Terms of Service

1. Acceptance of Terms

By creating an account or using Ricki ("the App"), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service. If you do not agree, please do not use the App.

2. Description of Service

Ricki is an AI-powered language learning application that supports 25+ languages and provides:

• Voice and text conversations with an AI tutor
• Bridge Mode for two-person translated conversations
• Vocabulary tracking, curated vocab lists, and spaced repetition review
• Progress tracking and pronunciation analysis
• Community features including posts, comments, and member profiles
• Kids Mode for parent-supervised child language learning
• Games, Couples Mode, and Translator Mode
• Personalized learning recommendations

Ricki is a learning tool, not a certified language proficiency assessment service.

3. User Accounts & Age Requirement

You must provide a valid email address to create an account. You are responsible for maintaining the security of your account. You must be at least 13 years old to use Ricki. By creating an account, you represent that you meet this age requirement.

4. Ricki Kids (Parental Features)

Ricki Kids allows parents and guardians (age 13+) to create language learning profiles for their children. By setting up a child profile, you represent that:

• You are the parent or legal guardian of the child
• You consent to the collection and processing of your child's voice data and conversation transcripts for language tutoring purposes
• You understand that voice data is processed by third-party AI services
• You are responsible for supervising your child's use of the App

You may delete your child's profile and all associated data at any time from the Kids tab. We comply with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).

5. Acceptable Use

You agree not to:

• Use the App for any unlawful purpose
• Attempt to manipulate or abuse the AI system
• Share harmful, threatening, or inappropriate content in conversations, posts, or comments
• Attempt to reverse engineer the App or its services
• Use Bridge Mode to facilitate harmful communications
• Create multiple accounts to circumvent usage limits
• Harass, bully, or intimidate other users
• Post spam or misleading content in the community

6. Community Guidelines & Content Moderation

Ricki includes community features (posts, comments, member profiles). You are responsible for the content you share. We provide tools to report inappropriate content and block users. Reported content is reviewed by our team. We reserve the right to remove content and suspend accounts that violate these guidelines.

7. AI-Generated Content & Educational Disclaimer

Ricki's responses are generated by artificial intelligence. While we strive for accuracy, AI-generated content may occasionally contain errors or inappropriate responses. Ricki should not be relied upon as the sole source for language learning, professional translation, or academic assessment. The App is designed to supplement your learning, not replace formal education. You can report inappropriate AI responses using the in-app reporting tools.

Please be aware of the following:

• Ricki is not a certified educational institution and does not confer degrees, diplomas, certifications, or any formally recognized credentials.
• Ricki is not a substitute for professional language instruction. For official language proficiency certification, please consult accredited institutions and examination bodies.
• Ricki is not a medical, therapeutic, or counseling service. If you require speech therapy, cognitive assessment, or any health-related language support, please consult a qualified professional.
• Ricki does not guarantee specific learning outcomes. Language acquisition varies by individual, and results depend on factors including time invested, prior knowledge, and learning environment.

8. AI Interaction Disclosure

Ricki is an artificial intelligence system, not a human. When you interact with Ricki, you are communicating with an AI-powered language tutoring application. There is no human on the other end of your conversations with the AI tutor.

In compliance with the EU AI Act (Article 50) and applicable transparency regulations, we clearly disclose that:

• All conversational responses from Ricki are generated by machine learning models (large language models and related AI systems).
• AI-generated responses may contain factual errors, grammatical inaccuracies, or culturally inappropriate suggestions. You should independently verify any important information provided by the AI.
• The AI does not possess consciousness, emotions, or subjective experiences. Any expression of personality or emotion is a programmatic feature designed to enhance the learning experience.
• Voice synthesis features produce computer-generated audio, not recordings of human speech.

By using the App, you acknowledge that you understand you are interacting with artificial intelligence technology.

9. Voice Data & AI Processing

When you use voice features, your audio is sent to third-party AI services (Anthropic, Deepgram, ElevenLabs) for real-time processing. Audio data is not permanently stored after transcription is complete. Conversation transcripts are saved to track your progress. Before your first conversation, you will be asked to consent to this data processing.

10. Subscription & Payments

Ricki offers subscription tiers with different minute allowances and features. Subscriptions are billed monthly or annually through the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. You can cancel at any time; cancellation takes effect at the end of the current billing period. Refunds are handled according to the policies of your platform's app store.

Unused subscription minutes do not roll over to the next billing period.

11. Account Deletion

You may delete your account at any time from the Settings screen in the App. Account deletion permanently removes all your data, including your profile, conversation history, vocabulary, progress, Kids profiles, community content, and authentication credentials. This action cannot be undone.

You may also request account deletion by contacting support@rickiapp.ai.

12. Intellectual Property

The App, including its design, code, AI models, and content, is owned by Ricki and protected by intellectual property laws. Your conversation transcripts and learning data belong to you, but we retain a license to use anonymized, aggregated data to improve our services.

13. Limitation of Liability

Ricki is provided "as is" without warranties of any kind. We are not liable for any damages arising from your use of the App, including but not limited to: inaccurate translations, incorrect grammar corrections, service interruptions, or data loss. Our total liability is limited to the amount you have paid for the service in the preceding 12 months.

14. Termination

We reserve the right to suspend or terminate your account if you violate these Terms. You may delete your account at any time from the Settings screen or by contacting support@rickiapp.ai. Upon termination, your data will be deleted in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

15. Changes to Terms

We may modify these Terms at any time. Material changes will be communicated through the App or by email. Continued use after changes constitutes acceptance of the new Terms.

