Terms of Service

To use Crittergram, you must:

• Be at least 18 years old
• Have the legal capacity to enter into a binding contract
• Not be prohibited from using the App under applicable law

Crittergram is not directed at children under 18. If you are under 18, you may not create an account or use the App.

You may only create and maintain one account. If we determine that you have created multiple accounts, we may suspend or terminate all of them.

When you create your account, you agree to provide accurate information (such as your display name and home ZIP code) and to update it if it changes.

You create your Crittergram account using Sign in with Apple. When you sign up, you provide a display name, a home ZIP code, and optionally an email address (through Apple’s private relay or your real email — your choice).

You are responsible for:

• All activity that occurs under your account
• Keeping your account information current and accurate
• Maintaining the security of the Apple ID associated with your account

If you believe your account has been accessed without your authorization, contact us immediately at support@crittergram.app.

You can update your display name at any time from within the App. When choosing or updating your display name, you agree not to:

• Impersonate another person, real or fictional
• Use offensive, obscene, or inappropriate language
• Use a name that infringes another person’s or business’s trademark or intellectual property rights
• Use a name that could mislead others about your affiliation with Crittergram or any organization

We may:

• Ask you to change a display name that violates these Terms, and require the change within a reasonable timeframe
• Change a display name ourselves and notify you of the change, when we determine that immediate action is warranted (for example, in cases of impersonation or offensive content)
• Suspend your account if you refuse to change a violating display name

As stated in Section 1, you may only maintain one account. Creating additional accounts to evade a suspension, ban, or content restriction is a violation of these Terms and may result in permanent termination of all your accounts.

You may terminate your account at any time from within the App by tapping “Delete Account” in your Profile. Account termination is permanent, as described in our Privacy Policy. We may also suspend or terminate your account under the circumstances described in Section 5 (Termination).

Crittergram is a civic reporting platform for urban pest sightings. When you use the App, you agree to follow these community standards.

You may report sightings of urban pests, including but not limited to:

• Rats
• Mice
• Cockroaches
• Raccoons
• Coyotes
• Similar urban wildlife commonly considered pests

We may expand the list of allowed species over time. If you are unsure whether a species you want to report belongs on Crittergram, use your best judgment or contact us at support@crittergram.app.

You agree not to submit sightings, photos, notes, or other content that:

• Depicts or describes pets, service animals, or wildlife not related to pest reporting
• Contains political content, campaign material, or partisan messaging
• Is sexually explicit, contains nudity, or depicts sexual acts
• Contains foul language, slurs, harassment, or targeted attacks
• Depicts violence, graphic content, or content that could disturb other users
• Depicts or promotes cruelty to animals in any form, including but not limited to trapping, poisoning, or harming animals in violent or inhumane ways
• Contains illegal content or content that promotes illegal activity
• Infringes another person’s copyright, trademark, or other intellectual property rights
• Contains false or fraudulent information intended to deceive
• Contains spam, advertising, or promotional content unrelated to pest sightings
• Contains personally identifiable information about others (such as addresses, phone numbers, or license plates) without their consent
• Falsely accuses specific businesses, properties, or individuals of health code violations or wrongdoing (sightings should describe what you observed, not what you conclude)

When you include a photo with a sighting, the photo must comply with the standards above. In addition:

• Photos should be relevant to your sighting
• Photos may include people, but must not depict nudity, sexual content, or minors in inappropriate situations
• Photos should not include identifiable personal information visible in the image (such as license plates, house numbers, or documents) unless you have permission from those affected

You also agree not to:

• Impersonate another person or entity
• Create false sightings to manipulate the App, its community, its data, or its gamification features (such as XP, badges, or verification)
• Attempt to gain unauthorized access to other users’ accounts, our servers, or the App’s systems
• Interfere with or disrupt the App or its servers
• Use automated systems (bots, scrapers) to interact with the App
• Reverse engineer, decompile, or attempt to extract the source code of the App
• Sell, transfer, or share your account with others
• Use the App for any commercial purpose without our written permission

Violations of these standards may result in:

• Removal of specific content
• Warnings sent to your account
• Temporary suspension of your account
• Permanent termination of your account and any associated accounts

We enforce these standards on an ongoing basis using a combination of user reports, automated tools, and human review. Our enforcement decisions are made in our discretion, and we may take action without prior notice when we determine that immediate action is warranted.

