YiCircle — Terms of Service

Last updated: draft pending final legal review. English controls; other-language translations are for convenience only.

1. Acceptance

By creating a YiCircle account, downloading the YiCircle mobile or web application, or using any YiCircle Service, you agree to these Terms of Service (the "Terms") and the YiCircle Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, do not use the Service.

These Terms form a binding contract between you and YiCircle LLC ("YiCircle", "we", "us", "our").

You must be at least 13 years old to create an account. Users under 18 must have a parent or legal guardian who agrees to these Terms on their behalf. The Service is not directed to children under 13; see the Privacy Policy for our COPPA policy.

2. The Service

YiCircle operates a community platform for local services, events, community groups, classifieds, jobs, and related social features (collectively the "Service"). Specific features include:

  • Community — interest-based groups, posts, comments, reactions
  • Events — activity creation, RSVP, check-in, co-organizers
  • Services — local listings (housing, jobs, carpool, etc.)
  • Chat — direct and group messaging, voice/video calls
  • Circle — friend updates and social feed
  • YiConnect / Buddy — peer-matching and friend endorsements

YiCircle reserves the right to add, modify, suspend, or remove features at any time, with or without notice, subject to applicable law.

2.1 Voice and Video Calls

The Chat feature includes one-to-one and group voice and video calls, transmitted in real time between participants. You agree that:

  • you will not record, or cause to be recorded, any call without the prior consent of all participants, as required by applicable law (some jurisdictions, including California, require all-party consent);
  • calls are not a substitute for emergency services — YiCircle does not support 911 or other emergency calling and is not responsible for any inability to reach emergency services;
  • YiCircle does not monitor or record call audio or video in the ordinary course of operating the Service, and call content is not retained by YiCircle except as described in the Privacy Policy.

3. Account Registration and Security

You agree to:

  • provide accurate, current, and complete account information;
  • maintain the security of your password and account credentials;
  • promptly notify us at security@yicircle.com of any unauthorized use;
  • accept responsibility for all activity under your account.

We may suspend or terminate an account if we reasonably believe it has been compromised, is being used in violation of these Terms, or poses a risk to other users or to YiCircle.

4. User Content

4.1 Your content

"User Content" means anything you upload, post, transmit, or share through the Service (posts, photos, videos, comments, listings, profile information, messages, reviews, endorsements, etc.).

You retain ownership of your User Content. By submitting User Content, you grant YiCircle a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free, transferable, sublicensable license to host, store, reproduce, modify (for technical purposes only, such as formatting and resizing), distribute, display, and perform such User Content solely to operate, provide, secure, and improve the Service and as further described in the Privacy Policy.

This license ends when you delete the User Content or your account, except that (a) User Content shared into community spaces (community posts, public events, marketplace/services listings, chat messages delivered to others) may persist as a record displayed to those recipients, and may be shown with an anonymized author label (e.g., "已注销用户" / "Deleted User") after account deletion, and (b) we may retain back-up copies for a commercially reasonable period for security, legal, and integrity purposes.

4.2 Your representations

You represent that you own or have all necessary rights to your User Content and that it does not violate any third-party rights or applicable law.

4.3 Removal

We may, but are not obligated to, review, refuse, edit, or remove any User Content at our discretion, including content we believe violates these Terms, our Community Guidelines, or applicable law.

5. Community Standards and Prohibited Conduct

There is no tolerance for objectionable content or abusive users on YiCircle. Posting objectionable content, or abusing other users, results in removal of the content and termination of your account. Our Community Guidelines describe what this covers and how to report it.

You agree not to:

  1. post or transmit content that is unlawful, harassing, defamatory, abusive, threatening, harmful, vulgar, obscene, or otherwise objectionable;
  2. impersonate any person or misrepresent your affiliation;
  3. solicit or facilitate sexual services, illegal substances, weapons, counterfeit goods, or other prohibited transactions;
  4. post content that promotes hatred, discrimination, or violence against any group;
  5. use the Service to spam, phish, distribute malware, or scrape data;
  6. interfere with or disrupt the Service or its servers and networks;
  7. attempt to gain unauthorized access to any account, system, or data;
  8. circumvent any safety, moderation, age, or rate-limit measures;
  9. use automated means (bots, scrapers) without prior written consent;
  10. resell, redistribute, or commercialize the Service except as expressly permitted (see §8 Paid Services).