16. Governing Law & Jurisdiction

These Terms of Service and any disputes arising out of or related to them or the App shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Texas, United States, without regard to its conflict of law provisions.

You agree that any legal action or proceeding relating to these Terms or your use of the App shall be brought exclusively in the state or federal courts located in Texas, and you consent to the personal jurisdiction of such courts.

For users in the European Union: Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit or restrict any rights you may have under applicable EU consumer protection law, including Regulation (EU) 2017/2394 and Directive 2011/83/EU. Where mandatory consumer protection laws of your country of residence apply, those laws shall take precedence to the extent required.

17. Dispute Resolution & Arbitration

Please read this section carefully. It affects your legal rights, including your right to file a lawsuit in court.

Informal Resolution. Before initiating any formal dispute resolution proceeding, you agree to first contact us at legal@rickiapp.ai and attempt to resolve the dispute informally for at least 30 days from the date you send written notice of the dispute. The notice must include your name, account information, a description of the dispute, and the resolution you seek.

Binding Arbitration. If the dispute is not resolved within the 30-day informal resolution period, either party may initiate binding arbitration. Any dispute, claim, or controversy arising out of or relating to these Terms, or the breach, termination, enforcement, interpretation, or validity thereof, including the determination of the scope or applicability of this agreement to arbitrate, shall be determined by binding arbitration administered by JAMS pursuant to its Comprehensive Arbitration Rules and Procedures. The arbitration shall be conducted by a single arbitrator and shall take place in the State of Texas unless both parties agree otherwise. The arbitrator's decision shall be final and binding, and judgment on the award may be entered in any court of competent jurisdiction.

Small Claims Court Exception. Notwithstanding the above, either party may bring an individual action in small claims court for disputes within that court's jurisdictional limits.

Class Action Waiver. You and Ricki agree that any dispute resolution proceedings will be conducted only on an individual basis and not in a class, consolidated, or representative action. You waive any right to participate in a class action lawsuit or class-wide arbitration against Ricki. If for any reason a claim proceeds in court rather than in arbitration, you and Ricki each waive any right to a jury trial.

Opt-Out. You may opt out of this arbitration agreement by sending written notice to legal@rickiapp.ai within 30 days of creating your account. The notice must include your full name, email address associated with your Ricki account, and a clear statement that you wish to opt out of the arbitration agreement. If you opt out, the Governing Law & Jurisdiction provisions in Section 16 will apply to any disputes.

18. DMCA & Copyright

Ricki respects the intellectual property rights of others and complies with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA).

Reporting Copyright Infringement. If you believe that content available through the App infringes your copyright, please submit a written notification to our designated DMCA agent containing:

• A physical or electronic signature of the copyright owner or authorized agent
• Identification of the copyrighted work claimed to have been infringed
• Identification of the material that is claimed to be infringing and its location within the App
• Your contact information (address, telephone number, and email address)
• A statement that you have a good faith belief that the use is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law
• A statement, made under penalty of perjury, that the information in the notification is accurate and that you are the copyright owner or authorized to act on the owner's behalf

Designated Agent: legal@rickiapp.ai

Counter-Notification. If you believe that material you posted was removed or disabled by mistake or misidentification, you may submit a counter-notification to our designated agent containing:

• Your physical or electronic signature
• Identification of the material that was removed and its previous location
• A statement under penalty of perjury that you have a good faith belief the material was removed as a result of mistake or misidentification
• Your name, address, telephone number, and a statement consenting to the jurisdiction of the federal courts in Texas

Repeat Infringer Policy. In accordance with the DMCA and other applicable law, Ricki maintains a policy of terminating, in appropriate circumstances, the accounts of users who are deemed to be repeat infringers. Ricki may also, at its sole discretion, limit access to the App or terminate the accounts of any users who infringe the intellectual property rights of others, whether or not there is any repeat infringement.

19. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Ricki, its officers, directors, employees, agents, licensors, and service providers from and against any and all claims, liabilities, damages, losses, costs, expenses, or fees (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising out of or relating to:

• Your violation of these Terms of Service
• Your use of the App, including any content you submit, post, or transmit through the App (including community posts, comments, and any user-generated content)
• Any third-party claims arising from your use of the App or your violation of any law or the rights of any third party
• Your use of Bridge Mode, Couples Mode, or any feature involving communication with other users

This indemnification obligation shall survive the termination of your account and these Terms.

20. Severability

If any provision of these Terms is found to be unlawful, void, or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, that provision shall be deemed severable from these Terms and shall not affect the validity and enforceability of the remaining provisions. The unenforceable provision shall be modified to the minimum extent necessary to make it enforceable while preserving its original intent.

21. Entire Agreement

These Terms of Service, together with our Privacy Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and Ricki regarding your use of the App, and supersede all prior and contemporaneous understandings, agreements, representations, and warranties, both written and oral, regarding such subject matter.

No waiver of any term or condition set out in these Terms shall be deemed a further or continuing waiver of such term or condition, or a waiver of any other term or condition. Any waiver must be in writing and signed by an authorized representative of Ricki to be effective. Any failure by Ricki to assert a right or provision under these Terms shall not constitute a waiver of such right or provision.

22. Contact

Questions about these Terms? Contact us at: support@rickiapp.ai

For legal matters, copyright notices, or arbitration opt-out requests: legal@rickiapp.ai