Terms of Use
These Terms are an agreement between you and Somewhere Unfamiliar LLC, a California limited liability company ("Somewhere Unfamiliar," "we," "us"). They apply to our website, mobile apps, and community (the "Service"). By creating an account or using the Service, you agree to these Terms, our Community Guidelines, and our Privacy Policy.
1. What Somewhere Unfamiliar is
Somewhere Unfamiliar is a community that helps adults who have moved, or are preparing to move, find and talk to other members. It grew out of the Somewhere Unfamiliar podcast. It is not a dating service.
2. Eligibility
You must be at least 18 years old. You must have lived somewhere other than where you grew up, or be planning a move. You may have only one account. You may not use the Service if we have previously removed you.
3. Membership
New members can see and message others once their profile is complete: confirming you are 18 or older, where you grew up, where you live now, and a profile photo. We may suspend or remove any account that breaks these Terms or our Community Guidelines.
4. Your account
You agree to give accurate information, use your real first name, and use a photo of yourself. Keep your login secure and tell us if you think your account has been accessed without permission. You are responsible for activity on your account.
5. What we verify, and what we don't
We verify that you control your email address and require you to select real places through a location provider. We do not verify anyone's identity, background, residence, relocation history, or statements. A selected place confirms the place exists, not that a member lives there.
6. Meeting other members
We help members find each other. We do not guarantee anyone's identity, compatibility, conduct, or safety, online or offline. You decide whether, when, where, and how to communicate or meet. Use reasonable judgment, meet in public places, and tell someone you trust your plans. The same applies to community events listed in the Service unless we clearly say we are hosting them.
7. Community conduct
You must follow our Community Guidelines, which are part of these Terms. Do not harass, threaten, impersonate, scam, or spam anyone. Do not solicit members for business without invitation, misuse others' personal information, post sexual or unlawful content, or use the Service for any illegal or abusive purpose. Do not scrape, copy, or collect data from the Service, or try to get around our security or access controls.
8. Safety and enforcement
You can block or report any member. Reports can cover conduct in the Service or offline conduct between members. We may investigate reports, remove content, and restrict, suspend, or remove accounts that break these Terms or our Community Guidelines. We may take reasonable steps to stop a removed member from returning under another account.
9. Your content
You own the content you submit, such as your profile, photo, and messages. You give us a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to host, store, display, process, and deliver that content only to operate and improve the Service. This license ends when you delete the content or your account, except as described in our Privacy Policy. You confirm you have the right to share what you submit.
10. Our content and brand
The Service, the Somewhere Unfamiliar name and logo, our designs, and our podcast content belong to us or our licensors. You may use the Service for personal, non-commercial purposes only. You may not copy, modify, or distribute our content without permission.
11. Copyright complaints
If you believe content in the Service infringes your copyright, email stories@somewhereunfamiliar.com with the work, where it appears, and your contact details. We will remove infringing content and may remove repeat infringers.
12. Paid features
The Service is currently free. We may offer paid features in the future. If we do, prices and what is included will be shown before you buy. Purchases in our iOS app are handled by Apple under Apple's terms, including Apple's refund process.
If a paid feature is a subscription, it will renew automatically at the end of each period until you cancel. We will show the price, billing period, and how to cancel before you subscribe. You can cancel at any time, and cancellation takes effect at the end of the current period. Except where required by law or stated at purchase, payments are non-refundable.
13. Changes to the Service
The community is growing, and features may change, be added, or be removed. We may suspend or end the Service, with reasonable notice where possible.
14. Ending your account
You can delete your account at any time in the app or on the website. We may suspend or end your account if you break these Terms, if required by law, or to protect members. Sections that by their nature should continue (such as 9 to 11 and 15 to 18) survive after your account ends.
15. Disclaimers
The Service is provided "as is" and "as available." To the extent the law allows, we make no warranties, express or implied, including about merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or that the Service will be uninterrupted or error-free. We are not responsible for the conduct of any member, online or offline.
16. Limitation of liability
To the extent the law allows, we are not liable for indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, or for loss of data, profits, or goodwill. Our total liability for any claim relating to the Service is limited to the greater of the amount you paid us in the 12 months before the claim or US$100.
17. Indemnity
You agree to cover our reasonable losses and costs from claims caused by your content, your conduct toward other members, or your breach of these Terms.
18. Governing law and disputes
These Terms are governed by California law. Disputes will be heard in the state or federal courts in San Diego County, California. If you are a consumer in the EU, UK, or another country whose law gives you the right to bring claims in your local courts, or to rely on local consumer protections, you keep those rights.
Nothing in these Terms limits rights you have that cannot be limited by law.
19. Apple App Store
If you downloaded our app from the Apple App Store: these Terms are between you and us, not Apple. Apple is not responsible for the app or its content, and has no obligation to provide support or maintenance. If the app fails to meet a warranty, you may notify Apple for a refund of any purchase price, and Apple has no other warranty obligation. Apple is not responsible for any claims relating to the app, including product liability, legal compliance, or intellectual property claims. You confirm you are not in a country subject to a U.S. embargo and are not on a U.S. government list of restricted parties. Apple and its subsidiaries are third-party beneficiaries of these Terms and may enforce them against you.
20. Changes to these Terms
We may update these Terms. If a change is significant, we will tell you by email or in the app before it takes effect. Continuing to use the Service after that means you accept the updated Terms.
21. Contact
stories@somewhereunfamiliar.com