Term of Use

TERMS OF USE & CONDITIONS OF SALE

Last updated December 19, 2022

PLEASE REVIEW THESE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF USE, AND TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF SALE (INCLUDING OUR INCORPORATED PRIVACY POLICY BELOW, COLLECTIVELY, “TERMS”) BEFORE ACCESSING, USING, OR MAKING A PURCHASE OF SERVICES ON THE BRIGHTCHECK APPLICATION (THE “App”).

These Terms are entered into by and between you (“you” or “user”) and BRIGHTCHECK, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“BRIGHTCHECK,” “we,” or “us”). Please read this Agreement carefully. This is a legal contract between you and BRIGHTCHECK.

WE ASK THAT YOU KINDLY CLOSELY REVIEW THESE TERMS, INCLUDING THE DISPUTE RESOLUTION PROVISIONS, FCRA RESTRICTIONS, AND OTHER USE RESTRICTIONS SET FORTH BELOW BEFORE YOU USE, ACCESS, OR PURCHASE ANY ITEM ON THE App, ANY OTHER AFFILIATED MOBILE APPLICATION, OUR WEBSITE, OR ANY PLATFORM THAT LINKS TO AND/OR UTILIZES THESE TERMS (ALL SUCH PLATFORMS ARE COLLECTIVELY REFERRED TO AS THE “App”).

Please note that, among other items, these terms contain an arbitration agreement and a class action waiver giving up a right to a court hearing or jury trial or to participate in class action litigation. Arbitration is mandatory and is the exclusive remedy for any and all disputes unless specified below. Please carefully review the dispute resolution section below.

BECAUSE THIS IS A LEGAL CONTRACT, IT IS STRONGLY RECOMMENDED THAT YOU REVIEW THESE TERMS IN THEIR ENTIRETY BEFORE ACCESSING, USING, OR BUYING ANYTHING THROUGH THE App. YOU ACCEPT THE TERMS IN FULL IF YOU ACCESS OR USE THE App OR MAKE A PURCHASE ON THE App. IF YOU DO NOT ACCEPT THESE TERMS, DO NOT USE THE App, DO NOT PROVIDE ANY INFORMATION TO THE App, AND DO NOT PURCHASE ANY SERVICE ON THE App.

We may change these Terms, in whole or in part, at any time. Posting of the updated Terms on the App and at www.brightcheck.com will constitute notice to you of any such changes, although we may choose other types of notice for certain changes. Changes will become effective upon notice. Your continued use of the App shall constitute your acceptance of all changes, and each use of the App or Services constitutes your reaffirmation of your acceptance of these Terms

1.Introduction and FCRA Prohibited Uses

The App provides access to certain specific information derived from databases of aggregated publicly available sources of information. Such public information includes government and court records, real estate listings, business websites, social networks, and other similar public sources (“Public Information”). Our App is intended solely for personal individual use and not any business use. Specifically, when purchased, the App services (the “Services”) enable a user to search for and receive certain Public Information as aggregated by us and/or our licensors (the “Material”) in an effort to learn certain potentially relevant information – or the absence thereof – about one’s acquaintance or online date (each a “BrightCheck Inquiry”). Our objective is to help an individual user approach new personal relationships with greater information and potentially a measure of enhanced personal safety.

Accordingly, we are not a Consumer Reporting Agency as defined by the Fair Credit Reporting Act codified at 15 U.S.C. §1681 et seq. (“FCRA”). The Material we provide is not collected or made available for the purpose of furnishing consumer reports, as defined by FCRA. As a result, the additional protections afforded to consumers in connection with FCRA transactions, and obligations placed upon credit reporting agencies, are neither contemplated by nor reflected within these Terms.

