Terms of Service

Last updated: November 13, 2025

1. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing or using Howl Chat (“the Service”) you agree to these Terms of Service and to our Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, do not use the Service.

2. Service Description

Howl Chat provides real-time messaging for public rooms and encrypted direct messages through a lightweight Node.js + Socket.IO stack backed by a persistence API.

• Room history is stored through the data API so that roughly the latest 150 messages per room remain available; older entries are pruned.
• Direct messages are negotiated client-side with AES-GCM session keys that are wrapped for both participants and an escrow key so the server can render DM previews or fulfill lawful requests.
• Profile preferences (avatar, bio, status) and saved themes are synced via the same API to any browser you sign in with.

3. Eligibility and Accounts

• You must be at least 13 years old or have verifiable parental consent.
• Authentication is provided by Auth0; you are responsible for keeping your linked identity provider credentials secure.
• You must provide accurate profile information and update it when it changes.
• You are responsible for all activity that occurs under your account, whether performed by you or someone you allowed to use the Service.

4. Acceptable Use

• Do not post content that is unlawful, abusive, harassing, hateful, or infringes the rights of others.
• Do not interfere with the Service, attempt to probe or breach security, or spam users with unsolicited messages.
• Do not use the Service to transmit malware, phishing content, or to solicit confidential information.
• Respect DM requests and consent workflows; bypassing or automating direct message access is prohibited.

5. User Content and License

You retain ownership of the messages, media, and profile content you submit. You grant us a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free license to host, store, transmit, and display that content as needed to operate the Service, including generating DM previews, moderating reported content, and complying with law.

6. Data Storage, Encryption, and Escrow

• Messages, DM requests, and profile metadata are written to the Howl data API (SQLite) hosted by us. If the API is unreachable, data may fall back to in-memory queues and therefore not persist.
• We attempt to keep no more than the most recent ~150 items per room; however backups, logs, and lawful preservation requests may extend retention.
• Direct messages are encrypted end-to-end in the browser, but the server can decrypt payloads using the escrow private key for abuse review, DM previews, or legal compliance.
• You are responsible for safeguarding any local private keys stored in your browser. Lost keys cannot be recovered by us.

7. Third-Party Services

We rely on Auth0 for authentication and may host infrastructure on providers such as Hetzner. These providers may process your data under their own terms and privacy notices.

8. Service Changes and Availability

We may modify, suspend, or discontinue any feature at any time without liability. Planned maintenance or unexpected outages may impact message delivery or history.

9. Termination

We may suspend or terminate your access at any time if you violate these Terms or if continued access poses risk to the Service or other users. You may stop using the Service at any time, but provisions that by their nature should survive termination (e.g., licenses, disclaimers, and limitations of liability) will remain in effect.

10. Disclaimer of Warranties

The Service is provided “as is” and “as available.” We disclaim all warranties, express or implied, including warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement. We do not guarantee uninterrupted or error-free operation.

11. Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, Howl Chat and its contributors will not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or exemplary damages, or for loss of data, profits, or goodwill, even if we have been advised of the possibility of such damages.

12. Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of New South Wales, Australia, without regard to conflict-of-law rules. Any dispute will be resolved in the courts located within New South Wales.

13. Contact

Questions about these Terms may be sent to contact@howl-chat.com.

By continuing to use Howl Chat, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agree to these Terms.