Terms of Service

Effective Date: October 15, 2025 Last Updated: October 23, 2025 Version: 1.1

Agreement to Terms

By accessing or using the StreetZones mobile application (“App”), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service (“Terms”). If you do not agree to these Terms, you may not use the App.

These Terms constitute a legally binding agreement between you and StreetZones (“we,” “our,” or “us”).

1. Description of Service

1.1 What StreetZones Does

StreetZones is a community-powered parking enforcement alert system that helps drivers:

Look up parking zone numbers by address or GPS location
Receive real-time alerts about nearby parking enforcement activity
Report and verify enforcement sightings (boot crews, ticket writers, etc.)
Photograph parking zone signs for OCR processing and community database building

1.2 What StreetZones is NOT

StreetZones is NOT:

❌ A guarantee that you will avoid parking tickets
❌ Legal advice or parking regulation guidance
❌ A replacement for understanding local parking laws
❌ A way to evade legitimate parking enforcement
❌ Affiliated with any government or law enforcement agency

2. User Eligibility

2.1 Age Requirement

You must be at least 16 years of age to use the App.

By creating an account, you represent and warrant that you are either:

A licensed driver in your jurisdiction, OR
A passenger (age 16 or older) assisting a licensed driver

StreetZones assumes no liability for violations of minimum driving age laws in your jurisdiction.

2.2 Geographic Availability

The App is initially available in Chicago, Illinois, USA with plans for nationwide expansion. Features may vary by location.

2.3 Account Creation

StreetZones requires you to create an account to use the App. During registration, you must provide:

Your full name
A unique username
A valid email address
A secure password

You agree to:

Provide accurate and complete information
Keep your account credentials secure
Notify us immediately of any unauthorized access
Not share your account with others

2.4 Safety Requirements and Driving Disclaimers

CRITICAL SAFETY NOTICE: Never use this app while operating a vehicle.

You MUST:

✅ Pull over safely before interacting with the app
✅ Be parked or stationary when viewing, reporting, or verifying enforcement activity
✅ Comply with all traffic laws and regulations
✅ Focus on safe driving as your primary responsibility

You MUST NOT:

❌ Use the app while driving
❌ Look at your phone while operating a vehicle
❌ Report or verify enforcement activity while in motion
❌ Use the app in any way that distracts from safe driving

Passengers may use the app to assist drivers, but drivers must keep their eyes on the road and hands on the wheel at all times.

StreetZones is for parking enforcement awareness, not real-time navigation while driving.

BY USING THIS APP, YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT StreetZones IS NOT LIABLE FOR ANY ACCIDENTS, INJURIES, VIOLATIONS, OR DAMAGES RESULTING FROM DISTRACTED DRIVING.

3. Acceptable Use

3.1 You MAY

✅ Report legitimate enforcement activity you observe
✅ Verify enforcement reports from other users
✅ Photograph parking zone signs for OCR processing
✅ Receive push notifications about nearby enforcement activity
✅ Use the App to look up parking zone information
✅ Share information from the App with others (non-commercial use)

3.2 You MAY NOT

❌ Submit False Reports: Report fake enforcement activity
❌ Spam: Flood the system with duplicate or irrelevant reports
❌ Harassment: Use the App to harass parking enforcement officers or other users
❌ Commercial Use: Sell, resell, or commercially exploit the App without permission
❌ Reverse Engineer: Decompile, disassemble, or reverse engineer the App
❌ Automated Access: Use bots, scrapers, or automated tools to access the App
❌ Interfere: Disrupt or interfere with the App’s operation or servers
❌ Violate Laws: Use the App in any way that violates local, state, or federal laws
❌ Impersonate: Impersonate others or misrepresent your affiliation

3.3 Enforcement Activity Reporting Guidelines

Legitimate Reports:

Actual sightings of boot crews, ticket writers, or ticketing in progress
Reports made in good faith with reasonable accuracy
Time-stamped reports reflecting current conditions

Prohibited Reports:

Historical information ("I got a ticket here last week")
Speculation or rumors ("I heard there's enforcement here")
False reports intended to spam or mislead
Reports made in retaliation or harassment

