Terms and Conditions

1. Agreement to Terms

1.1 Acceptance

By accessing or using Belbri's website, mobile applications, or any other services (collectively, the "Services"), you agree to be bound by these Terms and Conditions ("Terms"), our Privacy Policy, and any additional terms applicable to specific features you use. If you do not agree to these Terms, you may not access or use our Services.

1.2 Eligibility

You must meet the following requirements to use our Services:

• Be at least 13 years of age (or 16 in the European Economic Area)
• Have the legal capacity to enter into a binding agreement
• Not be prohibited from using our Services under applicable laws
• If using on behalf of an organization, have authority to bind that organization to these Terms

1.3 Changes to Terms

We reserve the right to modify these Terms at any time. Material changes will be notified via email or prominent notice on our platform at least 30 days before taking effect. Your continued use of the Services after changes become effective constitutes acceptance of the modified Terms.

2. Account Registration and Security

2.1 Account Creation

To access certain features, you must create an account. When registering, you agree to:

• Provide accurate, current, and complete information
• Maintain and promptly update your account information
• Keep your password secure and confidential
• Not share your account credentials with others
• Create only one account per person (unless authorized for business purposes)

2.2 Account Security

You are responsible for all activities that occur under your account. You must immediately notify us of any unauthorized use or security breach at security@belbri.co.uk. We are not liable for any loss resulting from unauthorized use of your account.

2.3 Account Termination

You may delete your account at any time through Settings. We may suspend or terminate accounts that:

• Violate these Terms or our Community Guidelines
• Engage in fraudulent, illegal, or harmful activity
• Remain inactive for an extended period (with prior notice)
• Create risk or legal exposure for Belbri

3. User Content and Intellectual Property

3.1 Your Content Ownership

You retain full ownership of all content you create and upload to Belbri, including manuscripts, stories, articles, reviews, comments, and other creative works ("User Content"). We do not claim ownership of your intellectual property.

3.2 License to Belbri

By uploading User Content, you grant Belbri a limited, non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to:

• Host, store, and display your content to provide our Services
• Create backups for data protection purposes
• Format and optimize content for different devices
• Share content with users you authorize
• Display public content in search results and promotional materials (with attribution)

This license terminates when you delete your content or account, except for content shared with others or required for legal compliance.

3.3 Content Responsibilities

You are solely responsible for your User Content and represent that:

• You own or have the necessary rights to the content you upload
• Your content does not infringe any third party's intellectual property rights
• Your content complies with all applicable laws and regulations
• Your content does not contain malicious code, viruses, or harmful material

3.4 Belbri's Intellectual Property

The Belbri name, logo, website design, features, and functionality are owned by Belbri Academic Publishing and protected by intellectual property laws. You may not copy, modify, distribute, or create derivative works without our express written permission.

3.5 Copyright Infringement (DMCA)

We respect intellectual property rights and respond to valid copyright infringement notices. If you believe your work has been copied in a way that constitutes infringement, please contact our designated agent at legal@belbri.co.uk with:

• Identification of the copyrighted work
• Identification of the allegedly infringing material
• Your contact information
• A statement of good faith belief
• A statement of accuracy under penalty of perjury
• Your physical or electronic signature

4. Acceptable Use Policy

4.1 Prohibited Content

You agree not to upload, post, or share content that:

• Is illegal, harmful, threatening, abusive, harassing, defamatory, or discriminatory
• Contains hate speech, promotes violence, or incites illegal activity
• Is sexually explicit or pornographic (unless in appropriate, marked sections)
• Infringes on intellectual property rights of others
• Contains personal information of others without consent
• Is spam, advertising, or promotional material without authorization
• Contains malware, viruses, or other harmful code
• Impersonates another person or entity

4.2 Prohibited Activities

You agree not to:

• Attempt to gain unauthorized access to our systems or other users' accounts
• Interfere with or disrupt the Services or servers
• Use automated systems (bots, scrapers) without permission
• Circumvent security features or access restrictions
• Engage in any activity that violates applicable laws
• Harass, bully, or intimidate other users
• Create multiple accounts to evade bans or restrictions
• Use the Services for commercial purposes without authorization

4.3 Content Moderation

We reserve the right to review, moderate, and remove content that violates these Terms or our Community Guidelines. We may use automated tools and human review to detect violations. Serious or repeated violations may result in account suspension or termination.

