_Last updated: [DATE]_
These Terms of Service ("Terms") form a binding Platform Usage Agreement between you and Hashtags Studios. They are governed by the laws of the United Arab Emirates and the Emirate of Dubai; the courts of Dubai have exclusive jurisdiction over any dispute that is not resolved through the platform's own dispute process. By creating an account or using the platform you accept these Terms, the Privacy Policy, the Cookie Policy, the Refund Policy, and the Trust & Safety commitments.
## 1. Who we are
Hashtags Studios ("Hashtags", "we", "us") is a talent representation, production booking, and marketing services marketplace operated from the United Arab Emirates. The platform connects four user types: TALENTS (individual creators), COMPANIES (agencies, providers, firms, and partnerships), MEMBERS (fans / consumers), and ADMINS (platform operators).
## 2. Accounts and eligibility
You must be at least 13 years old to register, and 18+ to receive payouts. Talents under 18 must complete the parental approval flow (parent name, contact, ID upload, relationship) before a profile is visible. By creating an account you confirm the information provided is accurate, you control the email address used, and you have legal capacity to enter contracts in your jurisdiction.
All accounts pass through identity verification (KYC) via Stripe Identity, document OCR, and selfie match before transacting on the platform. Failure or repeated failure of KYC may delay or block account activation. We may freeze accounts for fraud, impersonation, or breach of these terms.
## 3. Talent representation
Hashtags acts as a representation agent for TALENT accounts. While listed, your identity stays sealed from companies until a Work Contract is signed. Jobs posted by companies surface anonymously (for example: "Hashtags posted a job") so company identity also stays protected through the brief stage.
Talents may sign an Exclusive Contract that locks representation to a single agency only until the talent reaches Level 3 (per platform leveling). During the exclusive lock window, bookings and direct offers route through the representing agency. There is no lifetime lock. Agency commission is capped platform-wide at 20% and is enforced in code regardless of any contract term. Either party may end representation by giving notice (default 14 days); the relationship stays active until the notice window elapses and is then finalized automatically, with no exit fee, no buyout owed by the talent, and no refund in either direction. See the Trust & Safety page for the full Talent Sovereignty commitments.
## 4. Bookings, offers, and payments
Companies request bookings, send direct offers, or buy services / products from the public marketplace. Every transaction flows through the platform — direct payment outside Hashtags is a breach of these terms.
Booking deposits (20% on a talent selection, 10% on a job-posting flow) are charged at request time via Stripe Checkout. The balance is released on completion. After delivery, buyers have a 48-hour silent-flag window to raise a problem before payouts settle to talents' and providers' Stripe Connect accounts. Subscription packages, course sales, event tickets, magazine subscriptions, and competition entry fees are billed in the same way. Platform service fees vary by payer type and package tier and are shown at checkout.
## 5. KYC, anti-money-laundering, and Stripe
All payouts require a verified Stripe Connect account. We do not store full bank account numbers ourselves; financial transit is handled by Stripe. We retain transaction records (Booking, Service Order, Refund Request, Webhook event, Transaction row) for audit + compliance.
## 6. Refunds, cancellations, and disputes
Refunds follow the published Refund Policy. Cancellations made before an offer is accepted are free. Buyer-initiated cancellations after acceptance are refunded according to the listing's published cancellation policy (FLEXIBLE / MODERATE / STRICT), which is snapshotted onto the order at checkout. Seller fault (non-delivery, host cancellation) is always refunded in full. Disputes are mediated by Hashtags Admin (MODERATOR or FULL tier), which freezes the escrow and rules to refund the buyer, release to the seller, or split; the losing party may file one appeal.
## 7. Content, moderation, and exclusivity
You retain copyright in content you upload. By posting, you grant Hashtags a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to display, transcode, and translate the content for the operation of the platform. Reviews, reports, comments, and listings are moderated by admin tiers. We may remove content that violates community guidelines, copyright, or applicable law.
## 8. Account suspension and termination
We may suspend, freeze, or terminate accounts for: fraud, impersonation, fake KYC documents, undisclosed off-platform booking attempts, harassment, repeated review or report abuse, or violation of any of the policies linked from the footer. Account suspension blocks writes but preserves read access for the user to download their data.
## 9. Liability and disclaimers
Hashtags facilitates introductions and payments but is not party to the underlying creative work agreement between talent and company. We do not warrant the quality of any third-party work, and our maximum aggregate liability for any claim is the platform fees we collected from you in the preceding 12 months.
## 10. Changes
We may update these terms. Material changes will be announced in-app and via email at least 14 days before they take effect. Continued use after the effective date constitutes acceptance.
For questions: contact@hashtags.studios (or via /contacts).
This content can be updated live by an admin from /admin/settings (key: legal.terms).
