Terms and Condition
Welcome to TipMeJar! These Terms of Service (“Terms”) govern your access to and use of the TipMeJar platform, including our website, mobile applications, and any services we provide (collectively, the “Services”). By creating a TipMeJar account or by using any TipMeJar Services, you agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree, do not sign up or use the platform.
These Terms form a binding agreement between you and TipMeJar, Inc. (“TipMeJar,” “we,” “us,” or “our”). They incorporate and include the following additional policies (collectively, “Platform Policies”), which you should also read:
· Community Guidelines – rules for acceptable content and behavior on TipMeJar.
· Adult Content Policy – additional rules for posting or accessing adult (18+) material.
· Copyright & IP Policy – how we handle copyright, DMCA takedowns, and other intellectual property issues.
· Payments, Tips & Payouts Policy – terms for financial transactions, fees, and payouts.
· Privacy Policy – information on how we collect, use, and protect your personal data.
By agreeing to these Terms, you also agree to all Platform Policies, which are incorporated by reference. If you violate any of them, it constitutes a breach of these Terms. In the event of a conflict, these Terms of Service will take precedence unless a policy expressly says otherwise or applicable law dictates.
Please read these Terms carefully. We have tried to write them in plain language for ease of understanding. If you have any questions, you can contact us at legal@tipmejar.com.
1. Eligibility and Account Registration
1.1. Age Requirement: You must be at least 18 years old to create an account or to use TipMeJar’s core features (including sending tips, purchasing digital goods, or receiving payouts as a creator). Minors under 18 may not have their own TipMeJar account. (If you are under 18, you may only view limited public content on TipMeJar, and only if such content is not age-restricted. You may not participate in any tipping or monetization activity.) We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 13; if we discover an under-13 user account, we will delete it.
1.2. Account Setup: When registering, you agree to provide accurate, current, and complete information. This includes choosing a valid email, a username, and setting a secure password. You may not impersonate anyone or use a name that violates someone’s rights (no trademarked names or fake celebrity profiles, etc.). TipMeJar may reject or require changes to usernames that are offensive or deceptive.
1.3. Account Security: You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account login credentials. Do not share your password or give others access to your account. You are liable for all activity on your account, so if you suspect any unauthorized use or security breach, you must notify TipMeJar immediately at security@tipmejar.com. We may ask you to verify ownership of your account and/or reset your password in such cases.
1.4. Eligibility Declarations: By creating an account, you represent and warrant that: (a) you are 18 or older and capable of entering into a binding contract; (b) all information you provided is truthful and accurate; (c) you have not been prohibited from using our Services under any applicable laws (for example, you’re not on a sanctions list, etc.); and (d) you will comply with these Terms and all Platform Policies.
TipMeJar reserves the right to suspend or terminate any account that we believe is violating eligibility requirements or where information provided is false.
2. TipMeJar Platform Role
2.1. Platform Services: TipMeJar is an online platform that enables users to support their favorite creators through monetary tips, donations, purchases of digital goods (like badges or emojis), and subscription memberships. We provide the tools for Creators to set up profile pages (“Tip Jars”) and for Supporters (or “Tippers”) to contribute funds and engage with creators. Apart from providing this platform, TipMeJar is not a party to the actual transactions between users.
2.2. No Guarantee of Results: TipMeJar does not guarantee that creators will receive any particular amount of support or any support at all. Likewise, we do not guarantee supporters any particular outcome or content from creators in exchange for a tip (unless explicitly stated by the creator as part of a membership tier or reward). All tips and payments are voluntary and made at the discretion of the supporters.
2.3. Third-Party Payment Processing: We use third-party payment processors (such as Stripe) to handle credit card charges, fund transfers, and payouts. TipMeJar itself is not a bank or money transmitter; we never hold your funds as a personal financial account. When you make or receive payments on TipMeJar, you are also agreeing to the payment processor’s terms of service and privacy policy. TipMeJar is not liable for errors or security breaches by these third-party processors. (However, we will reasonably assist users in resolving issues with payments as possible.)
2.4. No Professional Advice or Charitable Solicitation: Content on TipMeJar might include advice or information (for example, a creator might offer cooking tips or personal opinions). TipMeJar is not liable for any actions taken based on user-posted content. Also, unless explicitly stated by TipMeJar, a campaign or fundraiser on our platform is not a charitable solicitation by TipMeJar. We do not solicit donations on behalf of users; each Organizer or creator is responsible for their own fundraising representations. We do not verify the legitimacy or every claim of need in user fundraisers—Supporters must use their own judgment before contributing.
2.5. User Interactions: TipMeJar does not supervise the interactions outside the platform between creators and supporters. Any arrangements, promises, or communications made by a user (e.g., a creator promises a personal video in return for a large tip) are not vetted or guaranteed by TipMeJar. We don’t provide a marketplace for physical goods or services; everything on TipMeJar (aside from possible merchandise links) is considered a gift or digital benefit handled by the creator. We do not mediate disputes between users, but we provide tools to block or report misuse. (See Section 8 on Disputes for more.)
2.6. Release of Liability: To the fullest extent permitted by law, you release TipMeJar and its officers, employees, agents, and affiliates from all claims and damages (actual and consequential) arising out of or in any way connected with any dispute you have with any other user or third party. For example, if you have a falling out with a creator or feel a supporter harasses you, you release us from liability for that conflict (though you should still report harassment to us as it violates our policies). We provide the platform “as is” and are not responsible for what users post or how they behave in most cases (subject to our moderation practices described in the Guidelines).
