TERMS & CONDITIONS

By creating an account, accessing, or using any part of the Platform, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agree to be legally bound by these Terms and our Privacy Policy, which is incorporated herein by reference.

If you are using the Platform on behalf of an organization, you represent and warrant that you have authority to bind that organization to these Terms, and "you" refers to both you individually and the organization.

We reserve the right to update these Terms at any time. Continued use of the Platform after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.

You must be at least 13 years old to use the Platform. If you are under 18, you represent that your parent or legal guardian has reviewed and agreed to these Terms on your behalf. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13; if we discover such data has been collected, we will delete it promptly.

You may not use the Platform if:

• You are prohibited from receiving services under the laws of your jurisdiction.
• You have previously been banned or suspended from the Platform.
• Your account has been terminated for violating these Terms.

To access certain features you must register for an account. You agree to provide accurate, current, and complete information and to keep it updated. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your login credentials and for all activity that occurs under your account.

You must notify us immediately at legal@masterdebater.fun if you suspect unauthorized use of your account. We are not liable for any loss or damage arising from your failure to protect your credentials.

You may not create accounts using automated means, use false identity information, or create accounts on behalf of others without their explicit consent. We reserve the right to refuse registration or cancel accounts at our discretion.

You may only hold one account at a time. Creating multiple accounts to circumvent a suspension or ban is strictly prohibited.

Master Debater is a video debate platform. Users record short arguments on a daily prompt (the Daily Mountain), challenge each other to one-on-one debates, and vote on who argued better. One-on-one debates are either recorded turn by turn at each debater’s own pace, or held live between the two debaters and recorded. Recordings are published for the community to watch and vote on afterwards; nobody watches a debate while it happens. Features include debate voting, points, leaderboards, profiles, follows and notifications.

We reserve the right to modify, suspend, or discontinue any feature or the Platform itself at any time, with or without notice, and without liability to you. We do not guarantee that the Platform will be available at all times or that any particular feature will remain available.

You agree to use the Platform only for lawful purposes and in a manner consistent with these Terms. You must not:

• Post, stream, or transmit content that is harassing, threatening, abusive, defamatory, obscene, hateful, or discriminatory based on race, ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual orientation, disability, or other protected characteristics.
• Impersonate any person or entity, or falsely claim affiliation with any person or organization.
• Engage in vote manipulation, review bombing, or coordinated inauthentic behavior to influence debate scores or leaderboards.
• Spam, solicit, or advertise products or services without our prior written consent.
• Distribute malware, viruses, or any malicious code.
• Attempt to gain unauthorized access to any part of the Platform or its underlying infrastructure.
• Scrape, crawl, or use automated tools to extract data from the Platform without our express permission.
• Interfere with or disrupt the integrity or performance of the Platform or any connected systems.
• Engage in any activity that could disable, overburden, or impair the Platform's servers or networks.
• Use the Platform to plan or facilitate real-world violence, illegal activity, or harm to any person.
• Solicit personal information from minors or engage in any conduct that exploits or harms minors.
• Stream content that infringes third-party intellectual property rights.

We may, but are not obligated to, monitor content and user behavior. Violations may result in content removal, account suspension, or permanent termination, at our sole discretion.

"User Content" means any content you submit, post, stream, or otherwise make available on the Platform, including debate speech, video, audio, chat messages, ratings, profile information, and any other materials.

License to Us: By submitting User Content, you grant Master Debater LLC a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free, sublicensable, and transferable license to use, reproduce, distribute, prepare derivative works of, display, and perform your User Content in connection with operating and promoting the Platform, for the duration of any applicable intellectual property protection.

Your Representations: You represent and warrant that: (a) you own or have the necessary rights to grant the above license; (b) your User Content does not infringe any third-party rights; and (c) your User Content complies with these Terms and all applicable laws.

Content Removal: We reserve the right to remove any User Content at any time for any reason, including violation of these Terms, without notice or liability. We are not obligated to store or back up your content.

No Endorsement: We do not endorse any User Content and expressly disclaim all liability in connection with User Content. Views expressed during debates are solely those of the individual participants.

