Terms of Use for Bright Spots

Effective Date: July 27, 2025
Last Updated: July 27, 2025

1. Acceptance of Terms

By downloading, installing, or using the Bright Spots application ("App"), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Use ("Terms"). If you do not agree to these Terms, do not use the App.

2. Description of Service

Bright Spots is a personal journaling application that allows users to:

  • Create and store personal journal entries with text, photos, and tags
  • Organize entries by date and category
  • Export personal data
  • Share selected entries with friends (social features)
  • Manage friend connections and view shared content from friends

3. Eligibility and Account Requirements

Age Requirements

  • You must be at least 13 years old to use the App
  • Users between 13-17 must have parental consent
  • Users under 13 are prohibited from using the service

Account Responsibility

  • You are responsible for maintaining the security of your device
  • You must provide accurate information when using social features
  • You may not share your account access with others

4. Acceptable Use

Permitted Uses

You may use Bright Spots for:

  • Personal journaling and reflection
  • Sharing positive moments with friends
  • Organizing and exporting your personal data
  • Educational or therapeutic journaling practices

Prohibited Uses

You may NOT use Bright Spots for:

  • Sharing harmful, illegal, or inappropriate content
  • Harassing, bullying, or threatening other users
  • Impersonating others or providing false information
  • Attempting to circumvent app security measures
  • Commercial use without written permission
  • Distributing malware or harmful code
  • Violating others' privacy or intellectual property rights

Content Standards

When creating entries or sharing with friends:

  • Content must be lawful and appropriate
  • No hate speech, discrimination, or harassment
  • No sharing of others' private information without consent
  • No copyright infringement or unauthorized content sharing
  • No explicit sexual content or violence

5. User Content and Ownership

Your Content Rights

  • You retain ownership of all content you create in the App
  • You grant us a limited license to store and process your content to provide the service
  • You can delete your content at any time through the App

Content License for Social Features

When you share entries with friends:

  • You grant those friends permission to view the shared content
  • You can revoke sharing access at any time
  • Shared content remains your intellectual property

Our Rights

We reserve the right to:

  • Remove content that violates these Terms
  • Suspend or terminate accounts for violations
  • Moderate shared content for safety and compliance

6. Privacy and Data Protection

Data Collection and Use

  • Personal entries are stored locally on your device
  • Social features use Apple's CloudKit for sharing functionality
  • We collect minimal data as described in our Privacy Policy
  • We do not sell or monetize your personal data

Data Security

  • Your data is protected by iOS device encryption
  • Social data is encrypted by Apple's CloudKit
  • We implement industry-standard security practices

For complete details, see our Privacy Policy.

7. Social Features and Friend Sharing

Friend Connections

  • You control who you add as friends
  • Friend requests require mutual consent
  • You can remove friends at any time
  • Friend data syncs via Apple's CloudKit

Shared Content

  • You choose which entries to share with friends
  • Shared entries include text, photos, and tags you select
  • You can unshare entries at any time
  • Friends cannot modify your shared content

Social Conduct

When using social features:

  • Respect others' privacy and boundaries
  • Share content appropriately and responsibly
  • Report inappropriate behavior through the App
  • Follow community standards for positive interactions

8. Intellectual Property

App Rights

  • Bright Spots and its content are protected by intellectual property laws
  • You may not copy, modify, or distribute the App
  • App Store distribution is governed by Apple's terms

Third-Party Content

  • You may not share copyrighted material without permission
  • Respect others' intellectual property in shared entries
  • Report copyright violations through appropriate channels

9. Disclaimers and Limitations

Service Availability

  • The App is provided "as is" without warranties
  • We do not guarantee continuous availability
  • Features may change or be discontinued with notice

Content Disclaimer

  • User-generated content does not reflect our views
  • We are not responsible for content shared between users
  • Use shared content at your own discretion

Limitation of Liability

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW:

  • We are not liable for indirect, incidental, or consequential damages
  • Our liability is limited to the amount you paid for the App (if any)
  • We are not responsible for data loss due to device issues

10. Data Export and Account Termination

Data Export

  • You can export your personal data using the built-in export feature
  • Export includes entries, photos, and metadata in standard formats
  • Exported data is provided in commonly readable formats

Account Termination

  • You may stop using the App at any time
  • Delete the App to remove local data
  • Contact us for assistance with data removal from shared features

Termination by Us

We may terminate your access if:

  • You violate these Terms repeatedly
  • You engage in harmful or illegal activities
  • Technical or legal requirements necessitate termination

11. Updates and Changes

App Updates

  • We may update the App to improve features and security
  • Updates may be required for continued use
  • New features may have additional terms

Terms Changes

  • We may modify these Terms with notice through the App
  • Continued use after changes constitutes acceptance
  • Material changes will be highlighted and may require new consent

12. Contact Information

For questions about these Terms:

App Developer: Bright Spots Team
Email: legal@brightspots.app
Support: support@brightspots.app

For technical support:

  • Use the app's built-in support feature
  • Check our help documentation
  • Contact support via the settings menu

13. Emergency and Safety

Crisis Resources

If you're experiencing a mental health crisis:

  • Contact emergency services (911 in US)
  • Call National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988
  • Reach out to local crisis support services

App Limitations

  • Bright Spots is not a substitute for professional mental health care
  • The App does not provide medical or therapeutic advice
  • Seek professional help for mental health concerns

Effective Date: These Terms become effective on July 27, 2025, and apply to all users of the Bright Spots application.

Agreement: By using Bright Spots, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms of Use.