This means that App Services and any Materials you obtain from us in connection with a BrightCheck Inquiry may not serve (and you agree they will not be used by you) as a factor in: (i) establishing an individual’s eligibility for personal credit, loans, insurance, or assessing risks associated with existing consumer credit obligations; (ii) evaluating an individual for employment, promotion, reassignment, or retention (including employment of household workers such as babysitters, cleaning personnel, nannies, contractors, and other individuals); (iii) evaluating an individual for educational opportunities, scholarships, or fellowships; (iv) evaluating an individual’s eligibility for a license or other benefit granted by a government agency; or (v) any other product, service, or transaction in connection with which a consumer report may be used under FCRA or any similar state statute, including, without limitation, apartment rental, check-cashing, or any other consumer business transactions.

You therefore acknowledge and agree you will not use any Material obtained from BrightCheck or its App Services in connection with BrightCheck Inquiries for any purpose related to:

Employment
Health insurance or any other insurance
Personal Credit or loans
Education, scholarships, or fellowships
Housing or other accommodations
Benefits, privileges, or services provided by any business to any consumer

You agree to use the Material you obtain with respect to a BrightCheck Inquiry solely for your personal dating and social purposes.

2.Eligibility

The App and Services are intended only for adults permanently residing in the United States. Each user must be at least eighteen (18) years of age and must be the age of majority (minimum age to enter into a legally binding contract) in the state or territory of the United States in which he or she is a legal resident and/or resides.

Use of our Services is prohibited by anyone who is less than eighteen (18) years of age or otherwise legally a minor under applicable law.

The age of majority in the United States is eighteen (18) in all states except Alabama, Nebraska, and Mississippi, and the territory of Puerto Rico. The age of majority is nineteen (19) in Nebraska and Alabama and twenty-one (21) in Mississippi and Puerto Rico.

By installing, accessing, or using this APP, each user expressly agrees, acknowledges, and warrants to us that he or she:

If you do not meet these criteria, do not use our APP and do not purchase any Service. We reserve the right to limit the Service’s availability, in whole or in part, to any person, geographic area, or jurisdiction that we choose.

Each user agrees not to access our Services from Internet Protocol (IP) addresses located outside of the United States and its territories. And, regardless of the foregoing, each user further agrees that (i) our Brightcheck Inquiry Services are provided to it in the United States at the point at which inquires access our (or our supplier’s) server facilities; and (ii) we make no representation regarding the legality of accessing such Services from outside of the United States and its territories.

You also may be able to reset device identifiers or opt out from having identifiers collected or processed by using the appropriate setting on your mobile device. The procedures for managing identifiers are slightly different for each device. You can check the specific steps in the help or settings menu of your particular device.

3.Mandatory Arbitration and Class Action Waiver

PLEASE READ THIS SECTION CAREFULLY. IT AFFECTS YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS, INCLUDING YOUR RIGHT TO FILE A LAWSUIT IN COURT. TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, BY AGREEING TO THIS ARBITRATION AGREEMENT, YOU ARE GIVING UP YOUR RIGHT TO GO TO COURT, INCLUDING YOUR RIGHT TO A JURY TRIAL.

Agreement to Arbitrate

Disputes Subject to Arbitration. BRIGHTCHECK and you agree to arbitrate all disputes and claims between us, including, but not limited to:
Claims arising out of or relating to any aspect of the relationship between us, whether based in contract, tort, statute, fraud, misrepresentation, or any other legal theory;
Claims that arose before this or any prior agreement between us (including, but not limited to, claims relating to advertising or disclosures); and
Claims that may arise after the termination of this agreement.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, either party may bring an individual action in small claims court, provided that it seeks relief that does not affect other customers.

Any dispute as to the arbitrability of claims or the scope or enforceability of this arbitration provision, or as to the interpretation of paragraph 3.(e) below, is for the court to decide. These Terms evidence a transaction in interstate commerce, and thus the Federal Arbitration Act governs the interpretation and enforcement of this provision. This arbitration provision shall survive termination of the agreement between us.