3. User Content and Conduct
3.1. User Content Definition: “User Content” means any content that users upload, post, transmit, or otherwise make available on TipMeJar. This includes profile information, text posts, images, photos, videos, audio, livestream comments, emojis, links you share, and any other material contributed by users.
3.2. Content Ownership: You retain all ownership rights in the User Content that you create and post on TipMeJar. TipMeJar does not claim ownership of your works (whether it’s your artwork, videos, writings, etc.). Subject to the licenses you grant us below, you are free to reuse your content however you like outside our platform.
3.3. License to TipMeJar: In order to operate and promote the platform, we need certain permissions from you. By posting User Content on TipMeJar, you grant TipMeJar a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free, fully-paid, sublicensable and transferable license to use, host, store, reproduce, modify (for technical adaptations like compressing a video), distribute, publish, and publicly display and perform your content. This license is solely for the purposes of operating, developing, providing, and marketing the TipMeJar Services. For example, it allows us to display your content to supporters who visit your page, to create thumbnail images or excerpts for discovery features, to share your public posts on our social media or promotional materials to showcase TipMeJar (we will try to credit you), and to make backup copies of content on our servers. We will not sell your content to other parties or use it beyond what is needed for service functionality and promotion of TipMeJar.
3.4. Duration of License: This content license lasts for as long as your content is available on TipMeJar and for a reasonable time after. If you remove or delete content, the license will generally end, except: (a) if your content has been shared or reposted by others on TipMeJar, it may remain visible to those users; (b) we may retain copies for archival or legal purposes (we have regular backups, which may include your removed content for a period of time); and (c) if your content was used in any marketing materials already created, we may continue to use those materials (for instance, if we featured your TipMeJar page in a published article or video). We have no obligation to take down our past marketing that lawfully incorporated your content.
3.5. Your Responsibilities for Content: You are solely responsible for all content you post. This means you must ensure you have all necessary rights to the content (see Section 5 on IP). You also must ensure your content and conduct comply with our Community Guidelines and Adult Content Policy (if applicable). Do not post anything illegal, harmful, or that violates any rights. We do not pre-approve content before it’s posted, but we do have the right to review and remove content that violates our policies or is flagged by others.
3.6. Prohibited Conduct: By using TipMeJar, you agree NOT to: - Violate Laws or Regulations: Do not use the Services to do anything unlawful or to promote illegal activities. This includes no fraud, money laundering, gambling operations not permitted on the platform, or violating any financial regulations. You must obey all applicable laws while using TipMeJar. - Breach Platform Policies: Do not post content that violates our Community Guidelines or Adult Content Policy. For example, no hate speech, no harassment or bullying of other users, no extremist or terrorist content, no incitement of violence, and no obscene pornography or sexual content involving prohibited subjects. If you’re not sure if something is allowed, check the policies or ask. - Exploit or Harm Minors: Absolutely no content featuring minors in a sexual way (and generally, do not feature minors at all in your content on TipMeJar). Do not solicit personal information from minors or engage in any conduct that exploits children. We report suspected child exploitation to the authorities. - Engage in Harassment or Hate: Do not threaten, stalk, intimidate, or harass others. Do not encourage your supporters to attack someone. Hate speech targeting protected characteristics (race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, etc.) is forbidden. - Post Others’ Private Information: No doxxing. Do not share personal data about someone without consent – e.g., phone numbers, home addresses, financial information, or private conversations. Respect others’ privacy. - Spam or Misuse the Platform: Do not spam others with repetitive or unsolicited messages or promotion. Do not use scripts, bots, or any automated means to artificially increase followers or inflate engagement. Don’t run pyramid schemes, multilevel marketing, or contests that violate our rules (no lotteries or raffles on TipMeJar without permission). - Impersonation and Deceptive Conduct: Do not impersonate any person or organization you are not (no fake celebrity accounts; parody is allowed if clearly labeled). Don’t lie about your identity or qualifications in a way that misleads others. You also should not make fraudulent claims in a fundraiser (e.g., saying funds are for one purpose but using them for another). - Circumvent Security or Abuse Site Functionality: Do not attempt to hack, DDOS, or disrupt the functioning of TipMeJar. Do not distribute viruses, malware, or any code intended to harm the Services or users. Do not attempt to bypass content filters or age-gates we have in place (e.g., don’t try to post adult content outside the 18+ restricted sections). - Collect Data Unlawfully: You may not scrape or collect information from our platform in an automated way (except as allowed under robots.txt). And you certainly may not use any data obtained from TipMeJar for unwanted marketing or to harass users. Respect user data per the Privacy Policy. - Use for Commercial Activities Not Allowed: TipMeJar is for creator support, not e-commerce of physical goods (at least not without our approval). Don’t use your TipMeJar page primarily to sell products unrelated to the creator-fan relationship (no running a full store or auction house here). Also, you may not use TipMeJar to facilitate any illegal financial activities, such as betting or securities trading advice that violates law. - Interfere with Others’ Experience: Do not engage in activities that significantly impede other users’ ability to enjoy TipMeJar. This includes maliciously mass-reporting someone without cause, or spamming comment sections.
This list is not exhaustive—see our Community Guidelines for more examples. If you engage in prohibited conduct, TipMeJar may take action including content removal, account suspension or termination (Section 6), and if illegal activity is involved, reporting to law enforcement.
4. Creator Pages, Fundraising, and Memberships
(This section applies primarily to “Creators” – users receiving tips or selling content. “Supporters” should read it to understand how creator campaigns function, but supporters’ key obligations are mainly to pay any charges they agree to and to follow the general rules.)
