Terms of Service

Acceptance of Terms

These Terms of Service ("Terms") constitute a legally binding agreement between you ("User," "you," or "your") and the developer of Local Guide ("we," "us," "our," or "Developer"). By accessing or using the Local Guide mobile application or website (collectively, the "Service"), you confirm that:

• You are at least 18 years of age, or the age of majority in your jurisdiction.
• You have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms and our Privacy Policy.
• You have the legal capacity to enter into a binding contract.
• Your use of the Service complies with all applicable laws and regulations.

If you are using the Service on behalf of an organization, you represent that you have authority to bind that organization to these Terms.

Platform Description

Local Guide is a marketplace platform that provides a technology-based communications and discovery tool enabling travelers ("Travelers") to find and connect with independent local guides ("Guides") for experiences, tours, and activities worldwide.

Our role is strictly limited to:

• Hosting and displaying Guide profiles and experience listings.
• Providing in-app messaging tools for Travelers and Guides to communicate.
• Providing ratings and review functionality.
• Operating the technical infrastructure of the application.

Marketplace & No Financial Involvement

3.1 Independent Transactions

Any financial transaction, payment, deposit, refund, or exchange of value that occurs in connection with a booking or experience is a private transaction solely between the Traveler and the Guide. Local Guide:

• Does not process, facilitate, hold, or transfer any payments.
• Does not act as a payment intermediary, escrow agent, or financial institution.
• Does not guarantee the completion, quality, or delivery of any experience.
• Is not responsible for pricing, fees, or refund policies set by Guides.

3.2 No Liability for Transactions

3.3 Dispute Resolution Between Users

Any disputes regarding payments, refunds, or the quality of services are strictly between the Traveler and the Guide. Local Guide may, at its sole discretion, provide tools to facilitate dispute resolution but is under no obligation to do so and assumes no responsibility for the outcome.

User Due Diligence

4.1 Your Responsibility to Verify

Before booking any experience or engaging with any Guide, you are solely responsible for conducting your own due diligence, including but not limited to:

• Verifying the identity, credentials, qualifications, and reputation of the Guide.
• Researching the safety and suitability of the proposed experience or activity.
• Confirming the Guide's licensing, permits, and insurance requirements applicable in the destination.
• Understanding the physical demands, risks, and requirements of any activity.
• Assessing your own health, fitness, and capability for the experience.
• Independently verifying any information provided in a Guide's listing.

4.2 No Endorsement

The appearance of any Guide profile, listing, or experience on Local Guide does not constitute an endorsement, certification, recommendation, or verification by us. Ratings and reviews are provided by users and reflect their personal opinions only — we do not independently verify their accuracy.

Accounts & Eligibility

5.1 Account Registration

To access certain features, you must create an account with accurate, complete, and current information. You are responsible for:

• Maintaining the confidentiality of your login credentials.
• All activity that occurs under your account.
• Notifying us immediately of any unauthorized use at support@locali.guide.

5.2 Age Requirement

The Service is not intended for persons under the age of 18. By creating an account, you confirm you are at least 18 years old. We do not knowingly collect data from anyone under 13 and will delete such accounts upon discovery.

5.3 One Account Per Person

You may not create multiple accounts, share accounts, or use the account of another user without permission.

User Conduct & Content

6.1 Prohibited Conduct

You agree not to:

• Post false, misleading, or fraudulent content.
• Impersonate any person or entity.
• Use the Service for any unlawful purpose.
• Harass, abuse, threaten, or intimidate other users.
• Transmit spam, unsolicited messages, or malicious code.
• Scrape, crawl, or data-mine any part of the Service.
• Attempt to circumvent security measures or access unauthorized areas.
• Use the Service to facilitate activities that violate any applicable law.

6.2 Your Content

By submitting content (photos, text, reviews, listings), you represent that you own or have the right to use such content, and you grant Local Guide a worldwide, royalty-free, non-exclusive license to display, reproduce, and distribute it in connection with operating the Service. You retain ownership of your content.

Community Standards

7.1 Zero Tolerance for Objectionable Content

Local Guide has a zero-tolerance policy for content that is:

• Illegal or harmful — promotes illegal acts, violence, or harm.
• Harassing or abusive — bullies, threatens, or intimidates users.
• Hate speech — discriminates or incites hatred based on race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or other protected characteristics.
• Sexually explicit — nudity, pornography, or sexually explicit material.
• Spam or malware — unsolicited commercial content or malicious code.

Violations result in immediate and permanent account termination and removal of all associated content without prior notice.

7.2 Reporting & Blocking

The Service provides tools for users to manage their safety and experience:

• Report Content: Flag objectionable content directly within the app using the report button.
• Block Users: Block any user to prevent further contact.

We will review all reports and take action within 24 hours, including removal of content and termination of offending accounts for severe or repeated violations.

7.3 Moderation

We reserve the right (but not the obligation) to monitor, review, edit, or remove any content at our sole discretion, without notice and without liability to you.

