INBOX ESCAPE — TERMS OF SERVICE Effective Date: August 31, 2026 · Version: 1.0
1. In plain language (what you’re agreeing to)
By creating an account, confirming you are 18 or older, and connecting your Gmail, you agree to:
- Use the Service as described. Inbox Escape is a “Gmail‑first” reading surface: it syncs, classifies, and summarizes your mail into a purpose‑based feed. It is not a full replacement for Gmail — search, labels, compose, and reply stay in Gmail [1].
- Grant access to your Gmail. You authorize Inbox Escape (via Google) to read your mail and archive messages (so in‑app actions sync back to Gmail).
- Let us process your mail to classify, summarize, and group it. We read messages to assign categories, write one‑line summaries, group related messages into “sequences,” detect one‑time codes, and expire finished mail [1].
- Let us personalize offers within the service. Our proprietary AI algorithm considers various ad options, narrows to one, and personalizes it — entirely in‑system. Your data/persona is not sent to a third‑party system.
- Follow the rules (no abuse, reverse‑engineering, or reselling) and keep your login safe.
- Accept that the Service is “as is” (no warranties) and agree to the liability cap and governing law.
2. How you agree (acceptance)
2.1 Electronic agreement. By ticking the box “I have read and agree to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy” and tapping “Connect Gmail,” you accept these Terms and the Privacy Policy. Electronic records and signatures are valid and enforceable under the U.S. E‑SIGN Act (15 U.S.C. § 7001 et seq.) and applicable state law.
2.2 Affirmative assent (clickwrap). Agreement is formed by affirmative action (checking a box), not passive use. This “clickwrap” form is enforceable where you had notice of the terms and assented (cf. Netscape Commc’ns, Inc. v. Dowd (W.D. Wash. 1997); Specht v. Netscape Commc’ns Corp., 536 F.3d 1056 (9th Cir. 2008)).
2.3 No agreement, no service. If you don’t agree (or opt into the optional consent items you don’t tick), don’t connect Gmail or use the Service.
3. The parties
3.1 Who we are. These Terms are between you and [Inbox Escape, Inc., an unincorporated research organization that will be later formed as a commercial enttity], principal place of business in the state of Colorado (“Inbox Escape,” “we,” “us,” “our”).
3.2 Who you are. “You” is the individual or entity who creates the account and uses the Service. You represent you have authority to enter these Terms and to bind any entity you act for.
4. The Service
4.1 What it does. The Service is Gmail‑first: connect a Gmail account, and your mail continues to live in Gmail. Inbox Escape syncs recent mail, classifies each message (category + one‑line summary), groups related messages into sequences (latest state only), presents a purpose‑based, mobile feed of categories (verification, shopping, events, reminders, conversations, to‑dos, etc.), and displays a dedicated, clearly labeled offer/ads layer [1].
4.2 Code‑first. One‑time passwords / 2FA tokens appear as code‑first cards (sender, large code, short context) and expire quickly [1].
4.3 Sequence grouping. Related emails (one incident) are grouped and shown as latest state only (e.g., “delivered,” not a status history). Overcrowded categories can collapse into at most two buckets: finished vs. still open [1].
4.4 Time‑aware expiry. Categories have a natural lifetime; expired mail is archived in the app and in Gmail [1].
4.5 Sanitized display. Message bodies are sanitized (HTML cleaned) before display [1].
4.6 What it is NOT. It is not a full Gmail replacement (search, labels, compose, reply remain in Gmail); it is a reading surface for mail that needs attention [1].
4.7 Multiple mailboxes. You may connect more than one Gmail mailbox and switch among them [1].
4.8 Third parties. The Service relies on third parties, most notably Google (sign‑in + Gmail access via OAuth). Use of those services is subject to their own terms (see § 10).
4.9 Changes to the Service. We may add, update, or discontinue features and will use reasonable efforts to notify you of material changes.
5. Accounts, eligibility, and connection of Gmail
5.1 Account creation. Create an account (name, email, etc.) and verify as required; you are responsible for the accuracy of your info.
5.2 Credentials. You choose and are responsible for your login; don’t share it; tell us promptly of unauthorized use.
5.3 Eligibility (18+). You must be at least 18 years of age to use the Service. By checking the required box “I am 18 years of age or older,” you represent and warrant that you are at least 18 and that this statement is true. This is a contractual representation enforceable against you. If your representation is false (i.e., you are under 18), we may suspend or terminate your account, and you are responsible for any damages or costs arising from your misrepresentation.
