Terms of
Service

The Short Version

These Terms of Service ("Terms") are a legal agreement between you and Cruelty Check ("Cruelty Check," "we," "us," or "our") governing your access to and use of the Cruelty Check mobile application ("App") available on iOS and Android, and our website at crueltycheck.app (collectively, the "Services").

Our Privacy Policy is incorporated into these Terms by reference and explains how we collect and handle your data.

Acceptance of Terms

By downloading, installing, or using the App, or by visiting or using the website, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree to these Terms, you must not use the Services.

If you are using the Services on behalf of an organisation, you represent that you have authority to bind that organisation to these Terms, and references to "you" include that organisation.

The Services

Cruelty Check provides a barcode-scanning application and accompanying website that cross-references product barcodes against third-party cruelty-free certification databases — including Leaping Bunny, PETA's Beauty Without Bunnies, and Cruelty Free Kitty — to return a cruelty-free status verdict for a given brand.

Accuracy and limitations

We strive to keep our database current and accurate. However, brand animal-testing policies can change, certifications can lapse, and our data depends on the accuracy and timeliness of the third-party databases we query. Accordingly:

• Scan results reflect the data available at the time of the query and may not reflect the most recent brand status.
• A "cruelty-free" result does not constitute a certification or endorsement by Cruelty Check.
• A "not cruelty-free" result should not be treated as a definitive determination of a brand's practices without independent verification.
• We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting as agents of any certification body referenced in the App.

For high-stakes purchasing or advocacy decisions, we encourage you to verify status directly with the relevant certification body.

Service availability

We aim to provide the Services on a continuous basis but do not guarantee uninterrupted availability. The Services may be temporarily unavailable due to maintenance, updates, infrastructure issues, or circumstances beyond our control. We will endeavour to provide advance notice of planned downtime where reasonably practicable.

Free and future features

Core barcode scanning is currently provided free of charge without requiring an account. We may introduce optional paid features, subscriptions, or a premium tier in the future. Any such changes will be communicated clearly, and your continued use of free features will never require payment.

Eligibility

To use the Services, you must:

• Be at least 13 years of age (or 16 in the EEA), or have the consent of a parent or legal guardian.
• Have the legal capacity to enter into a binding agreement in your jurisdiction.
• Not be located in a country subject to a United States government embargo, or designated as a "terrorist supporting" country by the U.S. government.
• Not be listed on any U.S. government list of prohibited or restricted parties.
• Not be a person previously suspended or removed from the Services by Cruelty Check.

Accounts

An account is not required to use the core scanning features of the App. If you choose to create an account, the following applies:

Account creation

You agree to provide accurate, current, and complete information when creating your account, and to keep that information up to date. You must not impersonate any other person or use a name that you are not authorised to use.

Account security

You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials and for all activity that occurs under your account. You agree to notify us immediately at admin@crueltycheck.app if you suspect unauthorised access to your account. We are not liable for any loss or damage arising from your failure to maintain account security.

Account termination

You may delete your account at any time from within the App's settings. Upon account deletion, your personal data will be handled in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

Acceptable Use

You agree to use the Services only for lawful purposes and in accordance with these Terms. You must not:

Technical misuse

• Reverse engineer, decompile, disassemble, or attempt to derive the source code of the App, except to the extent permitted by applicable law.
• Access the Services through automated means (bots, scrapers, crawlers, or scripts) without our prior written consent.
• Probe, scan, or test the vulnerability of any Cruelty Check system or circumvent any security or authentication measures.
• Introduce viruses, malware, or any other harmful code into the Services.
• Interfere with or disrupt the integrity or performance of the Services or any servers or networks connected to them.
• Attempt to gain unauthorised access to any portion of the Services or any other system or network connected to Cruelty Check.

Content and conduct

• Use the Services for any commercial purpose or for the benefit of any third party without our express written consent.
• Reproduce, duplicate, copy, sell, resell, or exploit any portion of the Services without our express written permission.
• Use the Services to transmit unsolicited communications, advertising, or spam.
• Harass, threaten, or harm any person through or in connection with the Services.
• Engage in any conduct that restricts or inhibits any other person's use or enjoyment of the Services.

We reserve the right to investigate and take appropriate legal action against anyone who, in our sole discretion, violates these provisions, including suspending or terminating their access to the Services.

Intellectual Property

Our content

The Services and all of their content — including but not limited to software, design, text, graphics, logos, icons, images, and the compilation thereof — are owned by or licensed to Cruelty Check and are protected by applicable copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws. All rights are reserved.

Limited licence to you

Subject to your compliance with these Terms, we grant you a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable, revocable licence to access and use the Services for your personal, non-commercial use. This licence does not include any right to:

• Sublicense, sell, resell, transfer, assign, or otherwise commercially exploit the Services.
• Modify or make derivative works based upon the Services.
• Scrape or collect any data or content from the Services.
• Frame or mirror any portion of the Services on any other website or service.

Your feedback

If you submit feedback, suggestions, corrections, or other input about the Services (for example, reporting a missing brand or an incorrect result), you grant us a perpetual, irrevocable, worldwide, royalty-free licence to use that input for any purpose related to improving the Services, without obligation or compensation to you.

Trademarks

The "Cruelty Check" name, logo, and any associated marks are trademarks of Cruelty Check. You must not use our trademarks without our prior written permission. Third-party trademarks referenced in the Services are the property of their respective owners.

Disclaimers

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

Cruelty Check does not warrant that:

• The Services will be uninterrupted, timely, secure, or error-free.
• The results obtained from use of the Services will be accurate, complete, reliable, or meet your requirements.
• Any errors or defects in the Services will be corrected.
• The Services or the servers that make them available are free of viruses or other harmful components.

