SELF Terms of Service

Last Updated: June 3, 2026
Version: 9.4.2

What SELF Is

SELF is your private and productive set of digital tools. Your content is encrypted client-side before it reaches our servers—you hold the keys, not us.

Beta Version

SELF is currently in beta. This means:

Features may change - We're actively developing and improving SELF
Performance may vary - Some features may not work perfectly yet
Feedback welcome - We value your input to help improve SELF
Use at your own risk - Beta software may have bugs or limitations

Progressive Web App (PWA)

SELF is available as a Progressive Web App. This means:

Installable - You can install SELF on your device like a native app
Offline capabilities - SELF can work offline for basic functions (planned feature)
Service workers - Background processes for caching and notifications (planned feature)
Cross-platform - Works on desktop, mobile, and tablet devices
Browser install - You can install from your browser without app store restrictions

We Cannot See Your Data (Zero-Knowledge Encryption)

This is the most important thing to understand about SELF:

❌ We CANNOT read your stored AI conversation history (client-side encrypted in your Memory Bank)
❌ We CANNOT see your memory bank entries
❌ We CANNOT see your messages or any encrypted content
❌ We CANNOT recover your data if you lose access to your passkey

All your data is encrypted in YOUR browser before it leaves your device. We store encrypted blobs that are mathematically impossible for us to decrypt. This is called zero-knowledge encryption.

Your Data Stays Yours

We don't sell or mine your data - No advertisers, no profiling, no tracking
Client-side encryption - All data encrypted in your browser using WebCrypto API (AES-256-GCM)
Recovery phrase-based encryption - Encryption keys derived from your 12-word recovery phrase using BIP39 (mnemonic to seed)
You can leave anytime - Export or delete everything anytime

You Can Always

Access your data - Export and decrypt your data anytime with your recovery phrase
Delete your account - We'll remove your username, node ID and subscription details immediately
Export everything - Download all your data before leaving
Update information - Update your username or payment details anytime

We Can't And Won't

Try and access your messages or files
Track your browsing for advertising, or build cross-site profiles from your activity
Link search to you - Connect-tier web search sends anonymous queries to a third-party provider only when you enable it; queries are not tied to your account
Lock you into our service

What You Can't Do

To keep SELF safe for everyone, please don't:

Share illegal content or use SELF for anything unlawful
Try to hack or interfere with our service or other users
Spam or harass other users through messaging features
Resell access to your SELF account

Your Content

Because your content is encrypted with keys only you hold:

You own everything you create, upload, or store in SELF
You're responsible for ensuring you have rights to any content you add
We never see it - your content stays in your Memory Bank
Keep it legal - don't store anything that violates laws

Intellectual Property

SELF software - We own the SELF application, interface, and core technology
Your content - You retain full ownership of everything you create using SELF
AI outputs - You own the results generated by customized SELF AI models within your Memory Bank
Open source - SELF uses open-source components under their respective licenses
No claims - We make no claims to your intellectual property or creative works

Security & Encryption

How We Protect Your Data

Client-side end-to-end encryption - All data encrypted in your browser using WebCrypto API (AES-256-GCM) before transmission
Zero-knowledge architecture - Server stores encrypted blobs and cannot decrypt your data
Recovery phrase-based encryption keys - Encryption keys derived from your 12-word recovery phrase using BIP39 (mnemonic to seed)
TLS encryption in transit - All data (even encrypted blobs) protected by HTTPS during transmission
Stripe payment security - All payment processing uses Stripe's PCI-compliant encryption and security protocols
Both tiers - Zero and Connect tiers use identical client-side E2E encryption for maximum privacy
No server access - Server cannot read your conversations, memories, or any encrypted content

App Permissions

SELF requests only the permissions necessary for core functionality:

File system access - To save and sync your documents and data locally
Network access - To connect to your Memory Bank and sync data
Notification permissions - To alert you about important updates or security issues
Optional: Camera/microphone - Only when you choose to upload media or use voice features
Core functionality works - SELF operates fully even if you deny optional permissions

Passkey Authentication & Recovery Phrase Encryption

SELF uses WebAuthn passkeys as the primary authentication method for secure, passwordless access. Email + OTP + Recovery Phrase is available as a secondary/recovery method:

Primary method: Passkey - WebAuthn passkey authentication (Face ID/Touch ID/fingerprint) for fast, secure login. Email verification uses a normalized lookup-only hash. An encrypted copy of your email (AES-256-GCM) is stored in our database for operational communications.
Secondary/Recovery method: Email + OTP + Recovery Phrase - Available as fallback for scenarios where passkeys are unavailable.
Email privacy - Plaintext email is never returned by APIs. We store a lookup-only email hash and an encrypted copy of your email (AES-256-GCM, stored in our database). Admin tools show masked email only.
Recovery phrase privacy - Recovery phrase never transmitted to server. Encryption keys derived client-side only using BIP39 (mnemonic to seed).
Passwordless security - No passwords required. OTP codes expire after 10 minutes, single-use only.
Passkeys - WebAuthn passkeys are the primary authentication method (biometric support via Face ID/Touch ID/fingerprint)
Encryption key derivation - Encryption keys derived from 12-word recovery phrase using BIP39 (mnemonic to seed). Recovery phrase is required for encryption key derivation on all devices.
Recovery phrase backup - 12-word recovery phrase is the universal backup method. Recovery phrase is shown once during onboarding and cannot be recovered if lost. Securely backup your recovery phrase.
Multi-device sync - Same recovery phrase provides same encryption keys on all devices (deterministic BIP39 key derivation).
Recovery limits - If you lose your recovery phrase, we cannot decrypt your data. You may still regain account access via passkey or Email + OTP if you control your email, but your encrypted data remains inaccessible without the recovery phrase. Securely backup your recovery phrase.

Vulnerability Reporting

Found a security issue? We want to hear from you:

Security vulnerabilities - Report code and security issues to security@self.app (see Bug Bounty program). For all other enquiries use Settings → Contact Us
Responsible disclosure - We'll acknowledge reports within 48 hours and work with you on fixes
Security updates - Critical security patches are released immediately and pushed to all users
No penalties - Good faith security research is welcomed and protected

Third-Party Services

Memory Bank Definition

Your Memory Bank uses client-side end-to-end encryption for all tiers on single-tenant bare metal PostgreSQL in the EU:

Both Tiers – All data is encrypted client-side in your browser using WebCrypto API (AES-256-GCM) before transmission to PostgreSQL. Server stores encrypted blobs and cannot decrypt your data. Encryption keys are derived from your 12-word recovery phrase using BIP39 (mnemonic to seed).
Data Export – Both tiers can export their complete decrypted data anytime via Privacy page. Your conversations and memories are decrypted in your browser and available for download in JSON format.
Recovery Phrase Backup – Your 12-word recovery phrase is the ONLY way to decrypt your encrypted data. There are no recovery codes or recovery kits. These would be security backdoors. Encryption keys are derived from your recovery phrase using BIP39. If you lose your recovery phrase, your data cannot be recovered. SELF cannot help you recover lost recovery phrase access due to zero-knowledge architecture. We encourage you to securely backup your recovery phrase (shown once during onboarding, cannot be recovered if lost).

Service Dependencies

Service availability depends on frontend CDN delivery, EU-based infrastructure providers, and Stripe billing
Performance may vary based on CDN delivery, single-tenant bare metal backend infrastructure, and dedicated EU GPU hardware conditions
Data sovereignty is maintained through zero-knowledge encryption, Memory Bank isolation, and EU-based single-tenant bare metal infrastructure
Payment security - Payments use Stripe's certified infrastructure
Frontend reliability depends on third-party CDN hosting of static assets (JS, CSS, HTML)
Backend reliability depends on EU-based single-tenant bare metal infrastructure
AI processing reliability depends on dedicated GPU infrastructure in EU data centers

Frontend Delivery (CDN)

SELF uses a third-party CDN for frontend hosting and global delivery of static assets (JS, CSS, HTML)
The CDN delivers public application files only — not your encrypted user content
We are not responsible for CDN service interruptions or changes
CDN providers may change over time; these terms will be updated accordingly

EU Infrastructure

SELF backend API, database, encrypted Memory Bank, messaging, mail, and signaling run on single-tenant bare metal servers in the EU
Encrypted attachments and mail blobs use dedicated EU object storage (S3-compatible); content remains client-side encrypted
AI text and image processing uses dedicated (non-shared) GPU hardware in EU data centers
Infrastructure providers operate systems only and cannot decrypt your zero-knowledge encrypted content
Providers may change over time; these terms will be updated accordingly
When your account is deactivated, associated storage is permanently deleted per our retention policy

