Appu Raja is committed to ensuring that the app is as useful and efficient as possible. For that reason, we reserve the right to make changes to the app or to charge for its services, at any time and for any reason. We will never charge you for the app or its services without making it very clear to you exactly what you’re paying for.

The BOOKBOARD app stores and processes personal data that you have provided to us, in order to provide my Service. It’s your responsibility to keep your phone and access to the app secure. We therefore recommend that you do not jailbreak or root your phone, which is the process of removing software restrictions and limitations imposed by the official operating system of your device. It could make your phone vulnerable to malware/viruses/malicious programs, compromise your phone’s security features and it could mean that the BOOKBOARD app won’t work properly or at all.

You should be aware that there are certain things that Appu Raja will not take responsibility for. Certain functions of the app will require the app to have an active internet connection. The connection can be Wi-Fi, or provided by your mobile network provider, but Appu Raja cannot take responsibility for the app not working at full functionality if you don’t have access to Wi-Fi, and you don’t have any of your data allowance left.

If you’re using the app outside of an area with Wi-Fi, you should remember that your terms of the agreement with your mobile network provider will still apply. As a result, you may be charged by your mobile provider for the cost of data for the duration of the connection while accessing the app, or other third party charges. In using the app, you’re accepting responsibility for any such charges, including roaming data charges if you use the app outside of your home territory (i.e. region or country) without turning off data roaming. If you are not the bill payer for the device on which you’re using the app, please be aware that we assume that you have received permission from the bill payer for using the app.

Along the same lines, Appu Raja cannot always take responsibility for the way you use the app i.e. You need to make sure that your device stays charged – if it runs out of battery and you can’t turn it on to avail the Service, Appu Raja cannot accept responsibility.

With respect to Appu Raja’s responsibility for your use of the app, when you’re using the app, it’s important to bear in mind that although we endeavour to ensure that it is updated and correct at all times, we do rely on third parties to provide information to us so that we can make it available to you. Appu Raja accepts no liability for any loss, direct or indirect, you experience as a result of relying wholly on this functionality of the app.

At some point, we may wish to update the app. The app is currently available on Android – the requirements for system(and for any additional systems we decide to extend the availability of the app to) may change, and you’ll need to download the updates if you want to keep using the app. Appu Raja does not promise that it will always update the app so that it is relevant to you and/or works with the Android version that you have installed on your device. However, you promise to always accept updates to the application when offered to you, We may also wish to stop providing the app, and may terminate use of it at any time without giving notice of termination to you. Unless we tell you otherwise, upon any termination, (a) the rights and licenses granted to you in these terms will end; (b) you must stop using the app, and (if needed) delete it from your device.

These Terms of Service govern your access to and use of BookBoard.in (“Company” / “We” / “Our”) and the ZLibrary application (formerly known as BookBoard) available on Android and iOS (together referred to as “Application”) by any individual (“User” / “You” / “Your”).

Through our Website and Application, we primarily enable Users to:

• Upload and publish literary works (including but not limited to books, poems, articles, and accompanying cover images) (“Published Work(s)”), where the User engaging in this activity will be referred to as an “Author”; and/or
• Consume such Published Works as well as content published by the Company (“Company Content”) on the Website/Application, where the User engaging in this activity will be referred to as a “Reader”.

Together, Published Works and Company Content will be referred to as “Content”.

To enhance your experience on our Website/Application, we may offer additional features (“Features”) such as:

• (i) submitting reviews of Content,
• (ii) a chat feature for communication with other Users, and
• (iii) the ability to set a username, profile picture, and other profile details.

Any material uploaded by you while using these Features will be referred to as “Inputs”.

All features provided by the Company through its Website/Application will collectively be referred to as “Services”.

By accessing the Website/Application and using our Services, you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service along with our Privacy Policy (“Privacy Policy”). You confirm that you are at least 18 years old and have the authority to enter into a binding contract with the Company. If you are under 18 years old, you must obtain consent from your parent(s) or legal guardian(s), who will be responsible for your acceptance and compliance with these Terms. This consent must be provided to the Company upon request. If you do not have the necessary consent, you must cease all use of the Website/Application immediately.

This document serves as an electronic record under the Information Technology Act, 2000, and relevant rules. Therefore, no physical signature is required for these Terms of Service to be binding. These Terms of Service, together with the Privacy Policy, have been formulated in compliance with Rule 3 (1) (a) of the Information Technology (Intermediaries Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021.

User Obligations

By using the Services, you agree to abide by the following obligations:

1. Accuracy: Provide complete and accurate information while registering on the Website/Application and contact the Company in writing (emails permitted) if there is any change in such information. You must not impersonate any other person (whether living or dead).
2. Confidentiality: Maintain the confidentiality of your account details and be responsible for any use of the Services through your account.
3. Ownership: Ensure that you fully own or have validly assigned/licensed the copyrights in the Published Works uploaded, that the Published Works are original, and that they do not violate any rights of any third party, including but not limited to patent, trademark, copyright, or personal rights.
4. Guidelines and Policies: Adhere to the Content Guidelines and all other policies and guidelines published by the Company on the Website/Application, including the Policy and Safety guidelines.
5. Reproduction: Do not reproduce any Content from the Website/Application and publish it on any other platform or medium without prior written permission from the Company, whether for commercial gain or otherwise.
6. Permissions: Allow the Company to do the following while your account exists or until your Published Works are published on the Website/Application, whichever is earlier:
   • (a) Publicly display your name/username to attribute the Published Works uploaded;
   • (b) Adapt, publish, reproduce, process, modify, publicly perform, and display your Published Works and any name, username, or likeness in connection with such works, on a non-exclusive basis, for distribution and marketing purposes worldwide.
7. Illegal Activities: Do not use the Services to perform or solicit any illegal activities or violate any third-party rights.
8. Virus: Do not upload any material containing software viruses or any other code designed to interrupt or limit the functionality of any computer resource.
9. Non-Solicit: Do not advertise or solicit any products or services on the Website/Application, including offers related to your Published Works.
10. Spam: Do not approach or target Users with any spamming communication, including in the form of Published Works.
11. Security:
    • (a) Do not probe, scan, or test the vulnerability of the Website/Application;
    • (b) Do not disrupt or breach security measures or circumvent the navigational structure;
    • (c) Do not use any automated software to “crawl” or “spider” any part of the Website/Application;
    • (d) Do not use cheats, exploits, or unauthorized software to interfere with the Services;
    • (e) Do not place an unreasonable burden on the Company’s infrastructure.
12. Unfair Conduct: Do not engage in unfair conduct to gain Earnings or My Coins or misuse any programs offered on the Website/Application.
13. Access: Access and use the Services solely for personal and non-commercial purposes, and do not obtain Content through unauthorized means.
14. User Data: Do not trace or exploit any information pertaining to another User, including storing and collecting such information.
15. Trademark and Design: Do not misuse or misappropriate the trademark ‘BookBoard’ or any associated logos for unauthorized purposes.
16. Non-disparagement: Do not engage in any acts that may bring the Company or the Website/Application into public disrepute.

Rights of the Company

User acknowledges the following rights of the Company:

1. Remove Content: The Company has the right to remove any Published Works or Inputs that it deems objectionable or infringing, at its discretion or as required under law.
2. Suspension/Termination: The Company has the right to restrict, suspend, or terminate the account of any User to access all or part of the Services at its discretion, including for violations of these Terms of Service.
3. Intellectual Property: The Service, including the Website/Application, all logos, trademarks, brand names, service marks, domain names, designs, and graphics created by the Company are exclusively owned by the Company, and all intellectual property rights therein belong to the Company.
4. Company Content: Any Company Content belongs to the Company or its licensors. No rights therein transfer to Users except for legitimate use of the Service in accordance with these Terms of Service.
5. Personal Data: The Company shall process Users' personal data in accordance with the Privacy Policy.
6. Payment: The Company shall decide the terms and conditions associated with any features introduced on the Website/Application regarding the issuance of virtual currency and its usage by Users. Such terms will be set forth herein or communicated to Users via the Website/Application.
7. Legal Disclosure: The Company may disclose details of any User or any other information regarding the Published Works or Inputs as required under law or by a lawful order from authorized government agencies investigating cyber security incidents.
8. Enhance Security Measures: The Company may implement enhanced security and technical measures from time to time to prevent and address violations of copyrights of Users or third parties as necessary.