4. Intellectual Property Rights

4.1 Our Property

StreetZones owns or licenses all rights to:

The App's source code, design, and functionality
The "StreetZones" name, logo, and branding
The user interface and visual elements
The database structure and algorithms
Documentation and marketing materials

4.2 Your Content

When you submit content to StreetZones (photos, reports, verifications), you:

Retain ownership of your original content
Grant us a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free, perpetual license to:
- Use, reproduce, modify, and display your content in the App
- Create derivative works (e.g., zone database from OCR photos)
- Distribute content to other users
- Anonymize and aggregate content for analytics

You represent and warrant that:

You own or have the right to submit the content
Your content does not violate any third-party rights
Your content does not violate any laws

4.3 Community Data

Zone submissions and enforcement reports become part of the community database:

You cannot request removal of individual zone submissions after approval
Enforcement reports auto-expire after 30 minutes
Aggregated community data may be used for analytics and insights

5. Privacy and Data Use

5.1 Privacy Policy

Our collection and use of personal information is described in our Privacy Policy. By using the App, you also agree to our Privacy Policy.

5.2 Location Data

By using location-based features, you consent to:

GPS location access when using zone lookup
Location-based push notification filtering (client-side only)
Tagging zone submissions with GPS coordinates

We do NOT:

Track your location in the background
Store your movement history
Share your location with third parties (except as described in Privacy Policy)

5.3 Camera and Photo Access

By using camera features, you consent to:

Photo capture for OCR processing
Photo upload to our servers for zone number extraction
Temporary photo storage (7 days) for quality control

6. Push Notifications

6.1 Notification Types

StreetZones may send you:

Enforcement Alerts: Real-time alerts about nearby parking enforcement
Geofence Warnings: Alerts when entering high-enforcement areas
System Notifications: App updates, maintenance notices, security alerts

StreetZones will NOT send you:

❌ Marketing or promotional messages (unless you opt-in)
❌ Third-party advertisements
❌ Spam or unsolicited content

6.2 Notification Controls

You can customize notification preferences in Settings: - Alert radius (0.1 to 2 miles) - Work hours only vs. 24/7 - Weekend notifications - Critical alerts (boot crew)

You can disable all notifications in your device settings.

6.3 Notification Accuracy

We make no guarantees about: - Timeliness of alerts (though we target <3 seconds) - Accuracy of community-reported enforcement activity - Completeness of enforcement coverage

7. Disclaimers and Limitations of Liability

7.1 No Warranty

THE APP IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE" WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO:

Merchantability
Fitness for a particular purpose
Non-infringement
Accuracy, reliability, or completeness of content

7.2 Use at Your Own Risk

YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT: - Enforcement alerts are based on community reports and may be inaccurate - Zone data may be outdated or incorrect - OCR may misread parking zone signs - Technical issues may delay or prevent alert delivery - You are solely responsible for complying with all parking laws

7.3 No Liability for Parking Tickets

WE ARE NOT LIABLE FOR: - Parking tickets you receive while using the App - Fines, penalties, or vehicle impoundment - Missed alerts or inaccurate reports - Reliance on zone lookup information - Any damages arising from your use of the App

YOU AGREE TO INDEMNIFY AND HOLD HARMLESS StreetZones, its officers, directors, employees, and agents from any claims arising from your use of the App.

7.4 Limitation of Liability

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, StreetZones SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR: - Indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages - Loss of profits, revenue, data, or goodwill - Service interruptions or data loss - Third-party claims or actions

OUR TOTAL LIABILITY SHALL NOT EXCEED THE AMOUNT YOU PAID TO USE THE APP (CURRENTLY $0, AS THE APP IS FREE).

7.5 Jurisdictional Limitations

Some jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion of certain warranties or limitation of liability. In such jurisdictions, our liability is limited to the fullest extent permitted by law.

