIs, SDKs, interfaces, and documentation (collectively, "Technology") are owned by the Company or its licensors. All rights not expressly granted are reserved.

16.2 Prohibited Acts. You shall not (and shall not permit any third party to):

• Reverse Engineer the Technology, decompile, disassemble, or otherwise attempt to derive source code or underlying ideas/algorithms;
• Circumvent security or access controls, digital rights management, or technological protection measures;
• Copy/Modify/Derivative Works except as expressly permitted;
• Scrape/Harvest data, metadata, or Content from the Service (including via bots, crawlers, spiders, or similar tools), or engage in data mining/data extraction;
• Benchmark/Compete by accessing the Service to build a competing product or for competitive intelligence or benchmarking without written consent;
• Resell/Lease/Timeshare or otherwise commercially exploit the Service or any access thereto;
• Spam/Abuse any feature, including messaging, invites, or reports;
• Upload Malicious Code (virus, worm, trojan, spyware, or any code intended to disrupt or exfiltrate data);
• Probe/Test the Service (penetration testing, vulnerability scanning, performance testing) without prior written authorization;
• Remove/Alter Notices of copyright, trademark, or other proprietary rights;
• Use for High-Risk Activities (e.g., life support, emergency services, aviation, nuclear, medical diagnosis/treatment, or any safety-critical use);
• Misuse AI Features (e.g., attempting to override safeguards, prompt-injection to exfiltrate secrets, using outputs for unlawful or discriminatory purposes);
• Train AI Models on any data, outputs, or Content from the Service without our explicit written permission.

16.3 API & SDK Terms. If you are granted API/SDK access, you agree to:

• Use valid, Company-issued credentials; keep keys confidential; and not share/transfer keys;
• Comply with call limits, rate limits, throttling, usage guidelines, and version deprecations;
• Send only permitted data; not attempt to de-anonymize; and not cache beyond permitted TTLs;
• Permit our monitoring for compliance and metrics collection (e.g., usage, errors);
• Immediately cease use upon suspension/termination or key revocation;
• Comply with Applicable Law (privacy, export, sanctions) and our Privacy/Cookies Policies;
• Display required attributions and not misrepresent our relationship.

16.4 Open-Source Components. The Technology may include components under open-source licenses. To the extent of conflict, the applicable open-source license controls for that component only.

16.5 Export & Sanctions. You shall comply with U.S. and international export control and sanctions laws. You represent that you are not prohibited from receiving the Technology and will not export/re-export to sanctioned destinations or parties.

16.6 Ownership of Improvements; Feedback. All modifications, enhancements, derivative works, and feedback relating to the Technology created or suggested by you are owned by the Company; you hereby assign all rights to the Company and agree to execute instruments reasonably necessary to effect such assignment.

16.7 Equitable Relief. Any breach or threatened breach of this Section 16 may cause irreparable harm; the Company is entitled to injunctive relief (without posting bond) in addition to any other remedies.

17.1 Disclaimer of Warranties. TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, THE SERVICE (INCLUDING THE TECHNOLOGY, CONTENT, AND ANY AI-GENERATED OUTPUTS) IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE," WITH ALL FAULTS AND WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, TITLE, NON-INFRINGEMENT, AND ANY WARRANTIES ARISING FROM COURSE OF DEALING OR USAGE OF TRADE. THE COMPANY DOES NOT WARRANT THAT THE SERVICE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED, SECURE, ACCURATE, ERROR-FREE, OR FREE OF MALICIOUS CODE, OR THAT DEFECTS WILL BE CORRECTED. MATCHING, RECOMMENDATIONS, AND AI OUTPUTS ARE INFORMATIONAL ONLY.

17.2 Exclusion of Certain Damages. TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, THE COMPANY SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, OR FOR LOSS OF PROFITS, REVENUE, GOODWILL, DATA, USE, BUSINESS INTERRUPTION, OR COVER/SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES, ARISING OUT OF OR RELATED TO THE SERVICE OR THESE TERMS, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES AND EVEN IF A REMEDY FAILS OF ITS ESSENTIAL PURPOSE.