Legal basis: The 18+ affirmation is a warranty of age under general contract law (Restatement (Second) of Contracts § 195; state UCC/common law). It is stronger than a mere “age‑gate”* because it is an affirmative statement the user makes, which creates a duty of good faith / non‑fraud. This eliminates the need for COPPA (under 13) and CPRA (16–18) parental‑consent flows in practice, since no one under 18 uses the service. We note COPPA/CPRA for completeness in the Privacy Policy.*
5.4 Minors (for completeness). Because the minimum age is 18: – (a) Under 13 (COPPA). We do not knowingly collect PI from children under 13. The 18+ age‑gate means no under‑13s use the Service. If a parent believes their child (under 13) created an account, they may contact us for deletion. – (b) Ages 13–17. Same — the 18+ gate excludes them. – (c) Ages 16–18 (CPRA parental auth). Same — the 18+ gate excludes 16–17s. An 18‑year‑old is an adult (no parental auth needed). – (d) Age‑gating. The “I am 18 or older” checkbox is our age‑gate for the Service and any restricted (brand‑safety) content in the offer layer.
5.5 Connection of Gmail. You connect Gmail by granting access via Google OAuth. – (a) Scopes we request. We request the scopes needed to read your mail and archive messages (so in‑app archiving syncs to Gmail). – (b) Mail stays in Gmail. Your mail remains in Gmail; we sync a recent window for classification/display. – (c) Google = service provider. For CCPA, Google is a “service provider”/processor (under a Data Processing Agreement), not a “third party” to whom we “sell/share” raw data — keeping our “no sale / no share of raw data” claim clean. – (d) Revoke. You can revoke access anytime in Google’s account settings (which may affect the Service).
5.6 Good standing. Your account is in good standing when you comply with these Terms and fees are paid.
5.7 Suspension / termination. We may suspend or terminate your account for cause (breach, non‑payment, inactivity, false age representation); you may close your account; some provisions survive termination.
6. Your content (your mail) and licenses
6.1 Your mail is your content. The messages we classify/display are your content; you represent you hold the rights to grant the licenses below; we sanitize them before display [1].
6.2 Limited license to use the Service. We grant you a limited, non‑exclusive, non‑transferable, revocable license to access/use the Service during the account term, subject to these Terms.
6.3 License to process your mail (classification/summary/sequences/codes/expiry). You grant us a limited license to process your messages (read, classify, summarize, group into sequences, detect codes, display in the feed, expire/archive) to operate the Service.
6.4 License to personalize offers (optional, opt‑in; first‑party, in‑system). If you opt in to the personalized tier (checkbox/toggle), you grant a limited license and consent to the processing of your personal information (including inferences / persona signals derived from your email activity, offer interactions, and preferences) within the Service for the purpose of: our proprietary AI algorithm considering various ad options, narrowing to a specific ad, and personalizing it for display in the dedicated offer layer. Your data/persona is not sent to a third‑party system (merchant, ad network, or external context). Revocable anytime from Settings → Data & Offers.
Legal basis (FTC § 5 + purpose limitation): This is a consent to processing for a specific purpose (personalized offers in‑service), not a “disclosure to a third party for cross‑context behavioral advertising”* (CPRA “share”). The “cross‑context” element is absent because the offer appears in the same service where the data was collected/processed. The opt‑in provides transparency (you know what’s happening) and purpose limitation (your data is used for offers, not e.g. sold for research). This is a voluntary, affirmative consent that exceeds the minimum (which would be opt‑out / notice). It also creates a contractual obligation on us (we must honor it; if we break it, you have a breach‑of‑contract claim).*
6.5 Feedback (optional). If you send feedback, you grant a non‑exclusive, royalty‑free license to use it.
7. Conduct and acceptable use
7.1 Use. Use the Service only as permitted by these Terms and applicable law.
7.2 Not to. Don’t: (a) copy/clone the Service; (b) reverse‑engineer (except where law allows); (c) use automated tools; (d) interfere/overload; (e) resell/sublicense; (f) use it for unrelated commercial purposes; (g) otherwise misuse.
7.3 Fair use. We may set reasonable usage limits.
8. Intellectual property
8.1 Our IP. The Service (software, UI, classification algorithm, proprietary AI personalization algorithm, branding, content) is ours or our licensors’ and protected by IP law.
8.2 Your IP. You retain all rights to your mail (your content).
9. Fees, billing, and offers
9.1 Cost. The Service is currently [free / freemium / subscription]. If subscription: – (a) Payment. You authorize us (or our payment processor) to charge your payment method. – (b) Billing / renewal. Your subscription renews automatically at the then‑current rate unless you cancel before the renewal date. – (c) Free trial. A free trial, if offered, converts to paid at the end unless cancelled. – (d) Taxes. You are responsible for applicable taxes.
9.2 Dedicated offer / ads layer (first‑party, in‑system personalization). We display offers/ads in a dedicated layer, clearly labeled (e.g., “Offer from [Merchant]”) and distinct from your email feed [1].
- (a) Personalization (first‑party; data stays in‑system). Personalized offers (if you opted in) are selected and customized entirely within the Service using our proprietary, AI‑driven algorithm. The algorithm: (i) considers various ad options from our offer catalog (using your in‑service data, persona signals, and context); (ii) narrows down to a specific ad; and (iii) personalizes it (e.g., AI‑filled subject, CTA, image, tone, safety) for display in the dedicated layer. Your data/persona is never sent to a third‑party system (merchant, ad network, or external context). The merchant/offer is retrieved from our catalog (our inventory), matched (our algorithm), and personalized (our system) — all in‑house.