Starting the Dispute-Resolution Process. A party who intends to seek arbitration must first send to the other, by certified mail, a written Notice of Dispute (“Notice”). The Notice to BRIGHTCHECK should be addressed to: Legal Dept., BrightCheck, Inc., 1255 Treat Blvd., Suite 300, Walnut Creek, CA, 94597(“Notice Address”). The Notice must (i) provide your mailing address, phone number, and account name (if any); (ii) describe the nature and basis of the claim or dispute; and (iii) set forth the specific relief sought (“Demand”). If BRIGHTCHECK and you do not reach an agreement to resolve the claim within 45 days after the Notice is received, you or BRIGHTCHECK may commence an arbitration proceeding with the American Arbitration Association (“AAA”).
) Costs of Arbitration. BRIGHTCHECK will pay all AAA filing, administration, and arbitrator fees for any arbitration we initiate. The payment of those fees for any arbitration that you initiate will be governed by the AAA Rules. The filing fee currently is $125 for claims for up to $10,000 in damages but is subject to change by the AAA. However, if you initiate an arbitration in accordance with the notice requirements of paragraph 3.(b) and are seeking relief valued at $300 or less (both to you and us), BRIGHTCHECK will pay all AAA filing, administration, and arbitrator fees. If your claim is for greater than $300 but less than $10,000, BRIGHTCHECK will pay all such fees in excess of $20. After BRIGHTCHECK receives notice at the Notice Address that you have commenced such an arbitration, BRIGHTSWIPE will promptly reimburse you for any portion of the filing fee that you paid that BRIGHTCHECK has agreed to pay.

If the arbitrator finds that either the substance of your claim or the relief sought in the Demand is frivolous or brought for an improper purpose (as measured by the standards set forth in Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 11(b)), then the payment of all AAA filing, administration, and arbitrator fees shall be governed by the AAA Rules, and you agree to reimburse us for any amounts we have paid on your behalf to the AAA.

Arbitration Procedures. The arbitrator shall be bound by the terms of this arbitration provision. The arbitration will be governed by the Commercial Arbitration Rules and the Supplementary Procedures for Consumer Related Disputes (collectively, “AAA Rules”) of the AAA, as modified by this arbitration provision. The AAA Rules are available online at www.adr.org, by calling the AAA at 1-800-778-7879, or by writing to the Notice Address. The AAA shall administer the arbitration. If the AAA is unavailable, the arbitration will be administered by another arbitration provider that the parties agree to or that the court selects.

Unless BRIGHTCHECK and you agree otherwise, any arbitration hearings will take place in the county (or parish) of your residence at the time of the filing of the Demand. If you bring a claim for $10,000 or less, we agree that you may choose whether the arbitration will be conducted solely on the basis of documents submitted to the arbitrator, through a telephonic hearing, or by an in-person hearing as established by the AAA Rules. If your claim exceeds $10,000, the right to a hearing will be determined by the AAA Rules.

Arbitrators may consider but shall not be bound by rulings in prior arbitrations involving different customers. Arbitrators shall be bound by rulings in prior arbitrations involving the same customer to the extent required by applicable law.

Unless the parties agree otherwise, you and we must bring all directly related claims in a single arbitration proceeding. If you or we later initiate a subsequent arbitration asserting claims that are directly related to ones that were raised in a prior arbitration between the same parties, the AAA or the arbitrator shall either (i) consolidate the subsequent arbitration with the earlier proceeding if it is ongoing or (ii) dismiss any claims raised in the subsequent arbitration that would be barred by applicable law if brought in court.

Regardless of the manner in which the arbitration is conducted, the arbitrator shall issue a reasoned written decision sufficient to explain the essential findings and conclusions on which the award is based. Although under some laws BRIGHTCHECK may have a right to an award of attorneys’ fees and expenses if it prevails in an arbitration, BRIGHTCHECK agrees that it will not seek such an award unless you are represented by an attorney and the arbitrator has determined that your claim is frivolous or brought for an improper purpose (as measured by the standards of Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 11(b)).

