Terms of Service

1. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing or using FieldEco, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms and our Privacy Policy. These Terms constitute a legally binding agreement between you and The Green Concept.

2. Eligibility

2.1 Age Requirements

• Minimum Age: You must be at least 13 years old to create a Google account and use FieldEco independently
• Children Under 13: May use the app with parental or guardian supervision using a parent's Google account or supervised account (Google Family Link)
• Parental Consent: If you are between 13-18 years old, you represent that your parent or legal guardian has reviewed and agreed to these Terms

2.2 Geographic Availability

FieldEco is currently available for download in India and select other regions. We may expand or restrict geographic availability at our discretion.

3. Account and Access

3.1 Google Account Requirement

• You must sign in with a valid Google account to use FieldEco
• You are responsible for maintaining the security of your Google account credentials
• You agree to comply with Google's Terms of Service

3.2 Account Security

• You are responsible for all activities that occur under your account
• Notify us immediately if you suspect unauthorized access to your account
• We are not liable for losses caused by unauthorized use of your account

3.3 One Account Per User

Each user should maintain only one FieldEco account. Creating multiple accounts to circumvent limitations is prohibited.

4. License to Use

4.1 Grant of License

Subject to your compliance with these Terms, we grant you a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable, revocable license to:

• Download and install FieldEco on devices you own or control
• Use the App for personal, educational, or professional ecological research purposes

4.2 License Restrictions

You may NOT:

• Modify, reverse engineer, decompile, or disassemble the App
• Copy, distribute, or create derivative works from the App
• Remove or alter any copyright, trademark, or proprietary notices
• Use the App for commercial purposes without authorization
• Rent, lease, lend, or sublicense the App to third parties
• Use automated systems (bots, scrapers) to access the App

5. User Responsibilities

5.1 Accurate Data Collection

• You are responsible for the accuracy, quality, and legality of all data you collect using FieldEco
• FieldEco is a tool; we do not verify the scientific accuracy of your observations
• You should follow proper scientific methodologies and ethical research standards

5.2 Legal Compliance

You agree to:

• Obtain necessary permits: Ensure you have legal authorization to conduct field research in your location
• Respect wildlife protection laws: Do not disturb, harm, or capture protected species
• Follow trespassing laws: Only collect data on property where you have permission to access
• Comply with environmental regulations: Adhere to local, national, and international conservation laws
• Respect indigenous rights: Obtain consent when working in indigenous territories

5.3 Ethical Research

• Follow ethical guidelines for wildlife observation and handling
• Minimize disturbance to habitats and species
• Properly attribute data sources if incorporating third-party information
• Do not fabricate or falsify field data

5.4 Device and Data Management

• Backup your data: FieldEco stores data locally. Regularly export your projects to prevent data loss
• Device security: Use device lock screens and encryption to protect sensitive field data
• Storage space: Ensure your device has sufficient storage for photos, audio, and database files

6. Prohibited Uses

You agree NOT to use FieldEco for:

• Illegal wildlife trafficking, poaching, or harm to protected species
• Violating privacy of others (e.g., recording people without consent)
• Collecting data in restricted areas (military zones, private property without permission)
• Commercial exploitation of endangered species data
• Spreading misinformation or false scientific data
• Interfering with the App's functionality or servers
• Uploading malware, viruses, or harmful code
• Impersonating others or providing false identity information

7. Intellectual Property

7.1 App Ownership

FieldEco, including its source code, design, interface, features, trademarks, and logos, is the exclusive property of The Green Concept and protected by copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws.

7.2 Species Database

The pre-populated species database in FieldEco includes data from various public domain sources, properly attributed where applicable.

You may use this data for research purposes in accordance with the original sources' terms.

7.3 Open Source Components

FieldEco uses open-source libraries and components. See the "Licenses" section in the app for attribution and individual license terms.