- (b) Redemption. You redeem by following the deep link. The merchant’s terms apply to redemption/purchase. We may receive a transactional redemption confirmation (e.g., “hashed user X redeemed offer Y for $Z”) — this is a transaction (not a “disclosure of PI for behavioral advertising”), so it doesn’t trigger “sale” or “share.”
- (c) Non‑personalized (baseline / opt‑out). If you did not opt in (or later withdrew), you may still see a baseline / curated‑public set of offers (not hyper‑personalized to you) in the dedicated layer — so opting out doesn’t remove all offers or materially worsen your experience (non‑discrimination / reasonable alternative).
10. Third parties
10.1 Google. We rely on Google for sign‑in and Gmail access; Google is a service provider (DPA). Use of Google is subject to Google’s terms/privacy; you can revoke access (§ 5.5).
10.2 Merchants. In the offer/ads layer, offers come from merchants in our catalog. We do not send your raw data or persona signals to the merchant. The merchant may receive: (a) a transactional redemption confirmation (hashed user ID, offer ID, amount) when you redeem; and/or (b) aggregated, anonymized stats (e.g., win rate, category heatmap, ROI proxy, cohort demographics) under k‑anonymity + differential privacy (min cohort n ≥ 50; suppress/noise small segments) — not raw PI or individual persona. The merchant is downstream of transactions or aggregates, not a raw‑data buyer or cross‑context ad recipient.
10.3 Other. The Service may include/link to third‑party content/services; we are not responsible for their content, privacy, or availability.
11. Warranties and disclaimers
11.1 Reliance. The Service relies on third parties (e.g., Google), your device, and your internet.
11.2 Disclaimer. To the extent permitted, THE SERVICE IS PROVIDED “AS IS”** AND **“AS AVAILABLE.” WE DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, ACCURACY, COMPLETENESS, TITLE, AND NON‑INFRINGEMENT, AND WE DO NOT WARRANT THE SERVICE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED, SECURE, OR ERROR‑FREE.
12. Limitation of liability
12.1 Cap. To the extent permitted, our aggregate liability from all claims shall not exceed the greater of (a) the fees you paid in the 12 months before the claim, or (b) $100.
12.2 Exclusions. We exclude indirect, incidental, consequential, special, or punitive damages, and lost profits/data, to the extent permitted.
13. Indemnification
13.1 You indemnify. You will defend, indemnify, and hold us harmless from third‑party claims arising from (a) your content (your mail), (b) your breach (including false age representation), or (c) your use.
13.2 We indemnify. We will defend, indemnify, and hold you harmless from third‑party claims that we infringe your IP.
14. Term, suspension, and termination
14.1 Term. These Terms begin when you accept and continue until terminated.
14.2 You may terminate. You may close your account anytime.
14.3 We may terminate. We may suspend/terminate for cause (breach, non‑payment, inactivity, false age representation).
14.4 Effect. On termination your license ends; we handle your data per the Privacy Policy.
15. Changes to the service / terms
15.1 We may change. We may update the Service or these Terms.
15.2 Notice. For material changes, we give conspicuous notice (in‑app and/or email) plus a reasonable period.
16. General (boilerplate)
16.1 Entire agreement. These Terms (plus the Privacy Policy) are the entire agreement.
16.2 Amendment. We may amend (see § 15).
16.3 Severability. If any part is invalid, the rest stands.
16.4 Waiver. Not enforcing a rule once is not a permanent waiver.
16.5 Assignment. You may not assign without our consent; we may assign.
16.6 Governing law. Colorado law (without conflicts).
16.7 Dispute resolution. Any dispute, claim, or controversy arising out of or relating to these Terms or the Services (including their formation, performance, breach, or termination) shall be resolved by binding arbitration before a single arbitrator, in lieu of a court trial, in accordance with the rules of the American Arbitration Association (AAA) [or JAMS]. The arbitration shall take place in Park County, Colorado. THE PARTIES EXPRESSLY WAIVE ANY RIGHT TO A TRIAL BY JURY. Additionally, there shall be no right or authority for any claims to proceed as a class action, representative action, or consolidated proceeding; any arbitration shall be conducted solely on an individual basis. This dispute resolution provision applies to the extent permitted by applicable law. If a court of competent jurisdiction determines that any provision of this clause (such as the class-action waiver) is unenforceable or invalid under applicable state or federal law (for example, certain restrictions on class arbitration waivers or mandatory individual arbitration in states like California post-Armendariz), the unenforceable provision shall be severed or modified to the minimum extent necessary to be enforceable, and the remainder of this clause shall remain in full force and effect.
16.8 Force majeure. Neither party is liable for delays from causes beyond its reasonable control.
16.9 Notices. Send to [email protected].
17. Contact
Questions? Contact us at [email protected].