The Platform and all of its original content, features, and functionality — including but not limited to text, graphics, logos, icons, images, audio clips, software, and the compilation thereof — are owned by Master Debater LLC or its licensors and are protected by applicable intellectual property laws.

You may not copy, modify, distribute, sell, license, reverse-engineer, decompile, or disassemble any part of the Platform without our express prior written consent.

"Master Debater" and related logos are trademarks of Master Debater LLC. Nothing in these Terms grants you any right to use our trademarks, trade names, or brand features.

Debates take place in one of two ways. In an asynchronous debate, each debater records their turns separately and the recordings are published once both sides have submitted. In a live debate, the two debaters talk in real time over a direct connection between their browsers, each records their own side, and those recordings are published afterwards for the community to watch and vote on.

By participating in either kind of debate you consent to having your video, audio, likeness and voice captured, recorded, published on the Platform and retained as described in our Privacy Policy. You grant us a license to those recordings as described in Section 6.

Live debates connect your browser directly to your opponent’s. This means each of you can see the other’s IP address, which is inherent to the technology and cannot be avoided while the connection remains direct. Do not accept a live debate with someone you are not comfortable connecting to directly. Where a direct connection is not possible, the connection is relayed by a third party instead.

There is no live audience for a live debate: nobody watches while it happens. The community sees the recordings afterwards.

You acknowledge that connection quality may vary and that we are not responsible for technical issues, latency or connectivity problems outside our control, including a live debate that fails to connect.

Debate challenges and invitations are commitments to participate. Missing a turn deadline forfeits that debate, and repeated no-shows or bad-faith cancellations may result in account penalties.

Debate scores and ratings are generated by platform users and are community opinions, not factual determinations of who is “correct.” We do not validate or endorse any position argued in any debate.

You must not record or transmit any content during a debate that you would not be permitted to post under Section 5 (User Conduct). Violations may result in removal of the recording and account action.

Your privacy is important to us. Our Privacy Policy describes how we collect, use, and share information about you. By using the Platform, you consent to our data practices as described therein.

You acknowledge that your information may be processed by third-party service providers (including Supabase, Cloudflare and Vercel) subject to their own privacy policies. Recorded video is stored with Cloudflare; live debates connect directly between browsers and are relayed by Cloudflare only where a direct connection is not possible. We are not responsible for the data practices of third parties.

Supporting the project. You may choose to make a one-time payment to support the Platform. It is voluntary and buys nothing: no feature, badge, perk or advantage depends on it, and everything on the Platform works the same whether or not you pay. It is not a donation to a charity and is not tax-deductible. Payments are processed by Stripe; we never see your card details. Support payments are non-refundable except as required by applicable law. If you paid by mistake, contact us and we will consider a refund.

All amounts are in US dollars.

If we introduce paid features or subscriptions in future, the following terms will apply to them:

• Subscriptions automatically renew unless cancelled before the renewal date.
• You authorize us to charge your payment method on file for recurring fees.
• Price changes will be communicated at least 30 days in advance.
• You are responsible for any taxes applicable to your purchases.
• Fraudulent chargebacks may result in immediate account termination.

We reserve the right to change pricing at any time. Free features may become paid features in the future with reasonable notice.

We respect intellectual property rights and expect users to do the same.

Designated Copyright Agent. Master Debater LLC has designated the following agent to receive notifications of claimed infringement under 17 U.S.C. § 512(c)(2). This agent is registered with the United States Copyright Office.

This contact is for copyright infringement notices only. Other inquiries sent here may not receive a response.

Filing a Notice of Infringement. If you believe content on the Platform infringes your copyright, send a written notice to the agent above containing all of the following:

• A physical or electronic signature of the copyright owner or a person authorized to act on their behalf.
• Identification of the copyrighted work claimed to have been infringed, or a representative list if a single notice covers multiple works.
• Identification of the material claimed to be infringing, with information reasonably sufficient to let us locate it — for a live debate or recording, include the debate URL and the approximate timestamp.
• Your contact information: name, mailing address, telephone number, and email address.
• A statement that you have a good-faith belief that the disputed use is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law.
• A statement that the information in the notice is accurate, and — under penalty of perjury — that you are the copyright owner or authorized to act on the owner's behalf.