5. Subscriptions and Payments

5.1 Subscription Plans

Belbri offers various subscription plans with different features and pricing. Current plans and pricing are available on our website(Upgrade to Pro to access) (see the Pricing section). Features and pricing may change with reasonable notice.

5.2 Billing and Payment

• Payments are processed securely through Stripe
• Subscriptions are billed in advance on a recurring basis (monthly or annually)
• All fees are in GBP unless otherwise stated
• Prices are inclusive of VAT where applicable
• You authorize us to charge your payment method for recurring fees

5.3 Free Trials

We may offer free trials for certain plans. At the end of your trial, your account will automatically convert to a paid subscription unless you cancel. You may cancel at any time during the trial without charge.

5.4 Cancellation and Refunds

• You may cancel your subscription at any time through Settings
• Cancellation takes effect at the end of your current billing period
• You retain access to paid features until the end of your billing period
• We generally do not offer refunds for partial subscription periods
• Refunds may be provided at our discretion for exceptional circumstances
• Annual subscribers may request a prorated refund within 14 days of purchase

5.5 Price Changes

We may change subscription prices with at least 30 days' notice. Price changes will apply to your next billing cycle. If you do not agree to a price increase, you may cancel before it takes effect.

6. Disclaimers and Limitations

6.1 Service "As Is"

THE SERVICES ARE PROVIDED "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE" WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, TITLE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT.

6.2 No Guarantees

We do not guarantee that:

• The Services will be uninterrupted, secure, or error-free
• Results obtained from the Services will be accurate or reliable
• Any errors or defects will be corrected
• The Services will meet your specific requirements

6.3 Limitation of Liability

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, BELBRI AND ITS DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS, AND LICENSORS SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR:

• Any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages
• Loss of profits, revenue, data, or business opportunities
• Cost of substitute services
• Damages exceeding the amount you paid us in the 12 months preceding the claim

6.4 User Content Disclaimer

We do not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy of User Content. You acknowledge that you may be exposed to content that is offensive, inaccurate, or objectionable. We are not responsible for User Content or any actions taken based on it.

7. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Belbri, its affiliates, officers, directors, employees, agents, and licensors from and against any claims, liabilities, damages, losses, and expenses (including legal fees) arising out of or in connection with:

• Your use of the Services
• Your User Content
• Your violation of these Terms
• Your violation of any third party's rights
• Any dispute between you and another user

8. Dispute Resolution

8.1 Informal Resolution

Before filing any formal legal action, you agree to try to resolve disputes informally by contacting us at legal@belbri.co.uk. We will attempt to resolve disputes within 30 days.

8.2 Governing Law

These Terms are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales, without regard to conflict of law principles.

8.3 Jurisdiction

Any disputes arising from these Terms or your use of the Services shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales. However, we may seek injunctive relief in any court of competent jurisdiction.

8.4 Class Action Waiver

To the extent permitted by law, you agree to resolve disputes on an individual basis and waive any right to participate in class actions or class-wide arbitration.

9. General Provisions

9.1 Entire Agreement

These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy and any other agreements expressly incorporated by reference, constitute the entire agreement between you and Belbri regarding the Services.

9.2 Severability

If any provision of these Terms is found to be unenforceable or invalid, that provision will be limited or eliminated to the minimum extent necessary, and the remaining provisions will remain in full force and effect.

9.3 Waiver

Our failure to enforce any right or provision of these Terms will not be considered a waiver of those rights. Any waiver must be in writing and signed by Belbri.

9.4 Assignment

You may not assign or transfer your rights under these Terms without our prior written consent. We may assign our rights and obligations without restriction.

9.5 Force Majeure

We are not liable for any failure or delay in performance due to circumstances beyond our reasonable control, including natural disasters, war, terrorism, pandemics, labor disputes, or infrastructure failures.

9.6 Third-Party Services

Our Services may contain links to third-party websites or integrate with third-party services. We are not responsible for the content, terms, or privacy practices of third parties.