Terms of Service

Welcome to IndE-Book (the “Platform”). These Terms of Service (“Terms”) are a binding contract between you and BLOCK BY BLOCK PUBLISHING LLC (“IndE-Book,” “we,” “us”, or “our”) governing your access to and use of the Platform, websites, mobile apps, and any services provided by IndE-Book (collectively, the “Service”).

By using the Service you agree to these Terms and to our Privacy Policy, Cookie Policy, Refund Policy, and Creator Agreement (if applicable), all incorporated by reference. If you do not agree, do not use the Service.

1. Definitions

• User / You: any person or entity accessing or using the Service.
• Creator: a User who uploads, sells, or distributes content on the Platform.
• Content: text, images, audio, video, comics, ebooks, interactive works, metadata, and other materials uploaded or made available on the Platform.
• Paid Coins (Purple): a virtual currency purchased with real money used to buy paid content or services on the Platform.
• Reward Coins (Green): a virtual currency earned through promotions, rewards, or Platform activities; may be limited in use per Platform rules.
• Stripe: third-party payment processor(s) used to accept payments on behalf of IndE-Book and Creators.

2. Acceptance and Eligibility

General Users must be at least 13 years old.Creators must be at least 18 years old (or the age of majority in their jurisdiction) to upload content, receive payouts, or enter binding agreements. Users under 18 may only use the Service with parental/guardian consent.

By using the Service you represent and warrant that you have the legal capacity to enter these Terms.

3. Accounts and Registration

• You must provide accurate, current, and complete information when creating an account.
• You are responsible for safeguarding account credentials and all activity under your account.
• IndE-Book may require identity verification for Creators or for payment processing and may suspend or close accounts that fail verification or violate these Terms.

4. Virtual Currency — Paid Coins & Reward Coins

a. How they function

• Paid Coins (purple) are purchased with real currency through Stripe and have no cash value outside the Platform.
• Reward Coins (green) are issued by IndE-Book for promotions, referrals, or in-Platform activities and may be subject to expiration or usage limits.
• Both currencies may be used to purchase Platform content where accepted; availability is determined by the content listing.

b. Purchases

All purchases of Paid Coins are final unless otherwise specified in our Refund Policy. Paid Coin purchases are processed by Stripe and are subject to its fees and the Platform’s terms.

c. No Cash Redemption

Paid Coins and Reward Coins have no monetary value outside the Platform and cannot be exchanged for cash, cheque, or other monetary instruments except where required by law.

d. Adjustments

We reserve the right to modify coin pricing, conversion rates (e.g., 10 Paid Coins = $1), bonuses, and promotional offers. Any changes will not apply retroactively to coins already purchased.

e. Balance, Expiration, and Forfeiture

Reward Coins may expire or be forfeited per published rules. Paid Coins generally do not expire unless specified. We will attempt to notify Users of material changes but encourage you to monitor your balance and Platform announcements.

f. Chargebacks and Fraud

If a purchase is reversed by a payment provider (chargeback), we may deduct the corresponding Paid Coins and any fees from your account or require repayment. Repeated fraud or chargebacks may lead to account termination.

5. Purchases, Fees, and Creator Payments

• When buying content, you pay the price set on the content page in Paid Coins or other accepted payment methods.
• Creators receive payments according to the Creator Agreement (royalty split, timing, and payout minimums). IndE-Book may collect a platform fee, payment processing fees, and applicable taxes prior to Creator payout.
• Stripe or other payment processors handle card/bank processing; by purchasing you consent to processing by Stripe and other third-party services.

6. Refund Policy (Digital Goods)

Digital content is generally non-refundable once delivery to the User is completed, unless otherwise stated or required by law. For purchases made with Paid Coins, refunds (if any) will be issued in Paid Coins or as otherwise determined at IndE-Book’s discretion.

For subscriptions, cancellation and refund terms are stated at purchase; prorated refunds may be offered per the subscription terms.

7. Content — Ownership and License

a. Ownership

Creators retain ownership of their Content unless they expressly assign it. By uploading Content, Creators represent they own or have permission to use and distribute the Content.

b. License to IndE-Book

Creators grant IndE-Book a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free license to host, display, distribute, promote, and otherwise use the Content on the Platform and related marketing, subject to the Creator’s selected distribution settings.

c. License to Users

Purchasing or accessing Content grants Users a limited, non-exclusive license to use the Content for personal, noncommercial use unless a different license is offered.

