Terms of Service

Introduction

Welcome to MicDrop! These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your use of the MicDrop platform, website, and services (collectively, the "Service"). By creating an account or using MicDrop, you agree to these Terms.

Please read these Terms carefully. If you don't agree, you may not use MicDrop.

Key Points:

• You must be at least 13 years old (16 in EEA, UK, and Switzerland) to use MicDrop
• You're responsible for your account security and content
• You grant us license to use content you post for platform operation
• We're in beta - features may change and services may be interrupted
• You agree to collaborate respectfully and professionally
• Disputes are subject to binding arbitration (US users)

1. Acceptance of Terms

1.1 Agreement to Terms

By accessing or using MicDrop, you agree to be bound by:

• These Terms of Service
• Our Privacy Policy
• Our Collaboration Guidelines
• Any additional terms presented when using specific features

1.2 Changes to Terms

We may modify these Terms at any time. If we make material changes, we'll notify you by:

• Email to your registered address
• Prominent notice on our platform
• In-app notification

Your continued use after changes take effect means you accept the new Terms. If you don't agree, stop using MicDrop and close your account.

1.3 Beta Service

MicDrop is currently in beta testing. This means:

• Features may be incomplete, experimental, or change without notice
• Service may be interrupted or unavailable
• We're actively gathering feedback and improving the platform
• Some features may be discontinued
• Performance may not meet final product standards
• By using the Service, you consent to automated processing of your profile and music data to generate match recommendations and profile enhancements

By participating in beta, you acknowledge these limitations and agree to provide feedback to help us improve.

2. Eligibility and Account Registration

2.1 Age Requirements

You must be at least:

• 13 years old in most countries, OR
• 16 years old in the European Economic Area, UK, and Switzerland

If you're under 18 (or the age of majority in your jurisdiction), you represent that you have your parent or guardian's permission to use MicDrop.

2.2 Account Creation

To use MicDrop, you must:

• Provide accurate, current, and complete information
• Choose either Spotify OAuth or email/password authentication
• Verify your email address
• Complete the onboarding process

You may not:

• Create multiple accounts
• Use someone else's account
• Create an account if we've previously banned you
• Create fake or fraudulent accounts

2.3 Account Security

You are responsible for:

• Keeping your password confidential
• All activity that occurs under your account
• Notifying us immediately of unauthorized access

We're not liable for losses caused by unauthorized use of your account.

2.4 Account Termination

You may close your account at any time through account settings or by contacting support.

We may suspend or terminate your account if you:

• Violate these Terms
• Engage in illegal activity
• Harass, threaten, or harm others
• Spam or abuse the platform
• Provide false information
• Violate others' intellectual property rights

3. Use of the Service

3.1 License to Use

Subject to these Terms, we grant you a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable, revocable license to use MicDrop for its intended purpose: discovering and collaborating with other musicians.

3.2 Prohibited Activities

You may not:

Technical Abuse:

• Reverse engineer, decompile, or disassemble the Service
• Use automated tools (bots, scrapers) without permission
• Attempt to gain unauthorized access to our systems
• Introduce malware, viruses, or harmful code
• Overload or interfere with platform operation
• Circumvent security features or access controls

Misuse of Platform:

• Use MicDrop for illegal purposes
• Violate any applicable laws or regulations
• Infringe on others' intellectual property, privacy, or other rights
• Impersonate others or misrepresent your identity
• Create misleading or fraudulent accounts
• Manipulate the platform through false information

Community Harm:

• Harass, threaten, stalk, or abuse other users
• Post hateful, discriminatory, or violent content
• Share sexually explicit or inappropriate content
• Spam users with unsolicited messages or promotions
• Engage in scams, fraud, or deceptive practices

Commercial Violations:

• Use MicDrop for unauthorized commercial purposes
• Resell or redistribute access to the Service
• Use scraped data for competing services
• Advertise or promote without authorization

Content Violations:

• Post illegal, harmful, or obscene content
• Violate copyright, trademark, or other IP rights
• Share private information about others without consent
• Distribute malware or phishing links

3.3 User Conduct

You agree to:

• Treat other users with respect and professionalism
• Follow our Collaboration Guidelines
• Provide honest information in your profile
• Honor collaboration commitments when possible
• Give constructive, honest feedback and testimonials
• Report violations of these Terms

MicDrop is not responsible for user behavior, interactions, collaborations, disputes, or any misuse of shared profile content. Users engage with others at their own risk.