Prohibition of Class or Representative Actions and Non-Individualized Relief. YOU AND BRIGHTCHECK AGREE THAT EACH MAY BRING CLAIMS AGAINST THE OTHER ONLY IN YOUR OR ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY, AND NOT AS A PLAINTIFF, CLASS MEMBER, OR PARTICIPANT IN ANY PURPORTED CLASS, REPRESENTATIVE, OR PRIVATE ATTORNEY GENERAL PROCEEDING. Further, unless both you and BRIGHTCHECK agree otherwise, the arbitrator may not consolidate more than one person’s claims and may not otherwise preside over any form of a class, representative, or private attorney general proceeding. The arbitrator may award any relief that a court could award, so long as the relief is individualized to the claimant and would not affect other BRIGHTCHECK users. Neither you nor we may seek non-individualized relief that would affect other BRIGHTCHECK users. If a court decides that applicable law precludes enforcement of any of this paragraph’s limitations as to a particular claim for relief, then that claim (and only that claim) must be severed from the arbitration and may be brought in court.
30-Day Right to Opt-Out. You have the right to opt-out and not be bound by the arbitration and class action waiver provisions set forth above by sending written notice of your decision to opt out to infosec@BRIGHTCHECK.com with the subject line, “ARBITRATION AND CLASS ACTION WAIVER OPT-OUT.” The notice must be sent within the later of 30 days of your first use of the Service or within 30 days of changes to this section being announced on the App and at brightswipe.com. Otherwise, you shall be bound to arbitrate disputes in accordance with the terms of these paragraphs. If you opt out of these arbitration provisions, BRIGHTCHECK also will not be bound by them.
Changes to This Arbitration Section. BRIGHTCHECK will provide thirty (30) days’ notice of any changes to this section by posting on the App and at brightcheck.com. Amendments will become effective thirty (30) days after they are posted on the Service and Site or sent to you by email. Changes to this section will otherwise apply prospectively only to claims arising after the thirtieth (30th) day. If a court or arbitrator decides that this subsection on “Changes to This Section” is not enforceable or valid, then this subsection shall be severed from the section entitled Mandatory Arbitration and Class Action Waiver, and the court or arbitrator shall apply the first Mandatory Arbitration and Class Action Waiver section in existence after you began using the Service and Site.

NOTWITHSTANDING ANYTHING TO THE CONTRARY HEREIN, (A) A REPRESENTATIVE ACTION FOR PUBLIC INJUNCTIVE RELIEF PURSUANT TO CALIFORNIA’S CONSUMER LEGAL REMEDIES ACT (CAL. CIV. CODE § 1750 ET SEQ.), UNFAIR COMPLETION LAW (CAL. BUS. & PROF. CODE § 17200 ET SEQ.) AND/OR FALSE ADVERTISING LAW (CAL. BUS. & PROF. CODE § 17500 ET SEQ.) MUST BE ARBITRATED ON A CLASS BASIS, (B) IN THE EVENT THAT THE FOREGOING CLAUSE IS DEEMED INVALID OR UNENFORCEABLE, A REPRESENTATIVE ACTION FOR PUBLIC INJUNCTIVE RELIEF PURSUANT TO CALIFORNIA’S CONSUMER LEGAL REMEDIES ACT (CAL. CIV. CODE § 1750 ET SEQ.), UNFAIR COMPLETION LAW (CAL. BUS. & PROF. CODE § 17200 ET SEQ.) AND/OR FALSE ADVERTISING LAW (CAL. BUS. & PROF. CODE § 17500 ET SEQ.) MAY BE BROUGHT IN THE STATE OR FEDERAL COURTS LOCATED IN CALIFORNIA ON A CLASS BASIS, AND (C) ANY CLAIMS OTHER THAN FOR PUBLIC INJUNCTIVE RELIEF MUST BE ARBITRATED ON AN INDIVIDUAL, NON-CLASS BASIS AS OTHERWISE SET FORTH IN THIS SECTION.

