Terms of Service

Clear, fair terms that protect both you and us while ensuring Guarded Gallery remains a safe, private platform for everyone.

Last Updated: June 15, 2025

The Key Points

You own your photos

Your content belongs to you. We're just the secure storage and sharing platform.

Use it responsibly

Don't upload illegal content, spam people, or try to hack the system.

Fair billing practices

Clear pricing, easy cancellation, 30-day money-back guarantee on paid plans.

Reasonable limitations

We're not liable for things beyond our control, but we'll always do our best.

1. Acceptance of Terms

Welcome to Guarded Gallery! By accessing or using our service, you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service and our Privacy Policy.

Important: If you don't agree with any part of these terms, please don't use Guarded Gallery. We're committed to fair, transparent terms, but they're legally binding once you start using our service.

Who Can Use Guarded Gallery

  • Age requirement: You must be at least 13 years old (or the minimum age in your jurisdiction)
  • Legal capacity: You must have the legal authority to enter into this agreement
  • Gmail requirement: You must have a valid Gmail account for authentication
  • Geographic availability: Service is available worldwide, subject to local laws

Agreement Updates

These terms constitute the complete agreement between you and Guarded Gallery. They supersede any previous agreements or understandings. We may update these terms from time to time (see Section 10 for details).

2. Account Registration & Security

Your Security Responsibilities

Google Account Security

Keep your Google account secure with strong passwords and two-factor authentication. We rely on Google's security for your account access.

Authorized Access Only

Don't share your account access with others. Each person should use their own Google account.

Report Security Issues

If you suspect unauthorized access to your account, contact us immediately at security@guardedgallery.com.

3. Acceptable Use Policy

What You Can Do

  • Upload and share your personal photos and videos
  • Create albums for family events, professional portfolios, or personal projects
  • Share albums with specific people using our permission system
  • Set expiry dates and manage access to your content
  • Use the service for legitimate personal or professional purposes
  • Export your content at any time

What You Cannot Do

  • Upload illegal, harmful, or inappropriate content including:
    • Copyrighted material you don't own
    • Content involving minors in inappropriate situations
    • Violent, threatening, or harassing content
    • Spam, malware, or malicious files
  • Attempt to hack, compromise, or disrupt our systems
  • Use automated tools to access or abuse the service
  • Share access credentials or transfer accounts to others
  • Violate any applicable laws or regulations
  • Impersonate others or provide false information

Content Monitoring & Reporting

While we respect your privacy and don't routinely monitor your content:

  • We may investigate reported violations of these terms
  • We'll cooperate with law enforcement when legally required
  • We reserve the right to remove content that violates these terms
  • Users can report inappropriate content they have access to
To report violations: Email abuse@guardedgallery.com with details and any relevant information.

4. Content Ownership & Rights

Your Content Rights

You own your photos and videos. When you upload content to Guarded Gallery:

  • You retain all ownership rights to your content
  • You control who can see and access your content
  • You can delete your content at any time
  • You can export your content in standard formats
  • We never claim ownership of your photos or videos

License You Grant Us

To provide our service, you grant Guarded Gallery a limited license to:

  • Store your content: On secure servers to provide the service
  • Display your content: To you and people you authorize
  • Generate thumbnails: For faster loading and better user experience
  • Transmit your content: To deliver it to authorized viewers
  • Create backups: For data protection and service reliability
Important Limitations
  • This license is non-exclusive (you can use your content elsewhere)
  • This license is revocable (ends when you delete content or close your account)
  • We only use this license to provide our service - never for advertising or other purposes
  • We don't modify, analyze, or use your content for AI training

5. Service Availability & Performance

What We Strive For

High Uptime

We aim for 99.9% uptime and work hard to minimize service interruptions.

Fast Performance

Photos should load quickly and sharing should be responsive.

Security First

Your photos are protected with industry-standard security measures.

Responsive Support

We aim to respond to support requests within 24-48 hours.

Service Limitations

While we work hard to provide excellent service, some limitations apply:

Planned Maintenance
  • We may perform scheduled maintenance with advance notice
  • Critical security updates may require immediate service interruption
  • We'll minimize disruption and communicate clearly
Technical Issues
  • Internet connectivity issues may affect service access
  • Third-party services (Google, AWS) may experience outages
  • Browser compatibility issues may limit functionality
  • Large file uploads may be slower or fail on poor connections
Usage Limits
  • File size limits: 10MB for images, 100MB for videos
  • Storage limits based on your subscription plan
  • Fair use policies to prevent abuse
  • Rate limiting to protect system performance

Service Modifications

We may modify, update, or discontinue features of the service:

  • We'll provide 30 days' notice for significant changes
  • New features may be added without notice
  • Bug fixes and security updates may be applied immediately
  • Deprecated features will have a reasonable transition period

6. Billing, Payments & Refunds

Subscription Plans

Guarded Gallery offers subscription-based pricing starting at $3/month. All plans include:

  • Secure photo and video storage
  • Unlimited album creation and sharing
  • Privacy controls and expiry dates
  • Customer support

Payment Processing

  • Secure payments: All payments processed through trusted payment providers
  • Auto-renewal: Subscriptions automatically renew unless cancelled
  • Price changes: 30 days' notice for any price increases
  • Billing cycle: Monthly or annual billing available

Cancellation

  • Easy cancellation: Cancel anytime through your account settings
  • No penalties: No cancellation fees or penalties
  • Service continuation: Access continues until end of current billing period
  • Data retention: Account data kept for 30 days after cancellation

Refund Policy

  • 30-day guarantee: Full refund within 30 days of initial subscription
  • Partial refunds: Prorated refunds for annual plans cancelled mid-year
  • Service issues: Refunds for extended outages or service problems
  • Refund processing: Refunds processed within 5-10 business days