8. Prohibited Content and Conduct

You may not upload, sell, or distribute:

• Illegal content or services.
• Content infringing third-party IP.
• Pornographic content involving minors or non-consenting persons.
• Hate speech, terrorist propaganda, or content that violates applicable law.
• Items listed by Stripe or applicable payment processors as prohibited.
• Deepfakes or synthetic media that misrepresents real persons without consent.
• Malware, phishing tools, or content designed to compromise Platform security.

Creators must not manipulate ratings, reviews, or content availability or attempt to launder funds or otherwise abuse the payment system.

9. Platform Safety, Moderation, and Reporting

IndE-Book is committed to maintaining a safe, lawful, and respectful community. We use a combination of automated systems and human review to detect, prevent, and remove prohibited content.

Safety & Detection Tools

• AI-based pre-screening for all published content
• Automated scanning for harmful or policy-violating material
• Admin alerts triggered by suspicious user activity or patterns

How to Report Violations

Users, creators, and rights holders may report violations through any of the following channels:

• Click the Report button on any content page
• Email us at report@inde-book.com
• For copyright issues, contact dmca@inde-book.com

All reports generate an internal case ID and are reviewed by our moderation team within 24–72 hours.

Takedown & Enforcement Process

1. Report received via user submission or system detection
2. Automated triage and prioritization
3. Human moderation review by trained staff
4. Content removal, restriction, or account action if violation is confirmed
5. User notification (unless prohibited by law or safety concerns)
6. Logging of action for audit, compliance, and escalation tracking

Repeat Violator Policy

We enforce a three-strike escalation process for policy violations, which may result in content restrictions, account suspension, or permanent termination. Severe violations (e.g., child safety risks, illegal content, or terror-related material) may result in immediate removal and permanent ban without prior warnings. Under the DMCA, repeat infringers are permanently banned from the Platform.

User Responsibilities

Reporting users must provide accurate information and may not misuse the system for harassment, retaliation, or competitive sabotage.

Reported users will typically be notified if enforcement action is taken (e.g., content removal or account restriction), unless notice would compromise safety, violate law, or interfere with an investigation.

IndE-Book reviews all reports in good faith and reserves the right to take any action deemed necessary — including no action — based on the evidence and context. False, malicious, or abusive reports may result in penalties for the reporting user.

Compliance & Auditing

IndE-Book maintains detailed logs of all reports, moderation decisions, and policy violations to support internal auditing, regulatory compliance, and adherence to third-party requirements, including the Stripe Acceptable Use Policy (AUP).

10. DMCA and Copyright Policy

If you believe Content infringes your IP, follow the DMCA takedown procedure available in our Copyright Policy. IndE-Book will respond to valid notices and may terminate repeat infringers.

11. Taxes

Buyers and Creators are responsible for any taxes arising from purchases, sales, or payouts. IndE-Book may collect tax information from Creators and comply with tax reporting obligations.

12. Third-Party Services and Links

The Service may use third-party services (including Stripe) to process payments and provide other features. Use of third-party services is subject to their own terms and privacy policies.

13. Disclaimers and Limitation of Liability

THE SERVICE IS PROVIDED “AS IS.” TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, INDE-BOOK DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, INCLUDING MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

IN NO EVENT SHALL INDE-BOOK BE LIABLE FOR INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OR FOR AMOUNTS EXCEEDING THE FEES PAID BY YOU IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS.

14. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold IndE-Book harmless from claims arising from your use of the Service, your Content, or breach of these Terms.

15. Termination and Suspension

We may suspend or terminate accounts that violate these Terms or for other business reasons. On termination, we may remove Content and withhold funds if required (e.g., for chargebacks or suspected fraud).

16. Governing Law and Dispute Resolution

These Terms are governed by the laws of THE STATE OF GEORGIA.

Disputes will be resolved by binding arbitration.

17. Modifications to Terms

We may modify these Terms; material changes will be posted and, where required by law, communicated to Users. Continued use after changes means acceptance.

18. Force Majeure

IndE-Book is not liable for failure or delay in performance due to causes beyond its reasonable control, including but not limited to: acts of God, war, terrorism, pandemics, government actions, internet outages, or third-party service failures.

19. Contact Information

For questions, legal notices, or DMCA claims, contact:

20. Miscellaneous

• Entire Agreement: These Terms and referenced policies are the entire agreement.
• Severability: If any provision is invalid, the rest remain in force.
• Assignment: You may not assign your rights without our consent.