Terms of
Service

1. Preamble and Acceptance

These Terms of Service ("Terms") constitute a binding legal agreement between You (whether as an "Organizer" or a "Voter" casting a ballot) and Votesphere ("We," "Us," or "The Platform").

By creating an account, accessing the dashboard, or casting a vote, you agree to be bound by these Terms and our Privacy Policy. If you are using Votesphere on behalf of an organization, you warrant that you have the legal authority to bind that organization to these Terms.

2. Nature of Services

• Technology Provider Only: We provide the code, database, and interface. We are NOT the Electoral Commission. We do not certify results, vet candidates, or adjudicate electoral disputes.
• Organizer Responsibility: The Organizer is solely responsible for the configuration of the event (e.g., voter eligibility, nomination rules, and result declaration).

3. Acceptable Use Policy

Strictly Enforced

To preserve the integrity of our platform, you agree NOT to:

• Attempt to Rig or Manipulate: Use scripts, bots, spiders, or automated software to cast multiple votes.
• Bypass Security: Attempt to circumvent our authentication systems (e.g., using VPNs or Tor to bypass IP restrictions).
• Harass or Defame: Use the platform to upload content that is hate speech, defamatory, or incites violence.
• Reverse Engineer: Decompile or attempt to extract the source code of the Votesphere platform.

4. Payment Terms

For events utilizing our "Paid Voting" or "Award/Pageantry" features:

• Platform Fee: Votesphere charges a service fee on every paid vote transaction. This is deducted automatically before payout.
• Payout Schedule: Funds are remitted to the Organizer's bank account within [T+3] working days of the event's conclusion.
• No Refunds: All paid votes are final. As a Voter, you acknowledge that a paid vote is a consumable digital good. We do not offer refunds if your preferred candidate loses.

5. Intellectual Property

• Votesphere IP: The visual interfaces, graphics, design, computer code, and software are the property of Votesphere.
• Your Data: You (the Organizer) retain ownership of your Election Data. You grant us a license to host and display this data solely for running your event.

6. Disclaimer of Warranties

THE SERVICE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE."

To the maximum extent permitted by Nigerian law, Votesphere explicitly disclaims all warranties, whether express or implied. We do not guarantee that the platform will be 100% uninterrupted, error-free, or immune to all forms of cyber-attacks.

7. Limitation of Liability

IMPORTANT: READ CAREFULLY

To the maximum extent permitted by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPC) 2018:

• Cap on Liability: Votesphere's total liability to you for any claim arising out of these Terms shall not exceed the total fees paid by you to us in the six (6) months preceding the claim.
• Exclusion of Consequential Damages: We shall not be liable for indirect damages, including Loss of Reputation, Loss of Office, or Data Loss arising from circumstances beyond our reasonable control.

8. Indemnification

You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless Votesphere from any claims, damages, liabilities, and expenses arising from your violation of these Terms or any dispute between an Organizer and a Candidate/Voter.

9. Event Disputes

Votesphere is a neutral infrastructure provider. We will NOT act as a witness, arbiter, or judge in any electoral tribunal or student court. If legally compelled to provide audit logs, the requesting party must bear the technical costs of extracting such logs.

10. Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Any dispute shall be referred to arbitration in Owerri, Imo State under the Arbitration and Mediation Act 2023.