howdy

Terms and Conditions

Effective Date: March 20, 2026

Last Updated: March 20, 2026

 

This document serves as both the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy for Howdy. It is organized into two parts:

 

Part I: Terms of Service (Sections 1-25)

Part II: Privacy Policy (Sections 26-38)

 

 

Part I: Terms of Service

 

 

1. Acceptance of Terms

 

By creating a Howdy Inc. ("Howdy," "we," "us," or "our") account or using any Howdy service, whether through a mobile device, mobile application, or computer (collectively, the "Service"), you agree to be bound by:

 

These Terms of Service and Privacy Policy (collectively, these "Terms")

Our Community Guidelines (incorporated by reference)

Any additional terms disclosed to you when you purchase features, products, or services from Howdy

 

If you do not agree to all of these terms, do not access or use the Service.

 

We may update these Terms from time to time. If we make material changes, we will notify you by reasonable means (such as in-app notification, push notification, or email) at least 30 days before the changes take effect. Your continued use of the Service after the effective date of any updated Terms constitutes your acceptance of the updated Terms. If you do not agree to the updated Terms, you must stop using the Service.

 

 

2. Eligibility

 

To use the Service, you must:

 

Be at least 18 years of age

Be legally capable of entering into a binding contract

Not be prohibited from using the Service under the laws of the United States or any other applicable jurisdiction

Not appear on the U.S. Treasury Department's Specially Designated Nationals list or any similar prohibited-parties list

Not have been convicted of, or pled no contest to, a felony, sex crime, or any crime involving violence or threat of violence

Not be required to register as a sex offender with any federal, state, or local sex offender registry

Not have previously been removed from the Service by Howdy, unless you have received our express written consent to create a new account

 

By using the Service, you represent and warrant that you meet all eligibility requirements. We reserve the right to use age verification mechanisms, including platform-provided APIs (such as Apple's Declared Age Range API or Google's Play Age Signals API), to verify compliance with age requirements. We may refuse access to, or terminate your use of, the Service at any time if we have reason to believe you do not meet these requirements.

 

The Service is not directed at persons under the age of 18. If we learn that we have collected personal information from a person under 18, we will take steps to delete that information and terminate that person's account.

 

 

3. Your Account

 

You are responsible for:

 

Maintaining the confidentiality of your login credentials

All activity that occurs under your account, whether or not authorized by you

Ensuring that the information you provide to us is accurate, current, and complete

 

You agree not to share your account credentials with any third party or permit any third party to access or use your account.

 

If you believe your account has been compromised or accessed without your authorization, contact us immediately at support@howdysocial.io.

 

 

4. Safety and User Interactions

 

Howdy strives to foster respectful interactions (for example, through features like double opt-in chats) but does not:

 

Conduct criminal background checks on users

Verify the identity, background, or statements of any user

Guarantee the conduct, compatibility, or intentions of any user

 

You are solely responsible for your interactions with other users, both on and off the Service. You agree to exercise caution, good judgment, and appropriate safety precautions when communicating with or meeting any other user.

 

Howdy is not responsible for the conduct of any user. In no event shall Howdy be liable for any claims, damages, losses, or expenses arising out of or relating to your interactions with other users.

 

We encourage you to review our Safety Tips and report any concerns through the in-app reporting tools.

 

 

5. Modifying the Service and Termination

 

Service Changes

 

Howdy reserves the right to modify, suspend, or discontinue the Service (or any portion thereof) at any time, with or without notice. We will use reasonable efforts to notify you of material changes to the Service that affect your use.

 

Termination by You

 

You may terminate your account at any time by using the account deletion feature within the Service or by contacting us at support@howdysocial.io. Upon termination, your right to use the Service ceases immediately.

 

Termination by Howdy

 

We may terminate or suspend your account at any time if we reasonably believe that you have violated these Terms or our Community Guidelines, or if required by law. We will provide you with the reason for termination and, where practicable, an opportunity to retrieve your data before deletion. For EU users, we will provide a statement of reasons in accordance with the Digital Services Act.

 

Effect of Termination

 

Upon termination:

 

Your license to use the Service is immediately revoked

We will delete your personal data in accordance with Part II (Privacy Policy) of these Terms, subject to any legal retention obligations

Sections that by their nature should survive termination will survive, including but not limited to Sections 7, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, and 26-38

 

 

6. Rights Howdy Grants You

 

Subject to your compliance with these Terms, Howdy grants you a personal, worldwide, non-transferable, non-exclusive, revocable, limited license to access and use the Service solely for your personal, non-commercial purposes.

 

You agree not to:

 

Use the Service for any commercial purpose without our prior written consent

Copy, reproduce, distribute, or create derivative works from any Howdy content, trademarks, or branding

Use any robot, bot, spider, scraper, crawler, or other automated means to access the Service, including for the purpose of training artificial intelligence or machine learning models

Interfere with or disrupt the Service, servers, or networks connected to the Service

Upload viruses, malware, or any other harmful code

Frame, mirror, or reverse engineer any part of the Service

Develop or use any unauthorized third-party application that interacts with the Service or other users' content

Use the Service in any way that violates applicable law or regulation

Collect, harvest, or store personal information of other users without their express consent

Use the Service to transmit spam, chain letters, or unsolicited communications

Create fake accounts, fake engagement, fake reviews, or misrepresent your identity

 

Violation of any of the above may result in immediate account termination and, where applicable, legal action.

 

 

7. Rights You Grant Howdy

 

Content License

 

By creating an account and posting content (including but not limited to photos, text, messages, and other materials) on the Service, you grant Howdy a worldwide, royalty-free, sublicensable (solely for the purpose of operating and providing the Service), and transferable license to host, store, reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, display, and distribute your content in connection with operating and providing the Service.

 

You retain all ownership rights in your content. This license is solely for the purpose of operating, developing, and improving the Service. We will not sell your content to third parties or use it for purposes unrelated to the Service without your separate, explicit consent.

 

This license will terminate when your content is deleted from our systems, except:

 

Where your content has been shared with other users and they have not deleted it

For a commercially reasonable period necessary for backup, archival, or audit purposes (not to exceed 90 days following deletion)

 

Representations

 

You represent and warrant that:

 

You own or have the necessary rights, licenses, and permissions to grant the above license

All content you submit is truthful and does not violate any applicable law or infringe on any third party's rights

 

Content Moderation

 

Howdy may, but is not obligated to, review, monitor, remove, or modify user content at our sole discretion, for any reason, including content that we believe violates these Terms or our Community Guidelines.

 

Our content moderation practices include a combination of automated tools, algorithmic detection, and human review. Automated tools may flag content based on pattern recognition, keyword analysis, and behavioral signals. Flagged content is reviewed against our Community Guidelines, and enforcement actions may include content removal, account warnings, or account suspension or termination. You may appeal content moderation decisions through the in-app reporting and appeals process.

 

For users in the European Union, we provide additional transparency about our content moderation practices in accordance with the EU Digital Services Act. See Section 25 (International Users) for details.

 

 

8. Community Rules

 

You agree not to:

 

Use the Service for any illegal or unauthorized purpose

Harass, bully, stalk, threaten, or intimidate any user

Impersonate any person or entity, or falsely state or misrepresent your identity or affiliation

Post content that is hateful, discriminatory, threatening, sexually explicit, or glorifies violence

Solicit personal information (such as passwords, financial details, or Social Security numbers) from any user

Solicit money, donations, or financial information from other users

Share, sell, or transfer your account to any third party

Create or maintain multiple accounts

Post content that infringes on the intellectual property rights of any third party

Engage in any activity that could damage, disable, overburden, or impair the Service

Encourage or facilitate any violation of these Terms

Post AI-generated content without clearly disclosing that it is AI-generated, where such content could reasonably be mistaken for authentic human-created content

 

Violations may result in account suspension or termination without refund. We will notify you of the specific violation and, where appropriate, provide an opportunity to address the issue before termination.

 

 

9. Other Users' Content

 

Content on the Service is primarily user-generated. Howdy:

 

Does not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any user content

Is not responsible for any user content, including content that is inaccurate, offensive, or otherwise objectionable

Is not liable for any damage or harm resulting from user content

 

If you encounter content that violates these Terms or our Community Guidelines, please report it using the in-app reporting tools. We will review reported content and take appropriate action at our discretion. You will be notified of the outcome of your report.

 

 

10. Purchases and Refunds

 

In-App Purchases

 

Howdy may offer products and services for purchase through the Service ("In-App Purchases"), including through:

 

Apple App Store (iTunes)

Google Play Store

Direct billing through the Service

 

When you make an In-App Purchase, you agree to:

 

Pay the prices displayed at the time of purchase, plus any applicable taxes

Authorize Howdy (or the applicable app store) to charge your selected payment method

Keep your payment information current and accurate

 

Howdy reserves the right to correct any billing errors, even if payment has already been requested or received.

 

Auto-Renewal

 

If you purchase a subscription that auto-renews, your subscription will automatically renew at the end of each billing period unless you cancel before the renewal date. You may manage or cancel your subscription through your device's app store settings or within the Service. We will remind you of upcoming renewals as required by applicable law.

 

Refund Policy

 

Generally, all purchases are final and non-refundable, except:

 

Where required by applicable law (including, for EU residents, within the 14-day withdrawal period under the Consumer Rights Directive, unless you have begun using the digital content and have acknowledged the loss of your withdrawal right)

In cases of billing error by Howdy

 

To request a refund:

 

Apple users: Open your App Store Purchase History and select "Report a Problem" next to the relevant purchase

Google Play / direct billing users: Contact us at support@howdysocial.io with your order number and reason for refund

By mail: Howdy Inc., Attn: Refunds, 6353 El Cajon Blvd, San Diego, CA 92115

 

 

11. SMS and Push Notifications

 

By providing your phone number and using the Service, you consent to receive text messages (SMS/MMS) from Howdy for the following purposes:

 

Account verification and security codes

Account notifications and service-related alerts

Updates about the Service

 

By providing your phone number, you agree to receive automated text messages from Howdy at the number provided. Consent is not a condition of purchase. Message frequency varies. Message and data rates may apply. This consent is specific to Howdy and does not extend to any third party. We will not share your phone number with third parties for their marketing purposes.

 

To opt out of SMS messages, reply STOP to any Howdy text message, adjust your notification preferences within the Service, or contact us at support@howdysocial.io. You may also opt out by any other reasonable means, and we will honor your request. Reply HELP for help.

Opting out of SMS may limit your ability to use certain features of the Service (such as phone number verification).

 

By consenting to receive SMS, you confirm that the phone number you provide is your own and that you are authorized to receive text messages at that number.

 

For questions about SMS, contact us at support@howdysocial.io.

 

 

12. Copyright Infringement (DMCA)

 

Filing a Notice

 

If you believe that content on the Service infringes your copyright, you may submit a notice to our designated Copyright Agent. Your notice must include:

 

1. A physical or electronic signature of the person authorized to act on behalf of the copyright owner

2. A description of the copyrighted work you claim has been infringed

3. A description of where the allegedly infringing material is located on the Service (with sufficient detail for us to locate it)

4. Your contact information (name, address, telephone number, and email address)

5. A statement that you have a good faith belief that the use is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law

6. A statement, made under penalty of perjury, that the information in the notice is accurate and that you are authorized to act on behalf of the copyright owner

 

Counter-Notice

 

If you believe your content was removed by mistake or misidentification, you may submit a counter-notice to our Copyright Agent. Your counter-notice must include:

 

1. Your physical or electronic signature

2. Identification of the material that was removed and the location where it appeared before removal

3. A statement under penalty of perjury that you have a good faith belief the material was removed as a result of mistake or misidentification

4. Your name, address, and telephone number, and a statement consenting to the jurisdiction of the federal court in San Diego, California, and that you will accept service of process from the person who provided the original notice

 

Copyright Agent

 

Howdy Inc.