Specific categories may require enhanced verification or are subject to heightened review (see §8.4).

6. Moderation, Safety, and Reporting

YiCircle uses a combination of human review and automated systems (including on-device classifiers and third-party AI moderation services) to detect content that may violate these Terms. Automated moderation may produce errors; you may appeal a moderation action via support@yicircle.com.

You can report any post, comment, message, profile, event, or listing from the "..." menu on that item, and you can block another user from their profile. We review reports of objectionable content within 24 hours, and where a report is upheld we remove the content and terminate the account that posted it.

We comply with valid legal process, including DMCA takedown notices (see §13 Copyright). We may report content involving suspected child sexual abuse material, threats of imminent harm, or other criminal activity to appropriate authorities.

7. Privacy

Our collection and use of personal information is governed by our Privacy Policy, which is incorporated into these Terms by reference. The Privacy Policy describes what we collect, how we use it, who we share it with (including Stripe, our payments processor; AWS, our hosting provider; SendGrid / Amazon SES, our email providers; Twilio / Amazon SNS, our SMS providers; OpenAI, for certain AI features; and AWS Rekognition, for image moderation), and your rights.

8. Paid Services, Payments, and the Role of YiCircle

8.1 YiCircle is a facilitator, not a Merchant of Record

YiCircle operates as a technology platform that connects buyers and sellers, organizers and attendees, and similar counterparties. When you purchase goods or services from another user (a "Seller" — including event organizers, marketplace listers, and service providers), the contract for those goods or services is between you and the Seller, not with YiCircle.

For payment processing, YiCircle uses Stripe Connect. Funds for paid transactions are processed on behalf of the Seller's connected Stripe account. The Seller is the merchant of record for the transaction. YiCircle collects a platform service fee (the "Platform Fee") from each transaction; the remainder is settled to the Seller's connected account by Stripe per Stripe's payout schedule.

8.2 No wallet, no escrow

YiCircle does not hold user funds in a wallet, prepaid account, or escrow on the platform. All payment funds flow directly to the Seller's Stripe connected account.

8.3 Refunds, cancellations, and disputes

Refunds, cancellations, and dispute resolution are governed by the YiCircle Refund & Dispute Policy (docs/REFUND_AND_DISPUTE_POLICY.md), which is incorporated by reference. In summary:

  • Each Seller may display per-listing cancellation terms; those displayed terms govern the specific transaction.
  • Refunds are processed via Stripe and, by default, reverse the Seller's payout and refund the Platform Fee to the buyer.
  • Chargebacks initiated through a buyer's card network are governed by the card-network rules and Stripe's dispute process; YiCircle records and routes dispute events but does not unilaterally adjudicate them.
  • YiCircle may, in good faith and as a goodwill matter, assist in facilitating resolution between buyer and Seller, but YiCircle is not a party to the underlying transaction.

8.4 Seller obligations

If you offer paid goods or services through YiCircle, you must:

  • complete Stripe Connect onboarding, including identity verification and required tax information (W-9 / W-8 as applicable);
  • accurately describe what you are selling, including price, fees, cancellation terms, and any restrictions;
  • comply with all applicable laws, including consumer protection, product safety, licensing, anti-discrimination, tax, and sanctions laws;
  • be solely responsible for fulfilling the goods or services;
  • be solely responsible for collecting and remitting applicable sales, use, transaction, occupancy, or other taxes, except where a marketplace-facilitator law requires YiCircle to collect (in which case we will collect and remit accordingly and notify Sellers);
  • act as the merchant of record for chargebacks, refunds, and tax reporting (e.g., 1099-K is issued by Stripe to the connected account).

8.5 Prohibited categories and heightened review

Certain transaction categories are prohibited or restricted. YiCircle may delay, hold, or decline to process payments where the Seller, the listing, or the transaction is subject to heightened review — for example, where the single-transaction amount exceeds an internal risk threshold or falls into a designated high-risk category. Sellers whose payments are placed in review will be notified and may be required to provide additional information before settlement.

8.6 Apple App Store / Google Play

Digital goods or services consumed entirely within the YiCircle iOS app that fall under Apple's App Store guidelines are processed via Apple In-App Purchase; physical goods and real-world services are processed via Stripe per §8.1.