3.4 Beta Testing Participation

As a beta user, you agree to:

• Test features and provide feedback
• Report bugs and technical issues
• Understand that features may change or be discontinued
• Accept that service quality may not meet final product standards
• Not publicly disparage MicDrop based on beta limitations

We may request your participation in surveys, interviews, or user studies. Participation is voluntary.

4. Content and Intellectual Property

4.1 Your Content

"Your Content" means any information, data, text, photos, audio files, or other materials you upload, post, or share on MicDrop, including:

• Profile information and photos
• Audio files and music samples
• Messages and communications
• Collaboration workspace materials
• Testimonials and ratings

4.2 Ownership of Your Content

You retain ownership of Your Content. By posting on MicDrop, you do not give up your intellectual property rights.

4.3 License You Grant to Us

By posting Your Content on MicDrop, you grant us a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free, transferable license to:

• Store, display, and distribute Your Content on the platform
• Process Your Content for platform features (e.g., profile creation, matching)
• Create derivative works necessary for platform operation
• Sublicense to service providers who help operate MicDrop

This license is necessary for the Service to function. For example:

• We need to show your profile to other users
• We need to analyze your information to create matches
• We need to store your messages and collaboration files
• We need to optimize and display your content

This license ends when you delete Your Content or close your account, except:

• Content shared with others (messages, collaborations) may remain in their accounts
• We may retain backups for a reasonable period
• Anonymized or aggregated data may be retained indefinitely

4.4 Representations About Your Content

By posting Your Content, you represent and warrant that:

• You own or have rights to the content you post
• Your Content doesn't infringe on others' intellectual property rights
• Your Content doesn't violate any laws or regulations
• You have rights to grant us the license described above
• Your Content doesn't contain malware or harmful code

4.5 Collaborations and Joint Works

Important: When you collaborate with other MicDrop users:

• These Terms don't determine ownership of joint works
• You must negotiate ownership, credits, and rights with your collaborators
• Use MicDrop's Collaboration Agreement feature to document terms
• We recommend written agreements for all collaborations
• Register collaborative works with appropriate organizations (PROs, Copyright Office)

MicDrop is not a party to your collaborations and has no ownership interest in music you create with other users.

4.6 Our Intellectual Property

MicDrop owns all rights to:

• The platform, website, and software
• Our branding (name, logo, trademarks)
• Our technology and algorithms
• Platform design and user interface
• All content we create (help docs, guides, blog posts)

You may not:

• Copy, modify, or create derivative works of our platform
• Use our branding without written permission
• Reverse engineer our technology
• Claim ownership of our intellectual property

4.7 Copyright Complaints (DMCA)

We respect intellectual property rights. If you believe content on MicDrop infringes your copyright, submit a DMCA notice to: team@micdrop.music

Your notice must include:

• Your contact information
• Description of copyrighted work
• Location of infringing content on MicDrop
• Statement of good faith belief
• Statement under penalty of perjury
• Your physical or electronic signature

We'll remove infringing content and may terminate repeat infringers' accounts.

Counter-Notification: If you believe your content was wrongly removed, you may file a counter-notification as outlined in the DMCA.

5. Matching Technology

5.1 How Matching Works

MicDrop uses algorithms and automated systems to:

• Analyze your profile and music information
• Calculate compatibility scores with other users
• Generate personalized match recommendations
• Enhance your profile presentation

Matching is not guaranteed to be perfect. Our system makes predictions based on data, but creative compatibility involves human factors we can't fully quantify.