4.Scope, License Grant, Restrictions, Electronic Signature

These Terms govern your use and access of the App and the Material we make available, your purchase of any App Services, and your use of any BrightCheck Inquiry provided to you.

Subject to your compliance with these Terms and their limitations, BRIGHTCHECK grants you a non-exclusive, non-transferable, revocable, and limited license for individual and personal (meaning nonbusiness) use, and we provide such access and use of the App, and, as applicable, its Material and BRIGHTCHECK Inquiries, to you only. You acknowledge and agree that BRIGHTCHECK may terminate this license at any time for any reason. You further acknowledge and agree that with respect to this limited license, BRIGHTCHECK transfers no ownership or intellectual property interest or title in and to the App, Materials, BRIGHTCHECK Inquiries (or copies thereof), or its Services to you or anyone else under these Terms.

When you use the App to purchase a BRIGHTCHECK Inquiry, we grant you a limited license to use the Service and any Material reported thereby solely for your own individual, personal purposes. You agree not to use the BRIGHTCHECK Inquiry Service for any commercial, collections, advertising, or marketing purposes, nor shall you publish, distribute, resell, or broker any such Services or resulting Materials to or for any third party. You shall not use our Material or the BRIGHTCHECK Inquiry Service to provide data aggregation, processing, or evaluation services to or for third parties.

You agree not to disrupt, modify, or interfere with the App or its associated software, hardware, and servers in any way. You are prohibited from scraping, crawling, data mining, or using any robot, spider, or other automatic device to send queries to BRIGHTCHECK’s servers. You agree not to impede or interfere with others’ use of the App.

You may not use the App, our Services, or any Material acquired from us:

to engage in activities that would violate applicable local, state, national or international law, or any regulations having the force of law, including the laws, regulations, and ordinances of any jurisdiction from which you access BRIGHTCHECK.com
to evaluate a consumer’s eligibility for credit or insurance to be used primarily for personal, family, or household purposes; to evaluate a person’s eligibility for employment or volunteering purposes; to evaluate a person’s eligibility for a government license or benefit; to evaluate a person for renting a dwelling property; or for any other purpose specified in FCRA or similar state statutes
to commit a crime or to harass an individual or his or her family
to seek information about celebrities or public figures
in any manner that may violate any local, state, federal, or international privacy law to which you may be subject on the basis of your location, or the location of the person searched. You agree not to search for, or submit to BRIGHTCHECK, information relating to persons that reside outside of the United States.

You acknowledge and agree that you (i) have read, understand, and agree to be bound by these Terms in their entirety, including, without limitation, the restrictions that apply to your agreed use of the App and any resulting Material; and (ii) consent to the use of electronic signatures, contracts, orders and other records, and to the electronic delivery of notices, policies and records of transactions initiated or completed through the App.

5.Information Available through the App And Website

BRIGHTCHECK does not verify the Public Information it reports as Material with respect to a BRIGHTCHECK Inquiry. We obtain Public Information from third-party data providers. Due to the nature of Public Information, the public records and commercially available data sources used in the BRIGHTCHECK Inquiry Service may contain errors. Source data which comprises the Public Information is sometimes reported or entered inaccurately, processed poorly or incorrectly, and is generally not free from defect. Our BRIGHTCHECK Inquiry Material is not the source of data, nor is such Material a comprehensive compilation of all Public Information source data.

We further do not evaluate each piece of information provided to you as Material and make no guarantees to users about the accuracy, legitimacy, or legality of any information or how recently any information was collected or updated. As a user of our App Services, you agree that there are no warranties or guarantees whatsoever regarding the Material and information provided. Further, you agree to rely on the information and Material available through our App Services at your own risk.

