Terms of Service for Mahalo

Last Updated: February 14, 2026

Contact: support@withmahalo.com

Acceptance of Terms

Welcome to Mahalo. These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your access to and use of the Mahalo mobile application, web application, and related services (collectively, the "Service").

By creating an account or using Mahalo, you agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree to these Terms, do not use the Service.

Eligibility

Age Requirements:

  • You must be at least 13 years old to use Mahalo
  • Users under 18 require parental or guardian consent
  • By using the Service, you represent that you meet these age requirements

Account Requirements:

  • You must provide accurate and complete information
  • You must maintain the security of your account credentials
  • You are responsible for all activity under your account
  • You may not share your account with others

Description of Service

Mahalo is an AI-powered voice journaling application that provides:

  • Voice-to-text transcription of journal entries
  • AI-generated conversational responses using Google's Gemini AI
  • Pattern recognition and insight extraction from your reflections
  • Memory and context retention across journaling sessions
  • Personalized conversation starters and prompts

Service Availability:

  • We strive for 99% uptime but do not guarantee uninterrupted service
  • We may modify, suspend, or discontinue features with notice
  • Scheduled maintenance may temporarily interrupt service

User Responsibilities

Acceptable Use

You agree to use Mahalo only for lawful purposes. You may not:

  • Violate any applicable laws or regulations
  • Infringe on intellectual property rights
  • Upload malicious code, viruses, or harmful content
  • Attempt to gain unauthorized access to our systems
  • Reverse engineer, decompile, or disassemble the Service
  • Use automated tools to access the Service (bots, scrapers)
  • Impersonate others or misrepresent your affiliation
  • Harass, abuse, or harm others
  • Use the Service to collect data about other users

Content Guidelines

You are solely responsible for the content you create in Mahalo. You agree not to:

  • Share content that is illegal, threatening, or harmful
  • Share content that violates others' privacy or rights
  • Share sexually explicit content involving minors
  • Share content promoting violence, self-harm, or illegal activities
  • Share spam, phishing attempts, or fraudulent content

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

AI-Generated Content and Limitations

Understanding AI Limitations

Important Disclaimer: Mahalo uses AI technology that has limitations:

  • Not a Substitute for Professional Help: Mahalo is not a replacement for professional mental health services, therapy, or medical advice. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, please contact emergency services or a crisis helpline immediately.
  • AI Can Make Mistakes: The AI may generate inaccurate, incomplete, or inappropriate responses. Always use your judgment when interpreting AI-generated content.
  • No Medical or Professional Advice: Responses from Mahalo should not be considered medical, psychological, legal, or professional advice of any kind.
  • Pattern Recognition Limitations: Insights and patterns identified by the AI are based on algorithmic analysis and may not accurately represent your experiences or mental state.

Mental Health Resources

If you are in crisis or need professional support:

Mahalo is a journaling tool for self-reflection, not a crisis intervention service.

Intellectual Property

Your Content

You retain ownership of the content you create in Mahalo (journal entries, voice recordings, reflections).

By using the Service, you grant us a limited license to:

  • Store and process your content to provide the Service
  • Use your content to generate AI responses
  • Analyze your content to improve the Service (in anonymized form)
  • Back up your content for data protection

This license terminates when you delete your content or account.

Our Intellectual Property

Mahalo and its original content, features, and functionality are owned by us and protected by copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws.

You may not:

  • Copy, modify, or distribute our software
  • Use our trademarks without permission
  • Create derivative works based on the Service
  • Remove copyright or proprietary notices

Payment and Subscriptions

Free Service

Mahalo is currently provided free of charge. We reserve the right to introduce paid features or subscriptions in the future with advance notice.

Future Paid Features

If we introduce paid features:

  • We will provide clear pricing information
  • You will have the option to accept or decline
  • Existing free features will remain free (with reasonable limitations)
  • You can cancel subscriptions according to our cancellation policy

Privacy and Data Protection

Your use of Mahalo is subject to our Privacy Policy, which is incorporated into these Terms by reference.

Key privacy points:

  • We do not sell your personal information
  • Voice recordings are retained for 90 days, then deleted
  • You can delete your account and all data at any time
  • We use industry-standard security measures
  • Your journal content is processed by Google's Gemini AI

For complete details, see our Privacy Policy.

Account Termination

Termination by You

You may terminate your account at any time by:

  • Using the account deletion feature in app settings
  • Emailing support@withmahalo.com

Upon termination:

  • All your personal data is immediately deleted
  • Voice recordings are immediately deleted
  • You lose access to all content and features

Termination by Us

We may suspend or terminate your account if:

  • You violate these Terms of Service
  • You engage in fraudulent or illegal activity
  • You abuse or misuse the Service
  • Required by law or legal process
  • You are inactive for an extended period (we will notify you first)

We will provide notice when reasonably possible, but may terminate immediately for serious violations.

