Terms of Service

Last Updated: May 31st, 2025

Welcome to Ottaga ("Service," "we," "us," or "our"). Please read these Terms of Service ("Terms") carefully before using our Service.

1. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing or using our Service, you agree to be bound by these Terms. If you disagree with any part of the Terms, you do not have permission to access or use the Service.

2. Service Description

Ottaga is an AI-powered emotional support tool that provides a space for conversation, reflection, and personal growth. Our Service uses artificial intelligence to engage in supportive dialogue with users. It is important to understand that our Service is not a substitute for professional mental health treatment, therapy, or medical advice.

3. Not a Medical Service

Our Service explicitly is not:

  • A replacement for professional mental health treatment
  • A source of medical or psychiatric diagnosis
  • A provider of therapy or counseling services
  • A crisis intervention service
  • A substitute for emergency services
  • Capable of detecting mental health emergencies or crisis situations

IMPORTANT CRISIS INFORMATION: If you are experiencing a mental health emergency, having thoughts of self-harm, or are in immediate danger, please:

  • Contact emergency services immediately (911 in the US)
  • Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988
  • Text "HELLO" to 741741 for the Crisis Text Line
  • Contact your local emergency room or mental health crisis center

Our AI cannot detect emergencies. If you are experiencing a crisis, please discontinue use of our Service and seek immediate professional help.

4. User Responsibilities

You agree to:

  • Provide accurate information when using the Service
  • Use the Service only for lawful purposes
  • Not attempt to deceive, manipulate, or "jailbreak" the AI system
  • Not use the Service to harass, abuse, or harm others
  • Not attempt to access, tamper with, or damage the Service's systems or security
  • Not use the Service for any commercial purposes without our express written permission
  • Not share personally identifiable information of other individuals
  • Not post or share content that is illegal, threatening, abusive, harassing, defamatory, vulgar, obscene, or invasive of another's privacy
  • Not attempt to use the Service to generate harmful, dangerous, or illegal content

Consequences for violations may include immediate termination of access to the Service.

5. Content Guidelines

Users are prohibited from sharing:

  • Illegal content or content that promotes illegal activities
  • Hate speech, harassment, or content that promotes violence
  • Sexually explicit material
  • Content that violates others' intellectual property rights
  • Spam, malware, or malicious code
  • Personal information of third parties without consent

We reserve the right to remove content and terminate accounts that violate these guidelines.

6. Privacy and Data Protection

We take your privacy seriously. While our Service is not a medical provider and is not HIPAA-compliant, we implement reasonable security measures to protect your information. Please review our Privacy Policy at Ottaga.com/legal/privacy for detailed information about how we collect, use, and protect your data.

7. Conversation Storage and Data Usage

Data Retention: We may store conversations for up to 24 months to improve our Service and provide continuity of support. You may request deletion of your conversation data at any time by contacting us.

Data Usage: By using our Service, you grant us permission to store and analyze your conversations in accordance with our Privacy Policy. We use this data to:

  • Improve AI responses and Service quality
  • Provide personalized support experiences
  • Conduct research (in anonymized, aggregated form only)

Your Rights: You have the right to:

  • Access your stored conversation data
  • Request deletion of your data
  • Opt out of data analysis for Service improvement

8. Service Availability

While we strive to provide continuous service, we do not guarantee that the Service will be available 24/7. We reserve the right to:

  • Perform scheduled maintenance and updates
  • Temporarily suspend the Service for technical reasons
  • Modify Service features or functionality

We will provide reasonable notice of planned maintenance when possible.

9. User Accounts

If you create an account with us:

  • You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials
  • You must notify us immediately of any unauthorized access to your account
  • We may suspend or terminate accounts that violate these Terms
  • Upon account termination, your access to the Service will cease immediately

10. Age Restrictions

Users must be at least 16 years of age to use this Service. Users under 18 must have explicit parent or guardian consent. We may request verification of age and parental consent.

11. Accessibility

We are committed to making our Service accessible to users with disabilities. If you encounter accessibility barriers or need accommodations, please contact us at [email protected].

12. Intellectual Property

All content and materials available through the Service, including but not limited to text, graphics, software, and AI-generated responses, are the property of Ottaga or its licensors and are protected by copyright and other intellectual property laws.

13. Disclaimer of Warranties

THE SERVICE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE" WITHOUT ANY WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED. WE DO NOT WARRANT THAT THE SERVICE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED, TIMELY, SECURE, OR ERROR-FREE.

14. Limitation of Liability

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, IN NO EVENT SHALL Ottaga BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, PUNITIVE, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION:

  • ANY DAMAGES FOR EMOTIONAL DISTRESS, MENTAL ANGUISH, OR PSYCHOLOGICAL HARM ARISING FROM OR RELATED TO THE USE OF OUR SERVICE;
  • DAMAGES RESULTING FROM DECISIONS MADE OR ACTIONS TAKEN IN RELIANCE ON THE AI SYSTEM'S RESPONSES;
  • DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF PROFITS, GOODWILL, USE, DATA, OR OTHER INTANGIBLE LOSSES;
  • DAMAGES ARISING FROM SERVICE INTERRUPTIONS, ERRORS, OR DELAYS;
  • DAMAGES RELATED TO ANY COMMUNICATION OR INTERACTION WITH THE SERVICE OR OTHER USERS

THIS LIMITATION APPLIES REGARDLESS OF THE THEORY OF LIABILITY (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE) AND EVEN IF Ottaga HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. YOU SPECIFICALLY ACKNOWLEDGE THAT Ottaga IS NOT LIABLE FOR THE DEFAMATORY, OFFENSIVE, OR ILLEGAL CONDUCT OF OTHER USERS OR THIRD PARTIES AND THAT THE RISK OF INJURY FROM THE FOREGOING RESTS ENTIRELY WITH YOU.

SOME JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF CERTAIN DAMAGES, SO THESE LIMITATIONS MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU. IN SUCH CASES, Ottaga'S LIABILITY WILL BE LIMITED TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW.

15. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold Ottaga and its affiliates, officers, agents, employees, and partners harmless from any claim or demand, including reasonable attorneys' fees, made by any third party due to or arising out of your use of the Service.

16. Modifications to Service

We reserve the right to modify or discontinue, temporarily or permanently, the Service with or without notice. We shall not be liable to you or any third party for any modification, suspension, or discontinuance of the Service.

17. Changes to Terms

We reserve the right to update these Terms at any time. We will notify users of any material changes by posting the new Terms on this page with a new effective date and, where possible, by email notification. Your continued use of the Service after such modifications will constitute your acknowledgment of the modified Terms and agreement to abide by them.

18. Termination

We reserve the right to terminate or suspend your access to the Service immediately, without prior notice or liability, for any reason whatsoever, including without limitation if you breach the Terms. Upon termination, all data associated with your account may be deleted in accordance with our data retention policy.

19. Governing Law and Jurisdiction

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Minnesota, United States, without regard to its conflict of law provisions. Any legal action or proceeding arising under these Terms will be brought exclusively in the state or federal courts located in Hennepin County, Minnesota, and you hereby consent to personal jurisdiction and venue therein.

20. Severability

If any provision of these Terms is held to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, the validity, legality, and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby. The invalid provision shall be replaced by a valid provision that most closely reflects the intent of the original provision.

21. Entire Agreement

These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and Ottaga regarding the use of the Service and supersede all prior and contemporaneous written or oral agreements between you and Ottaga.

22. Contact Information

If you have any questions about these Terms, please contact us at [email protected].

By using our Service, you acknowledge that you have read and understood these Terms and agree to be bound by them.