By creating an account or otherwise using ecou, you confirm that you are in agreement with and bound by these Terms & Conditions. These terms apply to the ecou website, mobile apps, and any email or other communication between you and ecou.
Under no circumstances shall the ecou team be liable for any direct, indirect, special, incidental or consequential damages, including, but not limited to, loss of data or profit, arising out of the use, or the inability to use, ecou, even if the ecou team or an authorized representative has been advised of the possibility of such damages.
Homestead AI LLC grants you a revocable, non-exclusive, non-transferable, limited license to access and use the ecou website, and to download, install, and use the ecou mobile apps, strictly in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.
These Terms & Conditions are a contract between you and Homestead AI LLC (referred to in these Terms & Conditions as "ecou", "us", "we" or "our"), the provider of the ecou website and mobile apps (collectively, the "ecou Service").
You are agreeing to be bound by these Terms & Conditions. In these Terms & Conditions, "you" refers both to you as an individual and to the entity you represent. If you violate any of these Terms & Conditions, including the zero-tolerance policy below, we reserve the right to remove your account without notice.
To help explain things as clearly as possible in these Terms & Conditions, every time any of these terms are referenced, they are strictly defined as:
- Company: when these terms mention "Company", "we", "us" or "our", it refers to Homestead AI LLC, (205 Van Buren Street Suite 120, #1021, Herndon, VA 20170), the operator of ecou and the party responsible for your information under these Terms & Conditions.
- Country: where Homestead AI LLC is based, in this case USA.
- Device: any internet-connected device such as a phone, tablet, or computer used to access ecou.
- Family group: a private, invite-only space within ecou that a family uses to share stories, photos, and family trees with one another.
- Service: refers to the ecou website and mobile apps, as described in these terms.
- Website: the ecou website, accessible via https://ecou.app/.
- You: a person registered with ecou to use the Service.
You agree not to, and you will not permit others to:
- License, sell, rent, lease, assign, distribute, transmit, host, outsource, disclose or otherwise commercially exploit ecou or make it available to any third party.
- Modify, make derivative works of, disassemble, decrypt, reverse compile or reverse engineer any part of ecou.
- Remove, alter or obscure any proprietary notice (including any notice of copyright or trademark) of ecou, Homestead AI, or its affiliates, partners, suppliers or licensors.
We do not tolerate objectionable content or abusive behavior on ecou, under any circumstances. This includes, without limitation:
- Content that is defamatory, obscene, pornographic, or sexually exploitative, including any sexualization of minors;
- Content that threatens, harasses, bullies, or incites violence against any person or group;
- Content that is discriminatory or promotes hatred based on race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or other protected characteristic;
- Impersonation, fraud, or deliberately false or misleading content;
- Any other content or conduct that violates applicable law.
Content that violates this policy is removed as soon as it is reported. Members responsible for it are subject to having their account removed from ecou entirely, as described below. See our Child Safety Standards policy for how we handle child safety reports specifically.
Content you upload to ecou is encrypted on your own device before it reaches our servers, using keys we do not hold; see our Privacy Policy for details. This means we cannot view or review the substance of what is uploaded — we do not read or screen content before or after it's posted.
Enforcement on ecou works differently as a result. Rather than our staff reviewing content and deciding whether to remove it, a report itself is what triggers removal: when a post is reported, it is taken down immediately and automatically. This is the same model used by other end-to-end encrypted services, which likewise cannot proactively scan what's uploaded.
Every post, comment, and profile in ecou can be reported directly from the app. Reporting a post removes it immediately — because we cannot see the content ourselves, your report is what triggers removal, rather than a staff decision made after reviewing it. Reports are also sent to our moderation team so we can follow up on the account responsible.
You can also reach us directly at moderation@ecou.app if you're unable to use the in-app flow.
You can block any other member directly from their profile or from any of their posts. Blocking a member immediately removes their content from your feed — you will not see anything they post going forward, and this takes effect right away, not just on your next visit. Blocking also notifies our moderation team so we can independently review the blocked member's conduct. You can unblock a member at any time from the same place you blocked them.
Our moderation team reviews every report received at moderation@ecou.app and responds within 24 hours. Where a report is substantiated, we remove the responsible member's account from ecou entirely — they will no longer be able to access the app or any family group. The reported content itself is already removed automatically at the time of the report, as described above.
We've created and will keep updating these Terms & Conditions to provide you with complete transparency into how ecou works. By creating an account or using ecou, you hereby consent to these Terms & Conditions.
These Terms & Conditions apply only to the Service. ecou may contain links to other websites not operated or controlled by us. We are not responsible for the content, accuracy or opinions expressed on such websites. When you use a link to go from ecou to another website, these Terms & Conditions are no longer in effect; your use of that other website is subject to its own rules and policies.
ecou's website uses "Cookies" to identify the areas of the site you have visited. A Cookie is a small piece of data stored on your device by your web browser. We use Cookies to enhance the performance and functionality of the website, but they are non-essential to its use. Most web browsers can be set to disable Cookies; if you do, some functionality may become unavailable. We never place Personally Identifiable Information in Cookies.
You acknowledge and agree that we may stop (permanently or temporarily) providing the Service, or any feature within it, at our sole discretion, without prior notice. You may stop using the Service at any time. If we disable access to your account — including as a result of the zero-tolerance policy above — you may be prevented from accessing the Service or any files or materials contained in your account.
If we decide to change these Terms & Conditions, we will post those changes on this page and update the "Last Updated" date below.
