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GoodScrolling Terms & Conditions - Draft Sections

1. Service Description & Fee Structure

1.1 Overview

GoodScrolling provides a behavioral change platform that helps users manage their screen time through charitable pledge commitments. When you exceed your self-set screen time limits, you pledge a donation to a qualified 501(c)(3) charitable organization of your choice.

1.2 Fee Breakdown

Each pledge you make consists of two components:

  • Charitable Donation Amount: The pledge amount you selected (e.g., $5.00), which is sent in full to your selected charity through our disbursement partner, Change
  • Service Fee: A 5% platform fee (e.g., $0.25 on a $5.00 pledge) that supports GoodScrolling's operations, technology infrastructure, and ongoing development

Example: If you pledge $5.00 to unlock screen time:

  • Total charge to your payment method: $5.25
  • Amount sent to charity: $5.00 (100% of pledge)
  • GoodScrolling service fee: $0.25 (5% platform fee)

1.3 Tax Deductibility

  • The charitable donation portion ($5.00 in the example above) is tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law
  • The service fee portion ($0.25 in the example above) is NOT tax-deductible as it represents payment for services rendered
  • Your receipt will clearly itemize both amounts
  • Tax receipts for charitable donations are issued by Change, our nonprofit disbursement partner
  • Consult your tax advisor regarding your specific tax situation

1.4 Payment Processing

All payments are processed securely through Stripe, a PCI-compliant payment processor. GoodScrolling does not store your payment information directly. Standard payment processing fees are included in our service fee and are not passed on to you separately.

2. Pledge Processing & Charitable Disbursement

2.1 Nature of Pledges

When you exceed your screen time limit and choose to unlock additional time, you are making an immediate, binding charitable pledge. By clicking "Pledge to Unlock," you:

  • Authorize GoodScrolling to charge your payment method for the total amount (pledge + service fee)
  • Commit to a charitable donation to your selected 501(c)(3) organization
  • Acknowledge that pledges are non-refundable once processed

2.2 Settlement Timing

Pledges are aggregated and processed weekly according to the following schedule:

  • Pledge Period: Monday 12:00 AM through Sunday 11:59 PM (in your local timezone)
  • Charge Date: Each Sunday at 11:59 PM, we process the total accumulated charges for that week
  • Disbursement Timing: Charitable donations are disbursed to Change on a monthly aggregation cycle for transmission to your selected charities

2.3 Disbursement Process

GoodScrolling partners with Change, operated by Our Change Foundation, to handle charitable disbursements:

  • We act as a payment processor only; we do not hold, control, or have custody of charitable funds
  • Funds flow from our payment processor (Stripe) to Change for charitable disbursement
  • Change disburses 100% of your pledged donation amount to your selected charity
  • GoodScrolling never takes possession of charitable donation funds

2.4 Charity Selection & Changes

  • You may select or change your designated charity at any time through your account settings
  • Charity changes take effect for pledges made after the change is saved
  • Previously made pledges will be disbursed to the charity selected at the time of the pledge
  • If your selected charity becomes ineligible or unavailable, you will be notified to select a new charity

2.5 Failed Payments

If a weekly charge fails to process:

  • We will attempt to process the payment up to three times over a 7-day period
  • You will receive email notification of failed payment attempts
  • Access to the unlock feature will be suspended until payment is successfully processed or resolved
  • Accumulated pledges remain binding obligations even if payment processing is delayed

3. Legal Compliance & User Responsibilities

3.1 Money Transmission Disclosure

GoodScrolling is NOT a money transmitter. We operate as a technology platform that:

  • Facilitates immediate charitable giving through authorized payment processors
  • Partners with Change for charitable fund disbursement
  • Processes payments through Stripe, a licensed payment service provider
  • Does not hold, store, or control user funds at any time

Funds flow directly from your payment method → Stripe → Change → Your selected charity, with GoodScrolling acting solely as the technology facilitator.

3.2 Not a Donor Advised Fund

GoodScrolling does NOT operate a Donor Advised Fund (DAF):

  • You do not have ongoing advisory control over funds after pledging
  • Pledges create immediate, binding charitable commitments
  • You cannot reclaim, redirect, or control funds after pledge submission
  • Each pledge is a direct charitable contribution, not a contribution to a fund you control

3.3 Personal Pledge Commitment

Your pledges represent your personal charitable commitments:

  • Pledges are legally binding obligations between you and the charitable recipient
  • GoodScrolling facilitates but does not guarantee charitable disbursements
  • You remain responsible for reporting charitable contributions on your tax returns
  • You may not claim deductions for pledges that fail to process due to payment issues

3.4 Prohibited Uses

You may not use GoodScrolling to:

  • Fulfill pre-existing charitable pledges made outside the platform
  • Make donations on behalf of others without their explicit authorization
  • Claim tax deductions for the service fee portion of charges
  • Circumvent any limitations or restrictions on your use of the service

