Terms & Conditions

1. About Soyo

Soyo is an invitation-based local hangout platform operated by 1598025 B.C. LTD., a corporation registered in British Columbia, Canada. Soyo brings together Members (people who receive and accept invitations to small hangouts), Organizers (community hosts who open hangouts and events), and Venue Owners (local businesses opening their space) — and Soyo itself curates and publishes some hangouts directly (“Soyo-run hangouts”).

These Terms apply to anyone who accesses, browses, registers for, or transacts on Soyo through our website, mobile apps, or APIs.

2. Definitions

• “Soyo,” “we,” “us” — 1598025 B.C. LTD., operating the Soyo platform.
• “Platform” — the Soyo website (joinsoyo.com), mobile apps, and related services.
• “User” — anyone with a Soyo account, regardless of role.
• “Explorer” — a User in the general “user” role, primarily attending events.
• “Organizer” — a User who creates, lists, and runs events.
• “Venue Owner” — a User who lists a physical space for events.
• “Event” / “Hangout” — a gathering on Soyo. A host-run hangout is opened by an Organizer or Venue Owner; a Soyo-run hangout is published by Soyo itself.
• “Invitation” — a private offer of a seat at a specific hangout, sent to a Member by Soyo's matching or by a friend's invite link.
• “Content” — text, images, descriptions, messages (including group-chat messages and photos), and other material submitted by Users.

3. Platform Role — Host-Run vs Soyo-Run Hangouts

When you accept a seat at a host-run hangout or event, your contract for that gathering is between you and the Organizer (and, where applicable, the Venue Owner) — not with Soyo. Soyo provides the matching, invitations, communication, and payment processing, and earns a platform fee for that service. We do not control, supervise, or guarantee the quality, safety, or legality of any host-run gathering, venue, or guest conduct.

When you accept a seat at a Soyo-run hangout, your contract for the seat is with Soyo. Even then, the hangout takes place in the physical world among independent adults: Sections 10, 11, and 13 (risk, personal responsibility, and consent) apply to everyone present, and Soyo is not responsible for the conduct of other guests or of independent venues.

4. Eligibility

You must be at least 18 years old to create an account or transact on Soyo. By using the Platform, you represent that you meet this requirement. Soyo does not knowingly allow children under 13 on the Platform, in compliance with the U.S. Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) — see our Privacy Policy for details.

Children do not have accounts. Where a host states that children are welcome at a hangout, a parent or legal guardian who holds an account may bring their child on the guardian’s own spot. The guardian stays with the child for the whole hangout and is responsible for them.

Some events may have additional age restrictions set by the Organizer (e.g. 19+ for events serving alcohol in BC). You agree to honour any such restriction.

5. Account Registration & Security

You agree to provide accurate, current information during signup and to keep your account information updated. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your login credentials and for all activity that occurs under your account.

Each Soyo account has a primary role chosen at signup (Member, Organizer, or Venue Owner). If you need to operate in a different capacity, contact us or create a separate account with a different email address. Notify us immediately at team@joinsoyo.com of any unauthorized account access.

6. Acceptable Use

You agree not to:

• Post false, misleading, or fraudulent listings, profiles, or messages.
• Harass, threaten, intimidate, dox, or discriminate against other users.
• Use Soyo for illegal activity of any kind, including the sale or distribution of controlled substances.
• Create, host, list, promote, or request sexual or adult content or events (including 18+/19+ or “adults only” nights, strip clubs, escort or hookup arrangements), the use or sale of illegal drugs, weapons or firearms, violence or harm to people or animals, gambling for money, or any activity that is illegal in Canada.
• Express hatred toward, or discriminate against, any person or group on the basis of race, colour, ancestry, place of origin, religion, marital or family status, physical or mental disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or age — the grounds protected by the British Columbia Human Rights Code and the Canadian Human Rights Act — in profiles, events, invitations, messages, or in person.
• Attempt to circumvent, defraud, or game payment processing or chargebacks.
• Resell tickets at prices above face value (scalping) without our prior written consent.
• Scrape, mine, or systematically copy data from the Platform without consent.
• Reverse engineer, decompile, or interfere with the Platform's technical operation.
• Impersonate another person, business, or Soyo itself.
• Upload malware, exploit security flaws, or send spam through Soyo's messaging.
• Share other guests' information, messages, or photos from a hangout group chat outside that group without their consent.
• Abuse friend-invitation links — mass-posting them publicly, farming referral rewards with fake or duplicate accounts, or selling seats or invitations.
• Accept seats you do not intend to use. Repeated no-shows harm small groups and may reduce or end the invitations you receive.

