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Terms of Service

Last Updated: March 10, 2026 | Contact: support@saltysanctum.com

1. Introduction and Acceptance

These Terms of Service (“Terms”) govern your use of the Salty Sanctum platform, including the web application at saltysanctum.com and any associated mobile applications (the “Platform”), and all related services (the “Services”), operated by Salty Sanctum (“Company,” “we,” “us”).

Services include: user profiles, real-time chat messaging, event creation and participation, marketplace transactions, dive site discovery and maps, buddy matching, safety check-ins, emergency contact storage, instructor applications, community feed, email notifications, and related tools.

By accessing or using the Services, you agree to these Terms and our Privacy Policy (incorporated by reference). If you do not agree, do not use the Services.

We may modify these Terms at any time. Material changes will be communicated via email or prominent notice. Continued use constitutes acceptance.

These Terms include binding individual arbitration and a class action waiver (Section 15).

2. Eligibility

You must be at least 18 years old (or the age of majority in your jurisdiction) to use the Services. By using the Services, you represent that:

  • You meet this age requirement
  • You have the legal capacity to enter binding contracts
  • Your use complies with all applicable laws
  • Information you provide is accurate and current

We prohibit access by anyone under 18 or by previously suspended or terminated users.

3. User Accounts and Security

You must create an account with accurate, complete information. You are responsible for:

  • Maintaining confidentiality of account credentials
  • All activity under your account
  • Notifying us immediately of unauthorized use at security@saltysanctum.com

We offer optional two-factor authentication (authenticator app) and login notifications. We strongly recommend enabling these features.

We may suspend or terminate accounts for violations of these Terms, inactivity, or other reasons at our discretion.

4. User Conduct and Community Guidelines

You agree to use the Services lawfully and respectfully. Prohibited activities include:

  • Harassment, hate speech, discrimination, bullying, threats, or illegal conduct
  • Posting harmful, misleading, defamatory, obscene, or infringing content
  • Encouraging unsafe diving practices or misrepresenting qualifications
  • Impersonation, spam, fraud, or service interference
  • Reverse engineering, scraping, or unauthorized system access
  • Using the Services for commercial purposes not expressly permitted
  • Violating third-party rights (intellectual property, privacy)
  • Circumventing safety features, moderation, or access controls

For community features (feed, chat, events, marketplace), promote safety, accuracy, and respect. Report violations using in-app reporting tools.

We may monitor content, moderate, remove content, and suspend or terminate accounts at our discretion without liability. All moderation actions are logged.

5. User Content Ownership and License

You retain ownership of content you submit (“User Content”), including posts, photos, event details, marketplace listings, reviews, condition reports, and profile information.

By submitting User Content, you grant us a worldwide, royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable, non-exclusive license (with sublicense rights) to use, reproduce, modify, adapt, distribute, display, and create derivative works for operating, improving, and promoting the Services.

You represent that your User Content is accurate, non-infringing, and complies with these Terms.

We may remove User Content at our discretion. Removed content may be retained internally (marked as deleted, archived, or hidden depending on content type) for moderation and legal purposes. If your account is deleted, associated user-generated content is permanently removed (see Privacy Policy, Section 7).

6. Feature-Specific Terms

6a. Chat and Messaging

Chat and messaging are provided via our custom-built messaging system powered by Supabase Realtime. This includes direct messages, group chats, event group chats, marketplace transaction chats, and community channels. Messages are delivered in real time and stored in our database. Use for lawful communication only. No harassment, spam, or illegal coordination. We may access chat data for moderation per our Privacy Policy. Chat data is retained until account deletion.

6b. Events

  • You are solely responsible for events you create or attend, including safety, legal compliance, and participant well-being
  • Event organizers may require waivers (liability, safety briefing, medical). By acknowledging a waiver, you confirm you have read and agree to its terms
  • Waiver acknowledgements record your IP address and user agent for audit integrity
  • Paid events are processed through Stripe. We facilitate payment as a limited agent but are not a party to the transaction between organizer and attendee
  • The Platform charges a 5% service fee on paid event transactions via Stripe Connect
  • Refunds for paid events follow a 24-hour automatic refund window: cancellations made more than 24 hours before the event start time receive an automatic full refund. After the 24-hour window, refunds are at the organizer’s discretion unless otherwise required by law
  • Event details (including title, description, location name, and GPS coordinates) can be exported to calendar applications (ICS format) for personal use. Exported data enters your calendar provider’s ecosystem