4.1. Creator Offerings: As a Creator on TipMeJar, you can establish a page (“Your Jar”) to receive support. You might accept one-time tips, run a campaign or fundraiser (e.g., “Help me fund my new album”), sell digital goods (like a special image download or a shout-out video), or set up membership tiers (monthly subscriptions for exclusive content). You are free to determine the specifics of your offerings – such as the suggested tip amounts, tier prices, and what rewards (if any) you will provide to supporters.
4.2. Honesty and Fulfillment: If you offer rewards or tiers, you should make a good-faith effort to fulfill them. Supporters may tip with no expectation of return (and typically tips are considered a gift), but if you promise something (e.g., “Tip $10 and I’ll send you a thank-you video”), you should deliver that content. Failing to deliver promised benefits can damage your reputation and can result in supporter complaints. While TipMeJar is not a party to your deals, repeated complaints that a creator is scamming supporters could lead to account review or suspension.
4.3. Fundraisers for Causes: If you raise funds on TipMeJar purportedly for a specific cause (charity, personal emergency, project, etc.), you must use those funds for the stated purpose. Misusing funds (e.g., claiming you will donate to charity but keeping money for yourself) is a serious breach of trust and our Terms. TipMeJar reserves the right to ask for evidence of fund use in certain cases, especially for high-profile or suspicious fundraisers. We may refund supporters or involve authorities if we find fraudulent fundraising.
4.4. Charitable Donations: Unless expressly stated by TipMeJar, contributions on our platform are not tax-deductible charitable donations under the law. Even if you say you’re raising money “for charity,” TipMeJar has not vetted the fundraiser as a registered nonprofit solicitation. Creators should not misrepresent to supporters that their contributions are tax-deductible. (We may in the future partner with verified charities – in such cases, special terms would apply.)
4.5. Creator Earnings and Taxes: As detailed in the Payments & Payouts Policy, creators will receive the net proceeds of supporter contributions minus our fees and payment processor fees. TipMeJar does not guarantee any minimum earnings. Creators are independent and responsible for their own income reporting and tax payments. TipMeJar may provide annual statements or 1099-K forms if required by law (for US creators earning over a certain amount, etc.). We do not withhold income taxes from your payouts.
4.6. Membership Billing: If you offer memberships (recurring billing), be clear in the tier description about what supporters get (e.g., “Monthly behind-the-scenes vlog” or “Exclusive chat access”). Recurring subscriptions will be charged automatically on the schedule (e.g., monthly on the subscription date) until the supporter cancels. As a creator, you should honor cancellations promptly – supporters who cancel should retain access for the period they paid for, but you shouldn’t continue charging them after cancellation (our system should handle that automatically). If you decide to discontinue a membership tier or take a break, consider pausing or deleting the tier to avoid charging supporters without delivering new content.
4.7. Prohibited Creator Content: In addition to general content rules, creators cannot use TipMeJar to sell or distribute anything that we prohibit. This includes no offering sexual services (escorting, private sexual webcam shows outside of allowed content posting, etc.), no sale of controlled substances, weapons, or other contraband, and no offering any illegal product. Digital content that’s adult in nature is allowed only under the Adult Content Policy – creators must follow that (e.g., mark content as 18+). You also cannot use TipMeJar for get-rich-quick schemes, multi-level marketing recruitment, or other business ventures unrelated to creative content. If you are not sure whether your planned use of TipMeJar is allowed, please consult the Community Guidelines or contact us.
4.8. TipMeJar’s Rights on Creator Pages: We may feature or promote creator pages on our platform or in marketing (for example, showing a category of “popular creators” which might include your profile picture or content thumbnail). We might also curate or moderate public comments on creator posts if they violate guidelines. We will not significantly alter your content except as needed for display or to comply with our policies.
5. Intellectual Property Rights
5.1. Your Intellectual Property: Aside from the license you grant us in Section 3.3, you retain ownership of all intellectual property rights in the content you create. TipMeJar will not claim ownership of your copyrights, trademarks, or other IP. If you are a creator, you are free to use your content outside TipMeJar (post it on other sites, sell it elsewhere, etc.), and ending your use of TipMeJar does not require you to take down your content elsewhere.
5.2. Responsibility for Rights Clearances: You must only post content on TipMeJar that you have the rights to post. This means do not upload content you didn’t create or that you don’t have permission to use. For example: - If you include music in a video, ensure it’s your original music or properly licensed. - Don’t upload images or text copied from other creators or websites without permission. - If you incorporate someone else’s copyrighted work (even in fan edits or compilations), you need the copyright owner’s consent or a valid legal exception. Fair use of others’ content is complex and may not protect you – TipMeJar cannot adjudicate fair use, and if we receive a takedown notice, we will likely remove the content[38]. So when in doubt, use only content you made or have licensed.
You also should not use others’ trademarks in a confusing way (don’t name your page “Official Coca-Cola Fan Tips” or use someone’s logo in a way that implies endorsement).
5.3. TipMeJar’s Intellectual Property: Our platform, branding, and content we provide (other than User Content) are protected by intellectual property laws. TipMeJar and its licensors own the TipMeJar logo, design, software code, and all site content we create (like our text, graphics, layouts). We give you a limited, revocable license to use our Services and view our content. You agree not to copy, modify, distribute, or create derivative works of TipMeJar’s proprietary content without permission. (For example, you can’t scrape our site and create a competing service, and you can’t use our brand name in a way that confuses people that you represent us.)