In particular, scan results are informational only. We make no representation or warranty that any product or brand labelled "cruelty-free" by the Services is in fact certified, verified, or compliant with any standard. Purchasing decisions made on the basis of the Services are made at your own risk.

Limitation of Liability

TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, IN NO EVENT WILL CRUELTY CHECK, ITS DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, PARTNERS, AGENTS, SUPPLIERS, OR AFFILIATES BE LIABLE FOR ANY:

• Indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages.
• Loss of profits, revenue, data, goodwill, or other intangible losses.
• Damages arising from your reliance on the accuracy or completeness of scan results.
• Damages resulting from unauthorised access to or alteration of your data.
• Any other damages arising out of or in connection with your use of, or inability to use, the Services.

WHETHER BASED ON WARRANTY, CONTRACT, TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE), STATUTE, OR ANY OTHER LEGAL THEORY, AND WHETHER OR NOT WE HAVE BEEN INFORMED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.

TO THE EXTENT THAT LIABILITY CANNOT BE FULLY EXCLUDED UNDER APPLICABLE LAW, OUR TOTAL CUMULATIVE LIABILITY TO YOU FOR ALL CLAIMS ARISING OUT OF OR RELATED TO THESE TERMS OR THE SERVICES WILL NOT EXCEED THE GREATER OF (A) THE AMOUNT YOU PAID TO US IN THE TWELVE MONTHS PRECEDING THE CLAIM, OR (B) ONE HUNDRED US DOLLARS (USD $100).

Some jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion of certain warranties or limitation of liability for certain types of damage. In such jurisdictions, our liability will be limited to the maximum extent permitted by law.

Indemnification

You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless Cruelty Check and its officers, directors, employees, contractors, agents, licensors, and service providers from and against any claims, liabilities, damages, judgments, awards, losses, costs, expenses, or fees (including reasonable legal fees) arising out of or relating to:

• Your violation of these Terms.
• Your use of the Services in a manner not expressly authorised by these Terms.
• Your violation of any third-party right, including any intellectual property right or privacy right.
• Any claim that your use of the Services caused damage to a third party.

Third-Party Links & Content

The Services may contain links to third-party websites or services (such as certification body websites, app store listings, or informational resources). These links are provided for convenience only. Cruelty Check has no control over the content, privacy practices, or policies of any third-party sites and accepts no responsibility for them.

The inclusion of any link does not imply endorsement, approval, or recommendation by Cruelty Check. We encourage you to review the terms and privacy policies of any third-party sites you visit.

The cruelty-free database information displayed in the App is sourced from third-party certification bodies. We aggregate and present this data but are not responsible for its accuracy, completeness, or timeliness. The certification bodies themselves are the authoritative source of their respective certifications.

App Store Terms

The App is made available through Apple's App Store and the Google Play Store. Your download and use of the App is also subject to the terms of the applicable app store. In the event of any conflict between these Terms and the app store's terms, the app store's terms will govern solely with respect to that conflict.

Apple App Store

If you download the App from Apple's App Store, you acknowledge that: (a) these Terms are between you and Cruelty Check only, not Apple; (b) Apple has no obligation to provide any maintenance or support for the App; (c) Apple is not responsible for addressing any claims relating to the App; and (d) Apple is a third-party beneficiary of these Terms as they relate to your licence to the App, and Apple will have the right to enforce these Terms against you as a third-party beneficiary.

Google Play

If you download the App from the Google Play Store, your use is subject to Google Play's Terms of Service. Cruelty Check, not Google, is solely responsible for the App and its content.

Termination

We may suspend or terminate your access to all or any part of the Services at any time, with or without cause, and with or without notice, effective immediately. Grounds for termination may include, but are not limited to, a breach of these Terms, conduct that we believe is harmful to other users, or behaviour that exposes us or others to legal liability.

You may stop using the Services at any time. If you have an account, you may delete it from within the App settings.

Upon termination of your access, the following provisions of these Terms will survive: Intellectual Property, Disclaimers, Limitation of Liability, Indemnification, Disputes & Governing Law, and any other provisions that by their nature should survive termination.

Disputes & Governing Law

Governing law

These Terms are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the United States and the State of Delaware, without regard to conflict of law principles. To the extent that any lawsuit or court proceeding is permitted under these Terms, you and Cruelty Check agree to submit to the personal and exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located in Delaware.

Informal resolution

Before initiating any formal legal proceeding, you agree to contact us at admin@crueltycheck.app and give us 30 days to attempt to resolve the dispute informally. Most concerns can be resolved quickly this way.

Class action waiver

TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, YOU AND CRUELTY CHECK AGREE THAT EACH MAY BRING CLAIMS AGAINST THE OTHER ONLY IN AN INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY, AND NOT AS A PLAINTIFF OR CLASS MEMBER IN ANY PURPORTED CLASS OR REPRESENTATIVE PROCEEDING.

Jurisdiction-specific rights

Nothing in these Terms limits any rights you may have under the mandatory consumer protection laws of your jurisdiction of residence. If you are located in the European Economic Area or United Kingdom, you may have additional statutory rights that cannot be waived by contract, and these Terms do not seek to limit those rights.

Changes to These Terms

We reserve the right to modify these Terms at any time. When we make material changes, we will:

• Update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page.
• Post a notice within the App for at least 14 days.
• Where required by applicable law, notify registered users by email at least 30 days before the changes take effect.

Your continued use of the Services after the effective date of the revised Terms constitutes your acceptance of the changes. If you do not agree to the revised Terms, you must stop using the Services before the effective date.

For changes that materially reduce your rights or significantly alter the nature of the Services, we will seek your affirmative consent where required by law.

Contact Us

If you have any questions about these Terms or the Services, please get in touch: