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Terms of Service

Last Updated: September 2025 | Version: 1.1

1Acceptance of Terms

By accessing or using Steppica AI's website, platform, or services ("Services"), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service ("Terms"). If you disagree with any part of these terms, you may not access the Services.

2Description of Services

Steppica AI provides AI-powered modules for newsrooms, including:

• Tumbleweed: Real-time news parsing and content ingestion
• Feathergrass: Relevance analysis for news content
• Wormwood: Content rewriting and cultural adaptation
• GhostInk: AI content humanization
• Searchroot: SEO optimization tools
• LexGuard: Legal compliance checking
• PulseCast: Personalized content delivery
• Vocalink: Text-to-speech conversion

3User Eligibility

• You must be at least 18 years old to use our Services
• You must represent a legitimate news organization or media company
• You must provide accurate and complete information during registration
• You must not be prohibited from using our Services under applicable laws

4User Accounts and Registration

• You are responsible for maintaining account security and confidentiality
• You must notify us immediately of any unauthorized access
• One account per organization unless otherwise agreed
• We reserve the right to suspend or terminate accounts for violations

5Acceptable Use Policy

5.1 Permitted Uses

• Processing news content for legitimate journalism purposes
• Using AI modules to enhance newsroom operations
• Integrating our APIs with your existing systems

5.2 Prohibited Uses

You may not:

• Generate or distribute false, misleading, or harmful content
• Violate intellectual property rights
• Attempt to reverse engineer or copy our AI models
• Use our Services for illegal activities
• Overload or attempt to disable our systems
• Share account credentials with unauthorized parties
• Use our Services to spread disinformation or propaganda

6Content and Intellectual Property

6.1 Your Content

• You retain ownership of content you input into our Services
• You grant us a license to process your content to provide our Services
• You represent that you have rights to all content you submit
• You are responsible for ensuring content compliance with applicable laws

6.2 Our Intellectual Property

• Steppica AI owns all rights to our platform, AI models, and technology
• Our trademarks, logos, and brand materials are protected
• You may not use our intellectual property without written permission

7Privacy and Data Protection

Your privacy is important to us. Our data practices are governed by our Privacy Policy, which is incorporated into these Terms by reference.

8Service Availability and Modifications

• We aim for 99.9% uptime but cannot guarantee uninterrupted service
• We may modify, update, or discontinue Services with reasonable notice
• Scheduled maintenance will be announced in advance
• We reserve the right to add new features or modules

9Pricing and Payment Terms

• Pricing is based on usage tiers and selected modules
• Payments are processed through secure third-party providers
• Late payments may result in service suspension
• Refunds are subject to our refund policy

10API Terms and Rate Limits

• API access is subject to rate limits based on your subscription
• You must implement proper error handling and retry logic
• Excessive API usage may result in temporary throttling
• API documentation and terms may be updated periodically

11Limitation of Liability

12Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Steppica AI from any claims, damages, or expenses arising from:

• Your use of our Services
• Your violation of these Terms
• Your content or its publication
• Your infringement of third-party rights

13Termination

13.1 Termination by You

• You may terminate your account at any time
• Contact us to request account deletion
• Data retention policies apply as per our Privacy Policy

13.2 Termination by Us

We may terminate or suspend your access for:

• Violation of these Terms
• Non-payment of fees
• Illegal or harmful activities
• Business reasons with 30 days' notice

14Governing Law and Jurisdiction

• These Terms are governed by the laws of Kazakhstan
• Disputes will be resolved in the courts of Astana, Kazakhstan
• For EU customers: EU consumer protection laws may also apply
• We will attempt to resolve disputes through mediation first

15International Compliance

Our Services comply with:

• Kazakhstan media and data protection laws
• European Union GDPR requirements
• International journalism ethics standards
• AWS security and compliance frameworks

16Force Majeure

We are not liable for delays or failures due to circumstances beyond our control, including natural disasters, government actions, internet outages, or other force majeure events.

17Severability

If any provision of these Terms is found to be unenforceable, the remaining provisions will continue in full force and effect.

18Updates to Terms

• We may update these Terms periodically
• Significant changes will be communicated via email
• Continued use constitutes acceptance of updated Terms
• You may terminate your account if you disagree with changes

These Terms of Service are designed to protect both Steppica AI and our users while ensuring compliance with international laws and journalism standards.