5.4. DMCA and Copyright Policy: If you believe content on TipMeJar infringes your copyright, please refer to our Copyright & IP Policy for how to submit a takedown notice. We comply with the DMCA and will remove allegedly infringing content when properly notified. We also allow users to respond with counter-notices if they believe a takedown was mistaken. TipMeJar will terminate accounts of repeat infringers in accordance with our policy and the DMCA. (See the Copyright & IP Policy document for details, which is part of these Terms.)
5.5. Feedback: If you send us any feedback or suggestions regarding TipMeJar (e.g., bug reports, feature ideas), note that we may use them with no obligation to you. You agree that any feedback you provide is given voluntarily and we can use it freely, without any payment or restriction, to improve our services.
6. Account Suspension and Termination
6.1. By You (Voluntary Termination): You may stop using TipMeJar and request deletion of your account at any time. You can do this through your account settings or by contacting us at support@tipmejar.com. Account deletion will remove your profile and content from public view, but certain data may be retained as required for our legitimate business or legal compliance (e.g., transaction records, audit logs). If you have an active membership (subscription) as a supporter, you should cancel that before deleting your account to avoid further charges – deleting your account alone does not automatically cancel payments (see Payments Policy for how to cancel subscriptions). Likewise, if you are a creator with supporters, consider notifying them before you delete your page.
6.2. By TipMeJar (For Cause): We may suspend or terminate your account, or remove content, if we determine that you have violated these Terms or any Platform Policies, or for other reasons including prolonged inactivity or technical necessity. In most cases of policy violation, we will attempt a graduated approach – e.g., issue a warning or temporary suspension – but we reserve the right to terminate immediately in serious cases (such as posting CSAM, engaging in fraud, threats of violence, etc.). When we terminate for cause: - You will be notified that your account has been terminated or suspended (generally with an email to your registered address, explaining the reason, unless the situation demands we not disclose details). - Any funds currently in your creator balance may be frozen or forfeited if related to wrongdoing or subject to chargebacks (see Payments Policy for specifics). - You are prohibited from creating a new account under a different identity if your account was terminated for cause. TipMeJar may employ technical measures (like blocking associated IPs or device fingerprints) to enforce this.
6.3. By TipMeJar (Platform Changes or Convenience): We reserve the right to terminate the Services or any account for any reason at our discretion, even if not due to a violation. For example, if we discontinue a feature or if an account hasn’t been used in over a year, we might deactivate it. In such cases that are not user misconduct, we will generally provide notice (e.g., 30 days’ notice of service shutdown or account closure) to the email on file. If we ever shut down TipMeJar entirely, we’ll give users as much notice as practical so creators can notify supporters and withdraw any remaining funds.
6.4. Effect of Termination: Upon termination of your account, you no longer have access to the Services. Your profile will be taken offline. However, these Terms (and any incorporated policies) survive termination with respect to provisions that by their nature should survive. This includes sections on Indemnification (you still hold the promises to cover us for any claims arising from when you used the service), Disclaimers and Liability Limits (the protections for us still apply), Arbitration/Dispute Resolution, and any licenses you granted that are stated to survive (e.g., we might retain content backups as per 3.4). If you were a creator, deleting your account does not automatically refund supporters for past tips or cancel any pending payouts that we are legally able to complete. If there are remaining funds due to you, contact support – unless your termination was for cause involving illegal or harmful conduct, in which case we may decline payout and perhaps return funds to supporters at our discretion.
6.5. Appeals: If your account is terminated or suspended and you believe this was in error or unjust, you may submit an appeal. To do so, contact appeals@tipmejar.com with your account info and reasons. We will review appeals in good faith. For less severe violations, we may adjust the outcome (e.g., reinstate account after warning). However, for severe violations (like those involving illegal content or safety issues), our decision is likely final. TipMeJar’s determination on appeals is conclusive and at our sole discretion.
7. Interactions and Content of Others
7.1. Third-Party Content: You understand that when using TipMeJar, you will be exposed to content from a variety of users. We do not pre-screen or approve User Content, so there is a risk you might encounter content that you find offensive, inaccurate, or otherwise objectionable. TipMeJar does not endorse any User Content, and content views/opinions are those of the posting user, not TipMeJar. Proceed at your own risk when viewing user-generated content.
7.2. External Links: Creators or supporters might share links to third-party websites in their profiles or posts. TipMeJar isn’t responsible for those external sites. If you click a link and leave our platform, you do so at your own risk. Our Terms and Policies no longer apply on those external sites, and you should review the terms of any new site you visit. We also cannot guarantee that external links will be safe or virus-free. Please use caution and have updated security software when browsing external content.
7.3. Dealings with Other Users: Any arrangements made between users (such as a creator doing a custom commission for a supporter’s tip, or two creators collaborating) are solely between those users. TipMeJar is not responsible for the terms of any agreement between users outside of what is facilitated on our platform. We do encourage good faith and fairness, but we will typically not arbitrate personal agreements beyond enforcing our own policies. If you believe another user has defrauded you or violated law, you can report it to us and/or appropriate authorities, but understand our role is limited.
7.4. User Disputes: If you have a dispute with one or more users, you release TipMeJar (and our officers, directors, employees, agents, subsidiaries, and affiliates) from claims, demands and damages of every kind arising out of or connected with such disputes (as mentioned in Section 2.6). We may choose to help mediate or facilitate communication in some disputes purely at our discretion and as a gesture of goodwill, but we are not obligated to do so.