6c. Marketplace

  • Listings must be accurate regarding item condition, description, and pricing
  • Transactions are between buyers and sellers. We facilitate but assume no responsibility for item quality, authenticity, delivery, or fitness for purpose
  • Shipping: Addresses are encrypted and shared with shipping carriers (via Shippo) solely for order fulfillment. Sellers are responsible for packaging and timely shipment
  • Disputes: Either party may open a dispute. Staff review the dispute, both parties may submit evidence, and a resolution is issued. Platform staff make final resolution decisions
  • Refunds: Processed through Stripe. Refund eligibility depends on dispute outcome and applicable law
  • Listing moderation: All listings are subject to review. We may approve, reject, or suspend listings at our discretion
  • The Platform does not currently charge a separate marketplace transaction fee (beyond standard Stripe processing fees paid by the seller)

6d. Maps and Dive Sites

  • Map data and dive site information are provided for discovery and planning purposes only
  • Accuracy of dive site details, GPS coordinates, conditions, and user-submitted reviews is not guaranteed
  • Always verify conditions independently before any water activity
  • User-submitted condition reports and reviews reflect individual experiences and are not verified by the Platform

6e. Buddy Matching

  • Buddy suggestions are based on profile preferences. We do not vet, verify, or guarantee the qualifications, fitness, or reliability of any user
  • All interactions and activities with buddy connections are at your own risk
  • Users can block connections at any time, creating mutual invisibility

6f. Emergency Contacts and Safety Features

IMPORTANT: The safety check-in system, emergency contact storage, and safety broadcasts are community coordination tools. They are NOT emergency services, NOT monitored 24/7, and NOT a substitute for calling emergency services (911, Coast Guard, or local emergency numbers).

  • Emergency contact data is encrypted at rest (AES-256-GCM)
  • Safety check-in notifications are sent on a best-effort basis and may be delayed or fail
  • The Platform does not dispatch emergency responders
  • In any emergency, call professional emergency services immediately

6g. Instructor Features

  • Instructor applications are reviewed by Platform staff
  • Certification verification confirms that submitted documentation appears genuine. We do NOT independently verify certifications with issuing agencies (PADI, SSI, AIDA, CMAS, etc.) and do not guarantee that any instructor’s certification is currently valid or in good standing
  • Instructor rates, availability, and teaching quality are the instructor’s responsibility
  • The Platform facilitates discovery but is not a party to any instructor-student arrangement

6h. Weather and Tide Data

Marine weather data (via Open-Meteo) and tide/current predictions (via NOAA) are provided for informational purposes only. This data:

  • May be inaccurate, delayed, or incomplete
  • Does not constitute professional weather forecasting or safety guidance
  • Should not be your sole basis for making decisions about water activities
  • Is not a substitute for checking official marine forecasts and local conditions

6i. Feature Availability

The Platform uses feature flags to progressively enable and disable features. Access to specific features may vary over time and is not guaranteed. We may add, modify, or remove features at any time without notice.

7. Certifications and Verification

  • Users may submit freediving certifications for staff verification
  • Verification confirms that submitted documentation appears genuine and complete
  • We do not contact certification agencies, verify certification validity, check expiration dates, or confirm good standing
  • A “verified” badge indicates documentation review, not endorsement of qualifications
  • Users remain responsible for maintaining valid certifications and accurately representing their qualifications
  • Misrepresenting certification status is a violation of these Terms and grounds for account termination

8. Payments and Transactions

  • Payments are processed by Stripe. By making a transaction, you agree to Stripe’s terms of service
  • We facilitate payments as a limited agent and bear no liability for transaction disputes beyond our dispute resolution process
  • Platform fees: 5% service fee on paid events via Stripe Connect. No separate marketplace transaction fee (standard Stripe processing fees apply)
  • Minimum event price: $5.00 USD
  • Currency: USD only at this time
  • Refunds: Processed through Stripe per dispute resolution outcome or as required by law
  • Instructor payouts:Paid via Stripe Connect (Express accounts). Payout timing is subject to Stripe’s processing schedule

9. Assumption of Risk and Disclaimers

FREEDIVING AND RELATED WATER ACTIVITIES ARE INHERENTLY DANGEROUS AND MAY RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY, SHALLOW WATER BLACKOUT, LOSS OF CONSCIOUSNESS, OR DEATH.

