Terms of Service

By accessing or using Support Melanin (the "Platform"), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service ("Terms") and our Privacy Policy. If you do not agree to these Terms, please do not use our Platform. These Terms apply to all visitors, users, business owners, and others who access or use the Platform.

We reserve the right to update these Terms at any time. We will notify you of material changes by updating the "Last Updated" date and, where appropriate, by sending you an email or displaying a notice on the Platform. Your continued use of the Platform after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the new Terms.

Support Melanin is an online directory platform dedicated to connecting consumers with Black-owned businesses across the United States. Our Platform allows users to discover, review, and refer Black-owned businesses, and allows business owners to create and manage their listings.

We reserve the right to modify, suspend, or discontinue any aspect of the Platform at any time, with or without notice. We will not be liable to you or any third party for any modification, suspension, or discontinuation of the Platform.

Account Creation

To access certain features of the Platform, you must create an account. You agree to provide accurate, current, and complete information during registration and to keep your account information updated. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials and for all activity that occurs under your account.

Account Security

You agree to notify us immediately of any unauthorized use of your account or any other breach of security. We will not be liable for any loss or damage arising from your failure to protect your account credentials.

Account Termination

We reserve the right to suspend or terminate your account at any time, with or without cause, including if we believe you have violated these Terms. You may also delete your account at any time by contacting us.

Listing Submissions

Business owners and community members may submit businesses for inclusion in our directory. By submitting a listing, you represent and warrant that the information provided is accurate, complete, and not misleading, and that the business is genuinely Black-owned.

Verification

Support Melanin reserves the right to verify, approve, reject, or remove any business listing at our sole discretion. Submission of a listing does not guarantee inclusion in the directory. We may require additional documentation to verify Black ownership.

Ownership Claims

If you claim ownership of a business listing, you represent that you are an authorized representative of that business. Falsely claiming ownership of a business is a violation of these Terms and may result in account termination and legal action.

Listing Accuracy

Business owners are responsible for keeping their listing information accurate and up to date. Support Melanin is not responsible for inaccurate listing information. We reserve the right to update or remove listings that contain inaccurate or outdated information.

Your Content

You retain ownership of any content you submit to the Platform, including reviews, referrals, business descriptions, and photos ("User Content"). By submitting User Content, you grant Support Melanin a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free, perpetual license to use, display, reproduce, modify, and distribute your User Content in connection with operating and promoting the Platform.

Content Standards

You agree that your User Content will not:

• Be false, misleading, or defamatory
• Infringe on any third party's intellectual property rights
• Contain hate speech, harassment, or discriminatory content
• Include personal information of others without their consent
• Promote illegal activities or violate any applicable laws
• Contain spam, advertising, or promotional material not authorized by us
• Include malicious code, viruses, or other harmful content

Content Removal

We reserve the right to remove any User Content that violates these Terms or that we find objectionable, at our sole discretion and without notice. We are not obligated to monitor User Content but may do so at our discretion.

Honest Reviews

Reviews must reflect your genuine, first-hand experience with a business. You may not submit reviews for businesses you own, manage, or have a financial interest in. You may not submit fake, incentivized, or malicious reviews.

Referrals

When you refer a business to another user, you represent that you have a genuine positive experience to share. Referrals should not be used for spam or promotional purposes.

Disputes

If a business owner believes a review is false or defamatory, they may report it to us. We will review reported content and take appropriate action, which may include removal of the review. We are not obligated to mediate disputes between users and business owners.

You agree not to engage in any of the following prohibited activities:

• Using the Platform for any unlawful purpose or in violation of any applicable laws
• Impersonating any person or entity or misrepresenting your affiliation with any person or entity
• Scraping, crawling, or using automated tools to access or collect data from the Platform without our express written permission
• Attempting to gain unauthorized access to any part of the Platform or its related systems
• Interfering with or disrupting the integrity or performance of the Platform
• Uploading or transmitting viruses, malware, or other harmful code
• Harassing, threatening, or intimidating other users
• Using the Platform to send unsolicited communications (spam)
• Circumventing any security or access control measures

Our Content

The Platform and its original content, features, and functionality — including but not limited to text, graphics, logos, icons, images, and software — are owned by Support Melanin and are protected by copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws. You may not reproduce, distribute, modify, or create derivative works of our content without our express written permission.

Trademarks

"Support Melanin" and our logo are trademarks of Support Melanin. You may not use our trademarks without our prior written consent.

Advertising Services

Support Melanin offers paid advertising and promotional services for business owners. By purchasing advertising services, you agree to our advertising terms, which are incorporated into these Terms by reference.

Payment Processing

Payments are processed through third-party payment processors. By making a payment, you agree to the terms and conditions of the applicable payment processor. We are not responsible for errors or issues arising from third-party payment processing.

Refunds

All purchases are final unless otherwise stated. If you believe you were charged in error, please contact us within 30 days of the charge and we will review your request.

Platform Provided "As Is"

The Platform is provided on an "as is" and "as available" basis without warranties of any kind, either express or implied, including but not limited to warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement. We do not warrant that the Platform will be uninterrupted, error-free, or free of viruses or other harmful components.

Business Information

We do not verify all information provided by business owners and are not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any business listing. Your interactions with businesses found through our Platform are solely between you and the business. We are not responsible for any harm or damages arising from such interactions.

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, Support Melanin and its officers, directors, employees, and agents shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, including but not limited to loss of profits, data, goodwill, or other intangible losses, arising out of or in connection with your use of the Platform, even if we have been advised of the possibility of such damages.

Our total liability to you for any claims arising out of or related to these Terms or your use of the Platform shall not exceed the greater of (a) the amount you paid us in the twelve months preceding the claim, or (b) one hundred dollars ($100).

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Support Melanin and its officers, directors, employees, and agents from and against any claims, liabilities, damages, losses, and expenses, including reasonable attorneys' fees, arising out of or in any way connected with your access to or use of the Platform, your User Content, or your violation of these Terms.

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the United States, without regard to its conflict of law provisions. Any disputes arising out of or relating to these Terms or the Platform shall be resolved through binding arbitration in accordance with the rules of the American Arbitration Association, except that either party may seek injunctive or other equitable relief in any court of competent jurisdiction.

If you have any questions about these Terms of Service, please contact us through our contact page. We are happy to address any concerns you may have.