5.2 Your Responsibilities

You're responsible for:

• Evaluating matches independently
• Communicating with potential collaborators
• Making your own decisions about collaborations
• Vetting collaborators' skills, reliability, and fit

MicDrop does not:

• Guarantee successful collaborations
• Verify users' skills, credentials, or reputation
• Mediate disputes between collaborators
• Guarantee the quality or character of other users

5.3 Automated Processing

Profile enhancements and match recommendations are generated through automated processing. These are:

• Based on your profile data and preferences
• Intended to improve your experience and match quality
• Not verified statements of fact
• Subject to system limitations

You may:

• Edit automated content on your profile
• Provide feedback to improve recommendations
• Contact support if you have concerns

6. Third-Party Services

6.1 Spotify Integration

If you connect via Spotify:

• You agree to Spotify's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
• We access data through Spotify's API as disclosed in our Privacy Policy
• You can disconnect at any time by deactivating your account
• Spotify is not responsible for MicDrop's services

6.2 Other Integrations

We may integrate with other services (Instagram, SoundCloud, YouTube, etc.). You're responsible for complying with their terms.

6.3 External Links

MicDrop may contain links to third-party websites. We're not responsible for their content, privacy practices, or terms.

7. Payments and Subscriptions (Future)

Current Beta Status: MicDrop is currently free during beta. We plan to introduce paid features or subscriptions in the future.

When We Launch Paid Features:

• We'll notify you at least 30 days in advance
• Beta users may receive special pricing or grandfathered terms
• You can choose whether to continue using MicDrop
• Refund policies will be outlined in future Terms

No Payment Processing During Beta: Any money exchanged between users for collaborations is outside MicDrop's platform and responsibility.

8. Privacy and Data Protection

8.1 Privacy Policy

Your use of MicDrop is also governed by our Privacy Policy, which explains:

• What data we collect
• How we use your data
• Your rights and choices
• How we protect your information

Please review our Privacy Policy carefully.

8.2 User Data Responsibilities

You agree to:

• Protect other users' privacy
• Not share others' personal information without consent
• Respect confidentiality of private messages and collaborations
• Not use scraped data for unauthorized purposes

9. Disclaimers and Limitations of Liability

9.1 "AS IS" Service

MicDrop is provided "as is" and "as available." We make no warranties or guarantees about:

• Availability: Service may be interrupted, delayed, or unavailable
• Accuracy: Predictions and matches may be inaccurate
• Quality: We don't verify users' skills or credentials
• Security: While we implement security measures, no system is 100% secure
• Fitness: Service may not meet your specific needs
• Beta Stability: Beta features may have bugs or limitations

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, WE DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT.

9.2 No Guarantee of Results

We do not guarantee:

• That you'll find suitable collaborators
• That collaborations will be successful
• That you'll achieve specific outcomes (revenue, audience growth, etc.)
• That matches will lead to completed projects
• That automated recommendations will be accurate

You use MicDrop at your own risk.

9.3 Limitation of Liability

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW:

We (MicDrop, our parent company, affiliates, officers, employees, and agents) are NOT LIABLE for:

• Indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages
• Lost profits, revenue, data, or opportunities
• Harm to reputation or emotional distress
• Damages arising from your use or inability to use the Service
• Interactions with other users
• Unauthorized access to your account or content
• Errors, bugs, or interruptions in Service
• Actions or content of third parties

Our total liability for all claims related to MicDrop shall not exceed:

• $100 USD, OR
• The amount you paid us in the last 12 months (if any)

Whichever is greater.

9.4 Your Responsibility for Collaborations

You are solely responsible for:

• Vetting collaborators before working with them
• Negotiating terms of your collaborations
• Enforcing collaboration agreements
• Resolving disputes with collaborators
• Legal and financial aspects of your work

MicDrop is a platform for discovery, not a party to your collaborations. We have no liability for:

• Failed or unsuccessful collaborations
• Disputes over ownership, credits, or royalties
• Quality of work produced
• Breach of collaboration agreements
• Financial losses from collaborations

10. Indemnification

You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless MicDrop and our affiliates, officers, employees, and agents from any claims, damages, losses, liabilities, and expenses (including attorneys' fees) arising from:

• Your use of MicDrop
• Your Content
• Your violation of these Terms
• Your violation of any law or others' rights
• Your collaborations with other users
• Your negligence or willful misconduct

11. Dispute Resolution

11.1 Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Washington, United States, without regard to conflict of law principles.

11.2 Informal Resolution

Before filing any legal claim, you agree to contact us at team@micdrop.music and attempt to resolve the dispute informally for at least 30 days.

11.3 Arbitration Agreement (US Users)

PLEASE READ THIS CAREFULLY. IT AFFECTS YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS.

If you're in the United States, you agree that:

• Disputes will be resolved through binding arbitration rather than in court
• You waive your right to a jury trial
• You waive your right to participate in class actions

What Goes to Arbitration: Any dispute arising from these Terms or your use of MicDrop, except:

• Small claims court cases (under $10,000)
• Intellectual property disputes
• Requests for injunctive relief

How Arbitration Works:

• Administered by JAMS or AAA under their rules
• One neutral arbitrator
• Location: Seattle, Washington or mutually agreed location
• Arbitrator's decision is final and binding
• Each party pays their own fees unless the arbitrator decides otherwise

Opt-Out Right: You may opt out of arbitration by sending written notice to team@micdrop.music within 30 days of accepting these Terms. Include your name, email, and clear statement that you wish to opt out of arbitration.

11.4 International Users

If you're outside the United States, disputes will be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of courts in Seattle, Washington, United States.

11.5 Class Action Waiver

You agree not to participate in class actions, class arbitrations, or representative actions against MicDrop. Claims must be brought individually.

12. General Terms

12.1 Entire Agreement

These Terms, along with our Privacy Policy and Collaboration Guidelines, constitute the entire agreement between you and MicDrop.

12.2 Severability

If any provision of these Terms is found unenforceable, the remaining provisions remain in effect.

12.3 No Waiver

Our failure to enforce any provision doesn't waive our right to enforce it later.

12.4 Assignment

You may not transfer your rights under these Terms. We may assign our rights to affiliates or in connection with a merger or sale.

12.5 Force Majeure

We're not liable for delays or failures caused by circumstances beyond our reasonable control (natural disasters, war, pandemics, internet outages, etc.).

12.6 Notice

We may provide notices to you via:

• Email to your registered address
• Posting on the platform
• In-app notifications

You may provide notices to us via email: team@micdrop.music

12.7 Relationship

These Terms don't create a partnership, joint venture, employment, or agency relationship between you and MicDrop.

12.8 Survival

Provisions that by their nature should survive termination (including intellectual property, disclaimers, indemnification, dispute resolution) will survive.

13. Beta-Specific Terms

13.1 Beta Nature

During the beta period:

• Features may change without notice
• Service may be temporarily or permanently discontinued
• We may reset, modify, or delete data
• Performance and availability are not guaranteed
• Features shown in demos or marketing may not be implemented

13.2 Feedback

If you provide feedback, suggestions, or ideas:

• We may use them without obligation or compensation
• You grant us all rights to use and implement feedback
• Feedback doesn't create confidential obligations
• You waive any claims related to implemented feedback

13.3 No Guarantees

We don't guarantee:

• That beta will lead to full launch
• That your account will transfer to full version
• Specific features in the final product
• Continued availability of beta features

13.4 Transition to Full Version

When beta ends:

• We'll notify you at least 30 days in advance
• You'll have opportunity to review new Terms for full version
• Your data will transfer unless you delete your account
• Pricing and subscription terms will be announced

14. Contact Us

team@micdrop.music

15. Acknowledgment

By clicking "I Accept," creating an account, or using MicDrop, you acknowledge that:

• You have read and understood these Terms
• You agree to be bound by these Terms
• You understand this is a beta service with limitations
• You've read our Privacy Policy and Collaboration Guidelines
• You're at least 13 years old (16 in EEA, UK, and Switzerland)
• You'll use MicDrop responsibly and professionally

If you don't agree to these Terms, please don't use MicDrop.