Violations may result in warnings, content removal, account suspension, permanent banning, or referral to law enforcement. For the zero-tolerance categories in Section 20 — illegal activity, sexual or adult content, drugs or weapons, violence, hate or discrimination on a protected ground — we terminate immediately and without prior notice. See also our Community Guidelines and Section 20 below.

7. Terms for Explorers (Attendees)

When you RSVP to or purchase a ticket for an event:

• You enter into a contract with the Organizer for that event. Soyo facilitates the transaction but is not a party to that contract.
• You agree to abide by the Organizer's event-specific rules, dress code, age limits, and any additional terms shown on the event listing.
• You are responsible for verifying event details (date, time, location, what is included) before purchasing.
• The refund policy displayed on the event details page (or, if none is shown, the default in Section 16) governs your booking.
• Tickets are personal and non-transferable unless the Organizer states otherwise. A hangout invitation is different: before you have paid for or locked the seat, you may pass it on to one person through the app's pass-on link. Whoever claims it becomes the seat's holder and your own seat is released. Invitations to private hangouts cannot be passed on, and a seat that has already been paid for or captured cannot be transferred.
• You agree to behave respectfully toward other attendees, the Organizer, and the Venue Owner. Disruptive behaviour may result in removal from the event without refund.

8. Terms for Organizers

When you list an event on Soyo:

• Accuracy: All event information (description, date, location, capacity, price, what is included, age limits) must be accurate. Misleading listings may be removed and may result in account suspension.
• Stripe Connect: To accept paid bookings, you must connect a Stripe account in your own legal name and complete Stripe's identity verification. You must keep this account in good standing.
• Tax responsibility: You are solely responsible for reporting and paying any applicable sales tax, GST/HST, income tax, or other taxes on income earned through the Platform. Soyo does not withhold taxes.
• Refund authority: You set the refund policy for your events and must apply it consistently. If you do not specify a policy, Soyo's default in Section 16 applies.
• Payment readiness: A paid event is not published until your Stripe account can accept charges. If Stripe later stops charges on your account, guests cannot buy seats until it is restored; we notify you when that happens. Free events are never affected.
• Event delivery: You are responsible for delivering the event as described, ensuring attendee safety, and complying with all applicable laws (permits, health regulations, capacity limits, alcohol service rules, etc.).
• Cancellations: If you must cancel an event, do so as far in advance as possible. Confirmed ticket holders will receive a full refund automatically. You are responsible for any non-refundable processing fees and chargeback fees (see Section 16).
• Insurance: We strongly recommend that Organizers carry their own commercial general liability insurance for events with physical activity, alcohol service, or significant capacity. Soyo does not provide insurance to Organizers or attendees.
• Discrimination: You may not refuse attendees on the basis of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, disability, or other characteristics protected by law.

9. Terms for Venue Owners

When you list a venue or accept proposals on Soyo:

• Accuracy: Your venue listing (photos, description, capacity, address, partnership types, amenities) must be accurate and current.
• Legal capacity: You represent that you have the legal right to host events at the listed location, including any required leases, business licenses, occupancy permits, fire-safety inspections, and (where applicable) liquor licenses.
• Safety: You are responsible for the physical safety of the venue, including building maintenance, fire exits, accessibility where required by law, and compliance with local building codes.
• Insurance (strongly recommended): Soyo strongly recommends carrying Commercial General Liability insurance covering bodily injury and property damage at the venue. Soyo does not provide insurance.
• Discretion in approving proposals: You decide which proposals to accept or reject. Soyo does not require any particular approval.
• No discrimination: You may not reject Organizers based on race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, disability, or other protected characteristics.
• Direct relationship with Organizer: Once you approve a proposal, your relationship with that Organizer (logistics, payment for venue use if any, setup details) is between the two of you. Soyo provides the messaging channel but is not party to that arrangement.