Attn: Copyright Agent

6353 El Cajon Blvd

San Diego, CA 92115

Email: copyright@howdysocial.io

 

We will respond to valid DMCA notices in accordance with applicable law and may remove or disable access to the allegedly infringing content. Upon receipt of a valid counter-notice, we will provide a copy to the original complainant and restore the removed content within 10 to 14 business days, unless the original complainant notifies us that they have filed a court action seeking to restrain the alleged infringement.

 

Repeat infringer policy: Howdy will terminate the accounts of users who are determined to be repeat infringers.

 

 

13. Disclaimers

 

THE SERVICE IS PROVIDED ON AN "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE" BASIS WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, WHETHER EXPRESS, IMPLIED, OR STATUTORY, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, TITLE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT.

 

HOWDY DOES NOT WARRANT THAT:

 

THE SERVICE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED, SECURE, OR ERROR-FREE

ANY DEFECTS OR ERRORS WILL BE CORRECTED

THE RESULTS OBTAINED FROM THE USE OF THE SERVICE WILL BE ACCURATE OR RELIABLE

THE QUALITY OF THE SERVICE WILL MEET YOUR EXPECTATIONS

 

YOU USE THE SERVICE AT YOUR OWN RISK. HOWDY DOES NOT REPRESENT OR WARRANT THE CONDUCT, IDENTITY, INTENTIONS, LEGITIMACY, OR VERACITY OF ANY USER.

 

 

14. Limitation of Liability

 

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW:

 

IN NO EVENT SHALL HOWDY, ITS AFFILIATES, DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS, OR LICENSORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE, OR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF PROFITS, GOODWILL, DATA, OR OTHER INTANGIBLE LOSSES, ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO YOUR USE OF OR INABILITY TO USE THE SERVICE

 

HOWDY'S AGGREGATE LIABILITY TO YOU FOR ALL CLAIMS ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THE SERVICE OR THESE TERMS SHALL NOT EXCEED THE GREATER OF (A) THE AMOUNT YOU PAID TO HOWDY IN THE TWELVE (12) MONTHS PRECEDING THE EVENT GIVING RISE TO THE CLAIM, OR (B) ONE HUNDRED U.S. DOLLARS ($100)

 

SOME JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF CERTAIN DAMAGES. IN SUCH JURISDICTIONS, THE LIMITATIONS ABOVE SHALL APPLY TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW. NOTHING IN THESE TERMS SHALL EXCLUDE OR LIMIT LIABILITY FOR DEATH OR PERSONAL INJURY CAUSED BY NEGLIGENCE, FOR FRAUD OR FRAUDULENT MISREPRESENTATION, OR FOR ANY OTHER LIABILITY THAT CANNOT BE EXCLUDED OR LIMITED BY LAW.

 

 

15. Indemnification

 

To the extent permitted by applicable law, you agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Howdy, its affiliates, and their respective directors, officers, employees, agents, and licensors from and against any and all claims, demands, damages, losses, liabilities, costs, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising out of or relating to:

 

Your use of the Service

Your content

Your interactions with other users

Your violation of these Terms, any applicable law, or any third party's rights

 

Howdy reserves the right, at your expense, to assume the exclusive defense and control of any matter for which you are required to indemnify us, and you agree to cooperate with our defense of such claims.

 

 

16. Dispute Resolution and Arbitration

 

PLEASE READ THIS SECTION CAREFULLY. IT AFFECTS YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS, INCLUDING YOUR RIGHT TO FILE A LAWSUIT IN COURT AND TO HAVE A JURY TRIAL.

 

Informal Resolution

 

Before filing any legal claim, you agree to first contact us at support@howdysocial.io and attempt to resolve the dispute informally for at least 30 days. If we cannot resolve the dispute informally, either party may proceed as described below.

 

Binding Arbitration

 

You and Howdy agree that any dispute, claim, or controversy arising out of or relating to these Terms or the Service (including the formation, validity, enforceability, scope, or applicability of this arbitration agreement) shall be resolved exclusively through binding individual arbitration administered by JAMS under its Streamlined Arbitration Rules and Procedures, and not in a court of law.

 

The arbitration will be conducted by a single arbitrator

The arbitration will take place in San Diego, California, or at your election, may be conducted by telephone or videoconference

The arbitrator's decision will be final and binding and may be entered as a judgment in any court of competent jurisdiction

For claims under $10,000, Howdy will pay all arbitration filing fees and arbitrator costs; for claims over $10,000, costs will be allocated in accordance with JAMS rules

Each party will bear its own attorneys' fees unless the arbitrator determines that a claim was frivolous, in which case the arbitrator may award reasonable attorneys' fees to the prevailing party

 

Batch Arbitration

 

If 25 or more similar claims are filed against Howdy within a 60-day period, JAMS may group them into batches of no more than 50 claims. One claim from each batch will be selected as a bellwether case and arbitrated first. The results of the bellwether arbitrations will inform resolution of the remaining claims in each batch.

 

Class Action Waiver

 

YOU AND HOWDY AGREE THAT EACH MAY BRING CLAIMS AGAINST THE OTHER ONLY IN YOUR OR ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY, AND NOT AS A PLAINTIFF OR CLASS MEMBER IN ANY PURPORTED CLASS, CONSOLIDATED, OR REPRESENTATIVE PROCEEDING.

 

The arbitrator may not consolidate more than one person's claims and may not preside over any form of class, consolidated, or representative proceeding.

 

Exceptions

 

Either party may:

 

Bring an individual action in small claims court for disputes within that court's jurisdiction

Seek injunctive or other equitable relief in any court of competent jurisdiction to prevent the actual or threatened infringement of intellectual property rights

 

Opt-Out

 

You may opt out of this arbitration agreement by sending written notice to support@howdysocial.io within 30 days of first accepting these Terms. Your notice must include your name, account username, mailing address, and a clear statement that you wish to opt out. If you opt out, the Governing Law and Jurisdiction section below will apply.

 

 

17. Governing Law and Jurisdiction

 

These Terms and any dispute arising out of or relating to them shall be governed by the laws of the State of California, without regard to its conflict of law provisions.

 

To the extent that the arbitration agreement in Section 16 does not apply (either because you opted out or the dispute falls within an exception), you and Howdy agree to submit to the exclusive personal jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located in San Diego County, California.

 

For users in the European Union, nothing in this section limits your right to bring proceedings in your country of residence as provided by applicable law.

 

 

18. Third-Party Services

 

The Service may contain advertisements, links, or integrations with third-party websites, applications, or services ("Third-Party Services"). Howdy does not control and is not responsible for:

 

The availability, accuracy, or content of any Third-Party Services

The terms of service, privacy practices, or policies of any Third-Party Services

Any transactions you enter into with third-party providers

 

Your use of Third-Party Services is at your own risk and subject to the terms and conditions of those services.

 

 

19. Account Deletion and Data Portability

 

Account Deletion

 

You have the right to delete your account at any time through the account settings within the Service. Upon account deletion:

 

Your profile and content will be removed from the Service within 30 days

Some information may be retained as required by law or for legitimate business purposes (such as fraud prevention and legal compliance) as described in Part II (Privacy Policy) of these Terms, for a period not to exceed the applicable legal retention requirement

Content you shared with other users that they have saved or copied may remain accessible to those users

 

Data Portability

 

You may request a copy of your personal data in a structured, commonly used, machine-readable format (JSON). To request your data, use the data export feature within the Service or contact us at support@howdysocial.io. We will fulfill your request within 30 days (or 45 days for complex requests, with notice).

 

 

20. Artificial Intelligence and Automated Systems

 

Howdy uses automated systems, including artificial intelligence, for the following purposes:

 

Content moderation: Automated tools assist in identifying content that may violate our Community Guidelines. Flagged content may be reviewed by human moderators before action is taken.

Content recommendations: Algorithmic systems may recommend content, communities, or users based on your activity, preferences, and connections.

Spam and fraud detection: Automated tools help detect and prevent spam, fake accounts, and fraudulent activity.

 

We do not use your content to train generalized artificial intelligence or machine learning models without your explicit consent.

 

You may contact us at support@howdysocial.io to request information about how automated decisions affect your account.

 

 

21. Severability

 

If any provision of these Terms is held to be unlawful, void, or unenforceable, that provision shall be deemed severable from these Terms and shall not affect the validity and enforceability of the remaining provisions.

 

 

22. Entire Agreement

 

These Terms (including Part II: Privacy Policy), together with the Community Guidelines and any supplemental terms, constitute the entire agreement between you and Howdy regarding your use of the Service and supersede all prior agreements, understandings, and communications, whether written or oral.

 

 

23. Assignment

 

Howdy may assign or transfer these Terms (and any rights and obligations hereunder) without your consent and without notice, including in connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets. You may not assign or transfer these Terms or any rights granted herein without Howdy's prior written consent.

 

 

24. No Waiver

 

Our failure to enforce any right or provision of these Terms shall not constitute a waiver of such right or provision. A waiver of any term shall not be deemed a continuing or further waiver of that term or any other term.

 

 

25. International Users

 

European Union Users

 

If you are located in the European Union, the following additional provisions apply in accordance with the EU Digital Services Act (DSA) and other applicable EU law:

 

Transparency: We publish transparency reports on our content moderation practices, including the volume and types of content actioned, the use of automated tools, and the number of complaints received and resolved.

Right to explanation: If your content is removed or your account is restricted, you will receive a clear explanation of the reasons and information about your right to appeal.

Non-personalized feed option: You may choose to view content in a chronological or non-algorithmic order rather than a personalized feed.

Dispute resolution: In addition to the dispute resolution mechanisms in Section 16, you may use an EU-certified out-of-court dispute settlement body. You also retain the right to bring proceedings before the courts of your member state of residence.

AI-generated content: Where content on the Service is generated by artificial intelligence, it will be labeled as such in accordance with the EU AI Act.

 

California Residents

 

If you are a California resident, you have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA/CPRA) as described in Part II, Section 35 of these Terms.

 

Other Jurisdictions

 

We comply with applicable data protection and consumer protection laws in the jurisdictions where we operate. If any provision of these Terms conflicts with mandatory local law, the local law prevails to the extent of the conflict.

 

 

Part II: Privacy Policy

 

 

26. Introduction

 

Howdy Inc. ("Howdy," "we," "us," or "our") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy (Part II of these Terms) describes how we collect, use, disclose, and protect your personal information when you use our Service.

 

We process your personal information on the legal bases described in Section 33 (for EEA/UK users) and as otherwise permitted by applicable law. By using the Service, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with our practices, do not use the Service.

 

 

27. Information We Collect

 

Information You Provide

 

Account information: Name, email address, phone number, date of birth, profile photos, and other information you provide during account creation or profile updates

Content: Photos, text, messages, and other materials you post or send through the Service

Communications: Messages you send to other users, and communications you send to us (such as support requests or feedback)

Payment information: When you make purchases, payment information is processed by our payment processors (Apple, Google, or Stripe). We do not store full credit card numbers or payment account credentials on our servers.

Survey and research data: Responses to surveys, questionnaires, or research studies you voluntarily participate in

 

Information Collected Automatically

 

Device information: Device type, operating system, unique device identifiers, device settings, and mobile network information

Usage data: Pages and features accessed, actions taken, time and duration of use, referring URLs, and interactions with content and other users

Location information: Approximate location based on IP address. We do not collect precise GPS location unless you explicitly grant permission through your device settings.

Log data: IP address, browser type, access times, error logs, and crash reports

Cookies and similar technologies: We use cookies, local storage, and similar technologies to maintain session state, remember preferences, and analyze usage patterns. See Section 36 (Cookies) for details.