Failed Payments

If a payment fails:

  1. We'll notify you immediately via email
  2. You'll have 7 days to update payment information
  3. Service may be suspended after 7 days
  4. Account will be cancelled after 30 days of non-payment
  5. All data will be deleted 30 days after account cancellation

7. Account Termination

Voluntary Termination (You Leave)

You can close your account at any time:

  • Use the "Delete Account" option in your settings
  • All your photos and data will be permanently deleted within 30 days
  • Active subscriptions will be cancelled (with appropriate refunds)
  • Shared album links will immediately stop working
  • This action cannot be undone

Involuntary Termination (We Remove You)

We may terminate accounts for:

  • Repeated violations of these terms
  • Illegal activity or content
  • Abuse of other users or our support team
  • Attempts to compromise system security
  • Non-payment of subscription fees
Our Process
  1. Warning: First violation usually results in a warning
  2. Suspension: Temporary suspension for serious or repeated violations
  3. Termination: Permanent account closure for severe violations
  4. Appeal: You can appeal decisions via email

After Termination

Immediate Effects

Service access stops immediately, shared links become invalid, billing stops.

Data Download (Voluntary Only)

If you close your account voluntarily, you can download your data before deletion.

Permanent Deletion

All photos, albums, and account data permanently deleted within 30 days.

Surviving Terms

Privacy obligations, limitation of liability, and dispute resolution survive termination.

8. Limitation of Liability & Disclaimers

While we work hard to provide excellent service, there are some legal limitations on our liability:

Service Disclaimers

Guarded Gallery is provided "as is" and "as available." We disclaim warranties including:

  • Uninterrupted or error-free service
  • Complete security against all threats
  • Compatibility with all devices or browsers
  • Backup or recovery of lost data

What We're Not Liable For

We're not liable for damages caused by:

  • Internet connectivity or third-party service issues
  • Your device malfunctions or software problems
  • User error or misuse of the service
  • Actions of people you share content with
  • Acts of nature, government actions, or other events beyond our control

Damage Limitations

To the maximum extent permitted by law:

  • Our total liability is limited to the amount you paid us in the past 12 months
  • We're not liable for indirect, consequential, or punitive damages
  • These limitations apply even if we've been advised of potential damages
  • Some jurisdictions don't allow these limitations, so they may not apply to you

Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold us harmless from claims arising from:

  • Your use of the service
  • Content you upload or share
  • Your violation of these terms
  • Your violation of others' rights

9. Dispute Resolution

Preferred Resolution Process

We believe most disputes can be resolved through communication. Here's our preferred process:

1
Direct Communication

Contact us at legal@guardedgallery.com with details of your concern. We'll work with you to find a solution.

2
Good Faith Negotiation

If direct communication doesn't resolve the issue, we'll engage in good faith negotiations for 30 days.

3
Formal Resolution

If negotiation fails, we'll proceed with formal dispute resolution as outlined below.

Governing Law & Jurisdiction

These terms are governed by the laws of [Your Jurisdiction], without regard to conflict of law principles. Any legal proceedings will be conducted in [Your City, State/Country].

Class Action Waiver

You agree that any dispute will be resolved individually, not as part of a class action or similar proceeding. This waiver doesn't apply where prohibited by law.

10. Changes to These Terms

How We Handle Updates

We may update these terms from time to time. Here's how we'll handle changes:

Minor Changes
  • Clarifications, typo fixes, or formatting improvements
  • Posted immediately with updated "Last Modified" date
  • Continued use constitutes acceptance
Significant Changes
  • Changes to pricing, billing, or refund policies
  • Modifications to privacy practices or data handling
  • Changes to limitation of liability or dispute resolution
  • 30 days' advance notice via email
  • Opportunity to cancel before changes take effect
Material Changes
  • Fundamental changes to service functionality
  • New restrictions on content or usage
  • Changes requiring your explicit consent
  • Option to accept new terms or close account

How We'll Notify You

  • Email notifications: Sent to your registered email address
  • In-app notifications: Prominently displayed when you log in
  • Website updates: Updated terms posted with clear change log
  • Blog/news posts: Major changes announced publicly

Your Options

When we update these terms, you can:

  • Accept: Continue using the service (automatic acceptance after notice period)
  • Decline: Cancel your account before changes take effect
  • Discuss: Contact us with concerns or questions about changes

11. Miscellaneous Provisions

Entire Agreement

These Terms of Service, together with our Privacy Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and Guarded Gallery. They supersede any previous agreements or understandings.

Severability

If any provision of these terms is found to be unenforceable, the remaining provisions will continue in full force and effect. We'll replace unenforceable provisions with similar enforceable terms.

No Waiver

Our failure to enforce any provision doesn't constitute a waiver of that provision or any other rights. All rights are reserved.

Assignment

You cannot transfer your rights or obligations under these terms. We may assign our rights and obligations to affiliates or in connection with a business transfer.

Force Majeure

Neither party is liable for delays or failures due to circumstances beyond reasonable control, including natural disasters, government actions, or infrastructure failures.

Third-Party Services

Our service integrates with third-party services (Google, AWS, etc.). Your use of these services is subject to their own terms and conditions.

12. Contact Information

Questions about these terms? We're here to help:

Legal Questions:

legal@guardedgallery.com

General Support:

support@guardedgallery.com

Security Concerns:

security@guardedgallery.com

Abuse Reports:

abuse@guardedgallery.com

Company Information

Guarded Gallery
[Your Business Address]
[City, State/Province, Country]
[Postal Code]

Acknowledgment

By using Guarded Gallery, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms of Service. Thank you for trusting us with your memories.