Terms of Service

1. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing or using Closeby (“the Service”), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service (“Terms”) and our Privacy Policy. If you disagree with any part of the terms, you may not access the Service.

These Terms apply to all users of the Service, including neighbors, service providers, buyers, sellers, and visitors.

2. Eligibility

To use Closeby, you must:

• Be at least 18 years old
• Provide accurate and complete registration information
• Maintain the security of your account credentials
• Be a resident of the neighborhood you register in

3. Your Account

When you create an account, you agree to:

• Use your real name and identity
• Provide accurate location information for neighborhood verification
• Keep your account information up to date
• Not share your account with others
• Notify us immediately of any unauthorized access

You’re responsible for all activity that occurs under your account.

4. Community Standards

Closeby is built on trust. When using the Service, you agree not to:

• Harass, threaten, or intimidate other users
• Post false, misleading, or defamatory content
• Discriminate based on race, religion, gender, orientation, or other protected characteristics
• Share personal information about others without consent
• Use the Service for illegal activities
• Spam or send unsolicited commercial messages
• Attempt to manipulate ratings or reviews
• Create multiple accounts or impersonate others
• List prohibited items (weapons, drugs, stolen goods, counterfeit items)

There is zero tolerance for objectionable content or abusive users. Violations will result in immediate account termination.

5. Marketplace Transactions

Closeby connects neighbors for buying and selling items:

• All sales are directly between buyers and sellers
• Sellers are responsible for accurately describing item condition
• Buyers are responsible for inspecting items before purchase
• All sales are final unless otherwise agreed between parties
• Closeby does not guarantee item quality, safety, or legality
• We do not process payments—transactions occur between users
• Meet in safe, public locations for exchanges

We encourage honest reviews to help the community make informed decisions.

6. Services

Closeby connects neighbors with local service providers:

• All services are provided by independent service providers, not Closeby
• Payment terms are between you and the provider
• Closeby does not guarantee the quality, safety, or legality of services
• You’re responsible for verifying provider credentials and insurance
• Service disputes should be resolved directly between parties

7. Content You Create

You retain ownership of content you post, but grant Closeby a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free license to:

• Display your content to other users
• Use your content to improve and promote the Service
• Moderate content that violates these Terms

You’re responsible for ensuring you have the rights to share any content you post. We may remove content that violates these Terms or applicable law.

8. Copyright and DMCA

We respect intellectual property rights. If you believe content on Closeby infringes your copyright:

1. Send a written notice to [email protected] containing:
   • Your contact information
   • Description of the copyrighted work
   • Location of the infringing content on our Service
   • A statement that you have a good faith belief the use is unauthorized
   • A statement under penalty of perjury that your notice is accurate
   • Your physical or electronic signature

We will respond to valid notices by removing or disabling access to the infringing content.

9. Intellectual Property

The Closeby name, logo, and Service design are our intellectual property. You may not:

• Copy or modify the Service or its content
• Reverse engineer or extract source code
• Use our trademarks without permission
• Create derivative works based on the Service

10. Service Modifications

We reserve the right to:

• Modify, suspend, or discontinue any part of the Service at any time
• Add or remove features without notice
• Limit availability of certain features to specific regions

We’ll make reasonable efforts to notify you of significant changes.

11. Third-Party Services

The Service may integrate with third-party services (maps, authentication providers, etc.). Your use of these services is subject to their respective terms and privacy policies. We’re not responsible for third-party services.

12. Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law:

• Closeby is provided “as is” without warranties of any kind
• We’re not liable for any indirect, incidental, special, or consequential damages
• We’re not responsible for the conduct of users, service providers, buyers, or sellers
• We’re not liable for any transactions or disputes between users
• Our total liability is limited to the amount you’ve paid us in the past 12 months (if any)

13. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold Closeby, its officers, directors, employees, and agents harmless from any claims, damages, losses, or expenses (including legal fees) arising from:

• Your use of the Service
• Your violation of these Terms
• Your violation of any third-party rights
• Content you post to the Service
• Your transactions with other users

14. Dispute Resolution

Informal Resolution First: Before filing any legal claim, you agree to contact us at [email protected] and attempt to resolve the dispute informally for at least 30 days.

Arbitration Agreement: Any disputes that cannot be resolved informally shall be resolved through binding arbitration administered by JAMS under its Streamlined Arbitration Rules. The arbitration will be conducted in San Francisco, California.

Class Action Waiver: You agree to resolve disputes with us on an individual basis. You waive any right to participate in a class action lawsuit or class-wide arbitration.

Exceptions: Either party may bring claims in small claims court if eligible. Either party may seek injunctive relief in court for intellectual property infringement.

15. Termination

We may suspend or terminate your account if you violate these Terms. You may delete your account at any time through the app settings.

Upon termination:

• Your right to use the Service ends immediately
• All your data will be permanently deleted in accordance with our Privacy Policy
• Provisions that should survive termination (such as limitation of liability, indemnification, and dispute resolution) remain in effect

16. General Provisions

Governing Law: These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of California, without regard to conflict of law principles.

Entire Agreement: These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and Closeby regarding the Service.

Severability: If any provision of these Terms is found unenforceable, the remaining provisions will continue in full force and effect.

Waiver: Our failure to enforce any right or provision of these Terms is not a waiver of that right or provision.

Assignment: You may not assign your rights under these Terms. We may assign our rights to any successor or affiliate.

17. Changes to Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. We’ll notify you of material changes through the app or email at least 30 days before they take effect. Continued use after changes constitutes acceptance of the new Terms.

18. Contact

Questions about these Terms? Contact us:

• Email: [email protected]