 

Information from Third Parties

 

Social login providers: If you sign up or log in using a third-party service (such as Apple or Google), we receive basic profile information from that service as authorized by you

App store providers: Transaction and subscription information from Apple App Store or Google Play

Analytics providers: Aggregated or de-identified usage analytics from third-party analytics services

 

 

28. How We Use Your Information

 

We use your personal information for the following purposes:

 

Providing the Service: Creating and maintaining your account, facilitating user interactions, delivering content, and processing transactions

Safety and security: Verifying accounts, detecting and preventing fraud, spam, abuse, and security incidents, and enforcing our Terms and Community Guidelines

Content moderation: Using automated tools and human review to enforce Community Guidelines (see Section 20)

Communications: Sending you service-related messages, including account verification, security alerts, and customer support responses

Improvements: Analyzing usage patterns to improve the Service, fix bugs, and develop new features

Legal compliance: Complying with applicable laws, regulations, legal processes, and government requests

 

We do not use your personal information for:

 

Selling your personal data to third parties

Training generalized AI or machine learning models (without your explicit consent)

Profiling you for purposes unrelated to the Service

 

 

29. How We Share Your Information

 

We share your personal information only in the following circumstances:

 

With other users: Your profile information and content are visible to other users as part of the normal operation of the Service. Your visibility settings control the scope of this sharing.

Service providers: We share information with third-party vendors who perform services on our behalf (hosting, analytics, payment processing, customer support, content moderation). These providers are contractually required to use your data only for the purposes we specify and to protect it in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

Legal requirements: We may disclose information when required by law, regulation, legal process, or government request, or when we believe disclosure is necessary to protect the rights, property, or safety of Howdy, our users, or the public.

Business transfers: In connection with a merger, acquisition, reorganization, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify you of any such change and any choices you may have regarding your information.

With your consent: We may share your information for purposes not described in this Privacy Policy with your explicit consent.

 

We do not sell your personal information to third parties, as defined by the CCPA/CPRA and other applicable privacy laws.

 

 

30. Data Retention

 

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to provide the Service and fulfill the purposes described in this Privacy Policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law. Specifically:

 

Account data: Retained for the life of your account and deleted within 30 days of account deletion, except as noted below

Content: Removed from the Service within 30 days of deletion by you or account termination; backup copies deleted within 90 days

Transaction records: Retained for 7 years as required for tax and financial compliance

Security and fraud data: Retained for up to 3 years to detect and prevent fraud and abuse, and to comply with legal obligations

Anonymized/aggregated data: May be retained indefinitely as it cannot be used to identify you

 

 

31. Data Security

 

We implement industry-standard technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information, including:

 

Encryption of data in transit (TLS/SSL) and at rest

Access controls limiting employee access to personal data on a need-to-know basis

Regular security assessments and monitoring

Secure development practices

 

No method of electronic storage or transmission is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security. If we become aware of a security breach affecting your personal data, we will notify you and applicable authorities as required by law.

 

 

32. Your Rights

 

Depending on your location, you may have some or all of the following rights regarding your personal information:

 

Access: Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you

Correction: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete personal data

Deletion: Request deletion of your personal data (subject to legal retention requirements)

Portability: Request your data in a structured, machine-readable format (see Section 19)

Restriction: Request that we restrict processing of your personal data in certain circumstances

Objection: Object to our processing of your personal data for certain purposes, including direct marketing

Withdraw consent: Where processing is based on consent, withdraw your consent at any time (withdrawal does not affect the lawfulness of processing prior to withdrawal)

Non-discrimination: We will not discriminate against you for exercising your privacy rights

 

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at privacy@howdysocial.io or use the privacy controls within the Service. We will respond to verified requests within 30 days (or 45 days for complex requests, with notice).

 

 

33. Legal Bases for Processing (EEA/UK Users)

 

If you are in the European Economic Area or the United Kingdom, we process your personal data on the following legal bases:

 

Performance of a contract: Processing necessary to provide the Service and fulfill our obligations under these Terms (account creation, messaging, content delivery)

Legitimate interests: Processing necessary for our legitimate interests, such as improving the Service, ensuring security, and preventing fraud, where those interests are not overridden by your rights

Consent: Processing based on your explicit consent (e.g., optional marketing communications, location data)

Legal obligation: Processing necessary to comply with applicable laws and regulations

 

 

34. International Data Transfers

 

Howdy is based in the United States. If you are located outside the United States, your personal information will be transferred to and processed in the United States and potentially other countries where our service providers operate.

 

For transfers of personal data from the EEA, UK, or Switzerland to the United States, we rely on:

 

The EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework (DPF), UK Extension, and Swiss-U.S. DPF, where applicable

Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) approved by the European Commission

Other legally recognized transfer mechanisms as applicable

 

By using the Service, you acknowledge and consent to the transfer and processing of your personal data outside your country of residence.

 

 

35. California Privacy Rights (CCPA/CPRA)

 

If you are a California resident, you have the following additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act, as amended by the California Privacy Rights Act:

 

Right to know: You may request the categories and specific pieces of personal information we have collected, the sources, the business purposes, and the categories of third parties with whom we share it

Right to delete: You may request deletion of your personal information, subject to certain exceptions

Right to correct: You may request correction of inaccurate personal information

Right to opt out of sale/sharing: We do not sell your personal information. We do not share your personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising.

Right to limit use of sensitive personal information: We only use sensitive personal information as necessary to provide the Service

Right to non-discrimination: We will not deny you the Service, charge different prices, or provide a different level of quality for exercising your rights

 

Categories of personal information collected: Identifiers, internet activity, geolocation data (approximate), audio/visual information (profile photos, uploaded content), and inferences drawn from the above.

 

To exercise your rights: Contact us at privacy@howdysocial.io or use the in-app privacy controls. We will verify your identity before processing your request and respond within 45 days (which may be extended by an additional 45 days for complex requests, with notice). You may also designate an authorized agent to make a request on your behalf.

 

We do not use or disclose sensitive personal information for purposes other than those permitted under the CPRA.

 

 

36. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

 

We use the following types of cookies and similar technologies:

 

Essential cookies: Required for the Service to function (authentication, security, session management). Duration: session or up to 1 year.

Analytics cookies: Help us understand how users interact with the Service (page views, feature usage, crash reports). Duration: up to 2 years.

Preference cookies: Remember your settings and preferences (theme, language, notification preferences). Duration: up to 1 year.

 

We do not use advertising or cross-site tracking cookies.

 

We do not respond to Do Not Track (DNT) browser signals, as there is no industry-standard protocol for doing so. However, we do not engage in cross-site tracking or sell your personal information.

 

You can manage cookie preferences through your device or browser settings. Disabling essential cookies may prevent you from using certain features of the Service.

 

 

37. Children's Privacy

 

The Service is not directed to children under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 18.

 

If you are a parent or guardian and believe that your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us at privacy@howdysocial.io. If we learn that we have collected personal information from a child under 18 without parental consent, we will take steps to delete that information and terminate the associated account as quickly as possible.

 

 

38. Changes to This Privacy Policy

 

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. If we make material changes, we will notify you by posting the updated policy within the Service and, where appropriate, by email or in-app notification at least 30 days before the changes take effect.

 

We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically. Your continued use of the Service after the effective date of any updated Privacy Policy constitutes your acceptance of the changes.

 

 

Contact Us

 

If you have questions about these Terms or our privacy practices, please contact us:

 

Howdy Inc.

6353 El Cajon Blvd

San Diego, CA 92115

 

General inquiries: support@howdysocial.io

Privacy inquiries: privacy@howdysocial.io

Copyright inquiries: copyright@howdysocial.io

 

For EEA/UK users, Howdy Inc. is the data controller responsible for your personal information. If you have unresolved privacy concerns, you may contact your local data protection authority.

 

 

These Terms of Service and Privacy Policy were last updated on March 20, 2026.

howdy

Terms and Conditions

Effective Date: March 20, 2026

Last Updated: March 20, 2026

 

This document serves as both the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy for Howdy. It is organized into two parts:

 

Part I: Terms of Service (Sections 1-25)

Part II: Privacy Policy (Sections 26-38)

 

 

Part I: Terms of Service

 

 

1. Acceptance of Terms

 

By creating a Howdy Inc. ("Howdy," "we," "us," or "our") account or using any Howdy service, whether through a mobile device, mobile application, or computer (collectively, the "Service"), you agree to be bound by:

 

These Terms of Service and Privacy Policy (collectively, these "Terms")

Our Community Guidelines (incorporated by reference)

Any additional terms disclosed to you when you purchase features, products, or services from Howdy

 

If you do not agree to all of these terms, do not access or use the Service.

 

We may update these Terms from time to time. If we make material changes, we will notify you by reasonable means (such as in-app notification, push notification, or email) at least 30 days before the changes take effect. Your continued use of the Service after the effective date of any updated Terms constitutes your acceptance of the updated Terms. If you do not agree to the updated Terms, you must stop using the Service.

 

 

2. Eligibility

 

To use the Service, you must:

 

Be at least 18 years of age

Be legally capable of entering into a binding contract

Not be prohibited from using the Service under the laws of the United States or any other applicable jurisdiction

Not appear on the U.S. Treasury Department's Specially Designated Nationals list or any similar prohibited-parties list

Not have been convicted of, or pled no contest to, a felony, sex crime, or any crime involving violence or threat of violence

Not be required to register as a sex offender with any federal, state, or local sex offender registry

Not have previously been removed from the Service by Howdy, unless you have received our express written consent to create a new account

 

By using the Service, you represent and warrant that you meet all eligibility requirements. We reserve the right to use age verification mechanisms, including platform-provided APIs (such as Apple's Declared Age Range API or Google's Play Age Signals API), to verify compliance with age requirements. We may refuse access to, or terminate your use of, the Service at any time if we have reason to believe you do not meet these requirements.

 

The Service is not directed at persons under the age of 18. If we learn that we have collected personal information from a person under 18, we will take steps to delete that information and terminate that person's account.

 

 

3. Your Account

 

You are responsible for:

 

Maintaining the confidentiality of your login credentials

All activity that occurs under your account, whether or not authorized by you

Ensuring that the information you provide to us is accurate, current, and complete

 

You agree not to share your account credentials with any third party or permit any third party to access or use your account.

 

If you believe your account has been compromised or accessed without your authorization, contact us immediately at support@howdysocial.io.

 

 

4. Safety and User Interactions

 

Howdy strives to foster respectful interactions (for example, through features like double opt-in chats) but does not:

 

Conduct criminal background checks on users

Verify the identity, background, or statements of any user

Guarantee the conduct, compatibility, or intentions of any user

 

You are solely responsible for your interactions with other users, both on and off the Service. You agree to exercise caution, good judgment, and appropriate safety precautions when communicating with or meeting any other user.

 

Howdy is not responsible for the conduct of any user. In no event shall Howdy be liable for any claims, damages, losses, or expenses arising out of or relating to your interactions with other users.

 

We encourage you to review our Safety Tips and report any concerns through the in-app reporting tools.

 

 

5. Modifying the Service and Termination

 

Service Changes

 

Howdy reserves the right to modify, suspend, or discontinue the Service (or any portion thereof) at any time, with or without notice. We will use reasonable efforts to notify you of material changes to the Service that affect your use.

 

Termination by You

 

You may terminate your account at any time by using the account deletion feature within the Service or by contacting us at support@howdysocial.io. Upon termination, your right to use the Service ceases immediately.

 

Termination by Howdy

 

We may terminate or suspend your account at any time if we reasonably believe that you have violated these Terms or our Community Guidelines, or if required by law. We will provide you with the reason for termination and, where practicable, an opportunity to retrieve your data before deletion. For EU users, we will provide a statement of reasons in accordance with the Digital Services Act.

