Terms of Service

1. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing or using The Recipe Files ("Service", "Platform", "we", "us"), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service and all applicable laws and regulations. If you do not agree with any of these terms, you are prohibited from using this site.

2. Description of Service

The Recipe Files is a recipe sharing platform that allows users to:

• Browse and discover recipes from community members
• Create an account to submit and manage recipes
• Rate and comment on recipes
• Interact with other food enthusiasts

3. User Accounts

Account Creation

• You must be at least 13 years old to create an account
• You must provide accurate, current information
• You are responsible for maintaining account security
• One person may not maintain multiple accounts
• Account approval is at admin discretion

Account Security

You are responsible for:

• Maintaining the confidentiality of your password
• All activities that occur under your account
• Notifying us immediately of unauthorized access

4. User Content & Conduct

Content Guidelines

When submitting recipes, comments, or other content, you agree NOT to post:

• Copyrighted material without permission
• Offensive, hateful, or discriminatory content
• Spam, advertisements, or promotional content
• False, misleading, or inaccurate information
• Malicious code, viruses, or harmful software
• Personal information of others without consent
• Content that violates any law or regulation

Content Ownership

• You retain ownership of content you submit
• You grant us a worldwide, non-exclusive license to use, display, and distribute your content on our platform
• You represent that you have rights to all content you submit
• We may remove content that violates these terms

5. Intellectual Property

The Recipe Files platform, including its design, features, and content (excluding user-generated content), is protected by copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws.

You may not:

• Copy, modify, or distribute our platform code
• Use our trademarks or branding without permission
• Reverse engineer or attempt to extract source code
• Create derivative works based on our platform

6. Recipe Content

Original Content

We encourage original recipes. If submitting recipes from other sources:

• Properly attribute the original creator
• Only submit recipes you have permission to share
• Do not copy recipes verbatim from copyrighted sources

Food Safety

While we strive to maintain quality, we cannot guarantee the accuracy or safety of user-submitted recipes. Users follow recipes at their own risk.

7. Prohibited Activities

You may not:

• Use automated systems (bots, scrapers) to access the service
• Attempt to gain unauthorized access to any part of the platform
• Interfere with the proper functioning of the service
• Impersonate another user or entity
• Collect user information without consent
• Harass, abuse, or harm other users
• Use the service for illegal purposes

8. Moderation & Enforcement

We reserve the right to:

• Review, approve, or reject recipe submissions
• Remove content that violates these terms
• Suspend or terminate accounts for violations
• Modify or discontinue features without notice
• Take legal action for serious violations

9. Disclaimers

We disclaim all warranties, including but not limited to:

• Fitness for a particular purpose
• Accuracy or completeness of content
• Uninterrupted or error-free operation
• Security of data transmission

10. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, The Recipe Files shall not be liable for:

• Indirect, incidental, or consequential damages
• Loss of profits, data, or use
• Damages resulting from user-generated content
• Damages from food allergies or dietary issues
• Damages exceeding $100 USD

11. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless The Recipe Files from any claims, damages, or expenses arising from:

• Your use of the service
• Your violation of these terms
• Your content or submissions
• Your violation of any third-party rights

12. Third-Party Links

Our service may contain links to external websites. We are not responsible for the content or practices of these sites. Use them at your own risk.

13. Termination

We may terminate or suspend your account immediately, without notice, for:

• Violation of these terms
• Fraudulent or illegal activity
• Repeated policy violations
• Upon your request

Upon termination, your right to use the service ceases immediately.

14. Changes to Terms

We reserve the right to modify these terms at any time. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated date. Continued use after changes constitutes acceptance of the modified terms.

15. Governing Law

These terms are governed by the laws of [Your Jurisdiction], without regard to conflict of law provisions. Any disputes shall be resolved in the courts of [Your Jurisdiction].

16. Dispute Resolution

In the event of a dispute:

1. Contact us first to resolve informally
2. If unresolved, disputes may be submitted to mediation
3. Either party may pursue legal action in appropriate courts

17. Severability

If any provision of these terms is found invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect.

18. Entire Agreement

These Terms of Service, together with our Privacy Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and The Recipe Files.