Terms of Service for podEssence

Effective Date: April 24, 2026

These Terms of Service ("Terms") constitute a legally binding agreement between you ("User" or "you") and the developers of podEssence ("we," "us," or "our"). By installing, accessing, or using the podEssence mobile application (the "Service"), you agree to these Terms.

1. The Service

podEssence provides an AI-powered platform designed to optimize podcast consumption. Features include, but are not limited to:

• AI Highlight Extraction: Identifying and playing core segments of podcast episodes.
• Navigation Tools: AI-generated chapters, silence skipping, and playback speed adjustments.

2. User Accounts and Access

• Eligibility: You must be at least 13 years of age (or the minimum legal age in your country) to use this Service.
• Termination: We reserve the right to suspend or terminate your access to the Service at our sole discretion, without notice, for conduct that we believe violates these Terms or is harmful to other users, us, or third parties.

3. Intellectual Property & Usage Limits

• Our Property: All app interfaces, branding, proprietary AI logic (including the "Local Listener" and timestamp drift correction), and software are owned by podEssence.
• Third-Party Content: podEssence acts as a tool to process third-party podcast feeds. We do not own the audio content. Users are responsible for ensuring their use of highlights complies with the original creator's copyright.
• Restrictions: You may not use automated systems (bots, scrapers) to extract the AI-generated summaries or highlights from podEssence for commercial redistribution.

4. Service Availability and "As-Is" Disclaimer

• Uptime: While we aim for 100% availability, we do not guarantee that the Service will be uninterrupted or error-free. Maintenance and updates may cause temporary downtime.
• AI Accuracy: You acknowledge that AI-generated chapters and highlights are produced algorithmically. We are not responsible for inaccuracies, missed context, or errors in the highlighted output.
• External Links: The Service may link to third-party podcast hosting platforms. We do not control or assume responsibility for the content or privacy policies of these external sites.

6. Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, podEssence shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, or consequential damages arising out of or in connection with your use of the Service, including but not limited to any reliance placed by you on the completeness or accuracy of AI-generated content.

7. Governing Law

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of India, without regard to its conflict of law principles.

8. Updates to these Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time to reflect changes in our Service or legal requirements. We will notify you of any material changes by posting the new Terms within the app. Your continued use of podEssence following the posting of changes constitutes your acceptance of such changes.