 

Effect of Termination

 

Upon termination:

 

Your license to use the Service is immediately revoked

We will delete your personal data in accordance with Part II (Privacy Policy) of these Terms, subject to any legal retention obligations

Sections that by their nature should survive termination will survive, including but not limited to Sections 7, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, and 26-38

 

 

6. Rights Howdy Grants You

 

Subject to your compliance with these Terms, Howdy grants you a personal, worldwide, non-transferable, non-exclusive, revocable, limited license to access and use the Service solely for your personal, non-commercial purposes.

 

You agree not to:

 

Use the Service for any commercial purpose without our prior written consent

Copy, reproduce, distribute, or create derivative works from any Howdy content, trademarks, or branding

Use any robot, bot, spider, scraper, crawler, or other automated means to access the Service, including for the purpose of training artificial intelligence or machine learning models

Interfere with or disrupt the Service, servers, or networks connected to the Service

Upload viruses, malware, or any other harmful code

Frame, mirror, or reverse engineer any part of the Service

Develop or use any unauthorized third-party application that interacts with the Service or other users' content

Use the Service in any way that violates applicable law or regulation

Collect, harvest, or store personal information of other users without their express consent

Use the Service to transmit spam, chain letters, or unsolicited communications

Create fake accounts, fake engagement, fake reviews, or misrepresent your identity

 

Violation of any of the above may result in immediate account termination and, where applicable, legal action.

 

 

7. Rights You Grant Howdy

 

Content License

 

By creating an account and posting content (including but not limited to photos, text, messages, and other materials) on the Service, you grant Howdy a worldwide, royalty-free, sublicensable (solely for the purpose of operating and providing the Service), and transferable license to host, store, reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, display, and distribute your content in connection with operating and providing the Service.

 

You retain all ownership rights in your content. This license is solely for the purpose of operating, developing, and improving the Service. We will not sell your content to third parties or use it for purposes unrelated to the Service without your separate, explicit consent.

 

This license will terminate when your content is deleted from our systems, except:

 

Where your content has been shared with other users and they have not deleted it

For a commercially reasonable period necessary for backup, archival, or audit purposes (not to exceed 90 days following deletion)

 

Representations

 

You represent and warrant that:

 

You own or have the necessary rights, licenses, and permissions to grant the above license

All content you submit is truthful and does not violate any applicable law or infringe on any third party's rights

 

Content Moderation

 

Howdy may, but is not obligated to, review, monitor, remove, or modify user content at our sole discretion, for any reason, including content that we believe violates these Terms or our Community Guidelines.

 

Our content moderation practices include a combination of automated tools, algorithmic detection, and human review. Automated tools may flag content based on pattern recognition, keyword analysis, and behavioral signals. Flagged content is reviewed against our Community Guidelines, and enforcement actions may include content removal, account warnings, or account suspension or termination. You may appeal content moderation decisions through the in-app reporting and appeals process.

 

For users in the European Union, we provide additional transparency about our content moderation practices in accordance with the EU Digital Services Act. See Section 25 (International Users) for details.

 

 

8. Community Rules

 

You agree not to:

 

Use the Service for any illegal or unauthorized purpose

Harass, bully, stalk, threaten, or intimidate any user

Impersonate any person or entity, or falsely state or misrepresent your identity or affiliation

Post content that is hateful, discriminatory, threatening, sexually explicit, or glorifies violence

Solicit personal information (such as passwords, financial details, or Social Security numbers) from any user

Solicit money, donations, or financial information from other users

Share, sell, or transfer your account to any third party

Create or maintain multiple accounts

Post content that infringes on the intellectual property rights of any third party

Engage in any activity that could damage, disable, overburden, or impair the Service

Encourage or facilitate any violation of these Terms

Post AI-generated content without clearly disclosing that it is AI-generated, where such content could reasonably be mistaken for authentic human-created content

 

Violations may result in account suspension or termination without refund. We will notify you of the specific violation and, where appropriate, provide an opportunity to address the issue before termination.

 

 

9. Other Users' Content

 

Content on the Service is primarily user-generated. Howdy:

 

Does not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any user content

Is not responsible for any user content, including content that is inaccurate, offensive, or otherwise objectionable

Is not liable for any damage or harm resulting from user content

 

If you encounter content that violates these Terms or our Community Guidelines, please report it using the in-app reporting tools. We will review reported content and take appropriate action at our discretion. You will be notified of the outcome of your report.

 

 

10. Purchases and Refunds

 

In-App Purchases

 

Howdy may offer products and services for purchase through the Service ("In-App Purchases"), including through:

 

Apple App Store (iTunes)

Google Play Store

Direct billing through the Service

 

When you make an In-App Purchase, you agree to:

 

Pay the prices displayed at the time of purchase, plus any applicable taxes

Authorize Howdy (or the applicable app store) to charge your selected payment method

Keep your payment information current and accurate

 

Howdy reserves the right to correct any billing errors, even if payment has already been requested or received.

 

Auto-Renewal

 

If you purchase a subscription that auto-renews, your subscription will automatically renew at the end of each billing period unless you cancel before the renewal date. You may manage or cancel your subscription through your device's app store settings or within the Service. We will remind you of upcoming renewals as required by applicable law.

 

Refund Policy

 

Generally, all purchases are final and non-refundable, except:

 

Where required by applicable law (including, for EU residents, within the 14-day withdrawal period under the Consumer Rights Directive, unless you have begun using the digital content and have acknowledged the loss of your withdrawal right)

In cases of billing error by Howdy

 

To request a refund:

 

Apple users: Open your App Store Purchase History and select "Report a Problem" next to the relevant purchase

Google Play / direct billing users: Contact us at support@howdysocial.io with your order number and reason for refund

By mail: Howdy Inc., Attn: Refunds, 6353 El Cajon Blvd, San Diego, CA 92115

 

 

11. SMS and Push Notifications

 

By providing your phone number and using the Service, you consent to receive text messages (SMS/MMS) from Howdy for the following purposes:

 

Account verification and security codes

Account notifications and service-related alerts

Updates about the Service

 

By providing your phone number, you agree to receive automated text messages from Howdy at the number provided. Consent is not a condition of purchase. Message frequency varies. Message and data rates may apply. This consent is specific to Howdy and does not extend to any third party. We will not share your phone number with third parties for their marketing purposes.

 

To opt out of SMS messages, reply STOP to any Howdy text message, adjust your notification preferences within the Service, or contact us at support@howdysocial.io. You may also opt out by any other reasonable means, and we will honor your request. Reply HELP for help.

Opting out of SMS may limit your ability to use certain features of the Service (such as phone number verification).

 

By consenting to receive SMS, you confirm that the phone number you provide is your own and that you are authorized to receive text messages at that number.

 

For questions about SMS, contact us at support@howdysocial.io.

 

 

12. Copyright Infringement (DMCA)

 

Filing a Notice

 

If you believe that content on the Service infringes your copyright, you may submit a notice to our designated Copyright Agent. Your notice must include:

 

1. A physical or electronic signature of the person authorized to act on behalf of the copyright owner

2. A description of the copyrighted work you claim has been infringed

3. A description of where the allegedly infringing material is located on the Service (with sufficient detail for us to locate it)

4. Your contact information (name, address, telephone number, and email address)

5. A statement that you have a good faith belief that the use is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law

6. A statement, made under penalty of perjury, that the information in the notice is accurate and that you are authorized to act on behalf of the copyright owner

 

Counter-Notice

 

If you believe your content was removed by mistake or misidentification, you may submit a counter-notice to our Copyright Agent. Your counter-notice must include:

 

1. Your physical or electronic signature

2. Identification of the material that was removed and the location where it appeared before removal

3. A statement under penalty of perjury that you have a good faith belief the material was removed as a result of mistake or misidentification

4. Your name, address, and telephone number, and a statement consenting to the jurisdiction of the federal court in San Diego, California, and that you will accept service of process from the person who provided the original notice

 

Copyright Agent

 

Howdy Inc.

Attn: Copyright Agent

6353 El Cajon Blvd

San Diego, CA 92115

Email: copyright@howdysocial.io

 

We will respond to valid DMCA notices in accordance with applicable law and may remove or disable access to the allegedly infringing content. Upon receipt of a valid counter-notice, we will provide a copy to the original complainant and restore the removed content within 10 to 14 business days, unless the original complainant notifies us that they have filed a court action seeking to restrain the alleged infringement.

 

Repeat infringer policy: Howdy will terminate the accounts of users who are determined to be repeat infringers.

 

 

13. Disclaimers

 

THE SERVICE IS PROVIDED ON AN "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE" BASIS WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, WHETHER EXPRESS, IMPLIED, OR STATUTORY, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, TITLE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT.

 

HOWDY DOES NOT WARRANT THAT:

 

THE SERVICE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED, SECURE, OR ERROR-FREE

ANY DEFECTS OR ERRORS WILL BE CORRECTED

THE RESULTS OBTAINED FROM THE USE OF THE SERVICE WILL BE ACCURATE OR RELIABLE

THE QUALITY OF THE SERVICE WILL MEET YOUR EXPECTATIONS

 

YOU USE THE SERVICE AT YOUR OWN RISK. HOWDY DOES NOT REPRESENT OR WARRANT THE CONDUCT, IDENTITY, INTENTIONS, LEGITIMACY, OR VERACITY OF ANY USER.

 

 

14. Limitation of Liability

 

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW:

 

IN NO EVENT SHALL HOWDY, ITS AFFILIATES, DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS, OR LICENSORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE, OR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF PROFITS, GOODWILL, DATA, OR OTHER INTANGIBLE LOSSES, ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO YOUR USE OF OR INABILITY TO USE THE SERVICE

 

HOWDY'S AGGREGATE LIABILITY TO YOU FOR ALL CLAIMS ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THE SERVICE OR THESE TERMS SHALL NOT EXCEED THE GREATER OF (A) THE AMOUNT YOU PAID TO HOWDY IN THE TWELVE (12) MONTHS PRECEDING THE EVENT GIVING RISE TO THE CLAIM, OR (B) ONE HUNDRED U.S. DOLLARS ($100)

 

SOME JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF CERTAIN DAMAGES. IN SUCH JURISDICTIONS, THE LIMITATIONS ABOVE SHALL APPLY TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW. NOTHING IN THESE TERMS SHALL EXCLUDE OR LIMIT LIABILITY FOR DEATH OR PERSONAL INJURY CAUSED BY NEGLIGENCE, FOR FRAUD OR FRAUDULENT MISREPRESENTATION, OR FOR ANY OTHER LIABILITY THAT CANNOT BE EXCLUDED OR LIMITED BY LAW.

 

 

15. Indemnification

 

To the extent permitted by applicable law, you agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Howdy, its affiliates, and their respective directors, officers, employees, agents, and licensors from and against any and all claims, demands, damages, losses, liabilities, costs, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising out of or relating to:

 

Your use of the Service

Your content

Your interactions with other users

Your violation of these Terms, any applicable law, or any third party's rights

 

Howdy reserves the right, at your expense, to assume the exclusive defense and control of any matter for which you are required to indemnify us, and you agree to cooperate with our defense of such claims.

 

 

16. Dispute Resolution and Arbitration

 

PLEASE READ THIS SECTION CAREFULLY. IT AFFECTS YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS, INCLUDING YOUR RIGHT TO FILE A LAWSUIT IN COURT AND TO HAVE A JURY TRIAL.

 

Informal Resolution

 

Before filing any legal claim, you agree to first contact us at support@howdysocial.io and attempt to resolve the dispute informally for at least 30 days. If we cannot resolve the dispute informally, either party may proceed as described below.

 

Binding Arbitration

 

You and Howdy agree that any dispute, claim, or controversy arising out of or relating to these Terms or the Service (including the formation, validity, enforceability, scope, or applicability of this arbitration agreement) shall be resolved exclusively through binding individual arbitration administered by JAMS under its Streamlined Arbitration Rules and Procedures, and not in a court of law.

 

The arbitration will be conducted by a single arbitrator

The arbitration will take place in San Diego, California, or at your election, may be conducted by telephone or videoconference

The arbitrator's decision will be final and binding and may be entered as a judgment in any court of competent jurisdiction

For claims under $10,000, Howdy will pay all arbitration filing fees and arbitrator costs; for claims over $10,000, costs will be allocated in accordance with JAMS rules

Each party will bear its own attorneys' fees unless the arbitrator determines that a claim was frivolous, in which case the arbitrator may award reasonable attorneys' fees to the prevailing party

 

Batch Arbitration

 

If 25 or more similar claims are filed against Howdy within a 60-day period, JAMS may group them into batches of no more than 50 claims. One claim from each batch will be selected as a bellwether case and arbitrated first. The results of the bellwether arbitrations will inform resolution of the remaining claims in each batch.

 

Class Action Waiver

 

YOU AND HOWDY AGREE THAT EACH MAY BRING CLAIMS AGAINST THE OTHER ONLY IN YOUR OR ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY, AND NOT AS A PLAINTIFF OR CLASS MEMBER IN ANY PURPORTED CLASS, CONSOLIDATED, OR REPRESENTATIVE PROCEEDING.

 

The arbitrator may not consolidate more than one person's claims and may not preside over any form of class, consolidated, or representative proceeding.

 

Exceptions

 

Either party may:

 

Bring an individual action in small claims court for disputes within that court's jurisdiction

Seek injunctive or other equitable relief in any court of competent jurisdiction to prevent the actual or threatened infringement of intellectual property rights

 

Opt-Out

 

You may opt out of this arbitration agreement by sending written notice to support@howdysocial.io within 30 days of first accepting these Terms. Your notice must include your name, account username, mailing address, and a clear statement that you wish to opt out. If you opt out, the Governing Law and Jurisdiction section below will apply.

 

 

17. Governing Law and Jurisdiction

 

These Terms and any dispute arising out of or relating to them shall be governed by the laws of the State of California, without regard to its conflict of law provisions.

 

To the extent that the arbitration agreement in Section 16 does not apply (either because you opted out or the dispute falls within an exception), you and Howdy agree to submit to the exclusive personal jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located in San Diego County, California.

 

For users in the European Union, nothing in this section limits your right to bring proceedings in your country of residence as provided by applicable law.

 

 

18. Third-Party Services

 

The Service may contain advertisements, links, or integrations with third-party websites, applications, or services ("Third-Party Services"). Howdy does not control and is not responsible for:

 

The availability, accuracy, or content of any Third-Party Services

The terms of service, privacy practices, or policies of any Third-Party Services

Any transactions you enter into with third-party providers

 

Your use of Third-Party Services is at your own risk and subject to the terms and conditions of those services.

 

 

19. Account Deletion and Data Portability

 

Account Deletion

 

You have the right to delete your account at any time through the account settings within the Service. Upon account deletion:

 

Your profile and content will be removed from the Service within 30 days

Some information may be retained as required by law or for legitimate business purposes (such as fraud prevention and legal compliance) as described in Part II (Privacy Policy) of these Terms, for a period not to exceed the applicable legal retention requirement

Content you shared with other users that they have saved or copied may remain accessible to those users

 

Data Portability

 

You may request a copy of your personal data in a structured, commonly used, machine-readable format (JSON). To request your data, use the data export feature within the Service or contact us at support@howdysocial.io. We will fulfill your request within 30 days (or 45 days for complex requests, with notice).

 

 

20. Artificial Intelligence and Automated Systems

 

Howdy uses automated systems, including artificial intelligence, for the following purposes:

 

Content moderation: Automated tools assist in identifying content that may violate our Community Guidelines. Flagged content may be reviewed by human moderators before action is taken.

Content recommendations: Algorithmic systems may recommend content, communities, or users based on your activity, preferences, and connections.

Spam and fraud detection: Automated tools help detect and prevent spam, fake accounts, and fraudulent activity.

 

We do not use your content to train generalized artificial intelligence or machine learning models without your explicit consent.

 

You may contact us at support@howdysocial.io to request information about how automated decisions affect your account.

 

 

21. Severability

 

If any provision of these Terms is held to be unlawful, void, or unenforceable, that provision shall be deemed severable from these Terms and shall not affect the validity and enforceability of the remaining provisions.

 

 

22. Entire Agreement

 

These Terms (including Part II: Privacy Policy), together with the Community Guidelines and any supplemental terms, constitute the entire agreement between you and Howdy regarding your use of the Service and supersede all prior agreements, understandings, and communications, whether written or oral.

 

 

23. Assignment

 

Howdy may assign or transfer these Terms (and any rights and obligations hereunder) without your consent and without notice, including in connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets. You may not assign or transfer these Terms or any rights granted herein without Howdy's prior written consent.

 

 

24. No Waiver

 

Our failure to enforce any right or provision of these Terms shall not constitute a waiver of such right or provision. A waiver of any term shall not be deemed a continuing or further waiver of that term or any other term.

 

 

25. International Users

 

European Union Users

 

If you are located in the European Union, the following additional provisions apply in accordance with the EU Digital Services Act (DSA) and other applicable EU law:

 

Transparency: We publish transparency reports on our content moderation practices, including the volume and types of content actioned, the use of automated tools, and the number of complaints received and resolved.

Right to explanation: If your content is removed or your account is restricted, you will receive a clear explanation of the reasons and information about your right to appeal.

Non-personalized feed option: You may choose to view content in a chronological or non-algorithmic order rather than a personalized feed.

Dispute resolution: In addition to the dispute resolution mechanisms in Section 16, you may use an EU-certified out-of-court dispute settlement body. You also retain the right to bring proceedings before the courts of your member state of residence.

AI-generated content: Where content on the Service is generated by artificial intelligence, it will be labeled as such in accordance with the EU AI Act.

 

California Residents

 

If you are a California resident, you have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA/CPRA) as described in Part II, Section 35 of these Terms.

 

Other Jurisdictions

 

We comply with applicable data protection and consumer protection laws in the jurisdictions where we operate. If any provision of these Terms conflicts with mandatory local law, the local law prevails to the extent of the conflict.

 

 

Part II: Privacy Policy

 

 

26. Introduction

 

Howdy Inc. ("Howdy," "we," "us," or "our") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy (Part II of these Terms) describes how we collect, use, disclose, and protect your personal information when you use our Service.

 

We process your personal information on the legal bases described in Section 33 (for EEA/UK users) and as otherwise permitted by applicable law. By using the Service, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with our practices, do not use the Service.

 

 

27. Information We Collect

 

Information You Provide

 

Account information: Name, email address, phone number, date of birth, profile photos, and other information you provide during account creation or profile updates

Content: Photos, text, messages, and other materials you post or send through the Service

Communications: Messages you send to other users, and communications you send to us (such as support requests or feedback)

Payment information: When you make purchases, payment information is processed by our payment processors (Apple, Google, or Stripe). We do not store full credit card numbers or payment account credentials on our servers.

Survey and research data: Responses to surveys, questionnaires, or research studies you voluntarily participate in

 

Information Collected Automatically

 

Device information: Device type, operating system, unique device identifiers, device settings, and mobile network information

Usage data: Pages and features accessed, actions taken, time and duration of use, referring URLs, and interactions with content and other users

Location information: Approximate location based on IP address. We do not collect precise GPS location unless you explicitly grant permission through your device settings.

Log data: IP address, browser type, access times, error logs, and crash reports

Cookies and similar technologies: We use cookies, local storage, and similar technologies to maintain session state, remember preferences, and analyze usage patterns. See Section 36 (Cookies) for details.

 

Information from Third Parties

 

Social login providers: If you sign up or log in using a third-party service (such as Apple or Google), we receive basic profile information from that service as authorized by you

App store providers: Transaction and subscription information from Apple App Store or Google Play

Analytics providers: Aggregated or de-identified usage analytics from third-party analytics services

 

 

28. How We Use Your Information

 

We use your personal information for the following purposes:

 

Providing the Service: Creating and maintaining your account, facilitating user interactions, delivering content, and processing transactions

Safety and security: Verifying accounts, detecting and preventing fraud, spam, abuse, and security incidents, and enforcing our Terms and Community Guidelines

Content moderation: Using automated tools and human review to enforce Community Guidelines (see Section 20)

Communications: Sending you service-related messages, including account verification, security alerts, and customer support responses

Improvements: Analyzing usage patterns to improve the Service, fix bugs, and develop new features

Legal compliance: Complying with applicable laws, regulations, legal processes, and government requests

 

We do not use your personal information for:

 

Selling your personal data to third parties

Training generalized AI or machine learning models (without your explicit consent)

Profiling you for purposes unrelated to the Service

 

 

29. How We Share Your Information

 

We share your personal information only in the following circumstances:

 

With other users: Your profile information and content are visible to other users as part of the normal operation of the Service. Your visibility settings control the scope of this sharing.

Service providers: We share information with third-party vendors who perform services on our behalf (hosting, analytics, payment processing, customer support, content moderation). These providers are contractually required to use your data only for the purposes we specify and to protect it in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

Legal requirements: We may disclose information when required by law, regulation, legal process, or government request, or when we believe disclosure is necessary to protect the rights, property, or safety of Howdy, our users, or the public.

Business transfers: In connection with a merger, acquisition, reorganization, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify you of any such change and any choices you may have regarding your information.

With your consent: We may share your information for purposes not described in this Privacy Policy with your explicit consent.

 

We do not sell your personal information to third parties, as defined by the CCPA/CPRA and other applicable privacy laws.

 

 

30. Data Retention

 

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to provide the Service and fulfill the purposes described in this Privacy Policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law. Specifically:

 

Account data: Retained for the life of your account and deleted within 30 days of account deletion, except as noted below

Content: Removed from the Service within 30 days of deletion by you or account termination; backup copies deleted within 90 days

Transaction records: Retained for 7 years as required for tax and financial compliance

Security and fraud data: Retained for up to 3 years to detect and prevent fraud and abuse, and to comply with legal obligations

Anonymized/aggregated data: May be retained indefinitely as it cannot be used to identify you

 

 

31. Data Security

 

We implement industry-standard technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information, including:

 

Encryption of data in transit (TLS/SSL) and at rest

Access controls limiting employee access to personal data on a need-to-know basis

Regular security assessments and monitoring

Secure development practices

 

No method of electronic storage or transmission is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security. If we become aware of a security breach affecting your personal data, we will notify you and applicable authorities as required by law.

 

 

32. Your Rights

 

Depending on your location, you may have some or all of the following rights regarding your personal information:

 

Access: Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you

Correction: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete personal data

Deletion: Request deletion of your personal data (subject to legal retention requirements)

Portability: Request your data in a structured, machine-readable format (see Section 19)

Restriction: Request that we restrict processing of your personal data in certain circumstances

Objection: Object to our processing of your personal data for certain purposes, including direct marketing

Withdraw consent: Where processing is based on consent, withdraw your consent at any time (withdrawal does not affect the lawfulness of processing prior to withdrawal)

Non-discrimination: We will not discriminate against you for exercising your privacy rights

 

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at privacy@howdysocial.io or use the privacy controls within the Service. We will respond to verified requests within 30 days (or 45 days for complex requests, with notice).