17.3 Liability Cap. TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, THE COMPANY'S TOTAL AGGREGATE LIABILITY FOR ALL CLAIMS ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THE SERVICE OR THESE TERMS SHALL NOT EXCEED THE GREATER OF USD $100 OR THE TOTAL AMOUNT PAID BY YOU TO THE COMPANY FOR THE SERVICE IN THE TWELVE (12) MONTHS IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING THE EVENT GIVING RISE TO LIABILITY.

17.4 Specific Disclaimers. Without limiting the foregoing, the Company disclaims liability for damages or losses resulting from:

• Third-Party Services and independent controllers' actions;
• User Content or offline interactions;
• Security incidents caused by sophisticated attacks, third-party failures, or user negligence;
• Force majeure;
• Device/network issues;
• Location inaccuracies or proximity misuse;
• Lawful disclosures or compliance with legal process;
• Feature changes, deprecations, or downtime.

17.5 Time Limit for Claims. ANY CLAIM ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THE SERVICE OR THESE TERMS MUST BE FILED WITHIN ONE (1) YEAR AFTER THE CLAIM AROSE, OR BE FOREVER BARRED, UNLESS A LONGER PERIOD IS MANDATED BY NON-WAIVABLE LAW.

17.6 Jurisdictional Limits. Some jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion of certain warranties or limitation of liability for certain damages. In such jurisdictions, the exclusions and limitations shall apply to the maximum extent permitted.

17.7 Basis of the Bargain. The disclaimers and limitations in this Section are fundamental elements of the parties' agreement and allocation of risk and are material inducements for the Company to provide the Service.

18.1 Your Indemnity. You shall indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the Company, its Affiliates, successors, and their respective directors, officers, employees, contractors, and agents from and against any and all claims, actions, proceedings, demands, investigations, fines, penalties, liabilities, damages, losses, costs, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees and expert costs) arising out of or relating to:

• your use or misuse of the Service;
• your Content (including IP, privacy, publicity, or defamation claims);
• your violation of these Terms, the Privacy Policy, the Cookies Policy, Community Rules, or Applicable Law;
• your infringement or violation of any third-party right;
• your misrepresentation (including age or identity) or failure to obtain required consents;
• your integration or configuration of Third-Party Services;
• your security failures (e.g., credential sharing, compromised device) causing a claim against the Company.

18.2 Procedure. The Company will provide prompt notice of any claim (delay will not relieve your obligations except to the extent materially prejudicial). You will assume defense with counsel reasonably acceptable to the Company. The Company may participate at its own expense.

18.3 Settlements. You may not settle any claim without the Company's prior written consent if the settlement: (a) imposes any obligation on the Company; (b) includes an admission of fault; or (c) does not include a full and unconditional release of the Company.

18.4 Advancement/Reimbursement. To the extent permitted by law, you shall promptly advance or reimburse defense costs reasonably incurred in connection with covered claims.

18.5 Preservation of Rights. These obligations are in addition to, and do not limit, any other rights or remedies. They survive termination of your Account and cessation of use.

19.1 Mandatory Arbitration; FAA. Except as expressly set forth below, any dispute, claim, or controversy arising out of or relating to these Terms or the Service (collectively, "Disputes") shall be resolved by binding arbitration administered by the American Arbitration Association (AAA) under its Commercial Arbitration Rules (and, where applicable, the Consumer Arbitration Rules). The Federal Arbitration Act (FAA) governs the interpretation and enforcement of this Section.

19.2 Seat; Venue; Language. Arbitration shall be conducted in New York, New York, in English, by a single neutral arbitrator. The award may be entered in any court of competent jurisdiction.

19.3 Class Action/Jury Waiver. YOU AND THE COMPANY WAIVE ANY RIGHT TO A JURY TRIAL AND TO PARTICIPATE IN A CLASS, COLLECTIVE, CONSOLIDATED, OR REPRESENTATIVE ACTION. The arbitrator shall not consolidate claims of multiple parties or preside over any form of representative proceeding.

19.4 Small Claims Exception. Either party may bring an individual action in small claims court with jurisdiction over the claim instead of arbitration.