10. Assumption of Risk

Events involve inherent risks, including but not limited to: physical injury (sports, dance, outdoor activities), allergic reactions (food, beverages, materials), property loss or damage, transportation accidents to or from the event, exposure to illness, and conduct by other attendees that the Organizer cannot fully predict or control.

Soyo does not screen, supervise, insure, or guarantee any event. You participate at your own risk and waive any claim against Soyo arising from injury, loss, or damage suffered at, before, or after an event.

11. Personal Responsibility

You are solely responsible for:

• Your own physical and mental capability to attend and participate in the event.
• Disclosing relevant allergies, medical conditions, or accommodation needs to the Organizer in advance.
• Your decisions about alcohol consumption and arranging safe transportation home.
• Personal property you bring to the event.
• Compliance with the Organizer's rules, the Venue Owner's house rules, and applicable laws.
• Your own conduct toward other attendees, including respecting their boundaries (see Section 13).

12. Photography & Media

Some hangouts state a photo policy on the invitation (for example, that the host may take a group photo for their community page). By accepting a seat you accept the photo policy shown on that invitation. Where no policy is shown, no one — including Soyo — may use your image for promotional purposes without your explicit consent.

You agree not to post images of other guests without their consent, on or off the Platform. Hosts must respect any opt-out a guest communicates before or during a hangout.

13. Consent & Boundaries

All interactions between members at Soyo events must be consensual. You agree to:

• Respect personal boundaries — including verbal, emotional, and physical.
• Obtain explicit consent before any physical contact beyond what is normal for the event format (e.g. a partner dance class implies dance contact; a coffee meetup does not).
• Stop immediately if asked, or if a person seems uncomfortable.

Sexual harassment, sexual misconduct, unwanted advances, or any non-consensual contact is strictly prohibited and will result in immediate account termination, removal of your content, and may be reported to law enforcement.

14. Accessibility & Accommodations

Soyo encourages Organizers and Venue Owners to provide accurate accessibility information on event and venue listings (wheelchair access, sensory considerations, ASL interpretation, dietary accommodations, etc.). Attendees needing accommodations should contact the Organizer in advance to confirm what is available.

While we encourage inclusive practices, Soyo cannot guarantee that every event or venue is fully accessible to every attendee. Reasonable accommodation efforts are appreciated but not warranted by Soyo.

15. Payment Processing

All payments on Soyo are processed by Stripe Inc. (“Stripe”). When you make a payment, you authorize the charge to your payment method. Card details and full payment information are stored and processed by Stripe and never touch Soyo's servers. Stripe's terms of service and privacy policy also apply.

Ticket prices are listed in Canadian dollars (CAD) for events in Canada and U.S. dollars (USD) for events in the United States. A payment-processing fee is added to the ticket price at checkout and shown before you pay; the organizer receives the ticket price. If you cancel an eligible ticket, the ticket price is refunded and the processing fee is non-refundable; if the event itself is cancelled, you are refunded in full including the processing fee.

16. Cancellation & Refund Policy

To cancel a confirmed RSVP, go to Journal in the app or web dashboard and tap “Cancel RSVP” on your booking. The cancellation screen shows the refund amount you will receive based on the rules above. If you are within 48 hours of the event start time, the screen also offers a one-tap path to message the Organizer directly.

17. Platform Fees

On paid events run by an Organizer or Venue, the Participant pays a Soyo service fee of 3% of the ticket price plus $0.50 per paid ticket, shown as its own line at checkout, in addition to the card processing fee. The Organizer receives the ticket price, with one exception: the card processing fee charged to the Participant is calculated at the rate for cards issued in Canada, and where a Participant pays with a card issued outside Canada, the payment processor’s additional fee (about 0.8% of the amount charged) is deducted from the Organizer’s payout. The service fee is returned whenever a ticket is refunded — by the Participant 48+ hours before the event, or because the Organizer cancelled — so Soyo keeps nothing on a cancelled sale. The card processing fee is not returned and, when the Organizer cancels, is borne by the Organizer. Free events and Soyo-curated seats carry no service fee. The fee may be updated with reasonable notice. Listing a venue is free.