7.5. Community Interactions: The community aspects of TipMeJar (such as comments on posts, group discussions if any, etc.) are intended to be positive and constructive. All users agree to follow the Community Guidelines when interacting. If you see content or behavior that violates our rules, please use the “Report” function or email our moderation team at report@tipmejar.com. We rely on community reporting in addition to our own monitoring to keep the platform safe.
8. Payments and Financial Terms
(See the detailed Payments, Tips & Payouts Policy for complete terms; highlights are below.)
8.1. Supporter Payments: If you choose to support a creator (by tipping, purchasing a digital item, or subscribing to a membership), you agree to the pricing and frequency (for subscriptions) presented at the time of the transaction. When you confirm a payment, you authorize TipMeJar (and our payment processor) to charge your provided payment method for the amount. All payments are final and non-refundable, so make sure you’re committed before confirming. If you suspect an unauthorized charge on your account, contact us and your bank immediately.
8.2. Creator Earnings: When a supporter pays, the funds (minus fees) are allocated to the creator’s TipMeJar balance. Creators can withdraw available earnings to their linked payout method, subject to any payout schedule or holds. TipMeJar deducts a service fee (our commission) and the payment processor’s fee automatically; the remainder is the creator’s Net Earnings. We provide creators a dashboard to track earnings. Note: these earnings may not be “final” until any risk of chargeback has passed – we might hold new payments for a short period to ensure the payment isn’t reversed.
8.3. Fees: TipMeJar’s current platform fee and any per-transaction fees are listed in our Payments Policy or on our FAQ page. We reserve the right to change our fees, but will give notice via email or platform announcement at least 30 days in advance of any fee increase. Continuing to use the platform after a fee change means you accept the new fees. There is no fee to simply have an account or to withdraw money beyond what is stated (aside from any fees your bank might charge to receive funds, which are outside our control).
8.4. Chargebacks & Reversals: If a supporter disputes a charge with their bank (resulting in a chargeback), or if a payment is otherwise reversed (fraudulent use of a card, etc.), TipMeJar will deduct the amount of the chargeback from the creator’s balance. If the creator’s balance is insufficient, it may become a negative balance, and the creator must repay that amount to TipMeJar. We may also charge the standard bank chargeback fee to the creator (because the dispute was related to their earnings). TipMeJar will notify the creator of the chargeback and provide an opportunity to contest it by providing evidence (e.g., proof that the supporter received the promised content). We cannot guarantee success in contesting chargebacks – the decision lies with the payment networks. Repeat or large chargebacks: If a creator experiences multiple chargebacks, we may investigate for potential fraud. Similarly, if a supporter account shows a pattern of filing chargebacks to get free content, we will ban that user. Abuse of the payment system is a serious violation.
8.5. Payout Holds: TipMeJar may temporarily hold a creator’s payouts in a few situations: (a) New Creator Hold – for new creators or high-risk categories, we might delay payouts (say 7-14 days) as an initial measure; (b) Investigation Hold – if we are reviewing a creator’s conduct or content for policy violations, or if fraud is suspected, we can freeze payouts until resolved; (c) Chargeback Reserve – for creators with a history of chargebacks or refunds, we might retain a certain percentage of new earnings for a set period (e.g., 10% of earnings held for 30 days) to cover potential reversals. We will communicate with affected creators if a hold or reserve is applied, explaining the terms and any actions needed from the creator.
8.6. Refund Policy: As noted, tips and digital purchases are non-refundable. TipMeJar in general does not issue refunds to supporters simply because they didn’t enjoy the content or changed their mind. However, we reserve the right to refund supporters in cases of proven fraud or TipMeJar error (for instance, if a technical glitch caused a duplicate charge, or if a creator was banned for serious misconduct, we might decide to refund recent supporters of that creator). Any such refunds are at TipMeJar’s sole discretion and do not waive the no-refund principle for future cases. If we do issue a refund or chargeback on a payment, the creator’s earnings will be adjusted accordingly (they don’t keep money for which the supporter was refunded).
8.7. Subscription Cancellations: Supporters may cancel a recurring membership at any time. When canceled, the supporter will generally retain access to the creator’s exclusive content until the end of the paid term, but will not be charged going forward. Creators will not receive further payments from that supporter unless they resubscribe. Creators should avoid deleting content immediately when someone cancels; honor the access for the remaining paid period.
8.8. Taxes: TipMeJar may collect and remit sales tax, VAT, or GST on transactions if required by local laws. For instance, some jurisdictions treat digital subscriptions as a taxable service – in such cases, we might add the tax on top of a supporter’s pledge or back it out from the amount, and then remit it to the tax authorities. We will handle this in accordance with law and it will be visible to users during checkout if applicable. As for income taxes, creators are responsible for reporting their income to their tax authorities. TipMeJar may ask creators to provide tax identification information (such as a W-9 form in the USA) and may issue forms like IRS Form 1099-K or 1099-NEC as required by law. If a creator does not provide needed tax info, we may have to withhold payouts until compliance.
8.9. Errors and Adjustments: In the event of any error in payment processing (for example, a payout sent to the wrong account due to our error, or a calculation mistake in fees), please contact us promptly. We will correct verifiable errors by crediting or debiting accounts as appropriate. We also reserve the right to rectify balance errors on our own (if we notice them) – if we mistakenly credited your account with more than you earned, we will adjust it, and if we under-credited, we will fix that too.
