1. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing and using Habesha Houston ("the Website" or "our Service"), you accept and agree to be bound by the terms and provision of this agreement. If you do not agree to abide by the above, please do not use this service.

We reserve the right to modify these terms at any time. We will notify users of any changes by updating the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page. Your continued use of the Website after such modifications constitutes your acceptance of the updated terms.

2. Description of Service

Habesha Houston is a community platform that provides services through our website and mobile applications, including:

• Business Directory: A listing service for Habesha-owned businesses and services in Houston, Texas.
• Classified Ads: A platform for community members to post classified advertisements for goods and services.
• Community Events: An event listing and RSVP system for community gatherings, celebrations, and activities.
• Reviews and Ratings: A system for users to rate and review businesses.
• Mobile Applications: Android mobile application that provides access to all platform features.

All content submitted by users is subject to administrative review and approval before being published on the Website or mobile applications.

2.1 Mobile Application Usage

Our Android mobile application provides access to Habesha Houston services. By downloading, installing, or using our mobile application, you agree to these Terms and Conditions. The mobile application may require:

• Internet connectivity to access services and data
• Location permissions for location-based features (optional)
• Storage permissions for caching content and images
• Camera permissions for uploading photos (optional)

You may use the mobile application only on devices that you own or control. You may not copy, modify, distribute, sell, or lease any part of our mobile application. We reserve the right to update, modify, or discontinue the mobile application at any time.

2.1 Service Fees

All services on Habesha Houston are currently provided free of charge. However, we reserve the right to change our pricing structure, introduce fees, or modify service offerings at any time, with or without notice. Any changes to pricing or fees will be communicated to users through appropriate channels, and continued use of the Website after such changes constitutes acceptance of the new terms.

3. User Accounts

3.1 Registration Requirements

• You must be at least 13 years old to create an account.
• You must provide accurate, current, and complete information during registration.
• You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials.
• You must verify your email address before your account is fully activated.
• You are responsible for all activities that occur under your account.

3.2 Account Responsibilities

• You must notify us immediately of any unauthorized use of your account.
• You may not share your account credentials with others.
• You may not create multiple accounts to circumvent restrictions or limitations.
• We reserve the right to suspend or terminate accounts that violate these terms.

4. Content Submission Rules

4.1 Business Listings

• Business listings must be for legitimate, operating businesses or services.
• You must have the authority to represent the business you are listing.
• All information provided must be accurate and truthful.
• Business listings are subject to administrative approval before publication.
• You may not list the same business multiple times.

4.2 Classified Ads

• Classified ads must be for legitimate goods or services.
• Ads must comply with all applicable laws and regulations.
• Prohibited items include, but are not limited to: illegal goods, weapons, drugs, counterfeit items, and stolen property.
• Ads must not contain false or misleading information.
• All ads are subject to administrative review and approval.

4.3 Community Events

• Events must be legitimate community gatherings or activities.
• Event information must be accurate, including date, time, and location.
• You are responsible for managing RSVPs and communicating with attendees.
• If an event is cancelled, you should notify RSVP participants.
• All events are subject to administrative review and approval.

4.4 Reviews and Ratings

• Reviews must be based on genuine experiences with the business.
• Reviews must be honest and not contain false or defamatory statements.
• You may only submit one review per business.
• Reviews are limited to 500 characters.
• We reserve the right to remove reviews that violate these terms or contain inappropriate content.

5. Prohibited Activities

You agree not to use the Website to:

• Post false, misleading, or fraudulent information.
• Impersonate any person or entity or misrepresent your affiliation with any person or entity.
• Upload, post, or transmit any content that is illegal, harmful, threatening, abusive, harassing, defamatory, vulgar, obscene, or otherwise objectionable.
• Violate any applicable local, state, national, or international law or regulation.
• Infringe upon the intellectual property rights of others.
• Upload or transmit viruses, malware, or any other malicious code.
• Attempt to gain unauthorized access to the Website or its systems, including but not limited to SQL injection, XSS attacks, CSRF attacks, or brute-force attacks.
• Use automated systems (bots, scrapers) to access the Website without permission.
• Spam, harass, or abuse other users.
• Post content that promotes illegal activities or violates the rights of others.
• Interfere with or disrupt the Website or servers connected to the Website.
• Attempt to bypass security measures, rate limits, or IP blocks.
• Engage in any activity that compromises the security or integrity of the Website or its users.

Security Violations: Any attempt to compromise the security of the Website, including but not limited to hacking attempts, injection attacks, or abuse of security features, may result in immediate account termination, IP blocking, and legal action where applicable.

6. Content Moderation and Approval

• All user-submitted content (business listings, classified ads, events) is reviewed by administrators before publication.
• We reserve the right to reject, edit, or remove any content that violates these terms or our content guidelines.
• Approval decisions are at the sole discretion of the administrators.
• We are not obligated to provide reasons for content rejection.
• Rejected content may be resubmitted after addressing the issues that led to rejection.

7. User-Generated Content

7.1 Ownership and License

• You retain ownership of the content you submit to the Website.
• By submitting content, you grant us a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to use, display, reproduce, and distribute your content on the Website.
• You represent and warrant that you have the right to grant this license and that your content does not infringe upon the rights of any third party.

7.2 Image Uploads

• You may upload images related to your business listings, classified ads, or events.
• Images must be relevant to the content and appropriate for public viewing.
• You may upload up to 6 images per listing, ad, or event.
• Images are stored on third-party servers and subject to their terms of service.
• We reserve the right to remove inappropriate images.