19.5 Injunctive Relief Carve-Out. Either party may seek temporary or permanent injunctive or other equitable relief in a court of competent jurisdiction (including to prevent unauthorized access, scraping, IP infringement, trade secret misappropriation, or violations of Section 16) without waiving the right to arbitration.

19.6 Mass/Coordinated Arbitration Protocol. If 25 or more substantially similar Demands are filed by or with the assistance of the same law firm or coordinated entities, the parties agree: (a) to batch up to 25 Demands for a single merits arbitration to be decided by the same arbitrator; (b) to stay remaining Demands pending the first batch; (c) to engage in global mediation after initial merits decisions; and (d) that arbitration fees shall be allocated by the arbitrator in accordance with applicable AAA rules and applicable law, with authority to defer or reallocate fees to prevent abusive filings. The parties shall cooperate with AAA to implement a fair, efficient protocol.

19.7 Costs & Fees. Payment of filing, administration, and arbitrator fees shall be governed by AAA rules. The arbitrator may award costs and fees (including attorneys' fees) to the prevailing party to the extent permitted by law.

19.8 Confidentiality. The arbitration (including the existence of the dispute, submissions, evidence, and award) shall be confidential, except as required for judicial enforcement or as otherwise required by law.

19.9 30-Day Opt-Out. You may opt out of arbitration by sending written notice to legal@myfriendsapp.com within 30 days of first accepting these Terms. Opting out does not affect other provisions (e.g., venue, class action waiver).

19.10 Severability. If the class action waiver is found unenforceable, the entire arbitration provision shall be void, and Disputes shall be litigated in the courts specified in Section 20. If any other portion of this Section 19 is found unenforceable, the remainder shall remain in effect.

19.11 Non-U.S. Consumers. If you are a consumer resident in a jurisdiction where pre-dispute arbitration agreements are not enforceable or are restricted by mandatory law, this Section applies only to the extent permitted; otherwise, Section 20 controls.

20.1 Governing Law. These Terms and any Dispute (whether in arbitration or court) are governed by the laws of the State of New York, without regard to conflicts of laws principles, and by the Federal Arbitration Act with respect to arbitration.

20.2 Venue for Non-Arbitrable Claims. For any Dispute not subject to arbitration (or if the arbitration provision is found unenforceable), the parties consent to exclusive jurisdiction and venue in the state and federal courts located in New York, New York (including Kings County where applicable). You waive any objection to jurisdiction, venue, or forum non conveniens.

20.3 Injunctive Relief. The Company may seek injunctive or equitable relief in any court of competent jurisdiction to protect its rights (including IP, confidential information, and Technology).

20.4 Service of Process. You consent to service by email to your address on file and by any other method permitted by law.

20.5 International Users; Mandatory Local Rights. Users accessing the Service from outside the United States are responsible for compliance with local laws. If any mandatory consumer protections or public policy rules in your jurisdiction conflict with these Terms, such rules prevail solely to the extent required by law; the remaining Terms continue in full force.

20.6 U.N. CISG; Conflict Rules. The United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods does not apply. Conflict-of-law rules that would apply the law of any other jurisdiction are excluded.

20.7 Language. These Terms are in English; translations are for convenience only. In case of conflict, the English version controls.

21.1 Purpose; Construction. This Section summarizes certain regional disclosures and mandatory rights. Where mandatory local law conflicts with these Terms, the stricter rule prevails solely to the extent required by law. Nothing herein expands our obligations beyond Applicable Law.

21.2 California (CPRA).

• Rights. California residents have rights to know/access, delete, correct, opt-out of "sale"/"sharing," limit use of sensitive personal information, and non-discrimination, as described in the Privacy Policy.
• Signals. We honor Global Privacy Control (GPC) signals for "sale/share" opt-outs as required.
• Minors. We do not knowingly sell/share personal information of consumers under 16 without opt-in consent as required.
• Consumer Affairs Notice. California residents may contact the Consumer Information Division, California Department of Consumer Affairs, 1625 North Market Blvd., Suite N-112, Sacramento, CA 95834, (800) 952-5210 or (916) 445-1254.