8.7 Platform Fees

Current Platform Fees are disclosed in the Service at the time of transaction. We may change Platform Fees prospectively with reasonable notice. Fees already accrued are not refundable except as required by law or under §8.3.

8.8 Event Ticket Transfers and Resale

The Service may let users post, transfer, or seek tickets to events, including listings that link to third-party ticketing platforms. For any such ticket transfer or resale:

  • YiCircle is an information venue only — it does not issue, validate, guarantee, or take custody of any ticket, and is not a party to any transfer or sale between users;
  • YiCircle does not guarantee the authenticity, validity, or transferability of any ticket and provides no protection against a ticket being sold to more than one buyer, counterfeit tickets, or non-delivery;
  • where a ticket originates on a third-party platform, the transfer must be completed through that platform's official transfer process and is governed by that platform's terms;
  • you must not list tickets above face value or otherwise in violation of applicable anti-resale, anti-scalping, or consumer-protection laws; YiCircle does not facilitate or collect payment for user-to-user ticket transfers and is not the seller of any ticket;
  • you transact with other users entirely at your own risk.

8.9 Carpool and Ride-Sharing

Carpool and ride-sharing listings connect users arranging shared transportation. YiCircle is not a transportation carrier, broker, or agent, does not provide transportation, and does not employ, screen, or direct drivers. You acknowledge that:

  • YiCircle does not provide insurance for any ride and does not verify any driver's license, vehicle, or insurance coverage;
  • drivers are solely responsible for complying with all applicable motor- vehicle, licensing, insurance, and common-carrier laws;
  • participation in any ride is entirely at your own risk, and YiCircle disclaims all liability for personal injury, property damage, or other loss arising from any ride arranged through the Service.

8.10 Professional and Regulated Services

Some listings may offer services that are regulated or require a license (for example, medical, mental-health, legal, financial, immigration, tax, or childcare services). For any such service:

  • the provider — not YiCircle — is solely responsible for holding all required licenses and for providing the service lawfully;
  • YiCircle does not verify provider credentials, does not endorse any provider, and does not provide medical, legal, financial, or other professional advice;
  • no provider-client, doctor-patient, attorney-client, or fiduciary relationship is formed with YiCircle by your use of the Service;
  • information obtained through the Service is not a substitute for advice from a licensed professional.

9. Intellectual Property

9.1 YiCircle property

The Service, including its software, design, trademarks, logos, and content created by YiCircle, is owned by YiCircle or its licensors and is protected by copyright, trademark, and other laws. Except for the limited license to use the Service granted to you under these Terms, you receive no other right or interest in YiCircle's intellectual property.

9.2 Feedback

If you submit feedback or suggestions, you grant YiCircle a perpetual, irrevocable, royalty-free license to use such feedback for any purpose, without compensation or attribution.

10. Third-Party Services and Links

The Service may integrate with or link to third-party services (including Stripe, Apple, Google, OpenAI, and others). Your use of those services is governed by the third party's terms and privacy policy. YiCircle is not responsible for third-party services and disclaims any liability arising from your use of them.

11. AI Features

YiCircle uses artificial-intelligence components (including image moderation, classification, and certain generative or summarization features). When you submit content to an AI feature:

  • your content may be transmitted to the AI provider for processing (see Privacy Policy for current providers);
  • AI outputs may be inaccurate; you should not rely on them for medical, legal, financial, or safety-critical decisions;
  • AI outputs are provided "as is" without warranty.

12. Disclaimers

THE SERVICE AND ALL CONTENT, FEATURES, AND USER CONTENT MADE AVAILABLE THROUGH THE SERVICE ARE PROVIDED "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NON-INFRINGEMENT, AND ANY WARRANTIES ARISING FROM COURSE OF DEALING OR USAGE OF TRADE.

YICIRCLE DOES NOT WARRANT THAT THE SERVICE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED, SECURE, OR ERROR-FREE, OR THAT ANY DEFECT WILL BE CORRECTED. YICIRCLE MAKES NO WARRANTY REGARDING ANY USER, CONTENT, EVENT, GROUP, LISTING, JOB, SERVICE PROVIDER, OR TRANSACTION OFFERED OR CONDUCTED THROUGH THE SERVICE.