4. Account Requirements & Payment Authorization

4.1 Payment Method Requirements

To use GoodScrolling's unlock feature, you must:

  • Provide a valid payment method (credit card, debit card, or other accepted method)
  • Authorize recurring weekly charges based on your pledge activity
  • Maintain sufficient funds or credit to cover weekly settlements
  • Keep your payment information current and valid

4.2 Recurring Charge Authorization

By enrolling in GoodScrolling and providing payment information, you authorize us to:

  • Charge your payment method weekly for accumulated pledges plus service fees
  • Attempt to re-process failed payments
  • Update your payment information through automatic payment method updater services
  • Send you receipts and payment notifications via email

4.3 Cancellation & Refunds

  • You may cancel your GoodScrolling account at any time
  • Cancellation does not void existing unpaid pledge obligations
  • All pledges made before cancellation remain binding and will be charged
  • Charitable donations are non-refundable once processed
  • Service fees are non-refundable as they cover immediate technology services rendered

5. Receipts & Tax Documentation

5.1 Receipt Delivery

You will receive two types of receipts:

  • Weekly Payment Receipt (from GoodScrolling): Itemizes total charges, including service fees
  • Charitable Donation Receipt (from Change): Documents tax-deductible charitable contributions

5.2 Annual Tax Summary

By January 31st of each year, you will receive:

  • An annual summary of all charges processed through GoodScrolling
  • Itemized breakdown of charitable donations vs. service fees
  • Information needed for tax reporting purposes

5.3 Record Retention

  • All receipts are available in your account dashboard
  • You are responsible for maintaining records for tax purposes
  • GoodScrolling retains transaction records in accordance with applicable law

6. Modifications & Updates

6.1 Changes to Fee Structure

GoodScrolling reserves the right to modify the service fee percentage with 30 days' advance notice. Fee changes will:

  • Be communicated via email and in-app notification
  • Apply only to pledges made after the effective date
  • Not affect pledges already accumulated but not yet charged

6.2 Changes to Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. Material changes will be communicated with reasonable advance notice. Continued use of the service after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms.

7. Disclaimers & Limitations

7.1 No Guarantee of Charitable Receipt

While we partner with Change to ensure charitable disbursements, GoodScrolling cannot guarantee:

  • That charities will receive funds if they become ineligible or close operations
  • Specific timing of when charities receive disbursed funds from Change
  • That Change will approve disbursements to specific organizations

7.2 Technology Platform Only

GoodScrolling provides a technology platform and does not:

  • Provide financial, tax, or legal advice
  • Act as a charitable organization or fiscal sponsor
  • Control or direct how charities use received funds
  • Guarantee any specific tax treatment of contributions

7.3 Third-Party Services

Our service relies on third-party providers (Stripe, Change, Apple Screen Time API). We are not responsible for:

  • Service interruptions caused by third-party failures
  • Changes to third-party terms or availability
  • Third-party data handling or security practices

8. Contact & Dispute Resolution

For questions about charges, receipts, or charitable disbursements:

  • Email: support@goodscrolling.com
  • Response time: Within 2 business days
  • Disputes: Must be raised within 60 days of charge date

9. Settings Changes & 24-Hour Protection Period

9.1 Purpose of the 24-Hour Delay

To help you stay on track with your screen time goals, all changes to your core settings (daily time limits, penalty amounts, selected charity) include a mandatory 24-hour delay before taking effect. This protection period:

  • Prevents impulsive weakening of your restrictions when tempted to scroll
  • Gives you time to reconsider changes made in moments of weakness
  • Protects you from undermining your own behavioral change goals
  • Ensures your "future self" makes better decisions than your "present self" in moments of temptation

9.2 What Changes Require 24 Hours

The following setting changes will not take effect for 24 hours:

  • Daily time limit increases (e.g., changing from 30 minutes to 60 minutes)
  • Penalty amount decreases (e.g., reducing pledge from $5.00 to $3.00)
  • Charity changes (selecting a different charitable recipient)
  • App category changes (adding or removing blocked apps)

9.3 Immediate Changes

The following can be changed immediately:

  • Account information (email, password, profile details)
  • Notification preferences
  • Payment method updates
  • Accountability buddy contact information

9.4 Pending Settings

When you request a settings change:

  • Your current settings remain active for 24 hours
  • You'll see a "Pending Change" notification in your dashboard
  • You can cancel pending changes at any time before they take effect
  • Once the 24-hour period passes, changes activate automatically

9.5 Making Settings Stricter

Changes that make your restrictions MORE strict take effect immediately:

  • Decreasing daily time limits
  • Increasing penalty amounts
  • Adding more apps to your block list

This asymmetry is by design—we make it easy to strengthen your commitment and harder to weaken it.