Content Guidelines

Published Works/Inputs uploaded on the Website/Application must:

1. Not be objectionable or unlawful: Do not publish Published Works/Inputs that are grossly harmful, infringing, harassing, blasphemous, defamatory, obscene, pornographic, paedophilic, libelous, invasive of another's privacy, hateful, racially or ethnically objectionable, disparaging, related to or encouraging money laundering or gambling, or otherwise unlawful in any manner whatsoever.
2. Not be against national interest: Do not publish Published Works/Inputs that threaten the unity, integrity, defense, security, or sovereignty of India, friendly relations with foreign states, public order, or incite the commission of any cognizable offense, or prevent the investigation of any offense, or insult any other nation.
3. Protect minors: Do not publish Published Works/Inputs that can harm minors in any way.
4. Not be misleading/offensive: Do not publish Published Works/Inputs that deceive or mislead a reader about the origin of the Content or communicate any information that is grossly offensive or menacing in nature.

Monetization

The Company has introduced various monetization plans for Authors and Content on the Application, including but not limited to:

• Subscription to eligible Authors for early access to their Published Works.
• Unlocking a chapter of eligible Content.
• Rewarding eligible Authors through virtual gifts.
• Subscription to a paid section on the Application containing Company Content and eligible Published Works (“Premium Section”).

(Each referred to as a "Monetization Plan").

a. My Coins based Monetization Plans:

1. My Coins: For certain Monetization Plans, Users must redeem virtual currency that may be purchased or earned (“My Coins”). My Coins do not hold real-world value and may be used solely as permitted on the Application.
2. Withdrawal of My Coins: Payment for My Coins cannot be withdrawn and My Coins are not redeemable for actual money.
3. Bonus My Coins: The Company may offer bonus My Coins based on user activity, which will be applied first when redeeming My Coins.
4. User Warranty: Users warrant that they have the legal capacity to purchase My Coins and that all transaction information is accurate.

b. Subscription based Monetization Plans:

1. Subscription: Users may need to pay subscription amounts (“Subscription Amounts”) at specified frequencies to avail benefits linked to Monetization Plans.

2. Mode of Payment:

Users may purchase My Coins and pay Subscription Amounts using available options on the Application, including:

• Wallets linked with the Application.
• Debit/Credit cards.
• Unified Payment Interface.
• Net banking.
• Other options as made available by the Company.

These payment gateways are managed by third-party providers and are subject to their terms.

3. Earnings:

1. An Author and/or their Published Works may become eligible under Monetization Plans based on parameters set by the Company.
2. Eligible Authors may opt-in to have their works available in the Premium Section.
3. Eligible Authors will receive 36% of amounts received from Users under any Monetization Plan as Earnings.
4. Earnings will be paid within 20 days if the amount exceeds INR 50 or any other base amount set by the Company.
5. Eligible Authors must link a valid bank account to receive Earnings.
6. Earnings will include applicable taxes, and the bank account holder is responsible for any associated charges.
7. Company Content Earnings will be paid based on the above parameters regardless of separate contracts.

4. Non-transferable:

My Coins and Earnings are non-transferable and solely for the benefit of the User.

5. Other Rights:

No ownership rights in any Content shall vest in the User except those determined by the Company.

6. Forfeiture:

1. Upon account termination for violations, all My Coins and Earnings will be forfeited.
2. Inactivity for one year will lead to forfeiture of My Coins; unpaid Earnings will also be forfeited after three months of non-linking a bank account.

7. Refund:

If the Company discontinues My Coins, purchased My Coins may be refunded at the Company’s discretion, minus applicable fees.

8. Changes:

Changes to My Coins and Earnings features due to legal updates will be reflected in the Terms of Service.

9. Compatibility:

The Company will determine the availability of My Coins and Earnings features across devices.