Memory Bank Lifecycle

Your Memory Bank follows this lifecycle:

Creation - Storage is created when you first use SELF (available for both Zero and Connect tiers)
Isolation - Your storage is completely isolated from other users' data
Runtime - Storage holds your conversations and AI processes them securely
Encryption - All data is encrypted at rest on single-tenant bare metal infrastructure in the EU
Automatic deletion - Storage and all data are permanently deleted when you deactivate your account
No recovery - Once deleted, storage data cannot be recovered

SELF Chain Validator Infrastructure

SELF Chain operates on a fully decentralized, browser-based validator model. Every user runs their own fully validating blockchain node directly in their browser.
Validators construct blocks, validate transactions, and participate in consensus entirely client-side. All blockchain operations occur in your browser with full client-side encryption.
Validator keys are derived from your recovery phrase and never leave your device. Your browser is a full node with complete blockchain functionality.
Prize draw coordination runs on EU single-tenant bare metal infrastructure. Coordinators have no access to validator keys or blockchain operations.
Prize draw coordination may be temporarily unavailable if backend services are interrupted.

AI Model Processing

SELF uses SELF AI models on dedicated GPU infrastructure in EU data centers
Live prompts are processed to generate responses; stored conversation history remains client-side encrypted in your Memory Bank
Memory Bank conversation history is stored as client-side encrypted blobs; the server cannot decrypt your content
No data sharing with model providers - Your conversations and AI interactions are not used to train third-party models
No model training - We do not use your conversations to train models
Model performance and availability depend on dedicated EU GPU infrastructure

Web Search Services (Connect Tier)

Availability - Connect tier only (including the 3-day free trial); not available on Zero
Anonymous queries - Search and URL retrieval queries are sent to third-party providers without linking them to your SELF account or identity
Search results are provided "as-is" and we do not guarantee their accuracy or completeness.
We are not responsible for the content or accuracy of search results from third-party sources.
Service availability depends on third-party infrastructure and may be temporarily unavailable.

Search Service Limitations

Third-party dependency - Search services depend on external providers
No guarantees - We do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of search results
User responsibility - You are responsible for evaluating and verifying information from search services
Service interruptions - Search services may be unavailable due to third-party issues
No liability - We are not liable for decisions made based on search results
Content changes - Search provider behavior may change without notice

Stripe Payment Processing

SELF uses Stripe for secure payment processing and subscription management
During signup, we use Stripe's fraud detection (Stripe Radar) to verify payment methods
Stripe may analyze transaction patterns and geographic data for fraud prevention
We do not store IP addresses or payment details on our servers; IPs may be used briefly for login security
Your use of payment services is subject to Stripe's Terms of Service
For more information about Stripe's security practices, visit docs.stripe.com/security
For detailed information about Stripe's privacy practices, visit stripe.com/privacy-center

SELF Chain Prize Draw Program

SELF Chain operates a promotional prize draw program where users earn entries through validator participation. This is a Category 4 promotional game under Queensland's Charitable and Non-Profit Gaming Act 1999.

Program Duration and Token Allocation

Program duration - The prize draw and referral rewards program runs for 48 months (4 years) from launch
Token allocation - User Adoption pool: 125,000,000 SELF (125M SELF), covering prize draws and early adopter rewards over the User Adoption unlock schedule

Prize Draw Overview

No purchase necessary - Free Zero tier users are eligible to participate
Entry mechanism - 1 entry per vote (typically about 1 per minute while your node is active). When your node is active, you're casting votes in the blockchain. Each vote earns you 1 prize draw entry.
Vote rounds - Votes happen once per round (~60s). If you're reconnecting you may miss a round and won't earn an entry for it.
Prize tiers - Daily (5,000 SELF), Weekly (50,000 SELF), Monthly (200,000 SELF)
Cryptographically verifiable randomness - Winners selected via cryptographically verifiable randomness (verifiable on-chain)
Age requirement - Must be 18 years or older to participate

Prize Draw Terms Summary

Entries - Earned automatically through validator votes (1 entry per vote, typically about 1 per minute while your node is active). Votes happen once per round (~60s). If you're reconnecting you may miss a round and won't earn an entry for it.
Eligibility - Open to all SELF users 18+ where permitted by law
Winner notification - Winners notified via in-app alert within 24 hours
KYC verification required - Winners must complete KYC (Know Your Customer) verification before prizes can be claimed. We will send instructions when sending you an in-app alert if you win.
Prize delivery - Prizes credited within 7 days of successful KYC verification; pre-TGE prizes claimable after Token Generation Event and KYC verification
Unclaimed prizes - Winners have 3 months to claim; unclaimed tokens are burned
Record keeping - All draw records retained for 5 years (Queensland requirement)
Full terms - Complete Prize Draw Official Rules available in-app (SELF Wallet > Prize Draw)

Early Adopter Program (First 100,000 Users Only)

Subscriber bonus - First 100,000 users receive 100 SELF/month (Connect tier only) as lifetime benefit
Referral bonus - First 100,000 users receive 100 SELF/month per verified referral as lifetime benefit
Program end - After user #100,000, subscriber and referral bonuses are no longer available
Prize draws continue - All users (including those joining after 100k) remain eligible for prize draws

Billing and Payments

Subscription Plans

SELF Zero (Free) - Memory Bank with client-side E2E encryption. 5 messages/day and seamless cross-device sync via recovery phrase (same phrase = same keys on all devices).
SELF Connect (USD $20/month via Stripe, 3-day free trial) - Memory Bank with client-side E2E encryption (same zero-knowledge security as Zero tier). Enhanced features include 100 messages/day, anonymous live web search, voice input, and AI personality customization.

Data Export and Recovery

Both Tiers – You can export your complete decrypted data anytime via Settings. Your conversations and memories are decrypted in your browser and available for download in JSON format.
Data Recovery – Your 12-word recovery phrase is required to decrypt and recover your data. There are no recovery backdoors (no recovery codes or kits). Encryption keys are derived from your recovery phrase using BIP39 (client-side only, never transmitted to server). Both tiers use client-side E2E encryption. Lost recovery phrase = permanent data loss (zero-knowledge architecture means SELF cannot recover your data). Securely backup your recovery phrase (shown once during onboarding, cannot be recovered if lost).

Payment Terms

Billing cycle - Monthly subscriptions renew automatically
Payment due - Charged immediately upon signup and each renewal
Failed payments - Service suspended after 7 days, cancelled after 30 days
Price changes - 30 days notice for existing subscribers

Refunds and Cancellation

Cancel anytime - No long-term contracts or cancellation fees
Immediate access - Use your paid features until the end of your billing period
No partial refunds - Subscriptions are billed monthly in advance
Refund exceptions - Technical issues preventing service use (use Settings → Contact Us)

Data Retention After Cancellation

Data export - Before deleting your account, you can download your conversations and memories anytime via Privacy. When your account is deleted, the data no longer exists.

Service Limitations

What We Can't Promise

100% uptime - Services may be unavailable due to maintenance or technical issues
Perfect performance - Speed and responsiveness depend on many factors beyond our control
Bug-free experience - We fix issues quickly but can't guarantee zero bugs
Third-party reliability - Infrastructure providers and Stripe issues may affect your experience

When Things Go Wrong

Planned maintenance - We'll give advance notice when possible
Unexpected outages - We'll work to restore service as quickly as possible
Data loss prevention - Your data is backed up, but you should also keep your own backups
Security incidents - We'll notify you promptly of any issues affecting your data

Force Majeure

We are not liable for service interruptions caused by events beyond our reasonable control, including:

Natural disasters - Earthquakes, floods, fires, or other natural events
Infrastructure failures - Major outages by CDN providers, EU infrastructure providers, or Stripe
Government actions - Regulatory changes, sanctions, or internet restrictions
Cyber attacks - Large-scale attacks on internet infrastructure
Pandemics - Public health emergencies affecting global infrastructure

During force majeure events, we will work to restore service as soon as reasonably possible and keep you informed of our progress.

