Terms of Service

1. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing, creating an account, or using Character Coach ("the Service"), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service ("Terms"). If you do not agree to these Terms, you may not use our Service. These Terms constitute a binding agreement between you and Character Coach.

2. Description of Service

Character Coach is an educational platform designed to teach Chinese character stroke order through interactive writing practice, multiple choice quizzes, and gamified learning experiences. Our Service includes:

• Interactive Chinese character writing exercises with stroke-by-stroke guidance
• Multiple choice quizzes for vocabulary and character recognition
• Classroom management tools for teachers and educators
• Progress tracking and leaderboard systems for students
• Live multiplayer games and competitions
• Course pathways and structured learning sequences

3. User Accounts and Registration

To access certain features of our Service, you must create an account. You agree to:

• Provide accurate, current, and complete information during registration
• Maintain and promptly update your account information
• Maintain the security of your account credentials
• Accept responsibility for all activities under your account
• Notify us immediately of any unauthorized use of your account

4. Educational Use and Content

Character Coach is designed for educational purposes. All content, including character data, stroke animations, and audio pronunciations, is provided for learning Chinese language skills. Users may not:

• Use the Service for commercial purposes without express written permission
• Redistribute, modify, or create derivative works from our educational content
• Attempt to extract, copy, or reverse engineer our character stroke data or algorithms
• Use automated tools to access or interact with the Service

5. Classroom and Student Data

For teachers and educational institutions using our classroom features:

• Teachers are responsible for obtaining appropriate permissions to create student accounts
• Student progress data and quiz results are private to the associated classroom
• We do not sell or share student educational records with third parties
• Teachers may export their classroom data at any time
• Inactive classes may be automatically archived after 6 months of inactivity

6. Subscription and Payment Terms

Character Coach offers subscription-based access to premium features:

• All subscriptions include a 7-day free trial period
• Subscription fees are billed in advance on a recurring basis
• You may cancel your subscription at any time
• Refunds are available within 30 days of purchase if you are not satisfied
• Bulk discounts are available for 3 or more accounts for educational institutions
• Price changes will be communicated with 30 days notice

7. Prohibited Conduct and Abuse Policy

You agree not to:

• Violate any applicable laws or regulations
• Harass, abuse, or harm other users
• Impersonate any person or entity
• Attempt to gain unauthorized access to our systems or other user accounts
• Interfere with or disrupt the Service or its servers
• Upload viruses, malware, or other malicious code
• Engage in any form of cheating in quizzes or games
• Create multiple accounts to circumvent trial or subscription limitations
• Use the Service for spam, phishing, or fraudulent activities
• Distribute inappropriate, offensive, or harmful content
• Attempt to reverse engineer, decompile, or extract our proprietary algorithms
• Use automated tools, bots, or scripts to access the Service
• Engage in any activity that could damage our reputation or business

What Constitutes Abuse

The following behaviors are considered abuse and may result in immediate account termination:

• System Abuse: Excessive API calls, server overload attempts, or deliberate strain on our infrastructure
• Content Abuse: Uploading illegal, obscene, hateful, or harmful content; creating inappropriate student names or class names
• Educational Abuse: Using the platform for non-educational purposes, sharing inappropriate content with minors, or violating educational safety standards
• Financial Abuse: Chargebacks, fraudulent payments, subscription fraud, or attempting to circumvent payment systems
• Account Abuse: Creating fake accounts, sharing login credentials, or using the Service beyond your subscription limits
• Data Abuse: Attempting to extract, scrape, or steal user data, student information, or proprietary content
• Harassment: Bullying, threatening, or inappropriate behavior toward other users, students, or our staff
• Security Abuse: Attempting to hack, exploit vulnerabilities, or compromise the security of our Service

Enforcement and Penalties

We reserve the absolute right to:

• Immediately suspend or terminate accounts that violate these terms
• Remove or disable access to any content that violates our policies
• Refuse service to anyone for any reason
• Report illegal activities to appropriate law enforcement agencies
• Pursue legal action for damages caused by abuse

We may also implement progressive enforcement measures including warnings, temporary suspensions, feature restrictions, or other corrective actions at our sole discretion.

8. Intellectual Property Rights

Character Coach and its content are protected by copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws. You acknowledge that:

• We own all rights to the Service, including software, design, and educational content
• Character stroke data and animations are proprietary and protected
• User-generated content (such as custom word lists) remains owned by the user
• By uploading content, you grant us a license to use it within the Service
• Third-party content is used under appropriate licenses

9. Privacy and Data Protection

Your privacy is important to us. We collect and use information as described in our Privacy Policy. By using our Service, you consent to our data practices as outlined in our Privacy Policy, which is incorporated by reference into these Terms.

10. Service Availability and Modifications

We strive to maintain high service availability, but:

• We do not guarantee uninterrupted or error-free service
• We may modify, suspend, or discontinue features with reasonable notice
• Maintenance and updates may temporarily affect service availability
• We reserve the right to impose usage limits to ensure fair access

11. Disclaimers and Limitation of Liability

THE SERVICE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND. TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW:

• We disclaim all warranties, express or implied
• We do not warrant that the Service will be uninterrupted or error-free
• Our total liability shall not exceed the amount paid by you in the 12 months preceding the claim
• We are not liable for indirect, incidental, or consequential damages
• Some jurisdictions do not allow these limitations, so they may not apply to you

12. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Character Coach, its affiliates, and personnel from any claims, damages, losses, or expenses arising from your use of the Service, violation of these Terms, or infringement of any third-party rights.

13. Termination

Either party may terminate your access to the Service:

• You may close your account at any time
• We may suspend or terminate accounts for Terms violations
• Upon termination, your right to use the Service ceases immediately
• Data export may be available for a limited time after termination
• These Terms survive termination where legally required

14. Changes to Terms

We reserve the right to modify these Terms at any time. Material changes will be communicated through:

• Email notification to registered users
• Prominent notice on our website
• In-app notification for active users

Continued use of the Service after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms. If you do not agree to changes, you must stop using the Service.

15. Governing Law and Disputes

These Terms are governed by the laws of Taiwan (Republic of China). Character Coach is operated by Chinese Buddy LLC (中文知音有限公司), a registered limited liability company in Taiwan. Any disputes shall be resolved through binding arbitration under Taiwan law, except for claims that may be brought in small claims court. The arbitration shall be conducted in Taiwan.

16. Educational Compliance

For educational institutions, we maintain compliance with applicable educational privacy laws. Teachers and administrators are responsible for ensuring their use of the Service complies with their institution's policies and applicable regulations such as FERPA, COPPA, and GDPR where applicable.

17. Contact Information

For questions about these Terms or our Service, please contact us at:

18. Entire Agreement

These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and Character Coach regarding the Service and supersede all prior agreements and understandings.