By using the Services, you voluntarily assume all risks associated with:

  • Freediving, snorkeling, scuba diving, and any water activities
  • Events, meetups, or activities coordinated through the Platform
  • Interactions with other users, including buddy dives and instructor sessions
  • Reliance on weather, tide, condition, or dive site information
  • Marketplace purchases (equipment quality, fitness for purpose)
  • Safety feature limitations (check-ins, broadcasts are not emergency services)

THE SERVICES ARE PROVIDED “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE” WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND (EXPRESS, IMPLIED, OR STATUTORY), INCLUDING MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, OR NON-INFRINGEMENT.

WE DISCLAIM LIABILITY FOR:

  • Third-party services (Supabase, Stripe, Mapbox, Shippo, Open-Meteo, NOAA, Resend, Sentry)
  • User interactions, content, and conduct
  • Accuracy of dive site information, weather data, tide predictions, or condition reports
  • Equipment purchased through the marketplace
  • Events organized by users
  • Safety of activities coordinated through the Platform
  • Delays or failures in safety check-in notifications

10. Limitation of Liability

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, SALTY SANCTUM SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES (INCLUDING LOSS OF PROFITS, DATA, PERSONAL INJURY, OR DEATH), EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY.

OUR TOTAL LIABILITY IS LIMITED TO THE GREATER OF $100 OR THE AMOUNTS YOU PAID US IN THE PRIOR 12 MONTHS.

11. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Salty Sanctum, its affiliates, officers, employees, and agents from any claims, losses, damages, or expenses (including attorneys’ fees) arising from:

  • Your use of the Services
  • Your User Content
  • Violations of these Terms
  • Activities coordinated via the Services
  • Your freediving or water activities
  • Your interactions with other users

12. Intellectual Property

We own all rights in the Services, Platform design, branding, and proprietary content (excluding User Content). You receive a limited, revocable, non-transferable, non-exclusive license for personal, non-commercial use.

Our trademarks, logos, and brand elements may not be used without written permission.

12a. DMCA / Copyright Complaints

We respect intellectual property rights. If you believe content on the Platform infringes your copyright, submit a notice to our designated DMCA agent:

Email: dmca@saltysanctum.com

Your notice must include:

  • Identification of the copyrighted work
  • Identification of the infringing material and its location on the Platform
  • Your contact information
  • A statement that you have a good faith belief the use is unauthorized
  • A statement under penalty of perjury that your notice is accurate
  • Your physical or electronic signature

We will respond to valid DMCA notices by removing or disabling access to the allegedly infringing content. Repeat infringers may have their accounts terminated.

13. Termination

We may suspend or terminate your access at any time, with or without cause, without notice or liability. You may delete your account by contacting support@saltysanctum.com.

Upon termination:

  • Your license to use the Services ends immediately
  • User-generated content (events, listings, posts, reviews) is permanently deleted along with your account
  • Safety incident records are preserved regardless of account status (anonymized, with your identity removed)
  • Waiver acknowledgements, admin action logs, and payment records are retained per legal requirements
  • Pending marketplace transactions will be completed or refunded per applicable policy

14. Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of [Your State/Country], without regard to conflict of laws principles.

15. Dispute Resolution and Arbitration

PLEASE READ CAREFULLY. THIS AFFECTS YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS.

Disputes shall be resolved through binding arbitration. [ARBITRATION PROVIDER, VENUE, AND FULL CLAUSE TERMS TO BE COMPLETED BY LEGAL COUNSEL PRIOR TO LAUNCH.] Class actions are waived.

16. Miscellaneous

  • Severability: If any provision is unenforceable, the remainder stays in effect
  • No waiver: Failure to enforce a provision does not waive the right to enforce it later
  • Entire agreement: These Terms (with Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy) constitute the full agreement
  • Assignment: We may assign these Terms; you may not
  • Force majeure: We are not liable for failures due to circumstances beyond our control

17. Contact