Terms & Conditions

Effective Date: June 6, 2026  |  Version: 1.2

1. Acceptance of Terms

By creating an account or using the Parch mobile application ("the Service"), you agree to be bound by these Terms and Conditions ("Terms"). If you do not agree, you must not use the Service. Continued use of the Service after any changes constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms.

2. Eligibility

You must be at least 18 years of age to use Parch. By registering, you confirm and warrant that you are 18 or older. We verify this through your date of birth during profile completion. Providing a false date of birth constitutes a material breach of these Terms and will result in immediate, permanent account termination without notice.

3. Platonic Intent Only

Parch is designed exclusively for platonic, non-romantic connections — chosen family, queer friendship, and community building. The following are strictly and absolutely prohibited:

• Romantic or sexual soliciting, propositioning, or grooming of any kind.
• Using the platform for dating or romantic partner-seeking purposes.
• Sending unsolicited explicit, sexual, romantic, or graphic messages or media.
• Harassment, threats, intimidation, stalking, or bullying of other members.
• Any form of prostitution, solicitation of sex, sex work promotion, or escort services.
• Solicitation, promotion, or facilitation of any illegal activity under applicable local, national, or international law.
• Sale, promotion, or brokerage of any goods, services, subscriptions, or products to other users.
• Promotion, advertising, or linking to third-party applications, websites, social media platforms, or external services.
• Recruitment or referral of users to any platform, service, business, or organization outside of Parch.
• Multi-level marketing (MLM), pyramid schemes, or affiliate promotion of any kind.
• Distribution, sale, or facilitation of the sale of controlled substances, illegal drugs, or weapons.
• Human trafficking, exploitation, or any form of coercion.
• Money laundering, fraud, scamming, or any financial deception.
• Distribution of copyrighted material without authorization.
• Any activity that violates applicable anti-discrimination laws.

Violation of Section 3 will result in immediate, permanent account suspension without appeal. We cooperate fully with law enforcement authorities and will report criminal activity to the appropriate authorities without prior notice to the user.

4. Account Conduct

You agree to:

• Provide accurate, truthful, and current profile information.
• Upload a genuine, face-containing profile photo for moderation review.
• Treat all members with respect, dignity, and in accordance with applicable law.
• Report concerning behavior using the in-app reporting tools.
• Not impersonate other individuals, organizations, or public figures, or create fake accounts.
• Not use automated scripts, bots, scrapers, or any tool that circumvents the intended use of the Service.
• Not use VPNs, proxies, or other means to circumvent geographic restrictions or bans.
• Not share your account credentials with third parties.

5. Profile Verification & Moderation

All profile photos are reviewed by our moderation team before being displayed publicly. Profiles that fail moderation will be notified and given a reasonable opportunity to resubmit compliant content. Parch reserves the right to remove any content at any time without notice.

5a. Photo Upload Policy

All photos submitted to Parch — whether as profile photos or Hangout cover images — must comply with the following rules:

• Profile photos must clearly show the face of the account owner. Silhouettes, illustrations, avatars, pet photos, or group photos are not accepted.
• No nudity of any kind, partial or full, is permitted in any photo.
• No minors — photos containing individuals who appear to be under 18 years of age are strictly prohibited.
• No animals — photos of animals, pets, or wildlife are not permitted as profile or Hangout images.
• Hangout photos may show a venue, location, or event name, but must not contain direct commercial promotion of any brand, logo, product, service, or third-party business.
• Photos containing text overlays that advertise, solicit, or promote any external service are not permitted.
• Replacing a previously approved photo will reset its status to pending for re-review before it becomes publicly visible.

Violation of the Photo Upload Policy will result in removal of the offending content and may lead to account suspension.

6. Hangouts

Hangouts are real-time, location-approximate social events visible to all registered users of the platform. When you create or join a Hangout:

• Your approximate location (±250m fuzzed) may be visible to all active Parch users in your area — not only verified users.
• You are solely responsible for your safety and conduct when meeting others in person.
• Parch is not responsible or liable for any interactions, incidents, injuries, losses, or damages that occur outside the platform or as a result of in-person meetings.
• Hangouts must be used strictly for platonic socializing as described in Section 3.
• Hangouts must not be used to conduct illegal activities, commerce, solicitation, or promotion of any kind.
• Hangout cover photos must comply with the Photo Upload Policy (Section 5a).