We reserve the right to modify, suspend or discontinue, temporarily or permanently, ecou or any part of it, with or without notice and without liability to you.
We may from time to time provide enhancements or improvements to the features and functionality of ecou, which may include patches, bug fixes, updates, and upgrades ("Updates"). You agree that we have no obligation to provide any Updates or to continue providing any particular feature. All Updates are deemed part of the Service and subject to this Agreement.
We may display, include, or make available third-party content, or provide links to third-party websites or services ("Third-Party Services"). We are not responsible for any Third-Party Services, including their accuracy, completeness, legality, or quality, and we have no liability to you or any other person for them. You access and use Third-Party Services entirely at your own risk and subject to their own terms.
This Agreement remains in effect until terminated by you or by us.
We may, in our sole discretion, suspend or terminate this Agreement at any time, with or without prior notice, and will do so immediately and without notice where you fail to comply with this Agreement, including the zero-tolerance policy above.
You may terminate this Agreement at any time by discontinuing your use of ecou and deleting the app from your devices. Termination does not limit any of our rights or remedies in case of your breach of this Agreement.
You retain ownership of the content you upload to ecou. You are solely responsible for the content you share and for ensuring you have the right to share it. Because your content is end-to-end encrypted, we cannot access it except as described in this policy and our Privacy Policy.
ecou's own website and app — including its design, features, and functionality (excluding the family content you create) — are owned by Homestead AI LLC and protected by USA and international copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws, and may not be copied, modified, or redistributed without our express prior written permission.
You agree to indemnify and hold Homestead AI LLC and its officers, employees, agents, partners and licensors harmless from any claim or demand, including reasonable attorneys' fees, arising out of your: (a) use of ecou; (b) violation of this Agreement or any law or regulation; or (c) violation of any right of a third party.
ecou is provided to you "AS IS" and "AS AVAILABLE" and with all faults and defects, without warranty of any kind. To the maximum extent permitted under applicable law, we expressly disclaim all warranties, whether express, implied, statutory or otherwise, including all implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, title, and non-infringement. We make no representation that ecou will meet your requirements, operate without interruption, or be error-free.
Some jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion of implied warranties, so some or all of the above exclusions may not apply to you.
To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, in no event shall Homestead AI LLC or its suppliers be liable for any special, incidental, indirect, or consequential damages whatsoever (including damages for loss of profits, loss of data, business interruption, personal injury, or loss of privacy) arising out of or related to the use of or inability to use ecou, even if we have been advised of the possibility of such damages.
Some states/jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion or limitation of incidental or consequential damages, so the above limitation may not apply to you.
If any provision of this Agreement is held to be unenforceable or invalid, that provision will be interpreted to accomplish its objectives to the greatest extent possible under applicable law, and the remaining provisions will continue in full force and effect. This Agreement, together with the Privacy Policy and any other legal notices we publish, constitutes the entire agreement between you and us concerning ecou.
No failure to exercise, and no delay in exercising, any right or power under this Agreement shall operate as a waiver of that right or power, nor shall any single or partial exercise preclude further exercise of that or any other right.
We reserve the right, at our sole discretion, to modify or replace this Agreement at any time. If a revision is material, we will provide at least 30 days' notice before any new terms take effect. By continuing to use ecou after revisions become effective, you agree to be bound by the revised terms.
This section applies to any dispute, except claims for injunctive or equitable relief regarding the enforcement or validity of intellectual property rights. The term "dispute" means any dispute, action, or other controversy between you and us concerning ecou or this agreement, whether in contract, warranty, tort, statute, regulation, or any other legal or equitable basis, given the broadest possible meaning allowable under law.
In the event of a dispute, you or we must give the other a Notice of Dispute — a written statement setting forth the name, address, and contact information of the party giving it, the facts giving rise to the dispute, and the relief requested. Send any Notice of Dispute to moderation@ecou.app. We will attempt to resolve any dispute through informal negotiation within sixty (60) days from the date the Notice of Dispute is sent. After sixty (60) days, either party may commence arbitration.
If a dispute isn't resolved by informal negotiation, it will be settled by binding arbitration in accordance with the commercial arbitration rules of the American Arbitration Association. You are giving up the right to litigate (or participate in as a party or class member) disputes in court before a judge or jury. Either party may seek interim or preliminary injunctive relief from a court of competent jurisdiction as necessary to protect its rights pending arbitration.
This section applies only to feedback, ideas, or suggestions you voluntarily send us directly about ecou (for example, by email) — it does not apply to the family content you create within the app (stories, photos, family trees, and media), which remains yours, is protected under zero-knowledge encryption as described in our Privacy Policy, and is never accessible to us in a readable form.
If you submit or post ideas, creative suggestions, designs, or proposals about ecou, you agree that such submissions are automatically treated as non-confidential and non-proprietary and become the sole property of Homestead AI LLC without compensation or credit to you. We may use such ideas for any purpose in any medium in perpetuity.
If a court of competent jurisdiction finds any provision of these Terms & Conditions unenforceable, the remainder will continue in full force and effect. Homestead AI LLC operates and controls ecou from its offices in the USA. ecou is not intended for distribution to or use by any person or entity in any jurisdiction where such distribution or use would be contrary to law. These Terms & Conditions, together with the Privacy Policy, contain the entire understanding between you and us concerning ecou and cannot be changed or modified by you. Section headings are for convenience only and carry no legal import.
Don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions, via email: moderation@ecou.app.