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Terms of Service

Last updated: March 2026

1. Agreement to Terms

By accessing or using getRoots.io ("Roots", "we", "us", or "our"), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service. If you disagree with any part of the terms, then you may not access the service.

2. Description of Service

Roots provides a digital platform for building, visualizing, and collaborating on family trees. The service includes features for documenting family members, storing historical photos and documents, and tracking family events and news.

3. Account Registration

To use certain features of the service, you must register for an account. You agree to:

  • Provide accurate, current, and complete information.
  • Maintain the security of your password and account.
  • Accept responsibility for all activities that occur under your account.

4. Beta Program

Roots is currently in a Beta testing phase. By participating in the Beta Program, you acknowledge that:

  • The service may contain bugs, errors, or inaccuracies.
  • Features may be added, modified, or removed without notice.
  • We may experience downtime or data loss (though we take regular backups).
  • Your feedback is highly valued and may be used to improve the service without compensation to you.

5. User Content

You retain all ownership rights to the content you submit, post, or display on or through the service ("User Content"). By submitting User Content, you grant us a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free license to use, reproduce, modify, and display such content solely for the purpose of providing and improving the service.

6. Acceptable Use

You agree not to use the service to:

  • Upload content that is unlawful, harmful, or abusive.
  • Harass or violate the privacy of others.
  • Intentionally upload false or misleading genealogical data.
  • Interfere with or disrupt the service or servers.

7. Collaboration & Shared Access

When you invite others to collaborate on your family tree, you are granting them access to view and/or edit your User Content based on the role you assign them (e.g., Viewer, Editor). You are responsible for managing these permissions and ensuring you have the right to share information about living individuals.

8. Intellectual Property

The Roots brand, logo, UI design, codebase, and all other elements of the service (excluding User Content) are the exclusive property of Roots and its licensors. You may not use our intellectual property without our prior written consent.

9. Limitation of Liability

IN NO EVENT SHALL GETROOTS.IO OR ITS FOUNDER BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO LOSS OF DATA, EMOTIONAL DISTRESS, OR LOSS OF DIGITAL ASSETS.

IN NO EVENT SHALL OUR TOTAL LIABILITY TO YOU FOR ALL CLAIMS EXCEED THE AMOUNT YOU PAID TO US FOR THE SERVICE IN THE TWELVE (12) MONTHS PRECEDING THE CLAIM, OR FIFTY US DOLLARS ($50.00), WHICHEVER IS GREATER.

10. Disclaimer of Warranties

THE GETROOTS.IO SERVICE, INCLUDING ALL BETA FEATURES, IS PROVIDED ON AN "AS-IS" AND "AS-AVAILABLE" BASIS. TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, GETROOTS.IO EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, WHETHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED. WE DO NOT GUARANTEE THAT THE SERVICE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED, SECURE, OR BUG-FREE, OR THAT ANY DATA, PHOTOS, OR FAMILY TREES UPLOADED WILL NOT BE LOST OR CORRUPTED.

11. User Data and Backups

While getRoots.io implements industry-standard security measures, you acknowledge that no digital storage is completely fail-safe. You are solely responsible for maintaining independent backups of all photos, documents, and data you upload to the Service. Under no circumstances will getRoots.io be held liable for any loss, deletion, corruption, or failure to store any user content.

12. Termination

We may terminate or suspend your account immediately, without prior notice or liability, for any reason whatsoever, including without limitation if you breach the Terms. You may terminate your account at any time by contacting us or using the account deletion feature.

13. Governing Law

These Terms shall be governed and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Maine, United States, without regard to its conflict of law provisions.

14. Contact

If you have any questions about these Terms, please contact us at legal@getRoots.io