9. Privacy and Data
9.1. Privacy Policy: TipMeJar’s collection, use, and sharing of personal information is governed by our Privacy Policy (see Document 6 for an outline). By using the Services, you acknowledge that you have read our Privacy Policy. Key points: we collect info you provide (like email, profile info, payout details), usage data (like IP address, device info), and information from third parties (like payment processors). We use this data to provide and improve services, prevent fraud, comply with laws, etc. We share data with third parties that help us run TipMeJar (payment processors, cloud hosting, analytics) and as required by law (e.g., responding to lawful requests by authorities).
9.2. Communications: We may send you service-related communications (confirmations, receipts, policy updates) via email or in-app notifications. These are not marketing messages, and by using TipMeJar you agree to receive them. You can control marketing emails via your preferences (opt out if you don’t want newsletters or promotional updates, and we will honor that).
9.3. User Data Responsibilities: If you are a creator, you might receive personal information about supporters (for example, you might see their username, maybe their email or shipping address if you’re delivering something, etc.). You agree to use that information only for the purpose it was provided (fulfilling the supporter’s perks or communicating with them on TipMeJar). You must protect any personal data you obtain and not misuse it. For instance, do not harvest your supporters’ emails to spam them outside TipMeJar, and do not share supporter info with third parties. If a supporter tells you not to contact them further, respect that. Violating user privacy can lead to account action under our policies (and possibly legal consequences under privacy laws).
9.4. Children’s Privacy: As stated, we do not allow under-18s to hold accounts. We also do not knowingly collect personal data from anyone under 13. If we learn we have inadvertently collected personal info from a child under 13, we will delete it. If you are a parent/guardian and believe your under-13 child has provided personal info to us, please contact privacy@tipmejar.com so we can delete the account.
9.5. Data Security: We implement reasonable security measures to protect user data (encrypted connections, security monitoring, etc.). However, no website or internet transmission is perfectly secure. You use the Service at your own risk as it pertains to potential data breaches. In the event of a data breach affecting your personal info, we will notify you as required by law.
9.6. Data Retention: We keep user data as long as needed for our business purposes and as required by law. If you delete your account, we will remove or anonymize personal info in accordance with our Privacy Policy, but some data may be kept for legal compliance (e.g., records of transactions for financial reporting, or communications where we have a legal obligation to retain). We will not keep personal data longer than necessary.
9.7. User Rights: Depending on your jurisdiction, you may have certain legal rights over your data (for example, EU/EEA users have GDPR rights to access, rectify, delete, or port their data; California users have CCPA rights to know, delete, or opt-out of certain sharing). Our Privacy Policy explains how you can exercise those rights by contacting us. Generally, users can review and update basic profile info via account settings and can request deletion of their account as described above.
10. Disclaimers
10.1. “As-Is” Service: TipMeJar provides the Services on an “AS IS” and “AS AVAILABLE” basis. While we strive to maintain a reliable and safe platform, we make no warranties or representations about the accuracy or completeness of any content on the Service, or the availability, reliability, or suitability of the Service for your purposes.
To the maximum extent permitted by law, we disclaim all implied warranties or conditions, such as implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, title, and non-infringement. For example, we do not guarantee that: - The Services will be uninterrupted or error-free (there may be downtime, bugs, or technical glitches). - Any particular content (user-generated) will always be available or will meet your expectations in terms of quality or legality. - Fraudulent or malicious actors will never slip through our defenses – though we work hard to prevent harm, we can’t promise that no one will ever misuse the platform. - The results of using the Service will meet your requirements or will lead to any particular outcome (for creators, no guarantee of income; for supporters, no guarantee you will like the content from a creator).
10.2. No Fiduciary Duty: Using TipMeJar does not create any fiduciary relationship between us and you, or you and any other user. For instance, TipMeJar is not your agent or advisor in how you spend or earn money here. Any advice or information (oral or written) obtained from TipMeJar or through the Service does not create any warranty not expressly stated in these Terms.
10.3. Third-Party Services: Some parts of TipMeJar might integrate or work with third-party services (for example, logging in via Google OAuth, or a creator linking to YouTube, etc.). We do not control those third parties and thus disclaim liability for their actions. We also don’t warrant that third-party services (like Stripe’s systems) will function perfectly with our platform at all times.
Some jurisdictions do not allow the disclaimer of certain warranties, so some of the above disclaimers may not apply to you. In such cases, TipMeJar’s warranties shall be limited to the minimum extent permitted by applicable law.
11. Limitation of Liability
11.1. Types of Damages: To the fullest extent permitted by law, TipMeJar (and its affiliates, officers, directors, employees, and agents) will not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, or any loss of profits or revenues, whether incurred directly or indirectly, or any loss of data, goodwill, or other intangible losses. This holds even if we’ve been advised of the possibility of such damages.
In plain language: if something goes wrong or you are dissatisfied, our financial responsibility to you is limited. We are not responsible for, for example, the money you might lose if a fundraising goal isn’t met, or emotional distress from interactions on the platform, etc.
11.2. Liability Cap: In any case, TipMeJar’s total liability arising out of or related to these Terms or the Services is limited to the greater of: (a) the total amount of fees we received from you (as a supporter or a creator) in the 12 months prior to the event giving rise to the liability, or (b) USD $100. This means if, say, you have only ever paid $50 in platform fees, our maximum liability to you would be $100 (because that’s greater); if you paid $0, our liability could be up to $100 as a base cap.
11.3. User Content Liability: You agree that we have no liability for content provided by users. This includes any defamatory, offensive, or illegal conduct of any third party. The risk of harm from such content rests entirely with you. We try to remove bad content promptly when noticed, but ultimately user content is the responsibility of the user who posted it.