Security Updates & Maintenance

Security patches - We provide prompt updates to fix any security vulnerabilities
Third-party updates - We monitor and update dependencies when security fixes are available
Automatic notifications - Critical security updates are pushed to users via our in-app notification system
Supply chain monitoring - We continuously monitor our infrastructure providers and Stripe for security updates

Removing SELF

Since SELF is a Progressive Web App (PWA), you can remove it anytime:

From your device - Remove the PWA from your device's app list or home screen
Browser data - Clear your browser's local storage and cache for SELF
Account closure - Use the Settings > Legal page in the app to request account closure and data deletion
Data export - Export your data before removing via Settings > Legal page

Important Disclaimers

Use SELF At Your Own Risk

While we work hard to make SELF reliable and secure:

SELF is provided "as is" - We can't guarantee it will meet all your specific needs
Your business decisions - Any choices you make based on SELF outputs are entirely your responsibility
Third-party issues - We're not responsible for problems caused by infrastructure providers or Stripe
Data safety - While we protect your data, you should maintain your own backups

Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law:

No liability for indirect damages - We're not responsible for lost profits, data, or business opportunities
Maximum liability - Our total liability is limited to the amount you paid us in the past 12 months
Legal protection - This protects both you and us from unreasonable legal costs
Your local laws - Some jurisdictions don't allow these limitations, so they may not apply to you

Account Termination

When We May Terminate Your Account

We may suspend or terminate your account if you:

Violate these terms - Breach any of our terms of service
Illegal activity - Use SELF for unlawful purposes
Security threats - Attempt to hack or compromise our systems
Payment issues - Repeated failed payments or fraudulent activity
Abuse - Harassment or harmful behavior toward other users

Termination Process

Notice - We'll give you reasonable notice before termination (except for serious violations)
Data export - You can export your data before termination
Appeal process - Use Settings → Contact Us to dispute termination decisions
Account data deletion - Your account data will be deleted within 30 days of account termination (separate from trial cancellation policies above)

We May Update These Terms

To clarify existing policies
Comply with legal requirements
But we will never change these terms to reduce your privacy, sell your data, or add tracking without your consent

Legal Stuff (The Necessary Parts)

General

These terms are governed by Australian law, where SELF Technology Pty Ltd is incorporated
We prefer to resolve issues directly with you, and if needed, disputes will be handled through binding arbitration
If any part of these terms is found invalid, the rest remains in effect
SELF is intended for users 18 years or older. We do not knowingly collect data from users under 18
By using SELF, you agree to these terms. If you don't agree, please don't use our service
The SELF Token is offered via SELF Technology Ltd, Intershore Chambers, Road Town, Tortola, British Virgin Islands, VG1110, (BVI IBC Number 2169550)

International Data Transfers

Primary location - Australia (SELF Technology Pty Ltd)
AI processing - Dedicated GPU infrastructure in EU data centers
Backend API hosting - Single-tenant bare metal servers in the EU
Frontend delivery - Static frontend assets delivered via a third-party CDN
Payment processing - Stripe (US-based payment processor)
Legal framework - Australian Privacy Principles with GDPR-equivalent protections
Transfer safeguards - Standard contractual clauses or other appropriate mechanisms with Stripe where applicable. Encrypted Memory Bank storage uses EU-based single-tenant bare metal infrastructure.
User data - Remains encrypted in your Memory Bank on single-tenant bare metal infrastructure in the EU
AI data residency - AI processing uses dedicated EU-based GPU infrastructure

Legal Basis for Processing (EU Users)

Contract performance - Processing necessary to provide SELF services
Legitimate interests - Service optimization and security
Consent - For optional features and communications

Data Retention

Account data - Retained while your account is active
Memory Bank data - Automatically deleted when your subscription is deactivated
Payment data - Retained by Stripe as required by law
Error logs - Retained for 30 days for debugging purposes

Contact Us

The SELF team will never DM you or reply to DMs. To contact us, create a free account at self.app, then open Settings → Contact Us to submit partnership proposals, job enquiries, support requests, or anything else. When the team respond, it will appear in your in-app Alerts.

For app bugs use Settings → Bugs. For feature ideas use Settings → Ideas. To report security vulnerabilities email security@self.app (Bug Bounty program).

Mail: SELF Technology Pty Ltd, 194 Varsity Parade, Varsity Lakes, Queensland 4227, Australia

SELF Terms of Service ​