Terms of Service

Welcome to Ripplet!

These Terms of Service govern your use of the Ripplet mobile application and services. By creating an account and using Ripplet, you agree to these terms.

1. Eligibility and Account Registration

• University Email Required: Ripplet is exclusively for current university students. You must register using a valid university-issued email address (.edu or equivalent).
• Age Requirement: You must be at least 18 years old to use Ripplet.
• Account Authenticity: You agree to provide accurate information about yourself, including your name, year, major, and interests. Impersonation or fake profiles are strictly prohibited.
• Account Security: You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account and the verification codes sent to your email.

2. Creating and Joining Ripples

• Ripple Guidelines: When creating a Ripple (spontaneous meetup/event), you must provide accurate information about the activity, location, time, and participant limits.
• Safety First: Always meet in public places. Ripplet is designed for group meetups, not one-on-one encounters. We strongly encourage Ripples with 3 or more participants.
• Commitment: If you join a Ripple, you're expected to attend or notify participants if you can't make it. Repeated no-shows may result in account restrictions.
• Cancellations: As a Ripple creator, you may cancel events, but frequent cancellations may affect your standing in the community.

3. User Conduct and Community Standards

You agree NOT to:

• Use Ripplet for commercial purposes, advertising, or solicitation
• Create Ripples for illegal activities or activities that violate university policies
• Harass, bully, or discriminate against other users based on gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic
• Share inappropriate, offensive, or explicit content in your profile, photos, or messages
• Attempt to collect user information for purposes outside of Ripplet
• Use automated systems or bots to access the service
• Create multiple accounts or circumvent account restrictions

4. Location Services and Privacy

• Location Data: Ripplet uses your location to show you nearby Ripples and help you find meetups within your preferred distance. Your precise location is never shared with other users—only approximate distance information is displayed.
• Control: You can disable location services at any time through your device settings, though this will limit your ability to discover local Ripples.

5. User Content and Photos

• Your Content: You retain full ownership of all photos and content you upload to the platform, but you grant Ripplet a non-exclusive license to use, display, and distribute this content within the app for the purpose of providing our services.
• Content Standards: Profile photos must be of you and appropriate for a university community. Photos containing nudity, violence, or illegal activity are prohibited.
• Right to Remove: Ripplet reserves the right to remove any content that violates these terms or community standards.

6. Messaging and Communication

• Chat Feature: Our chat feature is designed for coordinating Ripples and building friendships. Inappropriate messages, spam, or harassment will result in account suspension.
• Monitoring: While we respect your privacy, Ripplet reserves the right to monitor messages for safety and compliance purposes, particularly when users report inappropriate behavior.

7. Account Suspension and Termination

Ripplet reserves the right to suspend or terminate accounts that violate these terms, engage in harmful behavior, or compromise the safety of our community. This includes:

• Repeated violations of community standards
• Creating fake profiles or impersonating others
• Harassment or abusive behavior
• Using the service after graduation or loss of university status

8. Disclaimer of Warranties

Ripplet is provided "as is" without warranties of any kind. We do not guarantee that:

• The service will be uninterrupted or error-free
• All users will behave appropriately
• Meetups organized through Ripplet will proceed as planned
• Your data will never be lost or compromised

9. Limitation of Liability

• Not Responsible for Meetups: Ripplet is a platform that facilitates connections between students. We are not responsible for what happens at in-person meetups, including injuries, property damage, or disputes between users.
• User Responsibility: You acknowledge that you participate in Ripples at your own risk and are responsible for your own safety.
• Maximum Liability: To the extent permitted by law, Ripplet's total liability shall not exceed $100 or the amount you paid to use the service (currently free), whichever is greater.

10. Intellectual Property

The Ripplet name, logo, app design, and features are owned by Ripplet and protected by intellectual property laws. You may not copy, modify, or distribute our intellectual property without permission.

11. Changes to Terms

We may update these Terms of Service from time to time. We will notify you of significant changes through the app or via email. Continued use of Ripplet after changes constitutes acceptance of the new terms.

12. Governing Law

These terms are governed by the laws of the State of California, United States. Any disputes will be resolved in the courts of Orange County, California.

13. Contact Us

If you have questions about these Terms of Service, please contact us through our website at ripplet.app or via LinkedIn at linkedin.com/company/ripplet-connect.

Acknowledgment

By using Ripplet, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms of Service.