21.3 Other U.S. States (e.g., VA, CO, CT, UT, TX, OR, FL, IA, IN, MT, TN). Residents may have rights to access, correct, delete, data portability, and opt-out of targeted advertising, sale, and profiling. We provide opt-out mechanisms per the Privacy/Cookies Policies and, where applicable, an appeals process.

21.4 GDPR/UK GDPR (EU/EEA & UK).

• Rights. Access, rectification, erasure, restriction, portability, objection, and rights related to automated decision-making, per the Privacy Policy.
• Legal Bases; Transfers. Processing based on consent, contract, legitimate interests, legal obligation, or vital interests; international transfers based on SCCs/IDTA, adequacy, or other lawful mechanisms, with supplementary measures where appropriate.
• Representatives/DPO. If appointed, contact details are provided in the Privacy Policy.

21.5 Switzerland (FADP). Similar to GDPR with local nuances (e.g., notification thresholds). Transfers subject to recognized safeguards.

21.6 Brazil (LGPD). Data subject rights include confirmation of processing, access, correction, anonymization, portability, deletion, and consent withdrawal. National authority: ANPD.

21.7 Canada (PIPEDA & Provincial Laws). "Meaningful consent" standard applies. Individuals have access/correction rights; cross-border transfers subject to adequate safeguards.

21.8 Australia (Privacy Act) & New Zealand (Privacy Act 2020). Access/correction rights; breach notifications in defined circumstances; local regulator guidance applies.

21.9 Asia-Pacific (Selected).

• Japan (APPI): Notice/consent requirements for third-party provision and cross-border transfers.
• South Korea (PIPA): Generally stricter consent and security expectations.
• Singapore (PDPA): Consent-first regime with exceptions; significant harm breach notification.

21.10 Middle East & Africa (Selected).

• UAE PDPL / DIFC / ADGM: Consent and transfer restrictions; regulator notices for breaches.
• Saudi PDPL: Consent/localization obligations in some cases.
• South Africa (POPIA): Justification for processing; rights to access, correct, and object.

21.11 Export/Sanctions. You represent that you are not subject to U.S. embargoes/sanctions and agree to comply with export controls and sanctions regimes.

21.12 Local Consumer Rights; Non-Waiver. Non-waivable statutory rights under local consumer law remain unaffected. To the extent permitted, you waive any rights inconsistent with these Terms.

22.1 Minimum Age. You must be 13 years of age (or the minimum age in your jurisdiction) to use the Service. Users under 18 require parental/guardian consent where required.

22.2 Children Under 13 (COPPA). We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 without verifiable parental consent. If we learn a child under 13 has provided personal information without consent, we will delete it as required by law.

22.3 EU/UK Digital Consent Age. For users under the applicable EU/UK digital consent age (typically 13–16 depending on Member State/UK law), parental consent is required for non-essential processing. We may age-gate and verify consent consistent with law.

22.4 Verification Measures. We may implement verification measures (e.g., micro-charge, ID check, signed consent) and maintain consent logs. We rely on accurate information provided by users and guardians and are not liable for misrepresentations of age.

22.5 Minors' Protections. For known minors: (a) default restrictive privacy settings; (b) limited searchability; (c) precise location off by default; (d) additional safety prompts; (e) disabled behavioral advertising; (f) prioritized moderation.

22.6 Parental Rights. Parents/guardians may request access, deletion, or cessation of processing of their child's data and may revoke consent (which may disable some or all Service access).

22.7 Prohibited Conduct Involving Minors. Grooming, exploitation, or attempts to contact minors in violation of law or these Terms are strictly prohibited and may result in immediate termination and law enforcement referral.

22.8 CSAM & Mandatory Reporting. We maintain a zero-tolerance policy for child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and will report to competent authorities as legally required.

22.9 Liability Limitation. We are not liable for content voluntarily disclosed by minors contrary to parental instructions or for users' misrepresentations of age, to the maximum extent permitted by law.

23.1 Termination for Cause or Convenience. We may suspend or terminate the Service or your Account, with or without notice, for any reason or no reason, including: (a) Violations of these Terms/Applicable Law; (b) safety/security risk; (c) suspected fraud/abuse; (d) non-payment; (e) legal or regulatory request; (f) discontinuation of the Service or a material feature; or (g) inactivity.