8. User Conduct and Content Moderation

8.1 Community Standards

All users must: - Be respectful and courteous - Report accurate information - Avoid spam and abuse - Follow local laws and regulations

8.2 Content Moderation

We reserve the right to: - Remove or flag false or misleading reports - Suspend or terminate users who violate these Terms - Moderate community submissions for quality and accuracy - Implement automated spam filters and fraud detection

8.3 Reporting Violations

If you see content that violates these Terms, report it via: - In-app reporting (flag icon) - Email: abuse@streetzones.app

9. Third-Party Services

9.1 External Links

The App may contain links to third-party websites or services (e.g., Chicago parking payment portals). We are not responsible for: - Content on third-party sites - Privacy practices of third parties - Accuracy or availability of external resources

9.2 Third-Party Service Providers

We use the following third-party services to operate the App: - Supabase: Database and backend services - PostHog: Analytics and product insights - Google Cloud Vision API: OCR processing - Expo Push Service: Push notification delivery

Each service has its own terms and conditions. By using the App, you also agree to their terms.

10. Termination

10.1 Your Rights

You may stop using the App at any time by: - Uninstalling the App from your device - Requesting data deletion (see Privacy Policy)

10.2 Our Rights

We may suspend or terminate your access to the App: - If you violate these Terms - If we suspect fraudulent or abusive activity - If required by law or regulatory authority - If we discontinue the App

10.3 Effect of Termination

Upon termination: - Your access to the App will cease immediately - Your data may be retained as described in our Privacy Policy - Provisions that by their nature should survive (e.g., disclaimers, indemnification) will continue

11. Dispute Resolution

11.1 Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Illinois, USA, without regard to conflict of law principles.

11.2 Arbitration Agreement

Any disputes arising from these Terms or your use of the App shall be resolved through binding arbitration, except: - Small claims court actions (under $10,000) - Intellectual property disputes - Injunctive relief requests

Arbitration Rules: - Administered by the American Arbitration Association (AAA) - Conducted under AAA Consumer Arbitration Rules - One arbitrator mutually agreed upon - Location: Chicago, Illinois (or remote if mutually agreed) - Each party bears their own costs and attorneys’ fees

11.3 Class Action Waiver

YOU AGREE TO RESOLVE DISPUTES INDIVIDUALLY, NOT AS PART OF A CLASS ACTION, COLLECTIVE ACTION, OR REPRESENTATIVE ACTION.

11.4 Exceptions to Arbitration

You retain the right to: - Bring claims in small claims court - Seek injunctive relief in court - Report issues to regulatory agencies (FTC, Attorney General, etc.)

12. Changes to These Terms

12.1 Modification Rights

We reserve the right to modify these Terms at any time. We will notify you of material changes by: - Posting updated Terms in the App - Updating the “Last Updated” date - Sending an in-app notification (for significant changes)

12.2 Continued Use

Your continued use of the App after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms.

If you do not agree to the changes, you must stop using the App.

13. General Provisions

13.1 Entire Agreement

These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and StreetZones regarding use of the App.

13.2 Severability

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

13.3 Waiver

Our failure to enforce any right or provision of these Terms will not constitute a waiver of that right or provision.

13.4 Assignment

You may not assign or transfer these Terms without our written consent. We may assign these Terms without restriction.

13.5 Force Majeure

We are not liable for delays or failures caused by circumstances beyond our reasonable control (e.g., natural disasters, pandemics, government actions, internet outages).

13.6 Survival

Provisions that by their nature should survive termination will survive (e.g., disclaimers, limitations of liability, indemnification, dispute resolution).

14. Contact Information

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

Email: legal@streetzones.app
Website: https://streetzones.app
App Version: 1.0.0 (Build 39)

For legal inquiries: legal@streetzones.app
For DMCA takedown notices: dmca@streetzones.app

15. Acknowledgment

BY USING THE APP, YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT:

You have read and understood these Terms
You agree to be bound by these Terms
You are at least 16 years old
You are either a licensed driver OR a passenger (age 16+) assisting a driver
You will NEVER use the app while driving
You will comply with all applicable laws and regulations
You understand that StreetZones is not a substitute for legal advice or parking regulation compliance

This document was last reviewed and approved on October 23, 2025.

Version 1.1 Changes: Updated age restriction from 13+ to 16+. Added account creation requirements (name, username, email, password). Added comprehensive safety disclaimers and distracted driving warnings.

Thank you for using StreetZones! Drive safe, park smart, and help your community avoid parking tickets.