CounselCat Terms of Service

Article 1 (Purpose)

These Terms and Conditions are intended to define the rights, obligations, and responsibilities between CounselCat (the "Company") and users in connection with the use of goods or services (the "Goods/Services") provided through the application operated by the Company (the "Application").

Article 2 (Prior Notice on Generative AI and Service Nature)

  1. Artificial intelligence (AI) may be used in the operation, creation, and provision of the services offered by the Company, and certain functions such as counseling, conversation, and analysis may be provided based on generative or analytical AI.
  2. By using the service, the user is deemed to have reviewed and agreed to the foregoing.

Article 3 (Definitions)

  1. "Application" means the virtual place of business established and operated by the Company, using information and communication facilities such as computers and mobile devices, to provide Goods/Services to users.
  2. "User" means a person who accesses the Application and uses the services provided by the Company in accordance with these Terms.
  3. "Member" means a person who accesses the Application, enters into a service use agreement under procedures set by the Company, and is qualified to continuously use the services provided by the Company.
  4. "Non-member" means a person who uses the services provided by the Company without completing membership registration procedures.
  5. "Counseling Data" means conversation content, voice-to-text transcripts, AI responses, emotion/status analysis results, summaries, and other related data generated in the course of using the service (only where such features are provided).

Article 4 (Age and Minors)

  1. Children under the age of 14 may apply to use the service only with the consent of their legal representative (e.g., parent).
  2. If a minor aged 14 or older uses the service, the minor and their legal representative or guardian must sufficiently review and understand these Terms, and the legal representative must explain the risks associated with service use and take appropriate protective measures.
  3. The Company does not intentionally collect personal information from children under the age of 14, and may delete such information in accordance with applicable laws if identified.

Article 5 (Publication, Effectiveness, and Amendment of Terms)

  1. The Company shall post these Terms and information including company name, representative name, address, phone number, email address, business registration number, mail-order business registration number, and personal information manager in an easily understandable manner within the Application or service.
  2. The Company may amend these Terms to the extent not in violation of applicable laws, including but not limited to consumer protection in electronic commerce, regulation of standard terms and conditions, electronic documents and transactions, electronic financial transactions, electronic signature, information and communications network, and consumer protection laws.
  3. The Company may update these Terms from time to time. Material changes will be announced via in-app notice, website, or email. Continued use of the service after changes take effect will be deemed acceptance of the revised Terms.
  4. Matters not specified in these Terms and interpretation thereof shall follow applicable laws and customary practices.

Article 6 (Protection and Processing of Personal Information)

  1. The Company collects, uses, stores, and destroys users' personal information in accordance with applicable laws and the separately posted Privacy Policy.
  2. By using the service, users are deemed to agree to the Privacy Policy. Please refer to the Privacy Policy for details on collection, use, provision, and destruction of personal information.
  3. The Company maintains security systems to protect personal information and strives to prevent unauthorized access or leakage.

Article 7 (Provision and Change of Services)

  1. The Company provides the following services through the Application:
    • Provision of service information and brokerage of paid service contracts
    • Provision of services under the use contract (e.g., digital content and subscription services)
    • Other services designated by the Company
  2. The Company may change service details, and material changes will be notified by methods designated by the Company, such as in-app notice.
  3. If damage occurs to users due to the foregoing change, the Company shall not be liable unless there is willful misconduct or gross negligence by the Company.

Article 8 (Service Interruption)

  1. The Company may temporarily suspend services due to system inspection, equipment replacement, communication failures, or maintenance/failure of computer and communication systems.
  2. If users or third parties suffer damage due to temporary interruption under paragraph 1, the Company shall not be liable unless there is willful misconduct or gross negligence by the Company.
  3. If services can no longer be provided due to business change, termination, merger, etc., the Company will notify users and take measures including refunds pursuant to Article 9 (Paid Services and Refunds) and separate operating policies. Where no separate compensation criteria exist, refunds or compensation may be provided under such policies.

Article 9 (Paid Services, Subscriptions, and Refunds)

  1. All or part of the service may be offered for a fee. Charges, billing cycles, and renewal conditions can be checked on the in-app purchase screen or App Store/Google Play payment page. Subscription fees are billed by Apple or Google, and subscriptions automatically renew unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the subscription period. Refunds are processed only through the relevant store (App Store/Play Store).
  2. Withdrawal of subscription (cooling-off): Under applicable laws including consumer protection laws in electronic commerce, if the user has not used the paid service, the user may withdraw from the purchase within 7 days from the later of the payment date or the date content became available. However, withdrawal may be restricted by law, including where provision of digital content has begun.

Article 10 (Disclaimer for Counseling/Wellness Service Use)

  1. The services provided by the Company do not replace professional medical treatment, psychotherapy, or psychiatric care.
  2. If a user is in a crisis situation (e.g., risk of self-harm/suicide, psychiatric emergency) or such risk is suspected, the user must contact professional institutions (e.g., suicide prevention hotline, mental health crisis hotline, emergency room). This service must not be used as a crisis intervention or emergency treatment tool.
  3. The Company is not liable for consequences resulting from non-compliance with the foregoing, unless there is willful misconduct or gross negligence by the Company.