Coupons

The Company may offer various Coupons to Users subscribing to the Premium Section:

• Coupons may provide discounts on Subscription Amounts or third-party services.
• Coupons allow access to Content in all languages in the Premium Section.
• Coupon details such as validity and maximum discount will be specified.
• The Company reserves the right to modify or cancel Coupons without notice.
• Users will receive discounts as per the specific coupon terms; future purchases will be at actual prices unless another Coupon is available.
• The Company may deny Coupon redemption based on suspicion of abuse.
• No refunds or cash redemptions for Coupons will be allowed.
• The Company is not liable for any misuse of Coupons due to User negligence.

Company as Intermediary

1. Users are in control of Published Works/Inputs: The Company receives, stores, and transmits Published Works/Inputs solely on behalf of the Users as per the permissions granted. Users remain the sole authors and owners of their Published Works/Inputs. The Company does not control, restrict, or modify the publishing or reading of the Published Works/Inputs prior to upload or thereafter, unless requested in writing by the User.
2. Company as an ‘intermediary’ and no liability: The Company is defined as an ‘intermediary’ under the Information Technology Act, 2000 and its rules, and is not responsible for the Published Works/Inputs uploaded on the Website/Application.
3. Duty to act under law: As an intermediary, the Company is required to take necessary action against any Published Works/Inputs that violate the Information Technology Act, 2000, and the User shall abide by such actions taken by the Company.

Liability

1. No warranty of any kind: All Services and Content on the Website/Application are offered on an "as is" basis without any warranty, either expressed or implied. The Company does not support or endorse any Content on the Website/Application and does not warrant that the functions and Services will be uninterrupted, error-free, or free of viruses or other harmful components. The User accepts all associated risks involved with their use of the Website/Application.
2. User liable for breach: Users are solely responsible to the Company and any third party for any breach of their obligations under the Terms of Service and for any consequences arising from such breach.
3. Indemnity: Users shall indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its affiliates, and their respective directors, employees, successors, and assigns from any losses, liabilities, expenses, or damages arising from the Company’s legitimate use of any Published Works by the User or breach of these Terms of Service. The Company reserves the right to defend itself in any legal disputes that may arise and recover costs from the User.
4. No Indirect Liability: The Company disclaims any special, incidental, indirect, consequential, or punitive damages arising from the provision of Services or use of the Website/Application by others. The overall aggregate liability of the Company for any damages or losses directly attributable to the Company shall be limited to INR 10,000.

Grievance Redressal

If any User is affected by any Content that violates these Terms of Use, including the Content Guidelines, the User can write their concerns to Anuj Kumar, Grievance Officer at [email protected] with the following details. The Company shall resolve the concerns within fifteen (15) days:

• The complainant’s name and contact details (address, telephone number, and valid email address)
• Description of the Content violating the Terms of Service
• The nature of the complaint against the Content
• The details of the URL where such Content is hosted
• Supporting documents/sources, if applicable, to substantiate the complaint
• Complaint document to be duly signed physically or by electronic signature

Miscellaneous

1. Modification: The Company reserves the sole and exclusive right to unilaterally amend or modify these Terms of Service, which shall come into effect immediately. The User has a duty to periodically check the terms and stay updated. If the User continues to use the Website/Application following such changes, they will be deemed to have consented to all amendments/modifications made to the Terms of Service.
2. Disputes: Users expressly agree that the Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, and any other agreements entered between the Company and Users are governed by the laws, rules, and regulations of India. The Courts at Bangalore shall have exclusive jurisdiction over any disputes arising between the Parties.
3. Conflict: In case of any conflict arising in the interpretation of the Terms of Service in English and any other language available on the Website/Application, the terms of the English version shall prevail.
4. Assignment: The rights and obligations under these Terms of Service are granted only to the User and shall not be assigned to any third party without the Company’s consent. However, the Company is permitted to assign its rights and obligations under these Terms of Service to another party, including its affiliates. This may occur in situations such as a merger with another company or the creation of a new company.

Changes to This Terms and Conditions

I may update our Terms and Conditions from time to time. Thus, you are advised to review this page periodically for any changes. I will notify you of any changes by posting the new Terms and Conditions on this page.

These terms and conditions are effective as of 2020-07-01

Contact Us

If you have any questions or suggestions about my Terms and Conditions, do not hesitate to contact me at [email protected]