8. Data Ownership

8.1 You Own Your Data

• User Content: You retain all rights to field data, observations, photos, audio, and other content you create using FieldEco
• No Claims: We do not claim ownership of your research data
• No Usage Rights: We will not use your data for any purpose other than providing the App service to you

8.2 Data Sharing

• You control how and when to share your data (via exports)
• If you publish research using FieldEco data, attribution is appreciated but not required
• Future collaboration features (premium) will require explicit consent before sharing projects with others

8.3 License to Operate

By using FieldEco, you grant us a limited license to:

• Store your data locally on your device
• Process your data to provide app functionality (e.g., generating exports, displaying maps)
• Sync your data to cloud storage (only if you enable premium cloud backup features)

This license terminates when you delete your data or account.

9. Premium Subscriptions

9.1 Free Tier

• Free users can create up to 3 projects
• Access to core data collection features (GPS, photos, audio, exports)
• Excel export format
• Local storage only

9.2 Premium Features (When Available)

Premium subscription unlocks:

• Unlimited projects
• Cloud backup and sync across devices
• Advanced export formats: GeoJSON, KML, CSV, Shapefile
• Collaboration features: Share projects with team members
• Priority support

9.3 Subscription Terms

• Billing: Subscriptions are billed through Google Play Store
• Auto-Renewal: Subscriptions automatically renew unless canceled 24 hours before the end of the current period
• Cancellation: Cancel anytime via Google Play Store subscriptions settings
• Refunds: Refund policy follows Google Play Store terms

10. Disclaimers and Warranties

10.2 No Guarantee of Accuracy

• GPS Data: Location accuracy depends on your device hardware, environmental conditions, and satellite availability. We do not guarantee GPS accuracy
• Weather Data: Provided by third-party API (Open-Meteo). We are not responsible for weather data accuracy
• Species Database: Species information is for reference only. Verify identifications through proper taxonomic methods

10.3 No Professional Advice

FieldEco is a data collection tool, not a substitute for professional ecological consulting, environmental impact assessments, or scientific expertise.

10.4 Third-Party Services

We are not responsible for the availability, accuracy, or policies of third-party services (Google Maps, Open-Meteo, Google Sign-In).

11. Limitation of Liability

12. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless FieldEco, The Green Concept, its developers, and affiliates from any claims, damages, losses, or expenses (including legal fees) arising from:

• Your use or misuse of the App
• Your violation of these Terms
• Your violation of laws or regulations (wildlife protection, trespassing, privacy, etc.)
• Your field data, observations, or research activities
• Infringement of third-party rights

13. Termination

13.1 Termination by You

• You may stop using FieldEco anytime by deleting the app from your device
• Use "Delete My Account" feature to permanently remove all data
• Cancel Premium subscriptions via Google Play Store

13.2 Termination by Us

We reserve the right to suspend or terminate your access to FieldEco if:

• You violate these Terms
• You engage in fraudulent or illegal activities
• Your account is inactive for an extended period
• We discontinue the App (with reasonable notice)

13.3 Effect of Termination

• Your license to use the App terminates immediately
• Local data on your device remains (you can export before deletion)
• Premium subscriptions are non-refundable upon termination for cause

14. Privacy

Your use of FieldEco is also governed by our Privacy Policy, which explains:

• What data we collect (GPS, photos, audio, Google account info)
• How we use and protect your data
• Your privacy rights and choices

Please review the Privacy Policy carefully.

15. Governing Law and Dispute Resolution

15.1 Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of India, without regard to conflict of law principles.

15.2 Jurisdiction

Any disputes arising from these Terms or your use of FieldEco shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts in Pune, Maharashtra, India.

15.3 Dispute Resolution Process

1. Informal Resolution: Contact us first at info@thegreenconcept.co.in to attempt to resolve disputes informally
2. Mediation: If informal resolution fails, parties agree to attempt mediation before litigation
3. Litigation: As a last resort, disputes may be brought to court

16. Changes to Terms

• We may update these Terms to reflect new features, legal requirements, or business changes
• Notice: Material changes will be notified via in-app notification or email
• Effective Date: Changes become effective 30 days after notification
• Continued Use: Using FieldEco after changes indicates acceptance of the updated Terms
• Disagreement: If you disagree with changes, stop using the App and delete your account

17. Contact Information

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

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