Terms & Conditions

By accessing or using the Horse's Mouth application and website (the "Service"), you agree to be bound by these Terms & Conditions ("Terms"). If you do not agree to these Terms, you may not use the Service.

We reserve the right to update these Terms at any time. Continued use of the Service after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms.

Horse's Mouth is a platform for capturing, storing, and organizing personal audio stories. The Service allows users to:

• Request audio stories from family and friends
• Record and upload audio stories
• Organize stories into collections with tags
• Store stories securely in a personal library
• Share stories directly to another account holder's library within the app
• Block other users to prevent story sharing and requests between you
• Report stories or users that violate these Terms

Certain features — such as recording a story via a web link — may be available to non-account holders ("guests") in a limited capacity. Guest use is subject to the terms below.

To use certain features of the Service, you must create an account. You agree to:

• Provide accurate, current, and complete information
• Maintain the security of your password and account
• Accept responsibility for all activity under your account
• Notify us immediately of any unauthorized use of your account

You retain ownership of all audio recordings and content you create or upload to the Service ("User Content"). By using the Service, you grant us a limited license to store, process, and deliver your User Content solely for the purpose of providing the Service to you.

By submitting a story, you grant The Horse's Mouth a limited, non-exclusive license to store, transmit, and display your recording solely for the purpose of delivering it to the intended recipient and making it available in-app to authorized users.

You represent and warrant that:

• You own or have the rights to the content you upload
• Your content does not infringe on any third party's intellectual property rights
• Your content does not violate any applicable laws
• You have obtained consent from any individuals whose voices are included in your recordings

The Service includes an in-app sharing feature that allows an account holder to share a story directly to another account holder's library. When you share a story in this way:

• A copy of the story is placed in the recipient's library
• The recipient can listen to the story as if it were their own
• Your identity as the sharer is recorded in our database and associated with the shared entry
• The original storyteller's name is preserved with the story

By sharing a story you did not originally record, you represent that you have the right to share it with the recipient. Sharing a story does not transfer ownership of the underlying recording.

Stories shared through Horse's Mouth are intended solely for the personal, non-commercial enjoyment of the authorized recipient. You agree not to reproduce, retransmit, redistribute, publish, broadcast, or otherwise share any story received through the Service — in whole or in part — outside of the Service's built-in sharing feature, and without the express written consent of the original storyteller.

This includes, but is not limited to:

• Screen recording or screenshotting audio playback
• Downloading or copying audio files
• Re-uploading stories to other platforms or services
• Sharing stories via any other medium or channel outside the app

Unauthorized reproduction or distribution of stories may result in account suspension or termination.

You are strictly prohibited from using the Service to store, upload, record, reproduce, distribute, or share any copyrighted material that you do not own or have explicit authorization to use. This includes, but is not limited to, music, songs, audiobooks, podcasts, readings of copyrighted text, and any other content protected by copyright law.

Violations of this policy may result in immediate removal of the infringing content, suspension of your account, or permanent deletion of your account, at our sole discretion and without prior notice. Repeat offenders will be permanently banned from the Service.

Horse's Mouth shall not be held liable for any copyright infringement committed by users of the Service. Users are solely responsible for ensuring that all content they upload, record, or share through the Service complies with applicable copyright laws.

The Service provides a reporting system that allows account holders to flag content or other users that may violate these Terms. When you file a report:

• Your identity (user ID or email), the reason for the report, and any additional details you provide are stored in our database
• Reports are reviewed by our moderation team
• We may take action including removing content, suspending, or terminating accounts based on our review
• We are not obligated to share the outcome of any report with the reporter
• Report records may be retained for safety and compliance purposes even after an account is deleted

Submitting a false or malicious report may itself result in account action. For details on how report data is stored, see our Privacy Policy.

Account holders may block other users. When you block someone:

• Their stories are hidden from your library immediately
• Story sharing and requests between you and the blocked user are prevented
• The block relationship (both user IDs and timestamp) is stored in our database
• The blocked user is not notified that they have been blocked

You can unblock a user at any time from the "Manage Blocked Users" section of your account settings. Unblocking restores the ability to receive stories from that user.