The Material we report as a BRIGHTCHECK Inquiry is intended to report arrests, convictions and those listed on the national sex registry list derived from the Public Information we receive which, in our best judgment, may be of general relevance to users’ assessment when considering an online date. While we endeavor to provide you up to date information, certain inaccuracies may exist, and certain records we intend to include may be omitted. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the Material reported or that all potentially relevant information is reported in connection with a BRIGHTCHECK Inquiry. BRIGHTCHECK shall not be liable for any errors or omissions in Material reported.

BRIGHTCHECK does not allow individuals to opt-out (i.e., suppress display) of conviction records which pertain to them, unless an Order of Expunction, Expungement, or Sealing is provided. You may email a copy of any such Order to expungement@brightcheck.com. We will only suppress or delete only those records specifically noted in the Order.

6.Proprietary Rights

The proprietary rights to all Material, and all text, graphics, interfaces, images, artwork, computer code (including html code), software, services, information, and documentation as well as the design, structure, selection, coordination, expression, “look and feel,” and arrangement of any content contained on or available through the App, unless otherwise expressly indicated in writing, are owned, controlled, and licensed exclusively by BRIGHTCHECK and/or its suppliers and are protected by United States and foreign laws including, but not limited to, United States copyright, trade secret, patent, and trademark law, as well as other state, national, and international laws and regulations. Except as expressly provided in these Terms, BRIGHTCHECK does not grant any express or implied intellectual property or proprietary right to you or any other person.

The “BrightCHECK©” name and logo as well as all custom graphics and service names are trademarks of BRIGHTCHECK and these and all other rights are reserved. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

BRIGHTCHECK reserves any and all rights not explicitly granted in these Terms. By using the App, you do not acquire any ownership rights to the App, the App Services, content, or any information or Material obtained therefrom.

7.Feedback

BRIGHTCHECK welcomes your suggestions and feedback on how to improve our App and Services, including the BRIGHTCHECK INQUIRY. By submitting any suggestions, ideas, concepts, content, or other feedback (collectively, “feedback”), you represent and warrant that any such feedback you may provide does not infringe, misappropriate, and/or violate the intellectual property or proprietary rights of any person or entity, and that you have all rights necessary to convey such feedback to us.

You acknowledge and agree that by providing us with feedback, you grant BRIGHTCHECK a perpetual, royalty-free, irrevocable, transferable, sublicensable, fully paid up non-exclusive right and license to adopt, publish, reproduce, distribute, copy, use, create derivative works, commercialize, retain, and display or otherwise use worldwide (in whole or in part, in any form, media or technology now known or later developed) any such feedback you submit, directly or indirectly (including through the App), to BRIGHTCHECK, without any obligation by BRIGHTCHECK to notify, approve, identify or compensate you or anyone else, and you hereby expressly waive any claim to the contrary.

8.Privacy Policy, Consent to Emails and Texts

The operation of certain portions of the App and the receipt of certain App Service requires the submission, use, and dissemination of certain personally identifiable information. If you wish to access and use those areas of the App and purchase certain App Services, you acknowledge and agree that your use of the App constitutes acceptance of our Privacy Policy, which governs our collection and use of personally identifiable information. The BRIGHTCHECK Privacy Policy (“Privacy Policy”) is located at https://www.brightcheck.com/privacy-policy/. Our Privacy Policy is part of, and incorporated into, these Terms. By accepting these Terms, you acknowledge and agree to the collection and use of certain of your personally identifiable information by the App as described in the Privacy Policy. Any requests to remove your information from BRIGHTCHECK Inquiry Material is governed by the procedures described in the Privacy Policy.

You acknowledge that when you provide us with any contact information with respect to the App or a Service, including an email address or mobile number (“Contact Information”), you agree that this constitutes a purchase or, as applicable, an inquiry establishing a business relationship with us. You consent to our communicating with you about our Services using the Contact Information you provide. This means by providing your email address, you may, from time to time, receive email from us about use or features of the App. And, by providing your mobile number, you may receive text (SMS) messages from us with respect to our Services.

9.Username and Password

You may be required to register a username and generate a password prior to obtaining access to an App Service. If required to register, you acknowledge and agree that: