Terms of Service

1. Acceptance of Terms

By downloading, accessing, or using Kotan ("the App"), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service ("Terms"). If you do not agree to these Terms, do not use the App.

1.1 Important Disclaimers

2. Eligibility

To use Kotan, you must:

• Be at least 17 years old
• Be a current student, faculty, or staff member of a supported university
• Have a valid university email address for verification
• Agree to these Terms and our Privacy Policy

3. Account Registration

3.1 Account Creation

• You must provide accurate information when creating an account
• You must use your real university email address
• One account per person is allowed

3.2 Account Security

• You are responsible for maintaining access to your university email
• You are responsible for all activities under your account
• Notify us immediately if you suspect unauthorized access

3.3 Account Termination

• You may delete your account at any time
• We may suspend or terminate accounts that violate these Terms
• Suspended users may not create new accounts

4. User Conduct

4.1 You Agree To:

• Treat other users with respect
• Post accurate information
• Use the App for its intended purpose
• Report content that violates these Terms
• Respect others' privacy

4.2 Prohibited Content

• Harassment, bullying, or threats
• Hate speech or discrimination
• Sexually explicit content
• Violence or graphic content
• Spam or misleading information
• Impersonation of others
• Doxxing or sharing others' private information
• Illegal activities or promotion thereof
• Defamatory statements or false accusations against individuals
• Unverified allegations of misconduct against named individuals
• Content designed to damage the reputation of individuals or institutions without factual basis
• Sharing confidential or internal university documents without authorization

4.3 Prohibited Behavior

• Creating multiple accounts
• Circumventing bans or suspensions
• Scraping or automated data collection
• Attempting to hack or exploit the App
• Interfering with other users' experience
• Commercial solicitation without permission

4.4 Zero Tolerance Policy

5. Content Guidelines

5.1 Your Content

• You retain ownership of content you post
• By posting, you grant us a license to display your content on the App
• You are responsible for the content you post
• Anonymous posts can be traced by administrators for safety purposes

5.2 Content Removal

We reserve the right to remove content that violates these Terms, is reported and found to be inappropriate, poses safety concerns, is illegal, or is defamatory or contains false accusations.

5.3 Anonymous Posting

• Anonymous posting is a privilege, not a right
• Abuse of anonymity may result in account suspension
• Administrators can identify anonymous posters when investigating reports

5.4 Responsible Use of Anonymity

Anonymous posting is provided to encourage open discussion, not to shield harmful behavior. You must NOT use anonymity to:

• Make false accusations against individuals
• Spread rumors or unverified information about specific people
• Harass, defame, or harm others while hiding your identity
• Circumvent accountability for harmful content
• Post content that would be considered defamatory under Malaysian law

6. Events

6.1 Event Creation

• Event creators are responsible for accurate event information
• External registration links must be legitimate
• Fraudulent or scam events will be removed

6.2 Event Participation

• Participation in events is at your own risk
• We do not verify or endorse third-party events
• Report suspicious events immediately

6.3 Calendar Integration

• You may add events to your device calendar
• By using this feature, you grant the App permission to create calendar entries
• Calendar data remains on your device and is not collected by us

7. Direct Messages

7.1 Messaging Guidelines

• Messages are private between participants
• Do not send spam, harassment, or inappropriate content
• You can block users who send unwanted messages

7.2 Privacy

• We do not routinely monitor messages
• Messages may be reviewed if reported for violations
• Administrators have access to messages for moderation purposes

8. Intellectual Property

8.1 Our Rights

• Kotan, including its design, features, and branding, is our property
• You may not copy, modify, or distribute our App or content

8.2 Your Rights

• You retain ownership of content you create
• You grant us a non-exclusive license to display your content

8.3 Copyright Claims

If you believe content infringes your copyright, contact us with a description of the copyrighted work, location of the infringing content, your contact information, and a statement of good faith belief.

9. Disclaimers

9.1 "As Is" Service

The App is provided "as is" without warranties of any kind. We do not guarantee uninterrupted or error-free service, accuracy of user-generated content, or safety of external links or events.

9.2 User Content

• We do not endorse user-generated content
• Users are responsible for their own posts
• Use caution when meeting people from the App in person

9.3 Third-Party Services

• External event links are not controlled by us
• Third-party websites have their own terms and policies

10. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, we are not liable for user-generated content, actions of other users, or events posted on the App. Our total liability is limited to the amount you paid us (if any).

11. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold us harmless from claims arising from:

• Your violation of these Terms
• Your content
• Your use of the App
• Your interactions with other users

12. Moderation and Enforcement

12.1 Our Rights

We may, at our discretion: remove content that violates these Terms, issue warnings to users, temporarily suspend accounts, permanently ban users, and report illegal activity to authorities.

12.2 Appeals

If you believe moderation action was taken in error, you may contact us through the Help & Support feature.

12.3 Response Time

We commit to reviewing all content reports within 24 hours of submission. Reported content that violates these Terms will be removed and the offending user's account will be suspended or terminated.

13. Changes to Terms

We may update these Terms at any time. Continued use of the App after changes constitutes acceptance of the new Terms. We will notify users of significant changes.

14. Governing Law and Legal Compliance

These Terms are governed by the laws of Malaysia, including but not limited to:

• The Personal Data Protection Act 2010 (PDPA)
• The Communications and Multimedia Act 1998
• The Defamation Act 1957

Any disputes shall be resolved in the courts of Malaysia.

Users acknowledge that defamatory content posted on this platform may result in legal action under Malaysian law, regardless of whether the content was posted anonymously.

15. Severability

If any provision of these Terms is found unenforceable, the remaining provisions will continue in effect.

16. Contact Us

For questions about these Terms, please contact us at support@kotan.app or through the in-app Help & Support feature.

17. Violation Consequences