10. Emergency Unlock & Associated Costs

10.1 What is Emergency Unlock

Emergency Unlock is a feature that allows you to bypass screen time restrictions in genuine emergencies without making a charitable pledge. This feature exists for situations like:

  • Medical emergencies requiring phone access
  • Critical work communications
  • Family emergencies
  • Safety-related situations

10.2 How Emergency Unlock Works

When you request an Emergency Unlock:

1. GoodScrolling sends a verification code via SMS to your designated Accountability Buddy 2. You must enter this code to unlock your blocked apps 3. Emergency Unlock grants 1 hour of unrestricted access 4. No pledge or charge is required for legitimate emergencies

10.3 Accountability Buddy Requirement

  • You must designate an Accountability Buddy during account setup
  • This person receives emergency unlock codes on your behalf
  • You are responsible for obtaining the code from them
  • Accountability Buddies can be changed with a 24-hour delay (see Section 9)

10.4 SMS & Infrastructure Costs

Emergency Unlock relies on third-party SMS services that charge per message. These costs include:

  • SMS delivery to Accountability Buddies (via Twilio or similar services)
  • International SMS rates for Accountability Buddies outside the US
  • Infrastructure costs for secure code generation and verification
  • 24/7 availability of emergency systems

10.5 Why We Charge a Service Fee

The 5% service fee you pay on each pledge helps cover operational costs including:

  • SMS Services: Emergency unlock codes, notification systems
  • Payment Processing: Secure transaction handling beyond Stripe's base fees
  • Change Partnership: API access, disbursement processing, charity verification
  • Infrastructure: Secure servers, database hosting, compliance systems
  • Apple Screen Time API: Development and maintenance of blocking features
  • Customer Support: Responding to questions, resolving issues, account management
  • Compliance & Legal: Maintaining regulatory compliance, tax documentation, legal counsel

Without this fee, we could not maintain the infrastructure necessary to provide reliable, secure, 24/7 service.

10.6 Emergency Unlock Abuse Prevention

  • Emergency Unlocks are logged and monitored
  • Excessive use may trigger account review
  • Repeated abuse may result in feature restrictions or account suspension
  • We reserve the right to require additional verification for suspected abuse

11. Dispute Resolution & Arbitration

11.1 Informal Dispute Resolution

Before initiating any formal dispute resolution, you agree to contact us at support@goodscrolling.com to attempt to resolve the dispute informally. We commit to working with you in good faith to resolve any concerns.

11.2 Binding Arbitration

Any dispute, claim, or controversy arising out of or relating to these Terms or your use of GoodScrolling ("Dispute") will be resolved through binding arbitration rather than in court, except that:

  • You may assert claims in small claims court if your claims qualify
  • Either party may seek injunctive or other equitable relief in any court of competent jurisdiction to prevent infringement of intellectual property rights

11.3 Arbitration Procedures

Arbitration will be conducted by the American Arbitration Association (AAA) under its Consumer Arbitration Rules, as modified by these Terms:

  • Arbitration Forum: AAA or another mutually agreed arbitration service
  • Location: Arbitration will take place in the county where you reside or via videoconference
  • Costs: Each party bears their own attorney's fees unless otherwise required by applicable law
  • Arbitrator Decision: The arbitrator's decision will be final and binding
  • One Claim at a Time: You may only resolve disputes with us on an individual basis (no class actions)

11.4 Class Action Waiver

YOU AND GOODSCROLLING AGREE THAT EACH MAY BRING CLAIMS AGAINST THE OTHER ONLY IN YOUR OR ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY AND NOT AS A PLAINTIFF OR CLASS MEMBER IN ANY PURPORTED CLASS OR REPRESENTATIVE PROCEEDING.

Unless both you and GoodScrolling agree otherwise, the arbitrator may not consolidate more than one person's claims and may not otherwise preside over any form of a representative or class proceeding.

11.5 Opt-Out Right

You have the right to opt out of this arbitration agreement by sending written notice of your decision to opt out to support@goodscrolling.com within 30 days of first accepting these Terms. Your notice must include your name, mailing address, email address, and a clear statement that you wish to opt out of this arbitration agreement.

11.6 Severability

If any portion of this arbitration provision is found to be unenforceable, the remainder shall continue in full force and effect.

12. Governing Law & Jurisdiction

12.1 Governing Law

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to its conflict of law provisions.

12.2 Venue

For any disputes not subject to arbitration (see Section 11), you agree to submit to the personal jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located in Newark, DE.

12.3 International Users

GoodScrolling is operated from the United States. If you access our service from outside the United States, you do so at your own risk and are responsible for compliance with local laws.

12.4 Canadian Users

For users residing in Canada:

  • Payment processing is conducted in U.S. dollars
  • Currency conversion rates are determined by your payment card issuer
  • Tax receipts for charitable donations are issued according to U.S. tax law
  • Canadian tax treatment should be verified with a Canadian tax professional
  • Personal information handling complies with applicable Canadian privacy laws (see Privacy Policy)