Terms of Service

Last updated: November 15, 2026

Agreement and eligibility

By using River Witness you agree to these terms. The app is for personal educational use by people aged 16 and older. If you cannot accept these terms, stop using the app. River Witness is the service and operator label used in these terms.

Educational scope

River Witness teaches environmental science and evidence literacy through fictional story scenes, five interactive chapters and a private evidence notebook. It is not an environmental testing instrument, legal authority, professional certification, emergency service or source attribution system. Photographs, audio and simplified diagrams cannot establish chemical composition, drinking safety, pollution concentration or liability. Labeled samples are not field measurements.

Safe and lawful use

Remain on safe public paths, respect property and local rules, do not enter the river or approach unsafe outfalls, and do not disturb wildlife. Report actual hazards to appropriate local authorities or emergency services. Obtain any consent required before photographing or recording another person. Do not record private identifying details unnecessarily, harass people, trespass, infringe intellectual property, or use the app to make unsupported accusations.

Your content and privacy

You retain ownership of your photographs, recordings and notes. You are responsible for their accuracy and for the rights and consent needed to collect and share them. We do not receive a license to publish your private journal, and no public community is provided. Your original input is not automatically translated or semantically scored. Review the Privacy Policy for device storage, permissions, hosting and export behavior.

License and availability

We grant you a limited, nonexclusive license to use the app for lawful personal learning, subject to these terms and applicable platform rules. The app’s original code, curriculum and artwork are protected by applicable intellectual property law. Do not redistribute the app or its protected content except as permitted by law. This version has no purchases, subscriptions, advertisements or account service. Updates may change features; we do not promise perpetual availability or suitability for a particular curriculum.

Local storage and backups

The journal is stored locally. Keep your own exports or backups if you need long-term records. Deletion is irreversible within the app. Uninstalling, device loss, storage failure or interrupted writes may affect availability. Exported copies and backups are managed separately and are your responsibility. You can stop using the app and delete your data at any time.

Disclaimers and liability

To the extent permitted by applicable law, the app and its educational material are provided as available without warranties of accuracy, fitness for a particular purpose or uninterrupted operation. You remain responsible for field safety and independent verification. To the extent permitted by law, River Witness is not liable for indirect or consequential loss from use or inability to use the app. Nothing in these terms excludes mandatory consumer rights or liability that cannot lawfully be limited.

Changes, disputes and support

Material revisions will be identified by an updated effective date. Applicable mandatory law and consumer protections continue to apply; no specific governing jurisdiction is designated here. Please seek resolution through the support channel before escalating a concern. Contact riverwitness@support.com, a provisional address whose delivery is not yet verified. Apple is not a party to these terms and has no obligation to provide app support, except as required by applicable platform terms or law.