Terms of Service
Last updated: July 15, 2026
These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your use of indieinkshield.com and the Indie Ink Shield service (the "Service"), operated by Indie Ink Shield ("we," "us," or "our"). By creating an account or using the Service, you agree to these Terms. If you don't agree, please don't use the Service.
Questions? Contact hello@indieinkshield.com.
1. What Indie Ink Shield does
Indie Ink Shield helps independent authors find and respond to unauthorized use of their published works. We scan public sources, surface potential findings, capture supporting evidence, and help you prepare and track takedown requests.
The Service is currently offered as an early-access beta. Features will change, some things may break, and you may encounter rough edges. Your feedback shapes what we build.
2. Eligibility and your account
You must be at least 18 years old to use the Service. You're responsible for keeping your account credentials secure and for activity that happens under your account. Provide accurate information and keep it current.
3. Detection is best-effort — findings are leads, not verdicts
We scan public sources and surface what looks like potential unauthorized use of your work. We cannot promise that every unauthorized use is found, or that every finding is actually infringing. Some findings may be legitimate, unrelated, or coincidental (for example, a different book with a similar title).
Treat findings as leads to review, not as conclusions. You decide what to act on.
4. You file takedowns on your own behalf
When a takedown notice is sent under a standard plan, you send it as the copyright holder. Indie Ink Shield surfaces findings and helps prepare the materials, but under these standard Terms we are not your attorney, legal representative, or DMCA agent, and we do not provide legal advice.
(Certain higher-tier or assisted plans may offer agent-assisted filing under a separate written authorization you sign specifically for that purpose. Absent that separate signed authorization, the standard self-file relationship in this section applies.)
5. Your responsibility for the claims you make
Before acting on a finding, you confirm that you own or control the rights to the work in question. You are responsible for the accuracy of any takedown notice you send.
Takedown notices carry legal weight. Knowingly misrepresenting that material is infringing can carry legal consequences for the person making the claim. If a notice you send leads to a counter-notice or dispute, that matter is between you and the other party.
6. Acceptable use
You agree not to use the Service to:
- Submit takedown requests for works you don't own or control, or that you know aren't infringing.
- Harass, target, or make bad-faith claims against others.
- Interfere with, overload, or attempt to gain unauthorized access to the Service or its infrastructure.
- Use the Service for any unlawful purpose.
We may suspend or end access for misuse.
7. Plans, payments, and beta status
Some features may require a paid plan. Pricing and plan features are shown in the app and may change. During the beta, some or all features may be free, and access may end when the beta concludes.
If and when paid plans are active, fees are billed as described at checkout. Because this is an evolving beta, features may be added, changed, or removed. If we wind the beta down, we'll give you a way to export your data.
8. Your data
Your books, findings, and evidence belong to you. You can export or delete them at any time. Our handling of your information is described in our Privacy Policy. We do not sell your personal data.
9. The Service is provided "as is"
We work hard to be accurate and available, but we can't promise the Service will be uninterrupted, error-free, or fit for a particular purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Service is provided "as is" and "as available," without warranties of any kind, express or implied, beyond those the law requires.
10. Limitation of liability
You use Indie Ink Shield at your own discretion. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we are not liable for indirect, incidental, special, or consequential losses, and our total liability to you will not exceed the amount you have paid us in the twelve months before the claim (which, during the beta, may be nothing).
11. Indemnification
You agree to indemnify and hold Indie Ink Shield harmless from claims, losses, or expenses arising out of your use of the Service, the takedown notices you send, or your violation of these Terms.
12. Changes to these Terms
We may update these Terms as the Service evolves. If we make a material change, we'll revise the "Last updated" date and take reasonable steps to notify you and, where appropriate, ask you to accept the new version. Continued use after a change means you accept the current Terms.
13. Termination
You can stop using the Service and delete your account at any time. We may suspend or end access if you violate these Terms or if we discontinue the Service. Sections that by their nature should survive termination (such as responsibility for claims you've made, disclaimers, and liability limits) will survive.
14. Governing law
These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Texas, without regard to its conflict-of-laws rules, except where local consumer-protection law applies to you.
15. Contact
Indie Ink Shield
hello@indieinkshield.com