13. Copyright (DMCA)

If you believe content on the Service infringes your copyright, send a DMCA notice to dmca@yicircle.com including: (a) your contact information, (b) identification of the copyrighted work, (c) the URL or location of the allegedly infringing material, (d) a statement that you have a good-faith belief that the use is not authorized, (e) a statement under penalty of perjury that the information is accurate and you are authorized to act, and (f) your physical or electronic signature.

We will respond to valid DMCA notices and may, in appropriate circumstances, terminate accounts of repeat infringers.

14. Limitation of Liability

TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, YICIRCLE AND ITS OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS, AND AFFILIATES WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, OR ANY LOSS OF PROFITS, REVENUE, DATA, GOODWILL, OR OTHER INTANGIBLE LOSSES, ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO YOUR USE OF OR INABILITY TO USE THE SERVICE.

OUR AGGREGATE LIABILITY FOR ANY CLAIM ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THE SERVICE OR THESE TERMS WILL NOT EXCEED THE GREATER OF (A) THE AMOUNTS YOU PAID TO YICIRCLE FOR THE SERVICE IN THE TWELVE MONTHS BEFORE THE EVENT GIVING RISE TO LIABILITY, OR (B) USD $100.

Some jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion of certain warranties or the limitation of certain damages; in such jurisdictions, our liability will be limited to the maximum extent permitted by law.

15. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless YiCircle and its officers, directors, employees, and agents from and against any claims, liabilities, damages, losses, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising out of or in any way connected to: (a) your User Content; (b) your use of the Service; (c) your violation of these Terms or any applicable law; (d) your violation of any third party's rights; or (e) any transaction between you and another user of the Service.

16. Term and Termination

These Terms remain in effect while you use the Service. You may terminate by deleting your account in the app (Settings → Account → Delete Account). YiCircle may suspend or terminate your account at any time if we reasonably believe you have violated these Terms or where required by law. Sections that by their nature should survive termination — including §4.1 (license tail), §8 (paid services), §9–§15, and §17–§19 — will survive.

17. Dispute Resolution; Arbitration; Class-Action Waiver

17.1 Informal resolution

Before filing a claim, you agree to attempt to resolve the dispute by contacting legal@yicircle.com. We will attempt to resolve the dispute informally within 60 days.

17.2 Binding arbitration

Any dispute, claim, or controversy arising out of or relating to these Terms or the Service that is not resolved informally will be resolved by binding individual arbitration administered by [JAMS / AAA] under its [applicable rules], conducted in San Francisco County, California, in English. Judgment on the award may be entered in any court of competent jurisdiction.

17.3 Class-action waiver

YOU AND YICIRCLE AGREE THAT EACH MAY BRING CLAIMS AGAINST THE OTHER ONLY IN YOUR OR ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY, AND NOT AS A PLAINTIFF OR CLASS MEMBER IN ANY PURPORTED CLASS, COLLECTIVE, OR REPRESENTATIVE PROCEEDING. Unless both parties agree otherwise, the arbitrator may not consolidate more than one person's claims and may not preside over any class or representative proceeding.

17.4 Small-claims carve-out

Either party may bring an individual action in small-claims court for disputes within that court's jurisdiction in lieu of arbitration.

17.5 30-day opt-out

You may opt out of §17.2–§17.3 by emailing legal@yicircle.com within 30 days of first accepting these Terms, stating your name, account, and a clear statement that you wish to opt out of arbitration.

17.6 Governing law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of California, without regard to its conflict-of-laws principles. The United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods does not apply.

18. Changes to These Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. If we make material changes, we will provide reasonable notice (for example, via the Service or by email). Continued use of the Service after the changes take effect constitutes acceptance.

19. General

  • Entire agreement. These Terms (with the Privacy Policy and the Refund & Dispute Policy) are the entire agreement between you and YiCircle regarding the Service.
  • Severability. If any provision is held unenforceable, the remaining provisions will remain in effect.
  • No waiver. Failure to enforce any provision is not a waiver.
  • Assignment. You may not assign these Terms. YiCircle may assign to an affiliate or in connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets.
  • Notices. Notices to you may be provided through the Service or to your registered email. Notices to YiCircle must be sent to legal@yicircle.com.

20. Contact