Terms of Service

1 Acceptance of Terms

By downloading, installing, or using the Hive UK mobile application or website, you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service and our Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, you must not use the service.

These terms constitute a legally binding agreement between you and Hale Technology Limited (registered in England and Wales), the operator of Hive UK.

2 The Service

Hive UK is a UK-based professional business networking platform that allows registered members to:

• Create a public business profile
• Connect with other UK professionals
• Join and create industry-specific groups
• Create, attend, and discover networking events
• Send and receive direct messages
• Discover professionals nearby via the map feature

The service is provided free of charge. We reserve the right to introduce optional paid features in the future with advance notice to users.

3 Eligibility

• You must be at least 18 years of age to use Hive UK.
• You must be a genuine UK-based professional or business operator, or have a legitimate professional interest in the UK market.
• You must not have had a Hive UK account previously suspended or terminated for a violation of these terms.
• You must have the legal capacity to enter into a binding agreement.

4 Your Account

4.1 Registration

You must provide accurate, current and complete information when creating your account. You are responsible for keeping this information up to date.

4.2 Security

You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your password and for all activity that occurs under your account. Notify us immediately at hello@hive-uk.co.uk if you suspect unauthorised access to your account.

4.3 One Account Per Person

You may hold only one personal Hive UK account. Creating multiple accounts to circumvent a suspension or for any other reason is a breach of these terms.

4.4 Account Deletion

You may delete your account at any time from within the app. Upon deletion, your personal data will be permanently removed within 30 days in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

5 Acceptable Use

You agree not to use Hive UK to:

• Post content that is unlawful, defamatory, harassing, threatening, abusive, hateful, or discriminatory on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or any other protected characteristic
• Impersonate any person or entity, or falsely represent your professional credentials or affiliation
• Spam other members with unsolicited messages, promotions, or connection requests
• Scrape, harvest, or collect data from other users without consent
• Attempt to gain unauthorised access to any part of the platform or another user's account
• Upload or transmit viruses, malware, or any other malicious code
• Use the platform for pyramid schemes, multi-level marketing, or deceptive commercial practices
• Post content that infringes the intellectual property rights of others
• Facilitate or encourage any illegal activity

We reserve the right to remove any content and suspend or terminate any account that violates these rules, at our sole discretion and without prior notice.

6 Your Content

6.1 Ownership

You retain ownership of all content you post on Hive UK, including posts, profile information, and messages.

6.2 Licence to Us

By posting content on Hive UK you grant Hale Technology Limited a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide licence to use, display, and distribute that content for the purpose of operating and promoting the Hive UK service. This licence ends when you delete the content or your account.

6.3 Your Responsibility

You are solely responsible for the content you post. You represent that you have all rights necessary to post such content and that it does not violate these terms or any applicable law.

6.4 Reporting

To report content that you believe violates these terms, contact us at report@hive-uk.co.uk.

7 Our Intellectual Property

The Hive UK name, logo, app design, and all associated trademarks are the intellectual property of Hale Technology Limited. You may not use them without our express written permission. The app's source code, architecture, and UI design are proprietary and protected by applicable copyright law.

8 Third-Party Services

Hive UK integrates with the following third-party services:

• Firebase (Google): Push notification delivery. Subject to Firebase Terms of Service.
• OpenStreetMap: Map tiles for the nearby-professionals map. Subject to ODbL licence.

We are not responsible for the availability, content, or practices of third-party services.

9 Disclaimers

We do not warrant that the service will be uninterrupted, error-free, or free from viruses. We make no representation that any professional listed on Hive UK is qualified, licensed, or trustworthy. Any business dealings you enter into with other members are solely at your own risk.

Business networking and professional relationships formed through Hive UK are entirely at your own discretion and risk. Hale Technology Limited is not responsible for the conduct of any user on or off the platform.

10 Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by English law, Hale Technology Limited shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages arising from your use of, or inability to use, the Hive UK service.

Our total aggregate liability to you for any claim arising out of or relating to these terms or the service shall not exceed £100 (one hundred pounds sterling) or the amount you have paid us in the past 12 months, whichever is greater.

Nothing in these terms limits our liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence, or for fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation, or for any other matter that cannot be excluded by law.

11 Termination

11.1 By You

You may stop using the service and delete your account at any time from within the app settings.

11.2 By Us

We may suspend or terminate your account immediately and without prior notice if we reasonably believe you have breached these terms, if required by law, or if continued access poses a risk to other users or the platform. We will attempt to notify you where practical.

11.3 Effect of Termination

Upon termination, your right to use the service ceases immediately. Provisions that by their nature should survive termination (including intellectual property, disclaimers, and limitation of liability) shall survive.

12 Governing Law & Disputes

These terms are governed by the laws of England and Wales. Any disputes arising from these terms or your use of Hive UK shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.

Before bringing a formal claim, we encourage you to contact us at legal@hive-uk.co.uk so we can attempt to resolve the matter informally within 30 days.

13 Changes to These Terms

We may update these Terms of Service from time to time. We will notify you of material changes via in-app notification and/or email at least 14 days before they take effect. Your continued use of the service after the effective date of changes constitutes acceptance of the updated terms.

14 Contact