The Service allows a story to be recorded via a web link by someone who does not have an account ("guest recorder"). If you record a story as a guest:

• You will be presented with an inline recording consent checkbox before recording. By checking it and submitting your recording, you agree to these Terms and our Privacy Policy as they apply to the recording.
• Your audio file is stored in our secure cloud storage (Cloudflare R2) and linked to the story request
• No account is created on your behalf, but your audio and any associated metadata (title, duration, file size) are stored on our servers
• Because you have no account, you cannot delete your recording through the app. To request removal of your guest recording, contact us at headhorse@horsesmouthapp.com
• Guest recordings may be retained for as long as the receiving account holder's account is active, or until the story is deleted by the account holder

Your privacy is important to us. Our collection, use, and protection of your personal information is governed by our Privacy Policy, which is incorporated into these Terms by reference. By using the Service, you agree to the practices described in the Privacy Policy.

Key privacy rights include the right to access, correct, delete, and export your personal data. For full details, please review our Privacy Policy.

Horse's Mouth uses SMS solely to send one-time verification codes (OTP) to confirm your phone number during account setup. By entering your phone number and tapping "Verify," you explicitly consent to receive a one-time passcode via SMS.

• Message frequency: One-time verification codes only, sent when you request them. We do not send marketing messages, recurring notifications, story request messages, or any other unsolicited messages.
• Message and data rates may apply
• Reply STOP to opt out
• Reply HELP for help

For full details, see our SMS Consent & Messaging Policy.

The Service offers free and paid subscription tiers. For paid subscriptions:

• In-app payments are processed securely through Apple In-App Purchases
• Subscriptions renew automatically unless cancelled
• You may cancel your subscription at any time through your device's subscription settings (Settings → Apple ID → Subscriptions)
• Refunds are handled in accordance with Apple's refund policies and applicable law
• If your subscription expires, your account will revert to the free tier but your existing content will be preserved

Gift subscriptions may be purchased for others. Gift codes:

• Are valid for 12 months of the selected subscription tier
• Cannot be exchanged for cash or refunded after purchase
• Can only be redeemed once per code
• Must be redeemed by creating or logging into an account

Each subscription tier includes a storage allowance:

• Free: 10 MB
• Pro: 100 MB
• Premium: 500 MB

If you exceed your storage limit, you will not be able to upload new stories until you upgrade your plan or free up space.

You agree not to:

• Use the Service for any unlawful purpose
• Upload content that is harmful, threatening, abusive, or harassing
• Impersonate any person or entity
• Attempt to gain unauthorized access to the Service or its systems
• Use the Service to send unsolicited or spam messages
• Upload content that infringes on others' intellectual property rights
• Interfere with or disrupt the Service or its infrastructure
• File false or malicious reports against other users
• Use the blocking feature to harass or manipulate other users

We may suspend or terminate your access to the Service at any time, with or without notice, for conduct that we believe violates these Terms or is harmful to other users, us, or third parties.

You may delete your account at any time from within the app. Upon deletion, your right to use the Service will immediately cease, and your personal data will be deleted within 30 days.

Stories shared with others: If you recorded a story and shared it to another user's library before deleting your account, that story may remain in the recipient's library after your account is deleted. The audio file and its associated metadata may be retained to preserve the recipient's access to it. If you wish to have a specific shared story removed, please contact us at headhorse@horsesmouthapp.com before deleting your account.

Report records related to your account may be retained beyond the 30-day window for safety and legal compliance purposes.

The Service is provided "as is" and "as available" without warranties of any kind, either express or implied, including but not limited to implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement.

We do not warrant that the Service will be uninterrupted, secure, or error-free, or that any defects will be corrected.

To the maximum extent permitted by law, Horse's Mouth shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, or any loss of profits, data, or goodwill, resulting from your use of or inability to use the Service.

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Alabama, United States, without regard to its conflict of law provisions.

If you have any questions about these Terms, please contact us at:

• 📧 Email: headhorse@horsesmouthapp.com
• 🌐 Support: horsesmouthapp.com/support
• 📞 Phone: 205-609-9946