23.2 Your Termination. You may terminate your Account and/or cancel your Subscription as provided in Section 10. Fees are non-refundable except as required by law or expressly stated otherwise.

23.3 Effect of Termination. Upon termination: (a) all licenses immediately cease; (b) you must cease use and delete the App; (c) access to Content/features ends; (d) accrued obligations survive; (e) outstanding fees become due and payable; and (f) we may implement device/account bans.

23.4 Data Handling; Retention. We may retain, delete, or anonymize data per the Privacy Policy, including for legal obligations, dispute resolution, security, fraud, and backups. Content shared with other users may persist in their accounts and our backups for the scheduled backup retention period.

23.5 Legal Holds; Preservation. We may place legal holds and preserve accounts/Content where required by law or reasonably necessary to protect rights, safety, or property.

23.6 Migration/Export. The Service does not include content export or migration assistance unless required by non-waivable law or expressly provided. Data portability rights, where applicable, are addressed in the Privacy Policy.

23.7 Reactivation. Reactivation, if any, is at our sole discretion and may require verification, updated agreements, and payment of amounts due.

23.8 No Liability for Termination. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we are not liable for termination or suspension of access or deletion of Content, even if it results in loss of data, audience, or revenue.

24.1 Surviving Provisions. The following provisions survive termination or expiration: Definitions (Section 1); Acceptance (to the extent relating to updates/records) (Section 2); User Content & IP (Section 6) (licenses to Company; DMCA; indemnity); Privacy & Security (Section 7) (to the extent necessary for compliance and defense); Location & Proximity Disclaimers (Section 8); Fees/Payments (Section 9) (amounts due); Termination (Section 10) (effects and data handling); Community Rules/Moderation (Section 11) (enforcement records); Safety Disclaimers (Section 12); Reporting/Blocking/Enforcement (Section 13); Third-Party Services (Section 14); Availability & Maintenance (Section 15) (disclaimers); Technology & License Restrictions (Section 16); Disclaimers & Limitations (Section 17); Indemnification (Section 18); Arbitration & Dispute Resolution (Section 19); Governing Law & Jurisdiction (Section 20); Special Disclosures (Section 21); Age Restrictions (Section 22); Survival (Section 24); Updates to Terms (Section 25); Contact/Notices (Section 26); Appendices/Exhibits (Section 27).

24.2 Accrued Rights. Rights and obligations accrued prior to termination (including payment obligations and claims) remain in effect.

25.1 Right to Modify. We may update these Terms at any time to reflect changes in law, guidance, technology, vendors, features, business needs, or for security/operational reasons. The Effective Date at the top indicates when the current version took effect.

25.2 Material Changes; Notice. Material changes (illustrative: arbitration/venue updates, class action waiver, fee structures, significant feature changes, expanded use of data beyond previously disclosed purposes) will be posted in-Service and/or communicated via reasonable means (e.g., email, in-app notice). Where additional consent is required by law, we will seek it.

25.3 Continued Use as Acceptance. Except where additional consent is legally required, your continued use of the Service after the effective date constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms.

25.4 Versioning & Archives. We maintain archived versions for evidentiary purposes for a reasonable period and may keep records of acceptance (e.g., timestamps, device, IP, app version).

25.5 Conflicts; Severability of Amendments. If any amendment is held invalid, the remainder of the Terms (including unaffected amendments) remains in force.

25.6 No Retroactive Reduction of Statutory Rights. We will not reduce non-waivable statutory rights without following any legally required process.

25.7 Order of Precedence. If there is a conflict between an updated Appendix/Exhibit and the body of the Terms, the body of the Terms controls unless the Appendix expressly states otherwise.

26.1 Company Contact.

26.2 General Support / Policy Contacts.

• Support: support@myfriendsapp.com
• Privacy: privacy@myfriendsapp.com (and dpo@myfriendsapp.com if a DPO is appointed)
• Security: security@myfriendsapp.com
• DMCA Agent: legal@myfriendsapp.com (see Section 6.10)

26.3 Notice Methods. We may provide notices via email, in-app messages, push notifications, postings within the Service, or by mail to your address on file. You consent to electronic delivery. Notices are deemed given when sent or posted, except where Applicable Law requires otherwise.