Incomplete notices may not be actionable. On receipt of a valid notice we will expeditiously remove or disable access to the material and take reasonable steps to notify the user who posted it.

Counter-Notification. If your content was removed and you believe the removal was the result of a mistake or misidentification, you may send a counter-notification to the same agent containing:

• Your physical or electronic signature.
• Identification of the material that was removed and the location at which it appeared before it was removed.
• A statement under penalty of perjury that you have a good-faith belief the material was removed or disabled as a result of mistake or misidentification.
• Your name, mailing address, and telephone number.
• A statement that you consent to the jurisdiction of the Federal District Court for the judicial district in which your address is located — or, if your address is outside the United States, any judicial district in which Master Debater LLC may be found — and that you will accept service of process from the person who filed the original notice or their agent.

If we receive a valid counter-notification, we will forward it to the party who submitted the original notice and may restore the removed material in 10 to 14 business days, unless that party first notifies us that they have filed a court action seeking to restrain the allegedly infringing activity.

Misrepresentations. Under 17 U.S.C. § 512(f), any person who knowingly materially misrepresents that material is infringing, or that material was removed or disabled by mistake, may be liable for damages, including costs and attorneys' fees.

Repeat Infringers. In accordance with 17 U.S.C. § 512(i), we have adopted and reasonably implement a policy of terminating, in appropriate circumstances, the accounts of users who are repeat infringers.

The Platform integrates with third-party services including but not limited to Supabase (database & authentication), Cloudflare (video storage and connection relay), and Vercel (hosting). Your use of these services is subject to their respective terms and privacy policies. We are not responsible for the availability, accuracy, or practices of any third-party service.

The Platform may contain links to third-party websites. These links are provided for convenience only. We have no control over the content of those sites and accept no responsibility for them or for any loss or damage that may arise from your use of them.

THE PLATFORM IS PROVIDED ON AN "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE" BASIS WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, TITLE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT.

WE DO NOT WARRANT THAT: (A) THE PLATFORM WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED OR ERROR-FREE; (B) DEFECTS WILL BE CORRECTED; (C) THE PLATFORM OR SERVERS ARE FREE OF VIRUSES OR OTHER HARMFUL COMPONENTS; OR (D) THE RESULTS OBTAINED FROM USE OF THE PLATFORM WILL BE ACCURATE OR RELIABLE.

We do not endorse, guarantee, or assume responsibility for any debate content, user opinions, ratings, or outcomes. Debates are entertainment and discourse — not authoritative sources on any topic.

TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, MASTER DEBATER LLC AND ITS OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS, PARTNERS, AND LICENSORS SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE, OR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO LOSS OF PROFITS, GOODWILL, DATA, OR OTHER INTANGIBLE LOSSES, ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH:

• Your use of or inability to use the Platform.
• Any content obtained from the Platform.
• Unauthorized access to or alteration of your transmissions or data.
• Statements or conduct of any third party on the Platform.
• Any other matter relating to the Platform.

IN NO EVENT SHALL OUR TOTAL CUMULATIVE LIABILITY TO YOU EXCEED THE GREATER OF (A) THE AMOUNT YOU PAID US IN THE 12 MONTHS PRECEDING THE CLAIM OR (B) ONE HUNDRED US DOLLARS ($100).

Some jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion of certain warranties or limitations on liability, so the above limitations may not apply to you in full.

You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless Master Debater LLC and its officers, directors, employees, contractors, agents, licensors, and suppliers from and against any claims, liabilities, damages, judgments, awards, losses, costs, expenses, or fees (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising out of or relating to:

• Your violation of these Terms.
• Your User Content.
• Your use of the Platform.
• Your violation of any third-party right, including any intellectual property right or privacy right.
• Any claim that your User Content caused damage to a third party.

Informal Resolution: Before filing any formal legal claim, you agree to contact us at legal@masterdebater.fun and attempt to resolve the dispute informally for at least 30 days.

