Terms of service

Welcome to Hoot ("App", "Service"), a location-based social platform operated by Hoot App Inc. ("Company", "we", "us", "our"), a Delaware corporation with its registered address at 108 Lakeland Ave, Dover, DE 19901. By creating an account or using the App you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service ("Terms"). If you do not agree, do not use the App.

1. Eligibility

You must be at least 13 years old (or the minimum age required in your jurisdiction) to use Hoot. By using the App you represent that you meet this requirement. If you are under 18, you confirm that a parent or legal guardian has reviewed and agreed to these Terms on your behalf.

2. Accounts

You may sign in using a supported third-party provider (Google, Facebook, X/Twitter, or Apple). You are responsible for maintaining the security of your account credentials. You agree to provide accurate information and to keep it up to date. You may not create accounts on behalf of others, impersonate any person, or use a misleading username.

3. User-generated content

Hoot allows you to post content including, but not limited to, photos, videos ("Echoes"), discussion posts ("Conversations"), comments, and profile information (collectively, "User Content"). You retain ownership of your User Content, but by posting it you grant us a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free, sublicensable license to use, reproduce, modify, distribute, and display your User Content in connection with operating and improving the Service.
You represent that you have all rights necessary to post any User Content you submit and that your User Content does not violate these Terms or any applicable law.

4. Prohibited content and conduct

Hoot has a zero-tolerance policy for objectionable content and abusive behavior. You agree not to post, upload, or transmit any content that:

• Is defamatory, obscene, pornographic, sexually explicit, or vulgar.

• Promotes or glorifies violence, self-harm, or terrorism.

• Constitutes hate speech or targets individuals or groups based on race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, or medical condition.

• Harasses, bullies, intimidates, or threatens another person.

• Exploits or endangers minors in any way.

• Is fraudulent, deceptive, or misleading.

• Infringes or violates the intellectual property or privacy rights of others.

• Contains malware, spam, or any form of unsolicited or unauthorized advertising.

• Facilitates illegal activities or violates any applicable law or regulation.
  You also agree not to:

• Use the Service for any unlawful or unauthorized purpose.

• Attempt to gain unauthorized access to other accounts, systems, or networks.

• Interfere with or disrupt the Service, servers, or networks connected to the Service.

• Use automated means (bots, scrapers, etc.) to access or collect data from the Service.

• Create multiple accounts for the purpose of evading enforcement actions.
  
  

5. Content moderation and reporting

We actively moderate content and may use a combination of automated systems and human review to enforce these Terms. We reserve the right, but are not obligated, to review, edit, refuse, or remove any User Content at our sole discretion, with or without notice.
If you encounter content or behavior that violates these Terms, please report it using the in-app reporting feature or by contacting us at support@thehootapp.com. We take all reports seriously and will investigate promptly.

6. Enforcement and termination

Violation of these Terms may result in enforcement actions including, but not limited to:

• Removal of the offending User Content.

• Temporary suspension of your account.

• Permanent termination of your account and ban from the Service.

• Reporting to law enforcement if we believe illegal activity has occurred.
  We may terminate or suspend your access at any time, for any reason, including breach of these Terms, without prior notice or liability.
  
  

7. Location services

Hoot is a location-based platform. Certain features — including joining Canopies, viewing the feed, and discovering nearby businesses — require access to your device's location. You may grant or revoke location permissions at any time through your device settings, but some features may not function without them. See our Privacy Policy for details on how we collect and use location data.

8. Intellectual property

The App, including its design, code, graphics, logos, and trademarks, is the property of the Company and is protected by intellectual property laws. You may not copy, modify, distribute, or reverse-engineer any part of the App except as expressly permitted by these Terms.

9. Third-party services

The App may contain links to or integrations with third-party services (e.g., authentication providers, mapping services, business listings). We are not responsible for the content, policies, or practices of any third-party services. Your use of those services is governed by their respective terms and policies.

10. Disclaimers

The Service is provided "AS IS" and "AS AVAILABLE" without warranties of any kind, whether express or implied, including but not limited to implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement. We do not warrant that the Service will be uninterrupted, secure, or error-free.
We do not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy of any User Content, business listing, deal, or other information available through the Service.

11. Limitation of liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Company shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, or any loss of profits, data, or goodwill, arising out of or in connection with your use of the Service, even if we have been advised of the possibility of such damages.

12. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its officers, directors, employees, and agents from any claims, damages, losses, liabilities, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising out of or related to your use of the Service, your User Content, or your violation of these Terms.

13. Changes to these terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. When we do, we will revise the "Effective Date" at the top and post the updated Terms at https://thehootapp.com. Your continued use of the Service after the updated Terms are posted constitutes your acceptance of the revised Terms.

14. Governing law

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, United States, without regard to its conflict of laws provisions. Any disputes arising under these Terms shall be resolved in the courts located in the State of Delaware.

15. Contact us

If you have any questions about these Terms, please contact us at:
Hoot App Inc.
108 Lakeland Ave
Dover, DE 19901
support@thehootapp.com