 

 

33. Legal Bases for Processing (EEA/UK Users)

 

If you are in the European Economic Area or the United Kingdom, we process your personal data on the following legal bases:

 

Performance of a contract: Processing necessary to provide the Service and fulfill our obligations under these Terms (account creation, messaging, content delivery)

Legitimate interests: Processing necessary for our legitimate interests, such as improving the Service, ensuring security, and preventing fraud, where those interests are not overridden by your rights

Consent: Processing based on your explicit consent (e.g., optional marketing communications, location data)

Legal obligation: Processing necessary to comply with applicable laws and regulations

 

 

34. International Data Transfers

 

Howdy is based in the United States. If you are located outside the United States, your personal information will be transferred to and processed in the United States and potentially other countries where our service providers operate.

 

For transfers of personal data from the EEA, UK, or Switzerland to the United States, we rely on:

 

The EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework (DPF), UK Extension, and Swiss-U.S. DPF, where applicable

Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) approved by the European Commission

Other legally recognized transfer mechanisms as applicable

 

By using the Service, you acknowledge and consent to the transfer and processing of your personal data outside your country of residence.

 

 

35. California Privacy Rights (CCPA/CPRA)

 

If you are a California resident, you have the following additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act, as amended by the California Privacy Rights Act:

 

Right to know: You may request the categories and specific pieces of personal information we have collected, the sources, the business purposes, and the categories of third parties with whom we share it

Right to delete: You may request deletion of your personal information, subject to certain exceptions

Right to correct: You may request correction of inaccurate personal information

Right to opt out of sale/sharing: We do not sell your personal information. We do not share your personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising.

Right to limit use of sensitive personal information: We only use sensitive personal information as necessary to provide the Service

Right to non-discrimination: We will not deny you the Service, charge different prices, or provide a different level of quality for exercising your rights

 

Categories of personal information collected: Identifiers, internet activity, geolocation data (approximate), audio/visual information (profile photos, uploaded content), and inferences drawn from the above.

 

To exercise your rights: Contact us at privacy@howdysocial.io or use the in-app privacy controls. We will verify your identity before processing your request and respond within 45 days (which may be extended by an additional 45 days for complex requests, with notice). You may also designate an authorized agent to make a request on your behalf.

 

We do not use or disclose sensitive personal information for purposes other than those permitted under the CPRA.

 

 

36. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

 

We use the following types of cookies and similar technologies:

 

Essential cookies: Required for the Service to function (authentication, security, session management). Duration: session or up to 1 year.

Analytics cookies: Help us understand how users interact with the Service (page views, feature usage, crash reports). Duration: up to 2 years.

Preference cookies: Remember your settings and preferences (theme, language, notification preferences). Duration: up to 1 year.

 

We do not use advertising or cross-site tracking cookies.

 

We do not respond to Do Not Track (DNT) browser signals, as there is no industry-standard protocol for doing so. However, we do not engage in cross-site tracking or sell your personal information.

 

You can manage cookie preferences through your device or browser settings. Disabling essential cookies may prevent you from using certain features of the Service.

 

 

37. Children's Privacy

 

The Service is not directed to children under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 18.

 

If you are a parent or guardian and believe that your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us at privacy@howdysocial.io. If we learn that we have collected personal information from a child under 18 without parental consent, we will take steps to delete that information and terminate the associated account as quickly as possible.

 

 

38. Changes to This Privacy Policy

 

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. If we make material changes, we will notify you by posting the updated policy within the Service and, where appropriate, by email or in-app notification at least 30 days before the changes take effect.

 

We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically. Your continued use of the Service after the effective date of any updated Privacy Policy constitutes your acceptance of the changes.

 

 

Contact Us

 

If you have questions about these Terms or our privacy practices, please contact us:

 

Howdy Inc.

6353 El Cajon Blvd

San Diego, CA 92115

 

General inquiries: support@howdysocial.io

Privacy inquiries: privacy@howdysocial.io

Copyright inquiries: copyright@howdysocial.io

 

For EEA/UK users, Howdy Inc. is the data controller responsible for your personal information. If you have unresolved privacy concerns, you may contact your local data protection authority.

 

 

These Terms of Service and Privacy Policy were last updated on March 20, 2026.

howdy

Terms and Conditions

Effective Date: March 20, 2026

Last Updated: March 20, 2026

 

This document serves as both the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy for Howdy. It is organized into two parts:

 

Part I: Terms of Service (Sections 1-25)

Part II: Privacy Policy (Sections 26-38)

 

 

Part I: Terms of Service

 

 

1. Acceptance of Terms

 

By creating a Howdy Inc. ("Howdy," "we," "us," or "our") account or using any Howdy service, whether through a mobile device, mobile application, or computer (collectively, the "Service"), you agree to be bound by:

 

These Terms of Service and Privacy Policy (collectively, these "Terms")

Our Community Guidelines (incorporated by reference)

Any additional terms disclosed to you when you purchase features, products, or services from Howdy

 

If you do not agree to all of these terms, do not access or use the Service.

 

We may update these Terms from time to time. If we make material changes, we will notify you by reasonable means (such as in-app notification, push notification, or email) at least 30 days before the changes take effect. Your continued use of the Service after the effective date of any updated Terms constitutes your acceptance of the updated Terms. If you do not agree to the updated Terms, you must stop using the Service.

 

 

2. Eligibility

 

To use the Service, you must:

 

Be at least 18 years of age

Be legally capable of entering into a binding contract

Not be prohibited from using the Service under the laws of the United States or any other applicable jurisdiction

Not appear on the U.S. Treasury Department's Specially Designated Nationals list or any similar prohibited-parties list

Not have been convicted of, or pled no contest to, a felony, sex crime, or any crime involving violence or threat of violence

Not be required to register as a sex offender with any federal, state, or local sex offender registry

Not have previously been removed from the Service by Howdy, unless you have received our express written consent to create a new account

 

By using the Service, you represent and warrant that you meet all eligibility requirements. We reserve the right to use age verification mechanisms, including platform-provided APIs (such as Apple's Declared Age Range API or Google's Play Age Signals API), to verify compliance with age requirements. We may refuse access to, or terminate your use of, the Service at any time if we have reason to believe you do not meet these requirements.

 

The Service is not directed at persons under the age of 18. If we learn that we have collected personal information from a person under 18, we will take steps to delete that information and terminate that person's account.

 

 

3. Your Account

 

You are responsible for:

 

Maintaining the confidentiality of your login credentials

All activity that occurs under your account, whether or not authorized by you

Ensuring that the information you provide to us is accurate, current, and complete

 

You agree not to share your account credentials with any third party or permit any third party to access or use your account.

 

If you believe your account has been compromised or accessed without your authorization, contact us immediately at support@howdysocial.io.

 

 

4. Safety and User Interactions

 

Howdy strives to foster respectful interactions (for example, through features like double opt-in chats) but does not:

 

Conduct criminal background checks on users

Verify the identity, background, or statements of any user

Guarantee the conduct, compatibility, or intentions of any user

 

You are solely responsible for your interactions with other users, both on and off the Service. You agree to exercise caution, good judgment, and appropriate safety precautions when communicating with or meeting any other user.

 

Howdy is not responsible for the conduct of any user. In no event shall Howdy be liable for any claims, damages, losses, or expenses arising out of or relating to your interactions with other users.

 

We encourage you to review our Safety Tips and report any concerns through the in-app reporting tools.

 

 

5. Modifying the Service and Termination

 

Service Changes

 

Howdy reserves the right to modify, suspend, or discontinue the Service (or any portion thereof) at any time, with or without notice. We will use reasonable efforts to notify you of material changes to the Service that affect your use.

 

Termination by You

 

You may terminate your account at any time by using the account deletion feature within the Service or by contacting us at support@howdysocial.io. Upon termination, your right to use the Service ceases immediately.

 

Termination by Howdy

 

We may terminate or suspend your account at any time if we reasonably believe that you have violated these Terms or our Community Guidelines, or if required by law. We will provide you with the reason for termination and, where practicable, an opportunity to retrieve your data before deletion. For EU users, we will provide a statement of reasons in accordance with the Digital Services Act.

 

Effect of Termination

 

Upon termination:

 

Your license to use the Service is immediately revoked

We will delete your personal data in accordance with Part II (Privacy Policy) of these Terms, subject to any legal retention obligations

Sections that by their nature should survive termination will survive, including but not limited to Sections 7, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, and 26-38

 

 

6. Rights Howdy Grants You

 

Subject to your compliance with these Terms, Howdy grants you a personal, worldwide, non-transferable, non-exclusive, revocable, limited license to access and use the Service solely for your personal, non-commercial purposes.

 

You agree not to:

 

Use the Service for any commercial purpose without our prior written consent

Copy, reproduce, distribute, or create derivative works from any Howdy content, trademarks, or branding

Use any robot, bot, spider, scraper, crawler, or other automated means to access the Service, including for the purpose of training artificial intelligence or machine learning models

Interfere with or disrupt the Service, servers, or networks connected to the Service

Upload viruses, malware, or any other harmful code

Frame, mirror, or reverse engineer any part of the Service

Develop or use any unauthorized third-party application that interacts with the Service or other users' content

Use the Service in any way that violates applicable law or regulation

Collect, harvest, or store personal information of other users without their express consent

Use the Service to transmit spam, chain letters, or unsolicited communications

Create fake accounts, fake engagement, fake reviews, or misrepresent your identity

 

Violation of any of the above may result in immediate account termination and, where applicable, legal action.

 

 

7. Rights You Grant Howdy

 

Content License

 

By creating an account and posting content (including but not limited to photos, text, messages, and other materials) on the Service, you grant Howdy a worldwide, royalty-free, sublicensable (solely for the purpose of operating and providing the Service), and transferable license to host, store, reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, display, and distribute your content in connection with operating and providing the Service.

 

You retain all ownership rights in your content. This license is solely for the purpose of operating, developing, and improving the Service. We will not sell your content to third parties or use it for purposes unrelated to the Service without your separate, explicit consent.

 

This license will terminate when your content is deleted from our systems, except:

 

Where your content has been shared with other users and they have not deleted it

For a commercially reasonable period necessary for backup, archival, or audit purposes (not to exceed 90 days following deletion)

 

Representations

 

You represent and warrant that:

 

You own or have the necessary rights, licenses, and permissions to grant the above license

All content you submit is truthful and does not violate any applicable law or infringe on any third party's rights

 

Content Moderation

 

Howdy may, but is not obligated to, review, monitor, remove, or modify user content at our sole discretion, for any reason, including content that we believe violates these Terms or our Community Guidelines.

 

Our content moderation practices include a combination of automated tools, algorithmic detection, and human review. Automated tools may flag content based on pattern recognition, keyword analysis, and behavioral signals. Flagged content is reviewed against our Community Guidelines, and enforcement actions may include content removal, account warnings, or account suspension or termination. You may appeal content moderation decisions through the in-app reporting and appeals process.

 

For users in the European Union, we provide additional transparency about our content moderation practices in accordance with the EU Digital Services Act. See Section 25 (International Users) for details.

 

 

8. Community Rules

 

You agree not to:

 

Use the Service for any illegal or unauthorized purpose

Harass, bully, stalk, threaten, or intimidate any user

Impersonate any person or entity, or falsely state or misrepresent your identity or affiliation

Post content that is hateful, discriminatory, threatening, sexually explicit, or glorifies violence

Solicit personal information (such as passwords, financial details, or Social Security numbers) from any user

Solicit money, donations, or financial information from other users

Share, sell, or transfer your account to any third party

Create or maintain multiple accounts

Post content that infringes on the intellectual property rights of any third party

Engage in any activity that could damage, disable, overburden, or impair the Service

Encourage or facilitate any violation of these Terms

Post AI-generated content without clearly disclosing that it is AI-generated, where such content could reasonably be mistaken for authentic human-created content

 

Violations may result in account suspension or termination without refund. We will notify you of the specific violation and, where appropriate, provide an opportunity to address the issue before termination.

