Terms of Service

Last Updated: October 2026 • Governed by the Laws of the Republic of the Philippines

1. Acceptance of Terms

Welcome to NearFriend. By accessing or using our website, web application, and anonymous peer communication services (collectively, the "Service"), you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms of Service. If you do not agree to these terms, you must not access or use the Service.

2. Eligibility & Age Restriction (18+ Requirement)

You must be at least eighteen (18) years of age to register an account or use NearFriend. The Service is strictly intended for adults of legal age. By creating an account or using the Service, you represent and warrant that you are at least 18 years old and possess the legal capacity to enter into this agreement under applicable laws of the Republic of the Philippines.

3. Anonymous Access & Passcode Security

NearFriend provides anonymous peer discovery without collecting your real name, email, or telephone number. When registering, you select an anonymous handle and a 6-digit numeric passcode. You are solely responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your passcode. Because passcodes are stored using irreversible cryptographic salting and hashing, NearFriend cannot recover forgotten passcodes.

4. User Conduct & Safe Spaces Act (RA 11313) Compliance

NearFriend enforces strict, zero-tolerance compliance with Republic Act No. 11313 (The Safe Spaces Act), Republic Act No. 10175 (Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012), and related Philippine community safety laws. Users agree not to engage in:

Gender-based online sexual harassment, unwanted sexual remarks, cyberstalking, or persistent unwanted advances.
Hate speech, bullying, intimidation, threats of harm, extortion, or discriminatory harassment targeted at any individual or community group.
Impersonation of community moderators, administrators, or other peers.
Automated scraping, bot spamming, network probing, or attempting to circumvent access restrictions.

5. Media Uploads, File Sharing & Prohibited Content

NearFriend allows members to send images and short video clips during live chat sessions. By transmitting any media, you warrant that you are the lawful owner or authorized sender of such content, and that it does not infringe upon any third-party intellectual property or privacy rights. You strictly agree not to transmit:

Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) or any exploitation of minors (which will be escalated immediately to Philippine and international law enforcement agencies).
Non-consensual sexual or intimate imagery ("revenge porn").
Depictions of severe violence, self-harm, or illegal narcotics.
Malicious software, phishing links, or misleading commercial spam.

6. Mutual Secret Reveal Card Exchange & Privacy Consent

All chats are conducted pseudonymously by default. Personal identities are strictly gated and are only exchanged when both peers mutually and voluntarily trigger the "Reveal" card action during an active session. A Secret Reveal Card consists of your Real Name, optional bio, and voluntary social media profiles (Facebook profile link or Instagram handle). You agree to respect peer privacy and never screenshot, redistribute, or publicly publish revealed card details without prior express written consent.

7. Reveal Quotas & Optional Sponsor Video Rewards

To preserve authentic, respectful interactions, NearFriend grants each member a default allowance of 5 free mutual reveals per week, which recharges automatically on your scheduled reset date. Members may optionally choose to watch short sponsor video advertisements to earn supplementary reveal quotas. Watching sponsor videos is entirely voluntary and is never required to enjoy free daily peer matching and chat.

8. Moderation, Incident Dossiers & Access Restrictions

NearFriend incorporates an in-app reporting mechanism on every message bubble. When a member reports offensive content or safety violations, the reported message and relevant contextual transcript are securely captured into a moderation incident dossier for review. Violations will result in immediate chat termination, permanent account deactivation, and the issuance of automated restriction protocols to prevent repeat offenders from accessing the platform. Severe violations of RA 11313 or RA 10175 will be reported to appropriate legal authorities where mandated by law.

9. Third-Party Services & External Links

The Service may display advertisements through Google AdSense or contain user-shared links to third-party platforms (e.g. Facebook, Instagram). NearFriend does not control, endorse, or assume responsibility for the content, privacy practices, or accuracy of third-party websites. Users access external services at their own risk.

10. Disclaimer of Warranties & Limitation of Liability

NearFriend is provided on an "AS IS" and "AS AVAILABLE" basis without warranties of any kind, whether express or implied. While we employ proactive moderation and safety filters, NearFriend does not endorse, guarantee, or assume liability for statements made, content sent, or actions taken by individual users during peer sessions. Under no circumstances shall NearFriend, its operators, or affiliated campus communities be liable for indirect, incidental, punitive, or consequential damages resulting from your use of the Service.

11. Severability, Entire Agreement & Policy Amendments

If any provision of these Terms is found to be unlawful, void, or unenforceable, that provision shall be deemed severable and shall not affect the validity and enforceability of any remaining provisions. We reserve the right to modify these Terms at any time; your continued use of the Service after changes are published constitutes your acceptance of the revised Terms.

12. Contact Information

For legal inquiries, abuse reporting, or community questions, please contact our support desk at support@nearfriend.me.