Guide Responsibilities

If you register as a Guide, you additionally agree to:

• Provide accurate, truthful, and up-to-date information in your profile and listings.
• Comply with all laws, permits, and licensing requirements applicable to tour guiding or similar activities in your jurisdiction.
• Maintain adequate insurance coverage for the experiences you offer.
• Disclose all material risks associated with any experience you list.
• Conduct all experiences in a safe, professional, and lawful manner.
• Honour all commitments made to Travelers who contact you through the platform.
• Handle all payments and financial arrangements with Travelers directly and lawfully.

Traveler Responsibilities

If you use the Service as a Traveler, you additionally agree to:

• Conduct all interactions with Guides respectfully and professionally.
• Pay any agreed fees promptly and directly to the Guide.
• Comply with the Guide's instructions during any experience, including safety directions.
• Ensure you are physically and medically fit for any experience you book.
• Obtain any travel insurance, health coverage, or other insurance appropriate for your trip.
• Leave honest and accurate reviews based on your genuine experience.

Intellectual Property

The Local Guide name, logo, design, software, and all associated intellectual property are owned by the Developer and protected by applicable intellectual property laws. You may not copy, reproduce, distribute, or create derivative works from any part of the Service without our express written permission.

You retain ownership of content you submit, but by submitting it you represent that doing so does not violate any third-party rights.

Disclaimers

11.1 No Warranty on Guides or Experiences

We make no warranty or representation regarding:

• The identity, credentials, qualifications, or background of any Guide.
• The quality, safety, accuracy, or suitability of any listed experience.
• Whether a Guide will honour their commitments or deliver the described experience.
• The legality of any experience in any particular jurisdiction.

11.2 No Safety Guarantee

Participating in any tour, activity, or experience involves inherent risks including personal injury, death, or property damage. Local Guide expressly disclaims all responsibility for any injury, harm, or loss arising from an experience arranged through the platform.

11.3 Third-Party Services

The Service may contain links to third-party websites, apps, or services. We are not responsible for the content, privacy practices, or terms of any third-party services, and linking to them does not constitute our endorsement.

Limitation of Liability

12.1 Specific Exclusions

Without limiting the foregoing, we shall not be liable for:

• Any financial loss, fraud, or dispute arising from transactions between Travelers and Guides.
• Personal injury, illness, accident, or death occurring during any experience.
• The acts, omissions, or negligence of any Guide or Traveler.
• Inaccurate or misleading information in Guide profiles or listings.
• Service interruptions, data loss, or technical failures.
• Unauthorized access to your account or data.
• Any content posted by users on the platform.

12.2 Liability Cap

In no event shall our total aggregate liability to you for any and all claims exceed the greater of (a) the amount you paid us directly in the twelve months preceding the claim, or (b) USD $10.00 (ten US dollars).

12.3 Assumption of Risk

By using the Service you voluntarily assume all risks associated with connecting with third-party Guides, participating in any experience or activity, and engaging in direct financial transactions with other users.

Indemnification

• Your use of or access to the Service.
• Content you submit, post, or transmit through the Service.
• Your violation of these Terms.
• Your violation of any applicable law or regulation.
• Your violation of any third-party rights, including intellectual property or privacy rights.
• Any transaction, dispute, injury, or loss arising from your interactions with other users.
• Any experience, tour, or activity you participate in as a result of connections made through the Service.

This indemnification obligation survives termination of your account and these Terms.

Account Termination

14.1 Termination by Us

We may suspend or permanently terminate your account at any time, with or without notice, for:

• Violation of these Terms or our Community Standards.
• Conduct that we determine, in our sole discretion, is harmful to other users or the Service.
• Fraudulent, deceptive, or illegal activity.
• Any other reason necessary to protect the integrity of the platform.

14.2 Termination by You

You may delete your account at any time through the in-app account deletion feature or by contacting us at support@locali.guide. Upon deletion, your data will be permanently removed within 30 days, except where retention is required by law.

14.3 Effect of Termination

Upon termination: your right to access the Service ceases immediately; we may delete your content; no refunds or compensation are owed; provisions of these Terms that by their nature should survive termination (including Sections 11–13) shall continue in full effect.

Governing Law & Dispute Resolution

15.1 Governing Law

These Terms are governed by and construed in accordance with applicable law, without regard to conflict of law principles. Nothing in these Terms limits rights you may have under mandatory consumer protection laws applicable in your country of residence.

15.2 Informal Resolution

Before filing any legal claim, you agree to contact us at legal@locali.guide and attempt to resolve the dispute informally for at least 30 days.

15.3 Class Action Waiver

To the extent permitted by applicable law, you waive any right to bring claims as a class, collective, coordinated, or representative action against Local Guide.

Changes to These Terms

We reserve the right to update these Terms at any time. When we make material changes, we will update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page and, where required by applicable law, notify you via in-app notification or email. Your continued use of the Service after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated Terms. We encourage you to review these Terms periodically.

Contact Us

For questions, concerns, or notices regarding these Terms:

• Support Center: localguide.app/support