• Depicting minors in inappropriate situations (which we are legally required to report to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) and other authorities as applicable)
• Depicting or promoting cruelty to animals
• Illegal content or content that promotes illegal activity
• Content depicting violence or threats against specific individuals
• Harassment, stalking, or targeted attacks on other users
• Creating false accounts to evade a prior termination

We may cooperate with law enforcement investigations and share user information as required by law, court order, or subpoena.

You retain ownership of the content you create and submit to Crittergram, including your sightings, photos, notes, and any other content you contribute (collectively, “Your Content”).

By submitting Your Content, you represent and warrant that:

• You have the right to submit Your Content and grant the license described below
• Your Content does not violate these Terms, including the Acceptable Use standards in Section 3
• Your Content does not infringe or violate any third party’s copyright, trademark, publicity, privacy, or other rights
• You have obtained all necessary consents from any identifiable people appearing in your photos, including their consent to have their likeness used in Crittergram’s marketing materials as described below
• If Your Content depicts someone else’s property, animals, or premises, you have the right to include them in your report

You are solely responsible for Your Content and the consequences of submitting it. This includes any harm to third parties (such as people appearing in your photos without their consent) that results from Your Content.

By submitting Your Content, you grant Crittergram a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free, sublicensable license to:

• Store, display, reproduce, adapt, modify, distribute, publish, and use Your Content within the App and on our public community feed
• Feature Your Content in Crittergram’s own marketing, editorial, and promotional materials, including our social media accounts (such as Instagram, TikTok, and similar platforms), press coverage, podcasts, promotional videos, and related communications
• Aggregate and anonymize the data from Your Content for the purposes described in our Privacy Policy

• We do not have the right to sell Your Content to third parties
• We do not have the right to license Your Content to other companies for their independent commercial use

The license you grant to us for content that we have not yet published in marketing materials terminates when you delete Your Content or your account. However, the license we have for content already published or incorporated into our marketing materials continues in effect, because that content has become part of independent records and third-party platforms that we cannot fully retract (see our Privacy Policy for more details).

By posting sightings on our public community feed, you grant other users a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable license to view and interact with Your Content within the App. Other users may not download, copy, redistribute, or use Your Content for their own purposes.

You may terminate your account at any time by tapping “Delete Account” in your Profile within the App. Account termination is permanent. Upon termination:

• Your account, sightings, photos, badges, and activity records are deleted from our servers
• You lose access to the App and cannot recover deleted content
• The license you granted us for content we have already published in marketing materials continues in effect (see Section 4)

We may suspend or terminate your account, with or without notice, if:

• You violate these Terms or our Privacy Policy
• We are required to do so by law, court order, or governmental authority
• Continuing to provide the App to you creates legal, security, or operational risk
• You have not used your account for an extended period (typically 24 months or more)
• We discontinue the App or a substantial portion of its features

As described in Section 3, certain violations result in immediate and permanent account termination without prior notice. These include, but are not limited to, depicting minors in inappropriate situations, animal cruelty, illegal content, harassment, and creating false accounts to evade a prior termination.

Upon termination by us:

• Your access to the App is revoked immediately
• Your content may be removed from our servers, though some content may be retained as required by law or for legitimate business purposes
• Any pending obligations or liabilities under these Terms survive termination

If you believe your account was terminated in error, you may contact us at support@crittergram.app with your account information and an explanation. We will review your appeal, but we are under no obligation to reinstate a terminated account.

We are not liable to you or any third party for terminating your account, suspending access, removing content, or discontinuing the App. Our decision to take such actions is at our sole discretion.