7. Intellectual Property

All content, design, logos, trademarks, and technology on Parch are owned by or licensed to Parch and are protected by applicable intellectual property laws. You may not reproduce, copy, distribute, modify, or create derivative works without express written permission from Parch. Unauthorized use may result in legal action.

8. Disclaimer of Warranties

THE SERVICE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED. TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, PARCH EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO: IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NON-INFRINGEMENT, TITLE, AND ANY WARRANTIES ARISING FROM COURSE OF DEALING OR USAGE OF TRADE. PARCH DOES NOT WARRANT THAT THE SERVICE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED, ERROR-FREE, SECURE, OR FREE OF VIRUSES OR OTHER HARMFUL COMPONENTS.

9. Limitation of Liability

TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW:

• PARCH, ITS OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS, PARTNERS, INVESTORS, AND LICENSORS SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE, OR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES OF ANY KIND WHATSOEVER.
• THIS INCLUDES, WITHOUT LIMITATION: LOSS OF PROFITS, REVENUE, DATA, GOODWILL, BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES, OR OTHER INTANGIBLE LOSSES; PERSONAL INJURY OR DEATH; PROPERTY DAMAGE; AND ANY DAMAGES RESULTING FROM IN-PERSON INTERACTIONS FACILITATED THROUGH OR BY THE PLATFORM.
• IN NO EVENT SHALL PARCH'S TOTAL CUMULATIVE LIABILITY TO YOU EXCEED THE GREATER OF (A) THE AMOUNT YOU PAID PARCH IN THE TWELVE (12) MONTHS PRECEDING THE CLAIM, OR (B) ONE HUNDRED US DOLLARS (USD $100.00).
• PARCH ASSUMES NO LIABILITY FOR THE CONDUCT, CONTENT, OR ACTIONS OF ANY USER, WHETHER ONLINE OR OFFLINE.
• PARCH ASSUMES NO LIABILITY FOR ANY FAILURE TO DETECT, PREVENT, OR REMOVE PROHIBITED CONTENT OR PROHIBITED USERS FROM THE PLATFORM.
• THE FOREGOING LIMITATIONS APPLY REGARDLESS OF THE THEORY OF LIABILITY AND REGARDLESS OF WHETHER PARCH HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

10. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Parch and its officers, directors, employees, agents, and licensors from any and all claims, liabilities, damages, losses, costs, and expenses (including reasonable legal fees) arising out of or relating to: (a) your use of the Service; (b) your violation of these Terms; (c) your violation of any third-party right; or (d) any content you submit, post, or transmit through the Service.

11. Your Rights & Account Deletion

You have the following rights regarding your account and data:

• Account Deletion: You may delete your Parch account at any time through Settings → Delete Account in the app. Deletion will permanently remove your profile, messages, and all associated personal data from our active systems. Certain anonymized or aggregated data may be retained for safety and legal compliance purposes.
• Data Access: You may request a copy of the personal data we hold about you by contacting privacy@parch.app.
• Correction: You may update or correct your profile information directly in the app at any time.
• Safety Reports: You may report any safety concern, prohibited behavior, or emergency using the in-app Report button available on every user profile and Hangout. Reports are reviewed by our safety team. For emergencies, always contact local emergency services first.

12. Account Suspension & Termination by Parch

Parch reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to suspend, restrict, or permanently terminate any account at any time and for any reason, including but not limited to violation of these Terms. Termination may occur without prior notice. Upon termination, your right to access the Service immediately ceases. Parch has no obligation to provide compensation, refund, or explanation for account terminations.

13. Governing Law & Dispute Resolution

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with applicable law. Any disputes arising out of or relating to these Terms or the Service shall be resolved exclusively through binding arbitration. You waive any right to a jury trial or to participate in a class action lawsuit against Parch.

14. Severability

If any provision of these Terms is found to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable, such provision shall be modified to the minimum extent necessary to make it enforceable, and the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect.

15. Entire Agreement

These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and Parch regarding the Service and supersede all prior agreements, understandings, and representations.

16. Changes to Terms

We may modify these Terms at any time by posting the updated version in the app. Significant changes will be notified via push notification or email. Your continued use of the Service after the notification period constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.

17. Contact

Legal questions: legal@parch.app  |  Privacy: privacy@parch.app  |  Support: support@parch.app