Terms of Service
Last updated · May 23, 2026
These Terms govern your use of Ref. By creating an account or using the app, you agree to them. They're written to be readable, but they're still a binding agreement, so give them a look.
1. Who can use Ref
You must be at least 13 years old to use Ref. If you are under the age of majority where you live, you may only use Ref with the consent of a parent or legal guardian. By using the Service, you represent that you meet these requirements.
2. Your account
Ref accounts are created via Sign in with Apple. You are responsible for activity that occurs under your account and for keeping the device on which you're signed in secure. Notify us promptly at admin@studiolyons.net if you believe your account has been compromised.
3. What the Service is (and isn't)
Ref helps two consenting adults talk through interpersonal disagreements with the help of an AI mediator. Ref is not a substitute for professional therapy, counseling, legal advice, medical care, or emergency services. If you are in crisis, experiencing abuse, or in immediate danger, contact a qualified professional or local emergency services.
4. Acceptable use
You agree not to use the Service to:
- Harass, threaten, abuse, or harm another person.
- Submit content that is unlawful, defamatory, or violates anyone's rights.
- Invite or coerce a person into a case without their genuine consent.
- Attempt to reverse engineer, scrape, or interfere with the Service or its infrastructure.
- Use the Service to build a competing product or to train other AI models on its outputs.
5. Content you submit
You keep ownership of the responses, voice input, and other content you submit (“Your Content”). You grant Ref a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free license to host, process, transmit, and display Your Content solely to operate and improve the Service, including transmitting your input to OpenAI to power the mediator and to generate post-session reflections.
You are responsible for Your Content. Don't submit information about third parties that you don't have the right to share.
6. AI-generated content
Sessions and reflections are produced by an AI model. AI output can be incomplete, inaccurate, or worded in ways that don't suit every situation. Treat reflections as a starting point for your own conversation, not a verdict, professional opinion, or final truth.
7. Pricing and credits
Ref may include free usage limits, paid features, or daily credits. Pricing and limits are surfaced in the app and may change with notice. Payments, when applicable, are processed by Apple under the App Store's terms.
8. Privacy
Our handling of your personal information is described in the Privacy Policy, which is incorporated into these Terms.
9. Termination
You can stop using the Service at any time. You can delete cases inside the app, or request full account deletion by emailing admin@studiolyons.net. We may suspend or terminate your access if you violate these Terms, create risk for us or other users, or if required by law.
10. Disclaimers
The Service is provided “as is” and “as available” without warranties of any kind, whether express or implied, including warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, non-infringement, or uninterrupted availability. We do not warrant that any output of the Service will be accurate, complete, or suitable for your situation.
11. Limitation of liability
To the maximum extent permitted by law, Ref and its operators will not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages (including loss of profits, data, goodwill, or relationships) arising out of or related to your use of the Service. Our total liability for any claim arising from or related to the Service will not exceed the greater of (a) the amounts you paid us in the 12 months before the claim, or (b) US $50.
12. Indemnification
You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless Ref from any claims, damages, or expenses arising from (a) your use of the Service, (b) Your Content, or (c) your violation of these Terms.
13. Changes to the Terms
We may update these Terms from time to time. If changes are material, we will update the “Last updated” date and, where appropriate, notify you inside the app. Your continued use of the Service after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the new Terms.
14. Governing law
These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of California, United States, without regard to its conflict of laws rules. The courts located in San Francisco County, California will have exclusive jurisdiction over any dispute arising from these Terms or the Service, except where prohibited by law.
15. Contact
Questions about these Terms? Email admin@studiolyons.net.