11.4. Jurisdictional Exceptions: Some jurisdictions do not allow exclusion or limitation of certain liabilities. For example, in the EU, we might be liable for death or personal injury caused by our negligence, which cannot be excluded. Also, some countries may not allow a cap on liability for intentional misconduct or gross negligence. Nothing in these Terms is intended to limit liability beyond what is permitted by law.
Therefore, if you live in a place that disallows some of these limitations, those specific limitations will not apply to you to the extent they are prohibited. But all other limitations will still apply.
11.5. Release: If you have a dispute with any other user(s) or third party, to the extent permitted by law, you release TipMeJar (and our affiliates and personnel) from claims, demands and damages of every kind arising out of or connected with such disputes. This release is intended to cover claims that may be unknown or unsuspected, and you waive the protections of any law limiting such releases (like California Civil Code §1542 if you are a California resident, which says a general release does not extend to claims the creditor does not know of at the time).
12. Indemnification
12.1. Your Agreement to Indemnify: You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless TipMeJar and its affiliates, and their respective directors, officers, employees, and agents (the “Indemnified Parties”) from and against any and all claims, liabilities, damages, losses, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs) that arise out of or are related to (a) your use or misuse of the Services, (b) your User Content (including any allegations that your content infringes a third party’s rights or caused harm to a third party), (c) your violation of these Terms or any Platform Policy, or (d) your violation of any law or regulation or rights of any third party.
In simpler terms, if your actions or content on TipMeJar cause us to be sued or incur expenses, you’ll cover those costs. For example, if you posted someone’s copyrighted video and we get a legal claim from the rights holder, you should defend and pay for any costs we incur. Or if you defraud your supporters and one of them sues TipMeJar, you are responsible for that.
12.2. Procedure: TipMeJar will try to promptly notify you of any such claim and let you assume the defense (with counsel reasonably acceptable to us), provided that you do so in a timely manner. We have the right to participate in the defense with our own counsel (at our expense) if we choose. You may not settle any claim that imposes any liability or obligation on TipMeJar (or requires an admission of fault by us) without our prior written consent.
This indemnity obligation continues after you stop using TipMeJar or delete your account, with respect to matters that occurred while you were using the Services.
13. Dispute Resolution & Arbitration
Please read this section carefully, as it affects your legal rights. It includes an agreement to arbitrate and a class action waiver, which means you agree to submit most disputes to binding arbitration rather than going to court, and you agree not to bring or participate in class actions against TipMeJar.
13.1. Informal Resolution: We encourage you to contact us first to try to resolve any issue. Our support team (support@tipmejar.com) is here to help with most matters. Often, a quick email can clear up a misunderstanding or technical glitch. If a dispute arises, let’s try to resolve it informally before resorting to formal proceedings.
13.2. Agreement to Arbitrate: If we cannot resolve a dispute informally, you and TipMeJar agree to resolve any claim, dispute, or controversy (excluding claims for injunctive or equitable relief as noted below) arising out of or relating to these Terms or your use of the Services, by binding arbitration on an individual basis. This includes disputes about the validity or enforceability of this arbitration agreement or the Terms as a whole.
13.3. Arbitration Procedure: The arbitration will be administered by a neutral arbitration organization (for example, the American Arbitration Association (AAA) if you are in the U.S.), under its rules for consumer disputes in effect at the time (the “Rules”). If the AAA is chosen, that might be the Consumer Arbitration Rules. If AAA is not available or feasible, the parties will agree on an alternative arbitration provider or the court can appoint one.
· Arbitration Location: For users in the United States, the arbitration hearing (if any hearings are held) will take place in the county where you live or another location we mutually agree upon. For users outside the U.S., the arbitration shall be conducted by phone/videoconference or in a major city reasonably near you.
· Arbitrator’s Authority: The arbitrator can award any relief that a court of competent jurisdiction could, including individual damages and injunctions in favor of the individual claimant. The arbitrator will follow applicable law and these Terms, so for example, the limitations of liability and damages in these Terms will apply. The arbitrator’s decision will include the essential findings and conclusions and will be final and binding, subject to limited court review under the Federal Arbitration Act (for U.S. users) or applicable law.
· Arbitration Fees: Payment of all filing, administration, and arbitrator fees will be governed by the Rules of the arbitration organization (like the AAA’s rules). We will abide by requirements to pay or reimburse fees to the extent required by those rules or applicable law. If your claim for damages does not exceed, say, \$5,000, we will generally pay reasonable arbitration filing fees unless the arbitrator finds your dispute frivolous. Each party will bear their own attorneys’ fees, unless the arbitrator awards fees under applicable law (e.g., some laws allow the winner to recover legal fees).
13.4. No Class Actions: You and TipMeJar agree that any dispute is personal to you and TipMeJar and that any dispute will be resolved solely through individual arbitration and will not be brought as a class action, class arbitration, or any other representative proceeding. The arbitrator may not consolidate more than one person’s claims or otherwise preside over any form of a representative or class proceeding. You also agree that you shall not participate in any class action or class-wide arbitration against TipMeJar as a claimant or class member.
If this class action waiver is found unenforceable, then the entirety of this Dispute Resolution section (other than the informal resolution provision) shall be void.
