Terms of Use

These Terms of Use ("Terms") govern your use of bloom (the "Service"), a student-community platform for University of the Free State (UFS) students. By creating an account or using the Service, you agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree, do not use the Service.

This document is a draft. The legal entity that operates bloom (the "Operator") and its contact details should be confirmed and inserted before these Terms are relied upon. References to "we" and "us" refer to the Operator of the Service, and not to any individual person in their personal capacity.

1. Eligibility

• You must be at least 18 years old to use the Service.
• You must be a UFS student and register using a valid @ufs4life.ac.za email address.
• By using the Service, you represent that you meet these requirements.

2. Your Account

You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your password and for all activity under your account. You agree to provide accurate information during registration and onboarding, and to keep your profile information up to date. You may not share your account or transfer it to another person.

3. Acceptable Use

You agree not to use the Service to:

• Harass, threaten, bully, impersonate, or harm another person.
• Send unwanted or sexually explicit messages, or engage in any form of abuse or discrimination.
• Post false, misleading, or fraudulent information.
• Share content that is illegal, hateful, defamatory, or that infringes someone else's rights.
• Attempt to access another user's data, accounts, or messages without permission.
• Interfere with the Service's security or operation, or use it for any unlawful purpose.

bloom focuses on connections within your specific campus community. Use the Service respectfully and in line with its intended purpose of finding study partners, friends, and meaningful connections.

4. Content

You retain ownership of the content you submit, such as photos, bios, messages, and event details. By submitting content, you grant bloom a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free license to display and use that content within the Service for the purpose of operating it. You are solely responsible for your content and represent that you have the rights to share it. We may remove content that violates these Terms or applicable law.

5. Connections, Messaging, and Safety

The Service facilitates connection requests, likes, matches, and messaging between users. You are responsible for your interactions with other users. We do not conduct background checks on users. Exercise caution when sharing personal information or meeting in person, and report any concerning behaviour through the Service.

6. Notifications

The Service may show in-app notifications and, if you opt in, push notifications, including an audible chime when the app is active. You can manage your notification preferences in Settings at any time.

7. Privacy

Our handling of your personal information is described in our Privacy Policy, which is incorporated into these Terms by reference.

8. Intellectual Property

The Service, including its name, logo, design, and software, is owned by or licensed to the Operator and protected by intellectual property laws. You may not copy, modify, distribute, or create derivative works of the Service without our prior written consent.

9. No Warranty

The Service is provided "as is" and "as available", without warranties of any kind, whether express or implied. We do not guarantee that the Service will be uninterrupted, error-free, secure, or that any connection, match, or interaction will result in a particular outcome.

10. Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Operator and its team shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, or for any loss of data, profits, or goodwill, arising out of or relating to your use of, or inability to use, the Service, even if advised of the possibility of such damages. This limitation applies to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law and does not affect any rights you may have that cannot be excluded by law.

11. Indemnity

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless the Operator and its team from any claims, damages, losses, and expenses (including reasonable legal fees) arising out of your content or your breach of these Terms.

12. Account Termination and Suspension

You may delete your account at any time through the Service. We may suspend or terminate your access if you violate these Terms, misuse the Service, or for any other reason we determine in good faith, with or without notice.

13. Governing Law and Disputes

These Terms are governed by the laws of the Republic of South Africa, without regard to conflict-of-law principles. Any dispute arising out of or relating to these Terms or the Service shall, where permitted, first be attempted to be resolved informally, and otherwise be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the competent courts of South Africa. The governing law and jurisdiction should be confirmed by your legal advisor.

14. Changes to These Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. We will notify you of material changes through the Service. Continued use after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms.

15. Contact

If you have questions about these Terms, please contact the Operator of bloom through the in-app Settings page or at the contact details to be confirmed by the Operator.