26.4 Your Notices to Us. Legal notices must be sent to the Legal Department at the address above and to legal@myfriendsapp.com with "LEGAL NOTICE" in the subject line. Notices are effective upon confirmed receipt. Non-legal inquiries sent to the legal inbox may not be answered.

26.5 Service of Process. You consent to service by email to your address on file and by any method permitted by law.

26.6 Business Hours; Response Times. We do not guarantee response times. Some jurisdictions impose timelines for certain privacy/security matters; see the Privacy Policy.

26.7 Language. Communications should be in English unless otherwise agreed.

27.1 Incorporation by Reference. The following appendices/exhibits are incorporated by reference and form part of these Terms, as updated from time to time:

• Appendix A — Definitions Glossary (expanded definitions);
• Appendix B — Example Scenarios & Outcomes;
• Appendix C — State‑by‑State U.S. Legal Requirements;
• Appendix D — Risk Disclosure Statements;
• Appendix E — Arbitration Procedures;
• Appendix F — Global Legal Compliance & Jurisdictional Addenda;
• Appendix G — Country‑Specific Addenda (EU/UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, South Africa, India, UAE, KSA, Singapore, Japan, etc.);
• Appendix J — Emerging Technology & Future‑Proof Clauses;
• Appendix K — Record Retention, Audit Rights, and Compliance Certification.

Additional appendices may be added over time; revised appendices take effect as provided in Section 25.

27.2 Updates to Appendices. We may update appendices/exhibits to address legal, technical, or operational changes. Material changes are communicated per Section 25. Appendices may contain jurisdiction‑specific or feature‑specific rules that supersede conflicting general terms only for the applicable jurisdiction/feature.

27.3 Order of Precedence. In case of conflict: (a) non‑waivable mandatory law controls; (b) the body of these Terms controls; (c) applicable country‑specific addendum (Appendix G) controls for users in that jurisdiction; (d) feature‑specific additional terms, if any, control for that feature; (e) other appendices/exhibits apply as context requires.

27.4 Illustrative Content. Examples, scenarios, and tables are illustrative only and do not limit the scope of these Terms.

27.5 Severability of Appendices. If any appendix provision is invalid or unenforceable, it shall be limited or severed to the minimum extent necessary; remaining provisions continue in full force.

27.6 No Third‑Party Beneficiaries. Appendices do not create rights in any third party except as expressly stated.

A.1 "Affiliate" — Any person, partnership, corporation, or other entity directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common control with FRIENDS Technologies LLC. "Control" means the ability to direct the management or policies of an entity, whether through ownership, voting rights, contract, or otherwise. Affiliates include successors, assigns, and subsidiaries.

A.2 "API" — Application Programming Interface, including, but not limited to, software endpoints, documentation, SDKs, plug-ins, scripts, and integrations with third-party services. This includes any proprietary or licensed tools used to interact programmatically with the Service.

A.3 "Applicable Law" — All statutes, ordinances, administrative regulations, treaties, conventions, case law, and enforceable governmental orders or directives of any jurisdiction where the Service is accessed or provided, including laws relating to consumer protection, privacy, data protection, telecommunications, content regulation, export control, and sanctions.

A.4 "Arbitration" — A binding dispute resolution process where an independent neutral (arbitrator) issues a decision enforceable as a court judgment. Unless otherwise stated, arbitration is conducted under the rules of the American Arbitration Association, seated in New York, NY.

A.5 "Chargeback" — A reversal of a payment initiated by a user's bank or payment provider, regardless of reason. Users remain liable for all amounts reversed, plus administrative and recovery costs.

A.6 "Confidential Information" — Any non-public information disclosed by the Company or its users, including business plans, financial information, technical data, trade secrets, and user data. Confidentiality obligations survive termination.

A.7 "Content Moderation" — The automated, semi-automated, and manual processes for reviewing, removing, blocking, filtering, or restricting access to user-generated content that may violate these Terms, Applicable Law, or community standards.