13.5. Exceptions: There are a few exceptions to the above arbitration agreement: - Small Claims: Either you or TipMeJar may bring an individual claim in small claims court (or an equivalent court for minor disputes) in your area, if the claim qualifies. - Injunctive Relief for IP or Unlawful Use: Either party may seek an injunction or other equitable relief in a court of competent jurisdiction to prevent (or stop) infringement of intellectual property rights or unauthorized use of the Services. For example, if you misuse TipMeJar’s trademarks or violate the Copyright & IP Policy, we could go to court to get an injunction to stop you; likewise, if someone steals your copyrighted content on TipMeJar, you could go to court seeking an injunction against them (though you’d likely involve us via DMCA first). - Opt-Out Right: You have the right to opt out of arbitration altogether. If you do not wish to be bound by the arbitration and class-waiver provisions in this section, you must notify us by email at arbitration-optout@tipmejar.com within 30 days of first accepting these Terms (that is, 30 days from the day you first created your account or otherwise became bound by these Terms). You must provide your name, residence address, email associated with your account, and a clear statement that you want to opt out of arbitration. If you opt out, then Section 13 (arbitration) does not apply to you; however, the rest of the Terms still apply. Opting out of this arbitration provision has no negative effect on your relationship with TipMeJar.
13.6. Governing Law: These Terms (including the arbitration agreement) are governed by the laws of the State of [Example: California], USA, and (to the extent applicable) the federal laws of the USA, without regard to its conflict of law principles, provided however that Section 13 (Arbitration) is governed by the U.S. Federal Arbitration Act or equivalent arbitration laws in your jurisdiction. If the arbitration agreement is found not to apply to you or a particular claim, or if the Opt-Out is properly exercised, any judicial proceeding will be brought in the federal or state courts of [Example: San Francisco County, California] (or the appropriate venue if we specify elsewhere). Both you and TipMeJar consent to venue and personal jurisdiction there.
13.7. Time Limit to File Claim: Any claim or cause of action arising out of or related to use of the Services or these Terms must be filed within ONE (1) YEAR after such claim arose; otherwise, the claim is permanently barred. (This time limit may not apply to certain statutory claims that by law cannot be shortened. But it applies to the extent permissible.) This means if you have a claim, you need to take action on it within 12 months, or you waive it.
14. Miscellaneous
14.1. Changes to Terms: TipMeJar may revise or update these Terms from time to time. We will provide notice of material changes, such as by posting the updated Terms on our website and updating the “Last updated” date, and/or by sending an email notification to the address associated with your account. Changes will not apply retroactively; they will become effective no sooner than 30 days after posting (or notification, if sent) for existing users. However, changes addressing new functions or changes made for legal reasons may become effective immediately. If you continue to use TipMeJar after the effective date of any revised Terms, that means you accept and agree to the changes. If you do not agree, you must stop using the Services and may request account deletion.
14.2. Changes to Policies: The Platform Policies (Guidelines, Adult Policy, etc.) may also be updated periodically. Minor edits or clarifications might be posted without advance notice, but if we make significant changes (for instance, if we were to ban a category of content that was previously allowed), we will try to give notice similar to Terms changes. It’s important to review notifications or policy update messages we send.
14.3. Entire Agreement: These Terms, together with the incorporated Platform Policies and any other legal notices we have published on the Service, constitute the entire agreement between you and TipMeJar regarding your use of the Services. They supersede any prior agreements or communications (whether oral or written) between you and us regarding the subject matter. Any ambiguity in these Terms shall not be construed against the drafter (both parties had opportunity to review and, if desired, opt out or negotiate via not using the service).
14.4. No Waiver: If we do not enforce a provision of these Terms on any occasion, it does not mean we waive our right to enforce it in the future. For example, if we don’t take action immediately against a user violating some rule, it doesn’t mean we’ve waived our right to act on that violation or subsequent violations.
14.5. Severability: If any provision of these Terms is held to be invalid or unenforceable by an arbitrator or court of competent jurisdiction, that provision will be enforced to the maximum extent permissible and the remainder of the Terms will remain in full effect. (For example, if the class action waiver were found illegal in your jurisdiction, the rest of the Terms would still apply, with the adjustments noted in Section 13.)
14.6. Relationship: Nothing in these Terms creates any agency, partnership, joint venture, or employment relationship between you and TipMeJar. You are using the platform as an independent individual or entity. You cannot represent that you have authority to bind TipMeJar to any agreements.
14.7. Third-Party Beneficiaries: Except as otherwise expressly provided in these Terms, there are no third-party beneficiaries. These Terms are between you and TipMeJar. (However, Apple and Google might be deemed third-party beneficiaries solely with respect to the use of our mobile app via their stores, in which case they can enforce certain terms—this is typically required by app store policies. We’ll include any required app store terms separately or in an Appendix.)
14.8. Transfer and Assignment: You may not assign or transfer any of your rights or obligations under these Terms without our prior written consent. TipMeJar may freely assign these Terms (for example, in the event of a merger, acquisition, sale of assets, or by operation of law). These Terms will bind and inure to the benefit of the parties, their successors, and permitted assigns.
14.9. Headings and Interpretation: Section titles and headings in these Terms are for convenience only and have no legal effect. Words like “including” mean “including without limitation”. We drafted these Terms in English; if they are translated into other languages, the English version governs to the extent of any conflict.
14.10. Contact Information: If you have any questions about these Terms or need to contact us for any reason, please email support@tipmejar.com or write to: TipMeJar, Inc., [Address] (we will insert our business mailing address once established). For legal notices (other than DMCA which goes to the address in the Copyright Policy), you may use legal@tipmejar.com.
By using TipMeJar, you acknowledge that you have read and understood these Terms of Service and agree to be bound by them. Thank you for being part of TipMeJar!
