1. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing or using FlagRiser ("the Service"), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service ("Terms"). If you disagree with any part of these terms, you may not access the Service.

FlagRiser reserves the right to update and change these Terms at any time without notice. Continued use of the Service after any such changes constitutes your acceptance of the new Terms.

2. Eligibility

You must be at least 18 years old to use this Service. By using the Service, you represent and warrant that:

• You are at least 18 years of age
• You have the legal capacity to enter into these Terms
• You are not prohibited from using the Service under any applicable laws
• You will comply with all local laws regarding online conduct and acceptable content

3. Competition Rules

3.1 Basic Mechanics

• Each contribution of $1.00 USD allows you to either raise one flag by one position OR lower one flag by one position
• The competition runs continuously with annual donation cycles (April 1 - March 31)
• All contributions are final and non-refundable

3.2 Fair Play

• Each person may only operate one account
• Automated scripts, bots, or similar technologies are strictly prohibited
• We reserve the right to void any transactions we deem suspicious

3.3 Flag Representation

Flags represent countries, territories, or recognized regions. We reserve the right to:

• Add or remove flags at our discretion
• Refuse requests for flags that promote hate, violence, or discrimination
• Combine or separate regional flags as appropriate

4. Payments and Donations

4.1 Payment Processing

All payments are processed securely through Stripe. By making a payment, you agree to:

• Stripe's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
• Provide accurate and complete payment information
• Authorize us to charge your payment method for the amount specified

4.2 Refund Policy

All contributions are final and non-refundable. By contributing, you acknowledge that:

• You are making a charitable contribution with a gamification element
• No refunds will be issued for any reason, including technical errors or changes of mind
• Disputed charges may result in account suspension

4.3 Fee Structure

From each $1.00 contribution:

• 85% goes directly to Team Water charity (after payment processing fees)
• 15% covers operational costs, hosting, and platform maintenance
• Stripe processing fees (2.9% + $0.30) are deducted before allocation

5. Prohibited Activities

You agree not to:

• Use the Service for any unlawful purpose or in violation of these Terms
• Attempt to interfere with, compromise, or disrupt the Service or servers
• Create multiple accounts or impersonate other users
• Use automated systems, bots, or scripts to interact with the Service
• Harvest or collect information about other users
• Engage in any activity that could damage our reputation or the charity's reputation
• Attempt to reverse engineer or access non-public areas of the Service
• Transmit viruses, malware, or other harmful code
• Use the Service to promote hate speech, violence, or discrimination

6. Charitable Donations

6.1 Donation Process

• Donations are aggregated and sent to Team Water annually on April 1st
• We provide quarterly transparency reports showing funds raised and allocated
• All donations are sent as unrestricted gifts to Team Water
• We cannot provide tax receipts as contributions are made to FlagRiser, not directly to the charity

6.2 Transparency Commitment

We commit to:

• Publishing financial reports
• Providing proof of donation transfers to Team Water
• Maintaining accurate, real-time tracking of all contributions
• Being fully transparent about our fee structure and operations

7. Intellectual Property

7.1 Our Content

The Service and its original content, features, and functionality are owned by FlagRiser and are protected by international copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws.

7.2 User Content

By using the Service, you grant us a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free license to use, display, and distribute any content you submit, including but not limited to flag selections and competition interactions.

7.3 Third-Party Content

Flag designs and country names are used for identification purposes only. We do not claim ownership of any national symbols or emblems.

8. Privacy

Your use of the Service is also governed by our Privacy Policy. Please review our Privacy Policy, which explains how we collect, use, and protect your information.

9. Disclaimers and Limitations of Liability

9.1 Service Availability

The Service is provided "as is" and "as available" without warranties of any kind. We do not guarantee that:

• The Service will be uninterrupted or error-free
• Defects will be corrected in a timely manner
• The Service is free of viruses or harmful components

9.2 Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, FlagRiser shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages resulting from your use or inability to use the Service.

9.3 Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless FlagRiser, its operators, and affiliates from any claims, damages, or expenses arising from your violation of these Terms or misuse of the Service.

10. Termination

We reserve the right to:

• Terminate or suspend your access immediately, without prior notice, for any breach of these Terms
• Remove or disable access to any content at our sole discretion
• Terminate the Service entirely with 30 days notice

Upon termination, your right to use the Service will immediately cease. All provisions of these Terms which should reasonably survive termination shall survive.

11. Contact Information

For questions about these Terms, please contact us: