Terms of Service

These Terms of Service ("Agreement") govern your use of Sideby. By downloading, accessing, or using our App and Platform, you agree to be bound by these Terms, our Privacy Policy, and our Community Standards. If you do not agree, do not use the Services.

1. Closed-Loop Utility Wallet & Non-Banking Status

Sideby is an activity coordination and social platform, not a bank or Money Services Business (MSB). Wallet balances represent closed-loop platform utility credits used strictly for settling shared group expenses. Credits cannot be transferred outside the Platform or redeemed for fiat currency. Maximum stored balances are capped at $2,000.00 USD (or local equivalent). Payment processing is handled by independent third-party gateways (e.g., Paystack, Stripe).

2. Community Guidelines & Acceptable Use

Your use of Sideby is subject to our separate Community Guidelines, which are incorporated into these Terms by this reference. You agree to comply with all behavioral, financial integrity, synthetic media, phishing, and content standards outlined in the Community Guidelines when interacting with other users, posting content, or organizing meetups.

3. Account Investigation, Suspension & Identity Verification

By agreeing to these Terms, you acknowledge and agree that Sideby reserves the right, under appropriate and necessary circumstances (such as investigations into severe cyberbullying, safety threats, phishing, fraud, or violations of our Terms and Community Standards), to suspend account access, review account activity stored on the platform, or request that you provide information necessary to verify your identity through secure, authorized verification channels. Sideby will never ask for your password. Such investigations and verification requests are exercised solely for the purpose of verifying compliance, resolving security breaches, or addressing serious platform violations.

4. User Content, Media Uploads & Platform Disclaimer

You retain ownership of any content, photos, or data you upload to Sideby. By posting content, you grant Sideby a worldwide, royalty-free license to display and distribute it within the App. Sideby acts purely as a passive software host for User-Generated Content. By agreeing to these Terms, you acknowledge and agree that while Sideby is not obligated to pre-screen or monitor all user uploads or communications, it reserves the right to do so at its discretion to ensure platform safety and compliance with these Terms. You assume full and sole legal responsibility for all content, text, images, and intellectual property you upload, and you release Sideby from any liability, claims, or damages arising from user-generated media or interactions.

5. General Regional Location Data & District Disclaimers

Sideby displays general regional and district-level location data (such as Kubwa or Lugbe) to help users discover nearby activities and coordinate cost-splitting. By using the App, you consent to our processing of general regional location information. You acknowledge and agree that Sideby displays broad geographical zones rather than precise GPS coordinates, and Sideby is not liable for regional location inaccuracies, matching discrepancies, offline meetings, or third-party conduct.

6. Composite Trust Scores & Automated Metrics

Sideby displays automated composite trust scores based on platform activity and peer feedback. By using the Services, you acknowledge that these metrics are generated algorithmically and agree that Sideby bears no liability for reputation impacts, feedback disputes, or score fluctuations.

7. Purchases, Non-Refundable Credits & Subscriptions

All wallet top-ups and credit purchases are final and non-refundable. Digital credits cannot be exchanged for cash. Subscriptions and top-ups are processed via standard mobile app store billing or authorized payment gateways.

8. Disclaimers: Real-World Meetups, Chat Rooms & Post-Match Interactions

Sideby provides software tools for social coordination and does not organize, sponsor, supervise, or insure real-world meetups. Once users mutually accept each other’s split requests and enter a private chat room or direct communication channel, all subsequent interactions, messages, agreements, and offline meetups are strictly between the participants. Sideby explicitly disclaims all liability and responsibility for user communications, chat room content, offline personal injury, property damage, harassment, or unlawful acts occurring after a match or split is mutually accepted. You agree that Sideby is not responsible for the conduct of any user on or off the Platform.

9. Limitation of Liability & Indemnity

To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, Sideby, its officers, directors, and employees shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, or consequential damages. You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold Sideby harmless from and against any claims, liabilities, damages, and expenses arising out of your breach of these Terms, your uploaded content, or your participation in meetups.

10. Governing Law, Jurisdiction & International Application

To ensure enforceability and compliance across global regions, this Agreement is governed by the following laws based on your primary country of residence:

• For Users in the United States: These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Delaware and the U.S. Federal Arbitration Act (FAA), without regard to conflict of law principles. Any legal suits exempt from arbitration shall be brought exclusively in the state or federal courts located in Delaware.
• For Users in the European Union (EU) or United Kingdom (UK): These Terms are governed by the laws of England and Wales. However, this governing law selection does not deprive you of any mandatory consumer protections or statutory rights granted by the laws of your country of residence. You may bring legal proceedings in your local competent courts.
• For Users in Nigeria and All Other Regions: These Terms are governed by the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, without regard to conflict of law principles. Any disputes exempt from arbitration shall be resolved exclusively in courts located in Abuja, Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria.

11. Dispute Resolution, Binding Arbitration & Class Action Waiver

Depending on your jurisdiction, disputes arising out of these Terms or the Services will be handled as follows:

• US, Nigerian, and Global Users (Excluding EU/UK):You and Sideby agree that any dispute, claim, or controversy will be settled by binding individual arbitration. YOU WAIVE ANY RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE IN A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT OR CLASS-WIDE ARBITRATION. For US users, arbitration shall be administered by the American Arbitration Association (AAA) under its Consumer Arbitration Rules. For Nigerian and all other global users, arbitration shall be administered in Abuja under the Arbitration and Mediation Act (AMA) 2023.
• EU and UK Exceptions: If you reside in the EU or UK, the binding arbitration requirement and class action waiver do not apply to you. You maintain the right to submit disputes to a local consumer protection body, an online dispute resolution platform, or bring a claim directly in a competent local court.

12. Western Regulatory Compliance & Passive Host Safe Harbors

As a passive software host, Sideby adheres to international intermediary liability frameworks regarding user-generated content and platform conduct:

• United States (DMCA & Section 230): Sideby complies with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) and acts as an interactive computer service provider under 47 U.S.C. § 230. We do not act as the publisher or speaker of any information provided by another user. If you believe your intellectual property has been infringed, you may submit a takedown notice to our designated copyright agent. We maintain a strict policy of terminating repeat infringers.
• European Union (Digital Services Act): Under the EU Digital Services Act (DSA), Sideby operates strictly as a hosting service. We bear no liability for illegal user-generated content provided we do not have actual knowledge of its illegality and act expeditiously to remove or disable access to it upon obtaining such knowledge.