Terms of Service

1. Scope

These Terms set out the conditions for using Dogear (the “Service”) between the operator and persons who register an account to use the Service (“Users”). By using the Service, Users are deemed to have agreed to these Terms.

Provisions relating to viewing and saving photos also apply to persons who view or save photos through a share link issued by a User (“Recipients”).

2. The Service

The Service stores photos and videos uploaded by Users and enables Recipients to view and save them through a share link.

The Service offers a 30-day free trial, which starts automatically at sign-up, and paid plans. The free trial requires no credit card and is available once per account. The pricing, features, storage limits, and retention limits of each plan are set out in the pricing shown on the Service and in the Specified Commercial Transactions Act disclosure. Features and specifications may change with prior notice.

When no plan is active after the free trial ends or a paid plan is canceled ("no active plan"), Users cannot create new galleries or upload photos and videos. Existing galleries can still be viewed and shared, and Recipients can still save from them, until the retention date described in Article 5.

3. Accounts

Sign-in is performed with a verification code sent to your registered email address. You are responsible for managing your email address and inbox. The operator is not liable for damages arising from inadequate management.

4. Rights and Responsibilities for Content

Copyright in uploaded photos and videos remains with the User or the rightful owner. The operator reproduces, processes, and transmits content only to the extent necessary to provide the Service — specifically, generating, storing, and delivering thumbnails for display and lightweight versions for saving.

Where the “preserve gallery order” feature is enabled, the capture-date metadata (EXIF) of photos saved to a Recipient's device is adjusted to match the gallery order. The uploaded original data is never modified.

Users are responsible for obtaining any required consent from photographed subjects (portrait rights and privacy), including consent to shooting, publication, and delivery.

Uploading content that infringes third-party rights or violates laws or public order is prohibited. In case of violation, the operator may remove content or suspend the account.

5. Retention Periods and Data Handling

Users set each gallery's retention date. With an active plan (including the free trial), retention can be unlimited or set to any date. With no active plan, unlimited retention is not available, and the expiry date can be changed up to 30 days after the plan ended.

Once a gallery's expiry date has passed, clients can no longer view or save it.

With an active plan, data is not deleted after expiry. Users can extend the expiry date and share the gallery again. However, if the User has enabled "delete automatically after expiry" for a gallery, its data is deleted from the day after the expiry date.

If no plan is active when the free trial ends, galleries with unlimited retention or an expiry date more than 30 days away are automatically given an expiry date 30 days after the trial ended. We notify the registered email address 7 days and 1 day before the trial ends.

If a paid plan is canceled, galleries with unlimited retention or an expiry date more than 7 days away are automatically given an expiry date 7 days after the cancellation date, with notice at cancellation. The expiry date can be changed up to 30 days after the cancellation date.

With no active plan, the data of an expired gallery (originals and derived files) is automatically deleted from the day after the expiry date and cannot be recovered. Before deletion, we notify the registered email address 7 days and 1 day in advance. If the User subscribes to a plan before the expiry date, retention dates shortened under the two preceding paragraphs are restored to their previous state.

When a user deletes a gallery or photo, the originals and derived files (thumbnails and web versions) are deleted from storage and cannot be recovered.

Limits such as storage capacity and photos per gallery are defined per plan and shown on the Service. Storage usage is calculated from original file sizes only; derived files generated by the operator are not counted.

The operator may delete data with prior notice due to specification changes or prolonged inactivity (12 months or more since last login). Please also keep your own backup of original data.

6. Prohibited Conduct

The following are prohibited: violating laws; infringing third-party rights; interfering with the operation of the Service (unauthorized access, excessive load, reverse engineering, etc.); attempting to circumvent access controls, such as brute-forcing share links or PIN codes; and any other conduct the operator deems inappropriate.

7. Disclaimer

The Service is provided “as is.” The operator does not guarantee its completeness, accuracy, or continuity.

Except in cases of willful misconduct or gross negligence, the operator is not liable for damages arising from use of, or inability to use, the Service, including data loss, delivery delays, and lost profits.

8. Changes to or Termination of the Service

The operator may change or terminate the Service with prior notice. In urgent and unavoidable cases, the Service may be temporarily suspended without notice.

9. Amendments to These Terms

The operator may amend these Terms as necessary. Amended Terms take effect when displayed on the Service. Material changes will be announced on the Service in an appropriate manner.

10. Governing Law and Jurisdiction

These Terms are governed by the laws of Japan. Any dispute relating to the Service shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the court having jurisdiction over the operator's location as the court of first instance.

11. Language

The Japanese version of these Terms is the authoritative text. This English translation is provided for reference only; if there is any discrepancy, the Japanese version prevails.