 

 

9. Other Users' Content

 

Content on the Service is primarily user-generated. Howdy:

 

Does not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any user content

Is not responsible for any user content, including content that is inaccurate, offensive, or otherwise objectionable

Is not liable for any damage or harm resulting from user content

 

If you encounter content that violates these Terms or our Community Guidelines, please report it using the in-app reporting tools. We will review reported content and take appropriate action at our discretion. You will be notified of the outcome of your report.

 

 

10. Purchases and Refunds

 

In-App Purchases

 

Howdy may offer products and services for purchase through the Service ("In-App Purchases"), including through:

 

Apple App Store (iTunes)

Google Play Store

Direct billing through the Service

 

When you make an In-App Purchase, you agree to:

 

Pay the prices displayed at the time of purchase, plus any applicable taxes

Authorize Howdy (or the applicable app store) to charge your selected payment method

Keep your payment information current and accurate

 

Howdy reserves the right to correct any billing errors, even if payment has already been requested or received.

 

Auto-Renewal

 

If you purchase a subscription that auto-renews, your subscription will automatically renew at the end of each billing period unless you cancel before the renewal date. You may manage or cancel your subscription through your device's app store settings or within the Service. We will remind you of upcoming renewals as required by applicable law.

 

Refund Policy

 

Generally, all purchases are final and non-refundable, except:

 

Where required by applicable law (including, for EU residents, within the 14-day withdrawal period under the Consumer Rights Directive, unless you have begun using the digital content and have acknowledged the loss of your withdrawal right)

In cases of billing error by Howdy

 

To request a refund:

 

Apple users: Open your App Store Purchase History and select "Report a Problem" next to the relevant purchase

Google Play / direct billing users: Contact us at support@howdysocial.io with your order number and reason for refund

By mail: Howdy Inc., Attn: Refunds, 6353 El Cajon Blvd, San Diego, CA 92115

 

 

11. SMS and Push Notifications

 

By providing your phone number and using the Service, you consent to receive text messages (SMS/MMS) from Howdy for the following purposes:

 

Account verification and security codes

Account notifications and service-related alerts

Updates about the Service

 

By providing your phone number, you agree to receive automated text messages from Howdy at the number provided. Consent is not a condition of purchase. Message frequency varies. Message and data rates may apply. This consent is specific to Howdy and does not extend to any third party. We will not share your phone number with third parties for their marketing purposes.

 

To opt out of SMS messages, reply STOP to any Howdy text message, adjust your notification preferences within the Service, or contact us at support@howdysocial.io. You may also opt out by any other reasonable means, and we will honor your request. Reply HELP for help.

Opting out of SMS may limit your ability to use certain features of the Service (such as phone number verification).

 

By consenting to receive SMS, you confirm that the phone number you provide is your own and that you are authorized to receive text messages at that number.

 

For questions about SMS, contact us at support@howdysocial.io.

 

 

12. Copyright Infringement (DMCA)

 

Filing a Notice

 

If you believe that content on the Service infringes your copyright, you may submit a notice to our designated Copyright Agent. Your notice must include:

 

1. A physical or electronic signature of the person authorized to act on behalf of the copyright owner

2. A description of the copyrighted work you claim has been infringed

3. A description of where the allegedly infringing material is located on the Service (with sufficient detail for us to locate it)

4. Your contact information (name, address, telephone number, and email address)

5. A statement that you have a good faith belief that the use is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law

6. A statement, made under penalty of perjury, that the information in the notice is accurate and that you are authorized to act on behalf of the copyright owner

 

Counter-Notice

 

If you believe your content was removed by mistake or misidentification, you may submit a counter-notice to our Copyright Agent. Your counter-notice must include:

 

1. Your physical or electronic signature

2. Identification of the material that was removed and the location where it appeared before removal

3. A statement under penalty of perjury that you have a good faith belief the material was removed as a result of mistake or misidentification

4. Your name, address, and telephone number, and a statement consenting to the jurisdiction of the federal court in San Diego, California, and that you will accept service of process from the person who provided the original notice

 

Copyright Agent

 

Howdy Inc.

Attn: Copyright Agent

6353 El Cajon Blvd

San Diego, CA 92115

Email: copyright@howdysocial.io

 

We will respond to valid DMCA notices in accordance with applicable law and may remove or disable access to the allegedly infringing content. Upon receipt of a valid counter-notice, we will provide a copy to the original complainant and restore the removed content within 10 to 14 business days, unless the original complainant notifies us that they have filed a court action seeking to restrain the alleged infringement.

 

Repeat infringer policy: Howdy will terminate the accounts of users who are determined to be repeat infringers.

 

 

13. Disclaimers

 

THE SERVICE IS PROVIDED ON AN "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE" BASIS WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, WHETHER EXPRESS, IMPLIED, OR STATUTORY, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, TITLE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT.

 

HOWDY DOES NOT WARRANT THAT:

 

THE SERVICE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED, SECURE, OR ERROR-FREE

ANY DEFECTS OR ERRORS WILL BE CORRECTED

THE RESULTS OBTAINED FROM THE USE OF THE SERVICE WILL BE ACCURATE OR RELIABLE

THE QUALITY OF THE SERVICE WILL MEET YOUR EXPECTATIONS

 

YOU USE THE SERVICE AT YOUR OWN RISK. HOWDY DOES NOT REPRESENT OR WARRANT THE CONDUCT, IDENTITY, INTENTIONS, LEGITIMACY, OR VERACITY OF ANY USER.

 

 

14. Limitation of Liability

 

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW:

 

IN NO EVENT SHALL HOWDY, ITS AFFILIATES, DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS, OR LICENSORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE, OR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF PROFITS, GOODWILL, DATA, OR OTHER INTANGIBLE LOSSES, ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO YOUR USE OF OR INABILITY TO USE THE SERVICE

 

HOWDY'S AGGREGATE LIABILITY TO YOU FOR ALL CLAIMS ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THE SERVICE OR THESE TERMS SHALL NOT EXCEED THE GREATER OF (A) THE AMOUNT YOU PAID TO HOWDY IN THE TWELVE (12) MONTHS PRECEDING THE EVENT GIVING RISE TO THE CLAIM, OR (B) ONE HUNDRED U.S. DOLLARS ($100)

 

SOME JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF CERTAIN DAMAGES. IN SUCH JURISDICTIONS, THE LIMITATIONS ABOVE SHALL APPLY TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW. NOTHING IN THESE TERMS SHALL EXCLUDE OR LIMIT LIABILITY FOR DEATH OR PERSONAL INJURY CAUSED BY NEGLIGENCE, FOR FRAUD OR FRAUDULENT MISREPRESENTATION, OR FOR ANY OTHER LIABILITY THAT CANNOT BE EXCLUDED OR LIMITED BY LAW.

 

 

15. Indemnification

 

To the extent permitted by applicable law, you agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Howdy, its affiliates, and their respective directors, officers, employees, agents, and licensors from and against any and all claims, demands, damages, losses, liabilities, costs, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising out of or relating to:

 

Your use of the Service

Your content

Your interactions with other users

Your violation of these Terms, any applicable law, or any third party's rights

 

Howdy reserves the right, at your expense, to assume the exclusive defense and control of any matter for which you are required to indemnify us, and you agree to cooperate with our defense of such claims.

 

 

16. Dispute Resolution and Arbitration

 

PLEASE READ THIS SECTION CAREFULLY. IT AFFECTS YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS, INCLUDING YOUR RIGHT TO FILE A LAWSUIT IN COURT AND TO HAVE A JURY TRIAL.

 

Informal Resolution

 

Before filing any legal claim, you agree to first contact us at support@howdysocial.io and attempt to resolve the dispute informally for at least 30 days. If we cannot resolve the dispute informally, either party may proceed as described below.

 

Binding Arbitration

 

You and Howdy agree that any dispute, claim, or controversy arising out of or relating to these Terms or the Service (including the formation, validity, enforceability, scope, or applicability of this arbitration agreement) shall be resolved exclusively through binding individual arbitration administered by JAMS under its Streamlined Arbitration Rules and Procedures, and not in a court of law.

 

The arbitration will be conducted by a single arbitrator

The arbitration will take place in San Diego, California, or at your election, may be conducted by telephone or videoconference

The arbitrator's decision will be final and binding and may be entered as a judgment in any court of competent jurisdiction

For claims under $10,000, Howdy will pay all arbitration filing fees and arbitrator costs; for claims over $10,000, costs will be allocated in accordance with JAMS rules

Each party will bear its own attorneys' fees unless the arbitrator determines that a claim was frivolous, in which case the arbitrator may award reasonable attorneys' fees to the prevailing party

 

Batch Arbitration

 

If 25 or more similar claims are filed against Howdy within a 60-day period, JAMS may group them into batches of no more than 50 claims. One claim from each batch will be selected as a bellwether case and arbitrated first. The results of the bellwether arbitrations will inform resolution of the remaining claims in each batch.

 

Class Action Waiver

 

YOU AND HOWDY AGREE THAT EACH MAY BRING CLAIMS AGAINST THE OTHER ONLY IN YOUR OR ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY, AND NOT AS A PLAINTIFF OR CLASS MEMBER IN ANY PURPORTED CLASS, CONSOLIDATED, OR REPRESENTATIVE PROCEEDING.

 

The arbitrator may not consolidate more than one person's claims and may not preside over any form of class, consolidated, or representative proceeding.

 

Exceptions

 

Either party may:

 

Bring an individual action in small claims court for disputes within that court's jurisdiction

Seek injunctive or other equitable relief in any court of competent jurisdiction to prevent the actual or threatened infringement of intellectual property rights

 

Opt-Out

 

You may opt out of this arbitration agreement by sending written notice to support@howdysocial.io within 30 days of first accepting these Terms. Your notice must include your name, account username, mailing address, and a clear statement that you wish to opt out. If you opt out, the Governing Law and Jurisdiction section below will apply.

 

 

17. Governing Law and Jurisdiction

 

These Terms and any dispute arising out of or relating to them shall be governed by the laws of the State of California, without regard to its conflict of law provisions.

 

To the extent that the arbitration agreement in Section 16 does not apply (either because you opted out or the dispute falls within an exception), you and Howdy agree to submit to the exclusive personal jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located in San Diego County, California.

 

For users in the European Union, nothing in this section limits your right to bring proceedings in your country of residence as provided by applicable law.

 

 

18. Third-Party Services

 

The Service may contain advertisements, links, or integrations with third-party websites, applications, or services ("Third-Party Services"). Howdy does not control and is not responsible for:

 

The availability, accuracy, or content of any Third-Party Services

The terms of service, privacy practices, or policies of any Third-Party Services

Any transactions you enter into with third-party providers

 

Your use of Third-Party Services is at your own risk and subject to the terms and conditions of those services.

 

 

19. Account Deletion and Data Portability

 

Account Deletion

 

You have the right to delete your account at any time through the account settings within the Service. Upon account deletion:

 

Your profile and content will be removed from the Service within 30 days

Some information may be retained as required by law or for legitimate business purposes (such as fraud prevention and legal compliance) as described in Part II (Privacy Policy) of these Terms, for a period not to exceed the applicable legal retention requirement

Content you shared with other users that they have saved or copied may remain accessible to those users

 

Data Portability

 

You may request a copy of your personal data in a structured, commonly used, machine-readable format (JSON). To request your data, use the data export feature within the Service or contact us at support@howdysocial.io. We will fulfill your request within 30 days (or 45 days for complex requests, with notice).

 

 

20. Artificial Intelligence and Automated Systems

 

Howdy uses automated systems, including artificial intelligence, for the following purposes:

 

Content moderation: Automated tools assist in identifying content that may violate our Community Guidelines. Flagged content may be reviewed by human moderators before action is taken.