A.8 "Data Breach" — Any unauthorized acquisition, access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction of personal or sensitive data, whether due to malicious attack, accidental exposure, or other cause, including breaches affecting third-party service providers.

A.9 "Force Majeure Event" — An event beyond reasonable control that materially affects the ability to perform obligations under these Terms, including natural disasters, cyberattacks, pandemics, labor strikes, governmental actions, or failure of public or private networks.

A.10 "User" — Any individual or entity who creates an account, accesses, or otherwise uses the FRIENDS Service, whether registered or not. This includes trial users, subscribers, and anyone who accesses the Service through third-party integrations.

Scenario 1 — Harassment Report

• Situation: A user sends repeated unwanted messages after being blocked.
• Action: Immediate suspension; linked accounts banned; law enforcement notified if legally required.
• Outcome: Permanent termination; retention of evidence for legal defense and potential prosecution.

Scenario 2 — False Identity

• Situation: A user uploads stolen photos and impersonates another person.
• Action: Removal of profile; notification to affected party; mandatory cooperation with authorities.
• Outcome: Account blacklisted; data retained for potential civil or criminal proceedings.

Scenario 3 — Payment Dispute

• Situation: User disputes a charge after months of premium use.
• Action: Present acceptance logs, usage history, and payment records to processor; pursue collection if chargeback occurs.
• Outcome: Enforcement of no-refund policy; possible debt recovery action.

Scenario 4 — In-Person Incident

• Situation: Users meet offline and an altercation occurs.
• Action: Company disclaims liability; cooperates only with lawful authority requests.
• Outcome: No liability; possible bans if conduct violates community rules.

Scenario 5 — Third-Party Data Breach

• Situation: Vendor suffers breach affecting users.
• Action: Notify affected users if required by law; disclaim liability unless gross negligence by Company proven.
• Outcome: No damages owed except where legally mandated.

California (CCPA & CPRA)

• Right to access, correct, delete, and opt-out of sale/sharing.
• 45-day response requirement (extendable).
• Non-discrimination for exercising rights.

New York (Pending NY Privacy Act)

• Proactive compliance with possible future individual rights and controller duties.

Texas (TDPSA)

• Express opt-in for sensitive data processing.
• Company reserves right to geo-restrict features.

Illinois (BIPA)

• Strict biometric collection limits; Company currently does not collect biometric identifiers.

D.1 Technology Risks — Service interruptions, bugs, and security vulnerabilities may occur. No uptime guarantee is provided unless expressly stated.

D.2 In-Person Interaction Risks — All offline meetings are at users' sole risk; the Company does not screen users beyond automated processes.

D.3 Data Security Risks — No system is breach-proof. Users must maintain secure devices and credentials.

D.4 Third-Party Risks — The Company disclaims liability for downtime, breaches, or misconduct by integrated services.

E.1 Initiation — Written notice with dispute details must be sent 30 days before filing.

E.2 Arbitrator Selection — Administered by AAA; arbitrator must be neutral and legally trained.

E.3 Hearing Location — Kings County, NY, unless both parties agree otherwise.

E.4 Award Enforcement — Binding, enforceable in any court with jurisdiction under treaties such as the New York Convention.

• The primary governing law is New York, USA, except where overridden by non-waivable local law.
• Users outside the USA are solely responsible for compliance with their own laws.

• Right to geo-restrict or disable features to comply with local law.
• Right to terminate accounts for any local law violations, even if allowed under U.S. law.

1. Accept all risks of online/offline interaction.
2. Release the Company from liability except where prohibited.
3. Agree arbitration in New York governs disputes unless barred by law.

• Obligation to assist in enforcement across jurisdictions.
• Consent to electronic service where permitted.
• Recovery of legal costs from losing party unless prohibited.

• Applies to all future versions of the platform (including VR, AR, wearables, AI tools).
• AI moderation is fallible; no liability for AI errors.
• Blockchain adoption does not waive current contractual protections.

• Retain records as long as necessary for legal, business, and security purposes.
• Audit rights in suspected fraud/abuse cases.
• Certifications (SOC 2, ISO 27001) do not imply liability for third-party incidents.
• Data portability honored only where legally required.