The App is provided “as is” and “as available” without any warranties of any kind, express or implied. To the fullest extent permitted by law, Crittergram disclaims all warranties, including but not limited to:

• Warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement
• Warranties that the App will be uninterrupted, secure, or error-free
• Warranties that the App will meet your specific requirements or expectations
• Warranties that any information or content on the App is accurate, complete, or reliable
• Warranties regarding the quality, safety, or legality of any sighting or content submitted by users

Crittergram is a community reporting platform. We do not guarantee:

• That sightings you submit will be reviewed, verified, or acted upon
• That sightings by other users are accurate or reliable
• That patterns or trends we identify will be actionable or beneficial
• That the App will result in any specific outcome, such as pest control, safety, or public health improvement
• That any data or analysis derived from the App will be error-free

You use the App at your own risk. Crittergram is not responsible for:

• Actions you take based on information you find in the App
• Interactions you have with other users through the App
• Any physical injury or property damage resulting from your use of the App (such as injury while capturing a photo of an animal)
• Any harm resulting from your reliance on user-submitted content

Crittergram is not a substitute for professional advice from pest control operators, public health officials, veterinarians, or law enforcement. If you encounter a situation that requires professional intervention (such as a dangerous animal encounter, a health emergency, or a criminal act), contact the appropriate professionals or authorities.

The App may contain content, information, or links to third-party services. We are not responsible for the accuracy, legality, or quality of third-party content or the practices of third-party services.

Crittergram makes no warranty or representation about the content submitted by users. User-submitted content reflects the views and observations of individual users, not Crittergram.

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, Crittergram and its officers, directors, employees, agents, and affiliates shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, consequential, special, punitive, or exemplary damages arising out of or in connection with your use of the App or these Terms, including but not limited to:

• Loss of profits, revenue, business opportunities, or goodwill
• Loss of data or content
• Cost of substitute services
• Personal injury or property damage
• Emotional distress or reputational harm

This limitation applies regardless of the legal theory (contract, tort, negligence, strict liability, or otherwise) and even if we were advised of the possibility of such damages.

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, our total cumulative liability to you for all claims arising out of or in connection with the App or these Terms shall not exceed the greater of:

• One hundred U.S. dollars ($100), or
• The amount you have paid us in the six (6) months preceding the claim (which for most users of Crittergram is zero, since the App is free)

Crittergram does not control, endorse, or take responsibility for user-submitted content or for the actions of any user, business, or third party. Sightings and content submitted by users reflect their observations, not our conclusions or endorsements.

Crittergram serves as an interactive computer service under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act (47 U.S.C. § 230), which protects providers and users of interactive computer services from being treated as publishers or speakers of information provided by others. To the fullest extent permitted by law, you agree to hold Crittergram harmless from any claim, liability, or damage arising from user-submitted content or the actions of any user, business, or third party using or affected by the App.

Some jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion or limitation of certain damages or warranties. In those jurisdictions, our liability is limited to the maximum extent permitted by law. Nothing in these Terms is intended to limit liability that cannot be excluded under applicable law, such as liability for gross negligence, fraud, or willful misconduct.

Any claim you bring against Crittergram must be filed within six (6) months of the event giving rise to the claim, or it is permanently barred.

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, you agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless Crittergram, its officers, directors, employees, agents, affiliates, and licensors from and against any and all claims, damages, losses, liabilities, costs, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) arising out of or related to:

• Your use of the App
• Your submission of content (including sightings, photos, notes, and any other Your Content)
• Your violation of these Terms, our Privacy Policy, or any applicable law
• Your violation of any third party’s rights, including consent, privacy, publicity, intellectual property, or contractual rights
• Any misrepresentation you make about Your Content (including the representations in Section 4)
• Any harm you cause to another user, a third party, or a business through the App

We reserve the right, at our own expense, to assume the exclusive defense and control of any matter subject to indemnification by you. If we do so, you will cooperate with us in asserting any available defenses. You will not settle any claim that affects Crittergram without our prior written consent.

Your indemnification obligations survive the termination of your account and these Terms.

Before starting any formal dispute process, you agree to first try to resolve any dispute informally by contacting us at support@crittergram.app with a description of your concern. We will attempt to resolve the dispute in good faith. If we cannot reach agreement within 60 days of your notice, either party may initiate arbitration or, where permitted below, file suit.

You and Crittergram agree that any dispute, claim, or controversy arising out of or relating to these Terms or your use of the App (a “Dispute”) will be resolved through binding individual arbitration rather than in a court of general jurisdiction.

Binding arbitration means that an arbitrator, not a judge or jury, will resolve the Dispute. The arbitrator’s decision is final and can only be reviewed by a court in narrow circumstances.

