TERMS OF SERVICE

THE AfroYap OFFICIAL Terms of Service

Effective Date: September 24, 2026

1. Agreement to Terms

Welcome to AfroYap ("AfroYap," "we," "our," or "us"), operated by Muhammed Jatta in Colorado, United States.

By creating an account or using AfroYap on any platform (iOS, Android, or web), you agree to these Terms of Service and our Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, do not use AfroYap.

2. Eligibility

You must be at least 16 years old to use AfroYap. If you are 16 or 17, you confirm that a parent or legal guardian has reviewed these Terms with you.

Users aged 16 and 17 receive additional protections described in our Privacy Policy, including limited visibility in search.

If we learn that a user is under 16, we will remove the account and its associated data. You may not provide false information about your age, including your date of birth.

3. Accounts

  • Only one account per person is permitted.

  • You must provide accurate information and keep your login credentials secure. You are responsible for activity on your account.

  • Usernames may be changed once every 30 days. We may reclaim or change a username that impersonates another person, infringes a trademark, or violates these Terms.

  • We may remove accounts that have been inactive for 12 months.

4. Your Content

You keep ownership of the content you post on AfroYap, including Yaps, Shouts, replies, polls, images, videos, and profile information.

By posting content, you grant AfroYap a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to host, store, display, format, and distribute that content in order to operate and provide AfroYap.

For publicly shared content only, you also grant us permission to feature it in promotional materials for AfroYap, including on our social media accounts. We will not use the following in marketing:

  • Direct messages

  • Posts in private or approval-only tribes and groups

  • Content posted by users under 18

This license ends when you delete your content or your account, except where content has already been featured in marketing materials, or where we must keep it for legal or safety reasons.

You are responsible for the content you post and confirm you have the rights to share it.

5. Community Rules

AfroYap is a community for the Black and African diaspora. The following are prohibited:

  • Hate speech, including attacks based on race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, or disability

  • Harassment, bullying, or threats

  • Encouraging or glorifying violence

  • Promoting self-harm or suicide

  • Impersonating another person or organization

  • Doxxing (sharing someone's private personal information)

  • Sexually explicit content

  • Spam, scams, fraud, or misleading schemes

  • Selling unauthorized goods or services

  • Posting content that infringes someone else's copyright or trademark

  • Illegal activity, or content promoting it

  • Creating accounts to evade a suspension or ban

  • Using bots, scripts, or scraping tools, or exploiting bugs, including in the Gold system

  • Abusing the reporting system with false reports

Child safety: zero tolerance. Any sexual content involving minors, sexualizing minors, grooming, or an adult pursuing a romantic or sexual relationship with a minor will result in immediate, permanent termination. Where required by law, we report it to the appropriate authorities.

AfroYap has zero tolerance for objectionable content and abusive users.

6. Reporting, Blocking, and Moderation

You can report content or accounts and block other users from within the app. Blocked users can no longer see your content or interact with you, and you won't see theirs.

We review reports and may remove content, restrict features, suspend accounts, or permanently terminate accounts. Community moderators may remove content and issue suspensions but cannot permanently ban users. Permanent bans are decided by platform administration.

If your account is suspended, you may appeal by contacting afroyapteam@gmail.com. We aim to review appeals within 14 days.

7. Tribes, Forums, and Groups

Users can create and join tribes, forums, and groups. Some are open to anyone; others require approval or an invitation.

Creators and administrators of tribes and groups are responsible for keeping them within these Terms. AfroYap may remove any tribe, forum, or group that violates these Terms.

Content in private or approval-only spaces is limited to members, but members can still see, save, or share what you post there, so share thoughtfully.

8. Verification Badge

The verified badge shows that an account has completed email and phone verification. It does not mean AfroYap endorses the account. We may remove a badge if verification details change or the account violates these Terms.

9. Gold

AfroYap includes a virtual currency called Gold. Gold is currently earned within the app and cannot be purchased with real money.

Gold has no cash value, cannot be redeemed for money, and cannot be transferred or sold outside AfroYap. We may adjust balances, prices, and rules for Gold at any time, including correcting balances gained through bugs or misuse. Gold is forfeited when an account is deleted or permanently terminated.

If we introduce paid features or Gold purchases in the future, additional terms will apply and we will update these Terms.

10. Copyright

We respect intellectual property rights. If you believe content on AfroYap infringes your copyright, email afroyapteam@gmail.com with a description of the work, a link to or description of the content, your contact information, and a statement that you believe in good faith the use is unauthorized. We may remove infringing content and terminate accounts of repeat infringers.

11. Account Deletion and Termination

You can delete your account at any time from within the app. We may suspend or terminate accounts that violate these Terms or put the community at risk. In serious cases, this may happen without notice.

12. Disclaimers

AfroYap is provided "as is" and "as available." Features may change or be removed over time. We do not guarantee that AfroYap will be uninterrupted, error-free, or that content will always be preserved.

13. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, AfroYap is not liable for user content, disputes between users, or any indirect, incidental, special, or consequential damages. Our total liability for any claim relating to AfroYap will not exceed $100.

14. Indemnification

You agree to cover AfroYap against claims, losses, or costs arising from your content or your violation of these Terms, to the extent permitted by law.

15. App Store Terms

If you downloaded AfroYap from the Apple App Store:

  • These Terms are between you and AfroYap, not Apple. Apple is not responsible for AfroYap or its content.

  • Apple has no obligation to provide maintenance or support for AfroYap.

  • Apple is not responsible for any product claims, legal compliance claims, or intellectual property claims relating to AfroYap.

  • You confirm you are not located in a country subject to a US government embargo and are not on any US government list of restricted parties.

  • Apple and its subsidiaries are third-party beneficiaries of these Terms and may enforce them against you.

Your use of AfroYap must also follow the terms of the app store you downloaded it from.

16. Changes to These Terms

We may update these Terms. For significant changes, we will notify you in the app before they take effect. Continuing to use AfroYap after changes take effect means you accept the updated Terms.

17. Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Colorado, United States, without regard to conflict-of-law rules.

18. General

If any part of these Terms is found unenforceable, the rest remains in effect. These Terms and our Privacy Policy are the entire agreement between you and AfroYap. Our failure to enforce any part is not a waiver.

19. Contact

For questions, appeals, or legal concerns: afroyapteam@gmail.com