Terms of Service

Draft — not yet reviewed by a lawyer. This page describes how Kivajo actually works today. It is not final and should not be relied on as a binding legal agreement until it has had proper legal review before public launch (see docs/LEGAL/README.md in the project repository).

1. Who this applies to

These terms apply to anyone who creates a Kivajo account or uses Kivajo to browse, post, or respond to listings in the Trenton–Kingston corridor. You must be at least 18 years old to create an account.

2. Your account

You're responsible for keeping your password and any device you're logged in on secure. We strongly recommend turning on two-factor authentication (TOTP) from your profile. If you believe your account has been compromised, change your password immediately and contact us.

3. Listings

Listings must be accurate, for items you actually own or are authorized to sell, and must not include prohibited or illegal items. Titles and descriptions are automatically screened for a small set of disallowed language; a listing that's rejected can be edited and resubmitted. Kivajo staff may remove a listing, at their discretion, if it violates these terms or a law.

4. Messaging

Messages between buyers and sellers are also screened for disallowed language. New accounts have some additional limits on early messages (for example, links and phone numbers) as an anti-scam measure — these limits lift once an account has some history. You can block another user at any time; blocking is silent and hides listings and messages in both directions.

5. Transactions are between buyers and sellers

Kivajo is a place to find and arrange a sale — it is not a party to the sale itself, doesn't hold funds in escrow, and doesn't guarantee any listing, buyer, or seller. You're responsible for verifying an item and agreeing on payment and exchange directly with the other person. See "How Kivajo works" for our specific safety recommendations (in-person exchange, never paying before you've verified the item, and using a public meeting spot).

6. Ratings

After a transaction is marked complete, both sides can leave a rating. Ratings are hidden from each other until both are submitted (or a reveal window passes), so neither side can rate based on what the other one said. Ratings tied to a denied or disputed transaction may be reviewed and removed by staff.

7. Moderation and enforcement

Reports of scams, prohibited items, or abuse are reviewed by staff, who can warn, suspend, or ban an account, or remove a listing. Serious reports (for example copyright or child-safety concerns) follow a separate escalation path that doesn't notify the reported party and preserves the underlying content for review — see docs/MODERATION.md.

8. Account deletion

You can delete your account from your profile at any time. Deleting your account removes your email, display name, password, and two-factor secret, and signs you out everywhere. Listings, messages, and ratings you've already created remain visible (attributed to "Deleted user") since other people's transaction and rating history depends on them, but they're no longer linked to any personal information of yours.

9. No warranty, limitation of liability

Kivajo is provided as-is, without warranty of any kind. To the fullest extent permitted by law, Kivajo and its operators aren't liable for disputes, losses, or damages arising from a transaction, listing, or interaction between users.

10. Changes to these terms

We may update these terms as the service changes. Meaningful changes will be reflected on this page with an updated context in the project's change history.

11. Governing law

This is a draft governed, in principle, by the laws of Ontario, Canada.

12. Contact

Questions about these terms can be sent through the contact details on the site once published.