The following Disputes are NOT subject to mandatory arbitration and may be brought in court:

• Small claims court: You may bring a Dispute in your local small claims court (or the small claims court in the jurisdiction that governs these Terms) if it qualifies under that court’s rules.
• Injunctive relief for intellectual property or platform integrity: Crittergram may seek injunctive or other equitable relief in court to protect its intellectual property rights, stop unauthorized access or misuse of the App, or prevent ongoing harm to the App or its users.

If a court determines that this class action waiver is unenforceable, the entire arbitration agreement in this Section 9 shall be null and void, but the remainder of these Terms will continue in effect.

You have the right to opt out of the arbitration agreement and class action waiver in this Section 9 by sending written notice of your decision to opt out to support@crittergram.app within thirty (30) days of first accepting these Terms. Your notice must include:

• Your name
• Your account display name or username
• A clear statement that you wish to opt out of arbitration under Section 9

If you opt out, this Section 9 will not apply to you, and you may resolve Disputes with us in court as permitted by applicable law. Opting out does not affect any other provisions of these Terms.

Arbitration will be administered by the American Arbitration Association (AAA) under its Consumer Arbitration Rules, available at www.adr.org. The arbitration will be conducted in Maryland, unless you and Crittergram agree otherwise.

Crittergram will pay the AAA filing fees and arbitrator compensation for any arbitration you initiate for claims up to $10,000, to the extent required by AAA Consumer Rules. For claims above $10,000, standard AAA Consumer Rules govern fee allocation.

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Maryland, without regard to its conflict of laws principles. To the extent any Dispute is not subject to arbitration under this Section 9, you and Crittergram agree to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located in Maryland.

Any Dispute against Crittergram must be initiated within six (6) months of the event giving rise to the Dispute, or it is permanently barred (consistent with Section 7).

These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy and any additional terms you agree to when using specific features of the App, constitute the entire agreement between you and Crittergram regarding your use of the App. These Terms supersede any prior agreements or understandings between you and Crittergram on this subject.

If any provision of these Terms is found to be unlawful, invalid, or unenforceable by a court or arbitrator, that provision shall be enforced to the maximum extent permissible, and the remaining provisions of these Terms shall remain in full force and effect.

Our failure to enforce any provision of these Terms is not a waiver of our right to enforce that provision or any other provision in the future. No waiver of any provision of these Terms will be effective unless in writing and signed by an authorized representative of Crittergram.

You may not assign, transfer, or sublicense your rights or obligations under these Terms without our prior written consent. Any attempted assignment without our consent is void. We may assign, transfer, or delegate our rights and obligations under these Terms without your consent, including in connection with a merger, acquisition, sale of assets, or by operation of law.

Nothing in these Terms creates any agency, partnership, employment, joint venture, or franchise relationship between you and Crittergram. Neither party has the authority to bind the other in any way.

Crittergram is not liable for any delay or failure to perform its obligations under these Terms due to circumstances beyond our reasonable control, including natural disasters, war, terrorism, riots, embargoes, acts of civil or military authorities, fire, floods, accidents, network infrastructure failures, strikes, or shortages of transportation, facilities, fuel, energy, labor, or materials.

We may update these Terms from time to time. When we make material changes, we will notify you within the App, by email (if you have shared one with us), or through another reasonable method before the changes take effect. Your continued use of the App after the effective date of updated Terms indicates your acceptance of the changes. If you do not agree with the updated Terms, you may delete your account at any time.

Legal notices, service of process, and other formal communications should be sent to support@crittergram.app.

We may provide notices to you through the App, by email (if you have shared one with us), or by posting on our website. Notices are deemed given when sent.

These Terms are drafted in English. If translated into another language, the English version controls in the event of any conflict.

Sections that by their nature should survive termination of these Terms will survive, including Sections 4 (Content License), 7 (Limitation of Liability), 8 (Indemnification), 9 (Dispute Resolution), and this Section 10.

For any questions about these Terms, contact us at support@crittergram.app.

If you have questions about these Terms, need to report a violation, or have any other concerns, please contact us at support@crittergram.app.

For legal notices, service of process, or formal legal communications, use the same address: support@crittergram.app.

We aim to respond to all inquiries within a reasonable timeframe. When contacting us about a specific issue, please include:

• Your account display name or username (if applicable)
• A clear description of your question or concern
• Any relevant details that will help us respond effectively