Content recommendations: Algorithmic systems may recommend content, communities, or users based on your activity, preferences, and connections.

Spam and fraud detection: Automated tools help detect and prevent spam, fake accounts, and fraudulent activity.

 

We do not use your content to train generalized artificial intelligence or machine learning models without your explicit consent.

 

You may contact us at support@howdysocial.io to request information about how automated decisions affect your account.

 

 

21. Severability

 

If any provision of these Terms is held to be unlawful, void, or unenforceable, that provision shall be deemed severable from these Terms and shall not affect the validity and enforceability of the remaining provisions.

 

 

22. Entire Agreement

 

These Terms (including Part II: Privacy Policy), together with the Community Guidelines and any supplemental terms, constitute the entire agreement between you and Howdy regarding your use of the Service and supersede all prior agreements, understandings, and communications, whether written or oral.

 

 

23. Assignment

 

Howdy may assign or transfer these Terms (and any rights and obligations hereunder) without your consent and without notice, including in connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets. You may not assign or transfer these Terms or any rights granted herein without Howdy's prior written consent.

 

 

24. No Waiver

 

Our failure to enforce any right or provision of these Terms shall not constitute a waiver of such right or provision. A waiver of any term shall not be deemed a continuing or further waiver of that term or any other term.

 

 

25. International Users

 

European Union Users

 

If you are located in the European Union, the following additional provisions apply in accordance with the EU Digital Services Act (DSA) and other applicable EU law:

 

Transparency: We publish transparency reports on our content moderation practices, including the volume and types of content actioned, the use of automated tools, and the number of complaints received and resolved.

Right to explanation: If your content is removed or your account is restricted, you will receive a clear explanation of the reasons and information about your right to appeal.

Non-personalized feed option: You may choose to view content in a chronological or non-algorithmic order rather than a personalized feed.

Dispute resolution: In addition to the dispute resolution mechanisms in Section 16, you may use an EU-certified out-of-court dispute settlement body. You also retain the right to bring proceedings before the courts of your member state of residence.

AI-generated content: Where content on the Service is generated by artificial intelligence, it will be labeled as such in accordance with the EU AI Act.

 

California Residents

 

If you are a California resident, you have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA/CPRA) as described in Part II, Section 35 of these Terms.

 

Other Jurisdictions

 

We comply with applicable data protection and consumer protection laws in the jurisdictions where we operate. If any provision of these Terms conflicts with mandatory local law, the local law prevails to the extent of the conflict.

 

 

Part II: Privacy Policy

 

 

26. Introduction

 

Howdy Inc. ("Howdy," "we," "us," or "our") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy (Part II of these Terms) describes how we collect, use, disclose, and protect your personal information when you use our Service.

 

We process your personal information on the legal bases described in Section 33 (for EEA/UK users) and as otherwise permitted by applicable law. By using the Service, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with our practices, do not use the Service.

 

 

27. Information We Collect

 

Information You Provide

 

Account information: Name, email address, phone number, date of birth, profile photos, and other information you provide during account creation or profile updates

Content: Photos, text, messages, and other materials you post or send through the Service

Communications: Messages you send to other users, and communications you send to us (such as support requests or feedback)

Payment information: When you make purchases, payment information is processed by our payment processors (Apple, Google, or Stripe). We do not store full credit card numbers or payment account credentials on our servers.

Survey and research data: Responses to surveys, questionnaires, or research studies you voluntarily participate in

 

Information Collected Automatically

 

Device information: Device type, operating system, unique device identifiers, device settings, and mobile network information

Usage data: Pages and features accessed, actions taken, time and duration of use, referring URLs, and interactions with content and other users

Location information: Approximate location based on IP address. We do not collect precise GPS location unless you explicitly grant permission through your device settings.

Log data: IP address, browser type, access times, error logs, and crash reports

Cookies and similar technologies: We use cookies, local storage, and similar technologies to maintain session state, remember preferences, and analyze usage patterns. See Section 36 (Cookies) for details.

 

Information from Third Parties

 

Social login providers: If you sign up or log in using a third-party service (such as Apple or Google), we receive basic profile information from that service as authorized by you

App store providers: Transaction and subscription information from Apple App Store or Google Play

Analytics providers: Aggregated or de-identified usage analytics from third-party analytics services

 

 

28. How We Use Your Information

 

We use your personal information for the following purposes:

 

Providing the Service: Creating and maintaining your account, facilitating user interactions, delivering content, and processing transactions

Safety and security: Verifying accounts, detecting and preventing fraud, spam, abuse, and security incidents, and enforcing our Terms and Community Guidelines

Content moderation: Using automated tools and human review to enforce Community Guidelines (see Section 20)

Communications: Sending you service-related messages, including account verification, security alerts, and customer support responses

Improvements: Analyzing usage patterns to improve the Service, fix bugs, and develop new features

Legal compliance: Complying with applicable laws, regulations, legal processes, and government requests

 

We do not use your personal information for:

 

Selling your personal data to third parties

Training generalized AI or machine learning models (without your explicit consent)

Profiling you for purposes unrelated to the Service

 

 

29. How We Share Your Information

 

We share your personal information only in the following circumstances:

 

With other users: Your profile information and content are visible to other users as part of the normal operation of the Service. Your visibility settings control the scope of this sharing.

Service providers: We share information with third-party vendors who perform services on our behalf (hosting, analytics, payment processing, customer support, content moderation). These providers are contractually required to use your data only for the purposes we specify and to protect it in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

Legal requirements: We may disclose information when required by law, regulation, legal process, or government request, or when we believe disclosure is necessary to protect the rights, property, or safety of Howdy, our users, or the public.

Business transfers: In connection with a merger, acquisition, reorganization, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify you of any such change and any choices you may have regarding your information.

With your consent: We may share your information for purposes not described in this Privacy Policy with your explicit consent.

 

We do not sell your personal information to third parties, as defined by the CCPA/CPRA and other applicable privacy laws.

 

 

30. Data Retention

 

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to provide the Service and fulfill the purposes described in this Privacy Policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law. Specifically:

 

Account data: Retained for the life of your account and deleted within 30 days of account deletion, except as noted below

Content: Removed from the Service within 30 days of deletion by you or account termination; backup copies deleted within 90 days

Transaction records: Retained for 7 years as required for tax and financial compliance

Security and fraud data: Retained for up to 3 years to detect and prevent fraud and abuse, and to comply with legal obligations

Anonymized/aggregated data: May be retained indefinitely as it cannot be used to identify you

 

 

31. Data Security

 

We implement industry-standard technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information, including:

 

Encryption of data in transit (TLS/SSL) and at rest

Access controls limiting employee access to personal data on a need-to-know basis

Regular security assessments and monitoring

Secure development practices

 

No method of electronic storage or transmission is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security. If we become aware of a security breach affecting your personal data, we will notify you and applicable authorities as required by law.

 

 

32. Your Rights

 

Depending on your location, you may have some or all of the following rights regarding your personal information:

 

Access: Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you

Correction: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete personal data

Deletion: Request deletion of your personal data (subject to legal retention requirements)

Portability: Request your data in a structured, machine-readable format (see Section 19)

Restriction: Request that we restrict processing of your personal data in certain circumstances

Objection: Object to our processing of your personal data for certain purposes, including direct marketing

Withdraw consent: Where processing is based on consent, withdraw your consent at any time (withdrawal does not affect the lawfulness of processing prior to withdrawal)

Non-discrimination: We will not discriminate against you for exercising your privacy rights

 

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at privacy@howdysocial.io or use the privacy controls within the Service. We will respond to verified requests within 30 days (or 45 days for complex requests, with notice).

 

 

33. Legal Bases for Processing (EEA/UK Users)

 

If you are in the European Economic Area or the United Kingdom, we process your personal data on the following legal bases:

 

Performance of a contract: Processing necessary to provide the Service and fulfill our obligations under these Terms (account creation, messaging, content delivery)

Legitimate interests: Processing necessary for our legitimate interests, such as improving the Service, ensuring security, and preventing fraud, where those interests are not overridden by your rights

Consent: Processing based on your explicit consent (e.g., optional marketing communications, location data)

Legal obligation: Processing necessary to comply with applicable laws and regulations

 

 

34. International Data Transfers

 

Howdy is based in the United States. If you are located outside the United States, your personal information will be transferred to and processed in the United States and potentially other countries where our service providers operate.

 

For transfers of personal data from the EEA, UK, or Switzerland to the United States, we rely on:

 

The EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework (DPF), UK Extension, and Swiss-U.S. DPF, where applicable

Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) approved by the European Commission

Other legally recognized transfer mechanisms as applicable

 

By using the Service, you acknowledge and consent to the transfer and processing of your personal data outside your country of residence.

 

 

35. California Privacy Rights (CCPA/CPRA)

 

If you are a California resident, you have the following additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act, as amended by the California Privacy Rights Act:

 

Right to know: You may request the categories and specific pieces of personal information we have collected, the sources, the business purposes, and the categories of third parties with whom we share it

Right to delete: You may request deletion of your personal information, subject to certain exceptions

Right to correct: You may request correction of inaccurate personal information

Right to opt out of sale/sharing: We do not sell your personal information. We do not share your personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising.

Right to limit use of sensitive personal information: We only use sensitive personal information as necessary to provide the Service

Right to non-discrimination: We will not deny you the Service, charge different prices, or provide a different level of quality for exercising your rights

 

Categories of personal information collected: Identifiers, internet activity, geolocation data (approximate), audio/visual information (profile photos, uploaded content), and inferences drawn from the above.

 

To exercise your rights: Contact us at privacy@howdysocial.io or use the in-app privacy controls. We will verify your identity before processing your request and respond within 45 days (which may be extended by an additional 45 days for complex requests, with notice). You may also designate an authorized agent to make a request on your behalf.

 

We do not use or disclose sensitive personal information for purposes other than those permitted under the CPRA.

 

 

36. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

 

We use the following types of cookies and similar technologies:

 

Essential cookies: Required for the Service to function (authentication, security, session management). Duration: session or up to 1 year.

Analytics cookies: Help us understand how users interact with the Service (page views, feature usage, crash reports). Duration: up to 2 years.

Preference cookies: Remember your settings and preferences (theme, language, notification preferences). Duration: up to 1 year.

 

We do not use advertising or cross-site tracking cookies.

 

We do not respond to Do Not Track (DNT) browser signals, as there is no industry-standard protocol for doing so. However, we do not engage in cross-site tracking or sell your personal information.

 

You can manage cookie preferences through your device or browser settings. Disabling essential cookies may prevent you from using certain features of the Service.

 

 

37. Children's Privacy

 

The Service is not directed to children under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 18.

 

If you are a parent or guardian and believe that your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us at privacy@howdysocial.io. If we learn that we have collected personal information from a child under 18 without parental consent, we will take steps to delete that information and terminate the associated account as quickly as possible.

 

 

38. Changes to This Privacy Policy

 

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. If we make material changes, we will notify you by posting the updated policy within the Service and, where appropriate, by email or in-app notification at least 30 days before the changes take effect.

 

We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically. Your continued use of the Service after the effective date of any updated Privacy Policy constitutes your acceptance of the changes.

 

 

Contact Us

 

If you have questions about these Terms or our privacy practices, please contact us:

 

Howdy Inc.

6353 El Cajon Blvd

San Diego, CA 92115

 

General inquiries: support@howdysocial.io

Privacy inquiries: privacy@howdysocial.io

Copyright inquiries: copyright@howdysocial.io

 

For EEA/UK users, Howdy Inc. is the data controller responsible for your personal information. If you have unresolved privacy concerns, you may contact your local data protection authority.

 

 

These Terms of Service and Privacy Policy were last updated on March 20, 2026.