18. Content Ownership & License

You retain ownership of content you submit to Soyo (text, photos, videos, event descriptions, profile information). By submitting content, you grant Soyo a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free, sublicensable license to host, store, display, reproduce, modify for formatting, and distribute the content as necessary to operate and promote the Platform.

You represent that you have the right to submit any content you upload and that it does not infringe third-party rights or violate applicable law.

19. Reporting Violations & Safety

If you witness a violation of these Terms, the Community Guidelines, or any unsafe or illegal conduct, please report it promptly:

• Use the in-app report function on the offending profile, event, or message.
• Email team@joinsoyo.com with details and any evidence.
• For emergencies (immediate physical danger), contact local emergency services first (911 in Canada and the U.S.), then notify Soyo.

Soyo has zero tolerance for objectionable content and abusive users. Every user can also block another user in-app: a blocked user's messages disappear for you and you will not be matched or seated together again. We act on reports of objectionable content within 24 hours — removing the content and ejecting the offending user where the report is substantiated — and take further action proportionate to severity, including warnings, suspension, or referral to law enforcement. Knowingly false or malicious reports may themselves result in account action.

20. Account Suspension & Termination

Soyo may suspend or terminate your account, in its reasonable discretion, for violations of these Terms, the Community Guidelines, applicable law, suspected fraud, repeated chargebacks, or harm to other users. Where reasonable, we will provide notice and an opportunity to remedy minor violations; serious violations (e.g. fraud, harassment, threats, illegal activity) may result in immediate termination.

Zero tolerance. For illegal activity, sexual or adult content, illegal drugs or weapons, violence or credible threats, hatred or discrimination on a protected ground, or any exploitation of minors, Soyo terminates the account immediately, without prior notice and without an opportunity to remedy. Any seats, credit, or stamps on the account are forfeited, no fees are refunded to the terminated user, and we preserve and disclose the relevant records to law enforcement where the law requires or permits it. Activities that Soyo itself creates are screened against the same standard before they are published and never include these categories; if one is reported, it is removed.

You may terminate your own account at any time via Account Settings → Delete Account in the app, or via joinsoyo.com/delete-account. A 30-day grace period applies during which deletion can be reversed by emailing us.

21. Payouts & Reserves

Organizer payouts are sent automatically, as a single transfer per event and never in parts. A payout is sent from the day after the event, once every card payment for that event has cleared with the payment processor; a card payment typically clears about 7 days after the ticket is bought, so an event with late ticket sales is paid out later than one that sold out in advance. Organizers cannot request an earlier or partial payout. Soyo may further delay a payout to allow for chargeback verification and dispute resolution. New Organizers, or Organizers with elevated risk indicators (high cancellation rate, recent disputes), may be subject to additional payout delays or to a rolling reserve (a portion of revenue temporarily held by Stripe).

We will communicate any reserve in advance through Stripe and/or email. Reserves are released according to risk profile, typically after a defined period of clean operation.

22. Limitation of Liability

Soyo is not liable for indirect, incidental, special, consequential, exemplary, or punitive damages, including loss of profits, loss of data, loss of business, or personal injury, even if advised of the possibility of such damages. Soyo is specifically not liable for the actions or omissions of Organizers, Venue Owners, attendees, or other third parties.

Some jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion of certain warranties or limitations on certain damages. To the extent any such limitations are unenforceable, Soyo's liability is limited to the smallest amount permitted by applicable law.

23. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Soyo (1598025 B.C. LTD.), its officers, directors, employees, agents, and contractors from and against any and all claims, demands, damages, losses, liabilities, judgments, settlements, costs, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising from or related to:

• Your use of, or inability to use, the Platform.
• Your violation of these Terms or applicable law.
• Your violation of any third-party right (intellectual property, privacy, contractual).
• Any event you organize, attend, or host on or in connection with the Platform.
• Any content you submit, post, or transmit through the Platform.
• Any chargeback, refund dispute, or payment-related claim involving your account.

24. Disclaimer of Warranties

The Platform is provided “as is” and “as available”, without warranties of any kind, express or implied. To the maximum extent permitted by law, Soyo disclaims all warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, non-infringement, accuracy, reliability, and uninterrupted availability.

Soyo does not warrant that events listed on the Platform will meet your expectations, that Organizers or Venue Owners will perform as described, or that the Platform will be free of bugs, errors, or interruptions.