Article 11 (Membership Registration)

  1. A user applies for membership by submitting an application according to the form designated by the Company and expressing agreement to these Terms.
  2. The Company accepts such application except in the following cases:
    • A person who has lost membership under Article 12, paragraph 2 and has applied for re-registration within 3 years from the date of such loss (except where re-registration is approved by the Company)
    • False, omitted, or erroneous information in the application
    • Cases where acceptance of registration is deemed difficult for technical or business reasons
    • Other cases where the Company deems acceptance difficult
  3. The service agreement is formed when the Company notifies the user of its acceptance.
  4. If there is any change to registered information, members must correct it by the method designated by the Company or notify the Company.

Article 12 (Withdrawal, Restriction/Loss of Membership, and Data Deletion)

  1. Members may withdraw at any time, and the Company processes such request without undue delay to the extent possible. Upon withdrawal, personal information and counseling data are destroyed in accordance with applicable laws and the Privacy Policy; where retention is required by law, such data are retained for the required period. Data cannot be restored after withdrawal.
  2. The Company may restrict, suspend, or terminate membership where a user registers false information, fails to perform obligations, interferes with other users or misappropriates information, or violates these Terms or applicable laws. In case of loss of membership, the Company may notify the grounds and provide an opportunity for explanation.

Article 13 (Prohibited Conduct)

Users must not engage in any of the following acts:

  1. Entering false information when applying for or changing services
  2. Misappropriating another person's information or payment method
  3. Arbitrarily changing information posted by the Company or interfering with service operation
  4. Collecting, storing, posting, or distributing other users' personal or account information without authorization
  5. Copying, decompiling, disassembling, imitating, or modifying the service, including through reverse engineering
  6. Using abnormal methods such as hacking or automated access programs, or imposing server load that interferes with normal service operation
  7. Lending/transferring an account or granting access authority to a third party
  8. Posting/transmitting/distributing obscene, violent, cruel, defamatory, or insulting content; business interference, spam, false information; intellectual property infringement (including copyrights and trademarks); crime encouragement/abetment; unauthorized personal data collection or distribution; or other information contrary to laws or public order and morals
  9. Using the service as a medical emergency response or crisis intervention tool
  10. Any other act violating applicable laws or these Terms

If any such violation causes damage to the Company or a third party, the relevant user bears all responsibility.

Article 14 (Use of Photo/Image and Voice Data)

  1. Where a user uploads photos/images for counseling or analysis purposes, such materials are used only for counseling and AI analysis, and the user must hold rights to such materials.
  2. The Company is not liable for technical errors related to uploads unless there is willful misconduct or gross negligence by the Company.
  3. Where voice call/recording features are provided, permissions such as microphone access are required for service use; collected voice data are used and stored only for counseling/analysis purposes and deleted upon withdrawal.

Article 15 (Copyright and User Content)

  1. Intellectual property rights to content written, generated, or uploaded by users in the course of using the service belong, in principle, to the relevant user.
  2. Users warrant that content they post or transmit does not infringe third parties' copyrights, portrait rights, reputation rights, etc. Users are responsible for disputes or damages arising from infringement, and must indemnify the Company and compensate for damages incurred by the Company.

Article 16 (Third-Party Services and Links)

  1. The service may integrate third-party services such as login, payment (App Store/Play Store, etc.), and notifications provided by Google, Apple, and others.
  2. Use of third-party services may be subject to such third parties' terms and privacy policies, and the Company is not responsible for the content or policies of those third-party services.

Article 17 (Notices and Marketing)

  1. The Company may provide notices necessary for service operation (e.g., security and policy changes) via email, push notifications, or in-app notices.
  2. Marketing emails/notifications may be sent only where the user has consented to receive them, and opt-out methods (e.g., unsubscribe links) will be provided. Essential service notices and marketing opt-out are handled separately.

Article 18 (Damages and Disclaimer)

  1. If the Company or a user causes damage to the other party by violating these Terms, such party must compensate for the damage where there is willful misconduct or gross negligence.
  2. If claims, lawsuits, or damages arise against the Company or a third party due to a user's service use, violation of these Terms, or content posted or transmitted by the user, the user must defend and indemnify the Company and compensate all resulting costs (including reasonable attorney fees) and damages.
  3. The Company is not liable for service delays, interruptions, or failures due to causes beyond its reasonable control, including natural disasters, war, terrorism, power outages, or third-party service failures (force majeure).

Article 19 (Governing Law and Jurisdiction)

  1. These Terms are interpreted and applied under the laws of the Republic of Korea.
  2. Any dispute between the Company and a user in connection with service use shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the court having jurisdiction over the location of the Company's headquarters.

Article 20 (Effective Date)

These Terms take effect on March 31, 2026.