Terms of Service

1. About These Terms

These terms of service ("Terms") govern your use of the Connect friendship matching platform ("Service") operated by [Your Company Name] ("we", "us", or "our"), a company registered in England and Wales.

By accessing or using Connect, you agree to be bound by these Terms. If you disagree with any part of these terms, you may not access the Service.

2. Description of Service

Connect is a friendship matching platform that uses artificial intelligence and personality analysis to help users find compatible friendships. Our Service includes:

• Personality and compatibility assessment tools
• Research-backed matching algorithms based on compatibility factors
• Secure contact exchange between matched users
• Profile management and comprehensive privacy controls

3. User Accounts and Eligibility

You must be at least 18 years old to use Connect. By creating an account, you represent and warrant that you are at least 18 years of age and have the legal capacity to enter into these Terms.

When creating an account, you agree to:

• Provide accurate, current, and complete information during registration
• Maintain and promptly update your information to keep it accurate and complete
• Maintain the security and confidentiality of your password and account credentials
• Accept responsibility for all activities that occur under your account
• Notify us immediately of any unauthorised use of your account

You may only maintain one active account on Connect. Creating multiple accounts is prohibited and may result in suspension of all associated accounts.

4. User Conduct and Acceptable Use

You agree not to use Connect to:

• Engage in any unlawful activities or violate applicable laws and regulations
• Harass, abuse, threaten, or intimidate other users
• Impersonate any person or entity, or falsely represent your affiliation with any person or entity
• Provide false, misleading, or deceptive information in your profile or communications
• Send spam, unsolicited advertisements, or commercial communications
• Attempt to gain unauthorised access to other user accounts, our systems, or networks
• Use automated software, bots, or scripts to access or interact with the Service
• Collect or harvest personal information about other users without consent
• Engage in any form of discrimination based on protected characteristics

All profile content must comply with UK law and must not contain:

• Hate speech, discriminatory language, or content that promotes prejudice
• Defamatory, libellous, or false statements about individuals or organisations
• Personal information of third parties without their explicit consent
• Content that infringes intellectual property rights
• Promotional material, advertisements, or links to external commercial websites
• Content that violates any person's privacy or data protection rights

5. Data Protection and Privacy

We process your personal data in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. Our data practices are detailed in our Privacy Policy.

We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data, including encryption, anonymisation, and secure storage. However, no method of data transmission or storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

Under UK data protection law, you have the right to:

• Access your personal data and obtain copies
• Rectify inaccurate or incomplete data
• Erase your personal data in certain circumstances
• Restrict processing of your data
• Data portability where technically feasible
• Object to processing based on legitimate interests

6. Matching Algorithm and Service Limitations

Our AI matching system analyses personality traits, values, and preferences to suggest compatible connections. The system is designed to improve over time but has inherent limitations.

We expressly disclaim any warranties or guarantees regarding:

• The accuracy or reliability of matching predictions
• The success or longevity of friendships formed through the platform
• The behaviour or character of other users
• The outcome of meetings between matched users

7. Safety and Meeting Guidelines

We strongly recommend that when meeting matches in person, you:

• Meet initially in public, well-lit locations with good mobile reception
• Inform a trusted friend or family member of your plans and expected return
• Trust your instincts and leave immediately if you feel uncomfortable
• Avoid sharing personal details like your home address or workplace initially
• Consider arranging your own transportation to and from meetings

If you experience harassment, inappropriate behaviour, or safety concerns, report the incident immediately using our reporting tools or by contacting us directly. We investigate all reports and may suspend or terminate accounts that violate our community standards.

8. Intellectual Property Rights

The Service, including its software, algorithms, design, content, and functionality, is owned by us and is protected by copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws of England and Wales and international treaties. You may not reproduce, distribute, modify, or create derivative works without our express written consent.

9. Service Availability and Modifications

We aim to provide reliable service but cannot guarantee uninterrupted availability. We may temporarily suspend the Service for maintenance, updates, or technical issues. We are not liable for any inconvenience or losses resulting from service interruptions.

We reserve the right to modify these Terms at any time. We will provide reasonable notice of material changes via email or prominent platform notification. Your continued use of the Service after such notice constitutes acceptance of the modified Terms.

10. Account Suspension and Termination

You may terminate your account at any time using the account deletion feature in your settings. Upon termination, your personal data will be deleted in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

We may suspend or terminate your account immediately if you:

• Materially breach these Terms of Service
• Engage in conduct that harms other users or damages our reputation
• Provide false information during registration or use of the Service
• Attempt to circumvent our security measures or access controls
• Violate applicable laws while using our Service

11. Limitation of Liability and Disclaimers

Connect is provided on an "as is" and "as available" basis. To the fullest extent permitted by English law, we disclaim all warranties, whether express or implied, including warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement.

Subject to applicable consumer protection laws, we exclude liability for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, including but not limited to:

• Loss of profits, revenue, data, or business opportunities
• Emotional distress or reputational damage
• Damages resulting from interactions with other users
• Technical failures or data breaches beyond our reasonable control

Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits our liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence, fraud, fraudulent misrepresentation, or any other liability that cannot be excluded under English law. Your statutory consumer rights remain unaffected.

12. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Connect, its officers, directors, employees, and agents from any claims, damages, losses, liabilities, costs, or expenses (including reasonable legal fees) arising from your use of the Service, violation of these Terms, or infringement of any rights of another person or entity.

13. Governing Law and Dispute Resolution

These Terms are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales, without regard to conflict of law principles.

Any disputes arising from these Terms or your use of the Service shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales. You agree to submit to the personal jurisdiction of such courts.

Before pursuing formal legal proceedings, we encourage users to contact us directly to resolve disputes amicably. We are committed to addressing legitimate concerns promptly and fairly.

14. Severability and Entire Agreement

If any provision of these Terms is deemed invalid or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect. These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and Connect regarding the use of our Service.

15. Contact Information

For questions about these Terms of Service, please contact us:

• Email: [email protected]
• Post: [Your Company Name], [Your Business Address], England
• Company Registration: [Companies House Number]

For data protection enquiries, you may also contact the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk if you have concerns about how we handle your personal data.