Terms & Conditions

1. Eligibility

• You must be at least 13 years of age to use the Platform.
• You must be a current or prospective student, faculty member, or staff member of an HBCU (Historically Black College or University) or affiliated institution.
• By creating an account, you represent that all registration information you provide is truthful and accurate.

2. Account Registration

• You must provide a valid phone number, a unique username, and a password to create an account.
• Multiple accounts may share the same phone number, but each account must have a unique username.
• You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your login credentials.
• You are responsible for all activity that occurs under your account.
• You must verify your phone number via SMS to complete registration.
• You agree to notify us immediately of any unauthorized use of your account.

3. Acceptable Use

When using the Platform, you agree to:

• Comply with all applicable laws and regulations.
• Respect the rights and dignity of other users.
• Use the Platform for lawful, educational, and community-building purposes.
• Abide by the YsUp Honor Code presented during onboarding.

You agree NOT to:

• Use the Platform to harass, bully, threaten, or intimidate others.
• Post or share content that is defamatory, obscene, hateful, or discriminatory.
• Upload or distribute copyrighted material without authorization.
• Attempt to hack, exploit, or compromise the Platform's security.
• Impersonate another person or misrepresent your identity.
• Use automated tools (bots, scrapers) to access the Platform without permission.
• Use AI features to engage in academic dishonesty.
• Engage in spam, unsolicited advertising, or commercial solicitation.

4. User Content

• You retain ownership of content you create and post on the Platform (posts, files, notes, images).
• By posting content, you grant YsUp a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide license to display, distribute, and store your content as necessary to operate the Platform.
• You are solely responsible for the content you post and its compliance with applicable laws.
• We reserve the right to remove content that violates these Terms, the Honor Code, or applicable law.

5. YBucks Virtual Currency

• YBucks are a virtual, non-transferable, non-redeemable reward currency within the Platform.
• YBucks have no monetary value and cannot be exchanged for real currency, goods, or services outside the Platform.
• YBucks are earned through engagement activities (posting, responding, co-signing).
• We reserve the right to modify, reset, or discontinue the YBucks system at any time.

6. AI-Powered Features

• The Platform uses AI (powered by OpenAI) for academic search summaries, topic overviews, and coaching features.
• AI-generated content is provided for educational and informational purposes only.
• AI responses may not always be accurate, complete, or current. Users should verify information independently.
• YsUp is not liable for decisions made based on AI-generated content.

7. Third-Party Integrations

• The Platform integrates with third-party services including Google Workspace, Twilio, Amazon, and others.
• Your use of third-party services through the Platform is subject to those services' own terms and policies.
• We are not responsible for the availability, accuracy, or conduct of third-party services.

8. Intellectual Property

• The YsUp name, logo, design, and all original content on the Platform are the intellectual property of YsUp Campus Network.
• You may not copy, reproduce, distribute, or create derivative works from Platform content without our written permission.
• Third-party trademarks and content displayed on the Platform belong to their respective owners.

9. Termination

• We may suspend or terminate your account at any time for violation of these Terms or the Honor Code.
• You may request account deletion by contacting us.
• Upon termination, your right to use the Platform ceases immediately.
• Provisions that by their nature should survive termination (including intellectual property, liability limitations, and indemnification) will survive.

10. Disclaimers

• The Platform is provided "AS IS" and "AS AVAILABLE" without warranties of any kind, express or implied.
• We do not guarantee the Platform will be uninterrupted, error-free, or free of harmful components.
• We do not guarantee the accuracy of search results, AI content, or third-party data displayed on the Platform.
• We are not responsible for any academic consequences arising from your use of the Platform.

11. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, YsUp Campus Network and its operators, employees, and affiliates shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages arising from your use of the Platform, including but not limited to loss of data, loss of profits, or academic harm.

12. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless YsUp Campus Network and its operators from any claims, damages, losses, or expenses (including attorney fees) arising from your use of the Platform, your content, or your violation of these Terms.

13. Governing Law

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the District of Columbia, United States, without regard to conflict of law principles.

14. Changes to These Terms

We reserve the right to modify these Terms at any time. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated effective date. Your continued use of the Platform after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms.

15. Contact Us

If you have questions about these Terms, please contact us at:

YsUp Campus Network
Email: legal@ysupcampus.com