Terms of Service

1. Agreement

By using the Service you agree to these Terms. If you don't agree, don't use the Service.

2. Who's involved

The Service at journalbot.app is operated by ics23 ("the Operator"). Contact: /contact.

3. The Service

A personal journaling service accessible via Telegram (the bot) and via the web. You send voice notes, photos, and text. The Service transcribes, summarizes, indexes, and analyzes them using AI models that run on the Operator's servers. The current configuration does not send content to third-party AI providers.

4. Eligibility

You must be at least 18 years old to use the Service. By using it, you confirm you are 18+ and have the legal capacity to enter into this agreement.

5. Account

You sign in via Telegram. There is no email or password. You are responsible for the security of your Telegram account.

6. AI processing

The Service runs open-source AI models on this server (Whisper, Qwen, nomic-embed) to transcribe, summarize, tag, score sentiment, generate search embeddings, extract goals, and suggest reminders. The current configuration does not send your content to third-party AI providers. The Service does not use your content to train any AI or ML model, ours or otherwise. See the Privacy Policy for details.

7. Encryption at rest — two modes

Your entries are encrypted at rest with a per-user key. Two modes are available:

• Standard mode (default). The per-user key is wrapped by a master key held by the Operator. The Operator can decrypt your entries to operate the Service (background processing, support). The Operator commits not to access plaintext entries except as necessary to operate the Service or as required by law.
• Passphrase mode (opt-in). Your key is derived from a passphrase only you know and never reaches the server in storable form. The Operator cannot decrypt your entries at rest. If you lose the passphrase, your encrypted entries are unrecoverable.

"Encryption at rest" does not mean end-to-end encryption in standard mode; it does in passphrase mode.

8. Voice and photo content — no biometrics

The Service transcribes your voice notes using a local speech-to-text model. It does not extract, store, or compare voiceprints (measurements of the unique characteristics of an individual's voice used to identify that individual). Photos are processed for content descriptions and search embeddings only; the Service does not extract face geometry or any other biometric identifier as defined in 740 ILCS 14/10 (BIPA) or similar statutes.

If you record other people (ambient voices, photos of identifiable persons), you are responsible for any consent required by law in your jurisdiction.

9. Multi-user data isolation

Your entries are not visible to other users. The Service has no sharing or social features. The AI models do not process data from different users together.

10. Telegram as conduit

If you use the Telegram bot, your messages pass through Telegram's infrastructure before reaching the Service. The Operator does not control Telegram and is not affiliated with Telegram Messenger Inc. Telegram's handling of your messages (retention, server location, law-enforcement access) is governed by Telegram's Privacy Policy and the Standard Bot Privacy Policy. Once a message reaches the Service, this Privacy Policy applies. If you do not accept Telegram's terms, do not use the bot interface; the web application is available as an alternative.

11. Acceptable use

You will not use the Service to:

• Violate any law or facilitate an unlawful act.
• Upload content that infringes third-party intellectual property, privacy, or publicity rights.
• Upload content depicting the sexual abuse of minors, harassment, threats of violence, or incitement to violence.
• Upload malware, viruses, or other harmful code.
• Attempt unauthorized access to the Service, other users' accounts, or any underlying infrastructure.
• Probe, scan, or stress-test the Service except with prior written permission.
• Use the Service for any commercial purpose without a separate written agreement.
• Record audio or photos of identifiable third parties in violation of applicable law.
• Use automated means to interact with the Service except through documented APIs.

12. Deletion and backups

You can delete individual entries at any time. You can delete your entire account by sending /forgetme CONFIRM to the bot or via the settings page.

On account deletion, data is removed from the active database immediately. Encrypted backups are purged within 30 days. The audit log retains the deletion event for 90 days with your identifier anonymized.

13. Service availability — NO WARRANTY

The Service is provided on an "AS IS" and "AS AVAILABLE" basis, and your use is at your sole risk. The Operator expressly disclaims all warranties, whether express, implied, or statutory, including merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, title, and non-infringement. The Operator does not warrant that the Service will be uninterrupted, timely, secure, or error-free. You are responsible for maintaining your own copies of any entries you consider important.

The Service is NOT a medical or mental-health service. AI inferences (mood, sentiment, summaries) may be wrong. Do not rely on output from the Service for any medical, psychiatric, legal, or safety decision.

14. Limitation of liability

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, in no event will the Operator be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, exemplary, punitive, or consequential damages, including loss of data, profits, goodwill, or business interruption, even if the Operator has been advised of the possibility of such damages.

The Operator's total cumulative liability to you for all claims arising out of or relating to the Service will not exceed the greater of (a) the amount you paid to the Operator for the Service in the 12 months preceding the event giving rise to the claim, or (b) fifty United States dollars (US$50).

15. Indemnification

You will indemnify and hold harmless the Operator from any third-party claim arising from your use of the Service in violation of these Terms or applicable law.

16. Termination

You may stop using the Service at any time and delete your account. The Operator may suspend or terminate your access:

• Immediately, without notice, for breach of the Acceptable Use rules or where continued operation of your account would expose the Operator or other users to legal or security risk.
• With 7 days' notice for any other material breach of these Terms that you have not cured within that period.
• Without cause, on 30 days' notice, including if the Operator decides to wind down the Service. In that case, you will be given reasonable time to export your entries before deletion.

17. Changes to these Terms

We may revise these Terms. For material changes we'll post the revised Terms at /terms with a new effective date at least 30 days before they take effect, and notify you via the bot. If you continue using the Service after the effective date, you accept the revised Terms. If you don't accept, stop using the Service and, if you wish, delete your account before the effective date. Non-material changes (typo fixes, reorganization) may be made without advance notice.

18. Governing law and venue

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Delaware (USA), without regard to its conflict-of-laws rules. Any action arising out of or relating to these Terms must be brought exclusively in the state or federal courts located in New Castle County, Delaware. You and the Operator each consent to the personal jurisdiction of those courts. To the extent permitted by applicable law, you and the Operator each waive any right to a trial by jury.

Operator note: the final jurisdiction is pending counsel review. The default reflects a common choice for US-hosted services.

19. No class actions

Any dispute between you and the Operator must be brought in your or the Operator's individual capacity. Neither you nor the Operator may participate as a plaintiff or class member in any purported class, collective, or representative proceeding.

20. Contact

ics23 (the Operator) · /contact