Binding Arbitration: If informal resolution fails, any dispute arising out of or relating to these Terms or the Platform shall be resolved by binding individual arbitration administered by the American Arbitration Association (AAA) under its Consumer Arbitration Rules. The arbitration shall be conducted in English. The arbitrator's decision shall be final and binding and may be entered as a judgment in any court of competent jurisdiction.

Class Action Waiver: YOU AND MASTER DEBATER LLC EACH WAIVE ANY RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE IN A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT OR CLASS-WIDE ARBITRATION. All disputes must be brought in an individual capacity.

Exceptions: Either party may seek injunctive or other equitable relief in a court of competent jurisdiction to prevent irreparable harm pending arbitration. Small claims court actions are also permitted where the amount in controversy qualifies.

Opt-Out: You may opt out of arbitration by sending written notice to legal@masterdebater.fun within 30 days of first agreeing to these Terms. Opting out does not affect any other provision of these Terms.

These Terms and any dispute arising from them shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Michigan, United States, without regard to its conflict of law principles. To the extent any dispute is not subject to arbitration, you consent to personal jurisdiction and venue in the state and federal courts located in Washtenaw County, Michigan.

Nothing in this section deprives you of the protection of any mandatory consumer-protection provision of the law of the jurisdiction in which you reside.

We may suspend or terminate your account and access to the Platform at any time, with or without cause or notice, including for violation of these Terms. Upon termination:

• Your right to use the Platform ceases immediately.
• We may delete your account and User Content, though we are not obligated to do so.
• Provisions of these Terms that by their nature should survive termination will survive, including Sections 6, 7, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, and 20.

You may terminate your account at any time by contacting us or using the account deletion feature in your profile settings. Termination does not entitle you to a refund of any fees paid.

We reserve the right to modify these Terms at any time. When we make material changes, we will notify you by posting the updated Terms on this page with a new effective date and, where required by law, by sending you an email or in-app notification.

Your continued use of the Platform after the effective date of any changes constitutes your acceptance of the new Terms. If you do not agree to the revised Terms, you must stop using the Platform.

We encourage you to review these Terms periodically to stay informed of any updates.

Severability: If any provision of these Terms is held invalid, illegal, or unenforceable by a court or arbitrator of competent jurisdiction, that provision shall be modified to the minimum extent necessary to make it enforceable, or if modification is not possible, severed from these Terms. The remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect. If the class action waiver in Section 16 is found unenforceable as to any particular claim or request for relief, that claim or request shall be severed from arbitration and brought in a court of competent jurisdiction, while all other claims remain subject to arbitration.

Entire Agreement: These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy and Community Guidelines, constitute the entire agreement between you and Master Debater LLC regarding the Platform, and supersede all prior or contemporaneous understandings, communications, and proposals, whether oral or written.

No Waiver: Our failure to enforce any right or provision of these Terms shall not be deemed a waiver of that right or provision. Any waiver must be in writing and signed by an authorized representative of Master Debater LLC. A waiver of any breach shall not constitute a waiver of any subsequent breach.

Assignment: You may not assign or transfer these Terms, or any rights or obligations under them, without our prior written consent; any attempted assignment in violation of this provision is void. We may assign these Terms freely, including in connection with a merger, acquisition, reorganization, or sale of all or substantially all of our assets.

Force Majeure: We are not liable for any failure or delay in performance resulting from causes beyond our reasonable control, including acts of God, natural disasters, war, terrorism, civil unrest, labor disputes, government action, epidemics, power or internet failures, or the failure of third-party services on which the Platform depends — including our video, hosting, and database providers.

Notices: We may provide notices to you by email to the address associated with your account, by posting within the Platform, or by posting on this page. Notices are deemed received on the day sent or posted. You must send legal notices to us at legal@masterdebater.fun. It is your responsibility to keep your account email address current.

Relationship of the Parties: Nothing in these Terms creates any partnership, joint venture, employment, or agency relationship between you and Master Debater LLC. Debaters are independent users of the Platform, not our employees, contractors, or representatives.

Interpretation: Section headings are for convenience only and do not affect interpretation. "Including" means "including without limitation." These Terms shall not be construed against the drafting party.

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding these Terms, please contact us:

We will make every effort to respond to inquiries within 5 business days.