25. DMCA Copyright Notice (United States)

Soyo respects intellectual property rights and complies with the U.S. Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). If you believe content on the Platform infringes your copyright, send a written notice to our designated agent including:

1. A signature of the copyright owner or authorized agent.
2. Identification of the copyrighted work claimed to be infringed.
3. Identification of the allegedly infringing material and its location on Soyo (URL).
4. Your contact information (address, phone, email).
5. A statement of good-faith belief that the use is not authorized by the copyright owner.
6. A statement, under penalty of perjury, that the information is accurate and you are authorized to act.

Send DMCA notices to: team@joinsoyo.com with the subject line “DMCA Notice.” Repeat infringers' accounts will be terminated.

26. Force Majeure

Soyo is not liable for any failure or delay in performance caused by events beyond our reasonable control, including natural disasters, pandemics, acts of war or terrorism, civil unrest, labour disputes, government action, internet outages, or third-party service failures (e.g. Stripe, Supabase, Vercel outages). Organizers may rely on this section if such events prevent an event from occurring as planned, but should still issue refunds in line with their stated policy.

27. Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the Province of British Columbia and the federal laws of Canada applicable therein, without regard to conflict-of-laws principles. The United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods does not apply.

28. Dispute Resolution

Step 1 — Direct contact. Before filing any formal claim against Soyo, you agree to first contact us at team@joinsoyo.com with a description of the issue. We will respond in good faith within 30 days.

Step 2 — Negotiation. If we cannot resolve the issue within 60 days of your initial contact, either party may proceed to formal dispute resolution.

Step 3 — Forum. Any unresolved dispute shall be brought exclusively in the courts of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, and you consent to the personal jurisdiction of those courts. Disputes between Soyo and U.S. Users may also be heard in U.S. federal or state courts of competent jurisdiction where required by law (e.g. small-claims for amounts below applicable jurisdictional thresholds).

29. Class Action Waiver

Disputes between you and Soyo must be brought individually, not as part of a class action, collective action, or representative proceeding. Both you and Soyo waive the right to a jury trial and the right to participate in any class proceeding to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law. This waiver does not prevent you from filing complaints with government regulators (e.g. the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, U.S. state attorneys general).

If a court finds this class-action waiver unenforceable, the dispute shall proceed in court but the waiver of jury trial remains in effect to the extent permitted by law.

30. Modifications to These Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. Material changes will be communicated in-app or by email at least 30 days before taking effect, where feasible. Continued use of Soyo after the effective date constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms. If you do not agree with the changes, you may close your account.

31. Severability & Entire Agreement

If any provision of these Terms is held invalid or unenforceable, that provision shall be limited or eliminated to the minimum extent necessary, and the remaining Terms shall remain in full force.

These Terms, together with the Privacy Policy and Community Guidelines, constitute the entire agreement between you and Soyo regarding the Platform and supersede prior or contemporaneous agreements on the same subject.

32. Safety Attestation — Criminal Record Self-Declaration

To help keep in-person gatherings safe, every member joining Soyo's curated hangouts declares, at signup, that they have no criminal record. This is a self-declaration: Soyo does not run background checks and does not independently verify this statement. Providing a false declaration is a material breach of these Terms and grounds for immediate account termination. Soyo may act on reports and remove members who violate this attestation or our community guidelines. Your declaration is kept confidential and handled as described in our Privacy Policy.

33. Use of Conversations & Preferences for Matching

Soyo's curated hangouts work by understanding your tastes. By using these features you agree that the information you share with Soyo — including your onboarding answers, stated preferences, availability, city and neighbourhood choices, optional vibe photos (read by an AI model to infer interests), optional sex/gender and relationship status (used only to compose comfortable groups), your reliability record, and post-hangout feedback — may be processed, including by automated and AI systems, to build your taste profile, decide which invitations to send you, compose groups, and improve matching quality. This data is handled under our Privacy Policy (see its Sections 3–4 for the AI details), is never sold to third parties, and is deleted when you delete your account; you may also correct it or ask a person to review a matching outcome at any time.

34. Contact

For questions about these Terms, refund disputes, account issues, or any of the rights described above:

1598025 B.C. LTD. (operating as Soyo)
Metro Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
📧 team@joinsoyo.com