Terms of Service

1. About the Service

FamilyBushes.com ("we", "us", "our") provides a browser-based interface for creating, editing, and viewing family trees ("the Service"). The Service is primarily a client-side tool: your family tree data, photos, and attachments are stored in your browser's local storage and IndexedDB on your own device. We do not guarantee the safety, availability, or permanence of any data stored through the Service.

2. Data Storage and Responsibility

The Service may optionally sync certain data (such as family tree structure) to our cloud infrastructure to enable access across devices. However:

• We do not guarantee cloud storage permanence. Cloud-stored data may be deleted at any time without notice, including due to account inactivity, service changes, or technical failure.
• Media files (photos and attachments) are stored locally only. Photos and file attachments are stored exclusively in your browser's IndexedDB on your device. We do not back up media files to the cloud. Clearing your browser data, switching devices, or uninstalling the browser will permanently delete your media.
• We guarantee media availability for no more than 24 hours after upload. Even within a single session, browser storage can be cleared by the operating system or browser under storage pressure. You should not rely on FamilyBushes.com as your primary or sole storage for photos or files.

We strongly advise you to export your family tree regularly using the built-in export feature (File → Export .FBFT). The exported file contains your full tree data and all media, and should be kept on your own device or a backup service of your choice. We accept no liability for data loss.

3. Scope of the Service

FamilyBushes.com provides an interface for editing and visualising family trees. It is not a data archiving service, a genealogy research database, or a long-term document storage platform. Any cloud features are provided as a convenience and not as a substitute for keeping your own backups.

4. User Accounts

Creating an account is optional but required to use cloud sync features. You are responsible for maintaining the security of your account. We may suspend or terminate accounts that violate these terms or that have been inactive for an extended period.

5. User Content

You retain full ownership of all content you upload or create through the Service, including family tree data, photos, and file attachments ("User Content"). By uploading User Content you grant us a limited, non-exclusive, royalty-free licence to store and serve that content solely for the purpose of providing the Service to you.

We are not responsible for User Content. We do not review, verify, or moderate content uploaded by users. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any content you upload:

• does not violate any applicable law or regulation;
• does not infringe the intellectual property, privacy, or other rights of any third party;
• does not include personal data about living individuals without their knowledge or consent where required by law;
• is not defamatory, obscene, or otherwise harmful.

We expressly disclaim all liability for any User Content. You agree to indemnify and hold us harmless from any claims, losses, or damages arising out of or related to your User Content.

6. Acceptable Use

You agree not to use the Service to store or share content that is unlawful, harmful, or infringes on the rights of others. You are solely responsible for the content you add to family trees, including photos and personal information about living individuals. We reserve the right to remove any content or suspend any account that we reasonably believe violates these terms or applicable law, without prior notice.

7. Copyright and DMCA Takedowns

We respect intellectual property rights. If you believe that content stored on our Service infringes your copyright, please send a written notice to [email protected] including: (i) identification of the copyrighted work claimed to be infringed; (ii) identification of the infringing material and its location on the Service; (iii) your contact details; and (iv) a statement that the information in the notice is accurate and that you are the copyright owner or authorised to act on their behalf. We will investigate and, where appropriate, remove infringing content.

8. Privacy and Data Processing (GDPR)

If you are located in the European Economic Area (EEA) or the United Kingdom, you have rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) or UK GDPR regarding your personal data. The personal data we process includes your email address (used for authentication and service-related communications) and usage analytics. Our legal basis for processing is your consent (given when you create an account) and our legitimate interest in improving the Service.

You have the right to access, correct, or delete your personal data at any time. To exercise these rights, contact us at [email protected]. You may also delete your account and all associated data directly from within the Service (Account → Delete all my data). We will fulfil deletion requests within 30 days.

User Content you upload (photos, attachments, family tree data) may contain personal data about third parties (family members). You are the data controller for that content. We act as a data processor on your behalf and process it only to provide the Service. We do not use User Content for any other purpose, including advertising or model training.

9. Cookies and Tracking

The Service uses cookies and similar browser storage mechanisms for the following purposes:

• Authentication. We store a session token in your browser so you remain signed in across page reloads.
• Preferences. We store your chosen language and colour theme locally so the app remembers your settings.
• Analytics. We use Microsoft Clarity and PostHog to collect anonymised usage data (page visits, interactions, session recordings). These tools may set their own cookies. If you are signed in, your email address may be associated with this usage data to help us understand how the Service is used and to improve it.

By using the Service you consent to the use of cookies as described above. We do not use cookies for advertising or sell your data to third parties. You can clear cookies at any time through your browser settings, though this will sign you out and reset your preferences.

10. Privacy and Analytics

We use analytics tools (including Microsoft Clarity and PostHog) to understand how the Service is used and to improve it. When you create an account, your email address may be associated with your usage data in these tools. We do not sell your personal information to third parties. Please refer to our privacy policy for more details.

11. Subscriptions and Payments

Some features of the Service require a paid subscription. Subscriptions are processed through third-party payment providers. Prices and available plans may change at any time. Refunds are handled on a case-by-case basis — contact us at [email protected] if you have billing questions.

12. Disclaimers and Limitation of Liability

The Service is provided "as is" without warranties of any kind, express or implied. We do not warrant that the Service will be uninterrupted, error-free, or free of data loss. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, or consequential damages arising from your use of the Service, including loss of data.

13. Changes to These Terms

We may update these terms from time to time. Continued use of the Service after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the revised terms. We will update the "last updated" date at the top of this page when changes are made.

14. Contact

For questions about these terms, contact us at [email protected].