These terms cover the JoinTheSip closed alpha and the website at jointhesip.com. They are written to be defensible and readable, not to win arguments. They will be updated before public launch.

1. The agreement

By creating a JoinTheSip account or using the app, you agree to these terms and to our Privacy Policy. If you don't agree, do not use the service.

2. Eligibility

You must be of legal drinking age in your country (21+ in the US, 18+ in most other countries). You must not be barred from using a service like this under any law that applies to you.

3. Your account

• Provide a working email and accurate basic information.
• Keep your login credentials safe — you're responsible for activity on your account.
• You can delete your account at any time from inside the app (Settings → Account → Delete account). Deletion removes your data per the Privacy Policy.

4. What you can and can't do

You agree not to:

• Use the service for anything illegal.
• Harass, threaten, dox, or impersonate other people.
• Fake check-ins, manipulate leaderboards, or game the gamification systems.
• Post content that is sexual, violent, hateful, or otherwise harmful.
• Reverse-engineer, scrape, or break the service.
• Use the service to encourage other people to drink unsafely or beyond their limits.

5. Responsible drinking

JoinTheSip is a nightlife companion. It is not a competitive drinking platform and we don't reward unsafe consumption. We cap progression at safe thresholds and surface responsible-drinking nudges. You are responsible for your own consumption — please drink within your limits, never drink and drive, and look out for the people around you.

6. Content you post

You keep ownership of what you post. You grant us a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free licence to host, display, and adapt that content for the purpose of running the service (e.g., displaying it to your friends, in feeds, in moderation review). This licence ends when you delete the content or your account, except for backups and content others have already shared from yours.

7. Venues and rewards

Some venues participate in JoinTheSip and may offer perks or rewards. Those rewards are between you and the venue. We're not the merchant of record and we don't guarantee availability, fulfillment, or fitness for purpose of any venue reward. Points, badges, and tier progression in JoinTheSip have no cash value and cannot be exchanged for money.

8. Closed alpha — special terms

• The alpha is invite-only and may be capped at any number of testers.
• Features may change, break, or be removed without notice.
• We may collect additional diagnostic data to find bugs (per the Privacy Policy).
• Don't share alpha builds, screenshots, or invite codes publicly without our written permission.
• We may end your alpha access at any time.

9. Suspension and termination

We can suspend or close any account that violates these terms, poses a safety risk, or where we're required to do so by law. You can close your own account at any time from in-app. Sections that should reasonably survive (IP, disclaimers, limitation of liability) survive termination.

10. Disclaimers

JoinTheSip is provided “as is” and “as available”. We don't promise the service will be uninterrupted, error-free, or that any specific feature will keep existing. To the extent the law allows, we disclaim all implied warranties.

11. Limitation of liability

To the extent the law allows, we are not liable for indirect, incidental, consequential, or punitive damages. Our total liability for any claim related to the service is limited to the amount you paid us in the 12 months before the claim, or €100, whichever is greater.

12. Governing law

These terms are governed by the laws of Germany, without regard to conflict-of-laws rules. Mandatory consumer-protection rights in your country of residence still apply where they are stricter.

13. Changes

We may update these terms. We will post changes here, update the “Effective” date, and notify you in-app or by email if the change is material. Continued use after the change means you accept the new terms.

14. Contact

Questions about these terms? legal@jointhesip.com.

Draft v1.0 — pending legal review. The CMO has flagged the legal-review gap to the CEO; expect an updated revision before public launch.