Disclaimers and Limitations of Liability

Service "As Is"

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

  • Warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose
  • Warranties of accuracy, reliability, or completeness
  • Warranties that the Service will be uninterrupted or error-free
  • Warranties regarding AI-generated content quality or accuracy

Limitation of Liability

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW:

  • WE ARE NOT LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES
  • WE ARE NOT LIABLE FOR ANY LOSS OF PROFITS, DATA, OR GOODWILL
  • OUR TOTAL LIABILITY SHALL NOT EXCEED $100 OR THE AMOUNT YOU PAID US IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS, WHICHEVER IS GREATER

This limitation applies to all claims, whether based on warranty, contract, tort, or any other legal theory.

Exceptions

Some jurisdictions do not allow limitation of liability for certain damages. In such jurisdictions, our liability is limited to the maximum extent permitted by law.

Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Mahalo, its operators, and affiliates from any claims, damages, losses, or expenses (including legal fees) arising from:

  • Your use of the Service
  • Your violation of these Terms
  • Your violation of others' rights
  • Content you submit to the Service

Changes to Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. Changes will be effective:

  • Immediately upon posting for minor changes
  • 30 days after notification for material changes

We will notify you of material changes by:

  • Email to your registered email address
  • In-app notification
  • Notice on our website

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

Governing Law and Dispute Resolution

Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of California, United States, without regard to conflict of law principles.

Dispute Resolution

Informal Resolution: Before filing a claim, you agree to contact us at support@withmahalo.com to attempt to resolve the dispute informally. We will attempt to resolve within 60 days.

Arbitration Agreement:

For any dispute that cannot be resolved informally, you agree to binding arbitration under the rules of the American Arbitration Association (AAA).

Arbitration Terms:

  • Arbitration will be conducted in California or your location
  • The arbitrator's decision is final and binding
  • Each party pays their own legal fees unless the arbitrator decides otherwise
  • Class action waiver: You agree to bring claims individually, not as part of a class action

Exceptions to Arbitration:

  • Small claims court actions (under $10,000)
  • Intellectual property disputes
  • Requests for injunctive relief

Opt-Out: You may opt out of arbitration within 30 days of accepting these Terms by emailing support@withmahalo.com with "Arbitration Opt-Out" in the subject line.

Miscellaneous

Entire Agreement

These Terms and our Privacy Policy constitute the entire agreement between you and Mahalo.

Severability

If any provision is found unenforceable, the remaining provisions remain in effect.

No Waiver

Our failure to enforce any right or provision does not constitute a waiver of that right.

Assignment

You may not assign these Terms. We may assign these Terms without notice.

Force Majeure

We are not liable for delays or failures due to causes beyond our reasonable control (natural disasters, pandemics, war, government actions, internet failures).

Export Compliance

You may not use or export the Service in violation of US export laws and regulations.

Third-Party Services

The Service may integrate with third-party services (Google, Firebase). Your use of third-party services is subject to their terms and policies.

Feedback

If you provide feedback or suggestions, we may use them without obligation or compensation to you.

Contact Information

For questions about these Terms, contact us at:

Email: support@withmahalo.com

Response Time: We aim to respond within 48 hours.

Special Terms for Minors

If you are under 18:

  • You confirm you have parental or guardian consent to use Mahalo
  • Your parent or guardian agrees to these Terms on your behalf
  • Parents/guardians are responsible for supervising your use of the Service

Parents and guardians: Please review these Terms and our Privacy Policy. By allowing your child to use Mahalo, you agree to these Terms and are responsible for their activity.

App Store Terms

If you download Mahalo from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store:

Google Play:

  • These Terms are between you and Mahalo, not Google
  • Google has no responsibility for the Service
  • Google is a third-party beneficiary with right to enforce these Terms

Apple App Store (when available):

  • These Terms are between you and Mahalo, not Apple
  • Apple has no responsibility for the Service
  • Apple is a third-party beneficiary with right to enforce these Terms
  • You must comply with Apple's Usage Rules

Open Source

Mahalo may use open source software components. Applicable open source licenses are available upon request at support@withmahalo.com.

Survival

Provisions regarding intellectual property, limitation of liability, indemnification, and dispute resolution survive termination of these Terms.

Effective Date: These Terms of Service are effective as of the date listed at the top of this document.

Acknowledgment: By using Mahalo, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms of Service.