8. Reviews and Ratings

• Reviews and ratings are the opinions of individual users and do not reflect our views or opinions.
• We do not verify the accuracy of reviews.
• Business owners cannot remove reviews, but may respond to them through their business listing.
• We reserve the right to remove reviews that violate our terms or contain inappropriate content.
• Average ratings are calculated automatically based on all approved reviews.

9. RSVP Functionality

• The RSVP feature allows users to indicate their intention to attend community events.
• RSVP information (name and email) is collected and may be visible to event organizers.
• Event organizers are responsible for managing their events and communicating with RSVP participants.
• If an event is cancelled, organizers should notify RSVP participants.
• We are not responsible for event cancellations or changes made by organizers.
• RSVP counts are displayed publicly on event listings.

10. Content Expiration and Removal

• Business listings, classified ads, and events may have expiration dates.
• Expired content will automatically be removed from public view.
• Users may delete their own content at any time through their dashboard.
• Administrators may remove content that violates these terms or for any other reason at their discretion.
• Deleted content may remain in our database for administrative purposes but will not be publicly visible.

11. Intellectual Property

• The Website and its original content, features, and functionality are owned by Habesha Houston and are protected by international copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws.
• You may not copy, modify, distribute, sell, or lease any part of our services or included software.
• The Habesha Houston name, logo, and branding are trademarks and may not be used without our written permission.
• Third-party trademarks, service marks, and logos used on the Website are the property of their respective owners.

12. Third-Party Services

The Website and mobile applications use third-party services that have their own terms of service:

• Mapping Services: Used for displaying business and event locations. Subject to the respective terms of service of the mapping provider.
• Translation Services: Used for translation functionality. Subject to the respective terms of service of the translation provider.
• Authentication Services: Used for sign-in functionality. Subject to the respective terms of service of the authentication provider.
• Image Hosting Services: Used for storing and serving images. Subject to the respective terms of service of the image hosting provider.
• Live Chat Services: Used for customer support and communication features. Subject to the respective terms of service of the live chat service provider.
• Mobile App Stores: Our Android application is distributed through app stores (such as Google Play Store) and is subject to their respective terms of service.
• API Services: Our mobile applications access our API services, which are governed by these Terms and Conditions and our API documentation.

Your use of these third-party services is subject to their respective terms and conditions. Additionally, when using our mobile application, you must comply with the terms and conditions of the app store from which you downloaded the application.

13. Disclaimers

• No Warranty: The Website is provided "as is" and "as available" without any warranties of any kind, either express or implied.
• Content Accuracy: We do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information on the Website.
• Business Listings: We do not endorse or guarantee the quality of any business listed on the Website.
• Transactions: We are not a party to any transactions between users and businesses. All transactions are solely between the parties involved.
• Events: We are not responsible for the organization, execution, or cancellation of events listed on the Website.
• Availability: We do not guarantee that the Website will be available at all times or free from errors or interruptions.

14. Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, Habesha Houston and its operators shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, or any loss of profits or revenues, whether incurred directly or indirectly, or any loss of data, use, goodwill, or other intangible losses resulting from:

• Your use or inability to use the Website.
• Any conduct or content of third parties on the Website.
• Any unauthorized access to or use of our servers or any personal information stored therein.
• Any interruption or cessation of transmission to or from the Website.
• Any bugs, viruses, trojan horses, or the like that may be transmitted to or through the Website.
• Any errors or omissions in any content or for any loss or damage incurred as a result of the use of any content posted, emailed, transmitted, or otherwise made available through the Website.

15. Indemnification

You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless Habesha Houston and its operators from and against any claims, damages, obligations, losses, liabilities, costs, or debt, and expenses (including attorney's fees) arising from:

• Your use of and access to the Website.
• Your violation of any term of these Terms and Conditions.
• Your violation of any third-party right, including without limitation any copyright, property, or privacy right.
• Any claim that your content caused damage to a third party.

16. Account Termination

• We reserve the right to suspend or terminate your account at any time, with or without cause or notice, for any reason, including violation of these Terms and Conditions.
• You may terminate your account at any time by contacting us or using the account deletion feature (if available).
• Upon termination, your right to use the Website will immediately cease.
• We may retain your information after account termination as required by law or for legitimate business purposes.
• Content you have submitted may remain on the Website after account termination, subject to our content removal policies.

17. Dispute Resolution

Any disputes arising out of or relating to these Terms and Conditions or the Website shall be resolved through good faith negotiation. If a resolution cannot be reached, disputes shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts located in Houston, Texas, United States.

18. Changes to Terms

We reserve the right to modify or replace these Terms and Conditions at any time. If a revision is material, we will provide at least 30 days' notice prior to any new terms taking effect. What constitutes a material change will be determined at our sole discretion.

By continuing to access or use our Website after any revisions become effective, you agree to be bound by the revised terms. If you do not agree to the new terms, you must stop using the Website.

19. Severability

If any provision of these Terms and Conditions is found to be unenforceable or invalid, that provision shall be limited or eliminated to the minimum extent necessary so that these Terms and Conditions shall otherwise remain in full force and effect and enforceable.

20. Entire Agreement

These Terms and Conditions, together with our Privacy Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and Habesha Houston regarding the use of the Website and supersede all prior agreements and understandings.

21. Trademarks

All trademarks, service marks, and trade names used on this Website are the property of their respective owners. This includes all product names, logos, and brands mentioned or displayed on this Website.

The use of any third-party trademarks does not imply endorsement, sponsorship, or affiliation with Habesha Houston. All third-party services used on this Website are subject to their respective terms of service and privacy policies.

22. Contact Information

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