# Member Terms & Code of Conduct — AI Human Connection

> **DRAFT FOR ATTORNEY REVIEW — NOT A FINAL LEGAL DOCUMENT.**
> This is a working draft meant to give a lawyer a running start, not
> something to publish or have members sign as-is. It is not legal advice.
> Sections marked [NEEDS INPUT] or [NEEDS ATTORNEY REVIEW] flag places where
> Joel's decision or actual legal review is required before this goes live.

## 1. Purpose of this document
Sets the terms members agree to when they join AI Human Connection, and the
behavior standards for participating in the community (questionnaire, intro
video, live meetings, and any member-to-member contact made through the
platform).

## 2. Membership & Billing
- Membership fee: $19.99/month, no annual commitment required.
- **Billing date — DECIDED by Joel 2026-08-11:** the monthly fee is charged on
  each member's **sign-up anniversary date** each month (join on the 10th →
  billed the 10th), NOT a fixed calendar date like the 1st.
- Membership and referral-program participation are active only for as long
  as the monthly payment is current.
- **Late payment policy** (clarified 2026-08-11 — measured from the billing/
  anniversary date):
  - **Grace period:** the member has **15 days** from the billing date to bring
    the account current, with no penalty.
  - **Restriction:** if still unpaid **30 days** after the billing date, the
    account is **restricted** (access suspended).
  - **Reactivation:** to restore a restricted account, the member pays a
    one-time **$25 reactivation fee** plus the full outstanding balance. (The
    $25 is a reactivation fee, not a recurring late fee.)
  - [NEEDS ATTORNEY REVIEW] — late fees, reactivation fees, and any interest/
    collections practices are regulated at the state level in the US (and
    some fee structures can trigger consumer-protection or usury-adjacent
    rules depending on how they're framed). Confirm the $25 fee and the
    15/30-day windows are compliant in the state(s) where members are
    billed from.
- AI Human Connection reserves the right to change the membership price,
  with **30 days' notice** to members before any change takes effect.
- **Cancellation policy — DECIDED by Joel (2026-07-21).** A member may cancel
  at any time. Cancellation takes effect at the **end of the month they have
  already paid for** — they keep access until then — and there are **no refunds
  for partial months.**
  - **Easy cancellation — DECIDED by Joel (2026-07-28).** The cancel option must
    be **clear, easy, and NOT hidden** — a member who wants to cancel can do it
    simply from their own profile/account settings, no hoops, no runaround.
    (This also aligns with US auto-renewal / "negative option" laws, which
    require an easy cancellation path — see the free-period billing note below.)
    Build item for Mark: a visible, simple cancel control in the member profile.
- **Data/profile after cancellation — DECIDED by Joel (2026-07-21).** A
  cancelled member's profile is **kept on file, deactivated,** so that if they
  rejoin later they don't have to start over. The profile will be **deleted on
  the member's request.** [NEEDS ATTORNEY REVIEW — several privacy laws give
  members a right to request deletion; confirm the retention-vs-deletion
  wording and any required timelines.]
- **Pricing — DECIDED 2026-08-30: full price $19.99/month from day one; no first-month discount.**
  Card is collected at signup and auto-bills $19.99/month. The **$5.99-first-30-days launch offer was
  dropped (2026-08-30)** in favor of a referral milestone bonus. The auto-renewal disclosure + easy
  cancel (below / Section 2) still apply; going full-price from day one also **avoids the extra
  discounted-first-month notice rules**.
- **Free-period / comp-code memberships (added 2026-07-19).** Some members
  (e.g. influencers/promoters) receive a code granting a free membership for a
  set period (3, 6, or 12 months — see `project-overview.md`). For these
  members:
  - **A clear disclaimer must be shown up front** stating that a card may be
    kept on file and that **billing will automatically begin at $19.99/month
    when the free period ends**, unless they cancel first. The member must
    acknowledge this before the free membership starts.
  - [⚠️ NEEDS ATTORNEY REVIEW] This is exactly what US automatic-renewal /
    "negative option" laws govern — the disclosure wording, the acknowledgment,
    and the cancellation path all have specific legal requirements. Confirm
    with counsel before launch.

## 3. What Members Are Agreeing To
- Answering the signup questionnaire honestly and as themselves — not on
  behalf of, or impersonating, someone else.
- Recording their own intro video themselves, representing themselves
  authentically (per the Video 7 framing in `avatar-invite-script.md`).
- Consent to how their data is used — questionnaire answers, intro video, and
  live meeting participation are analyzed by AI to build their matching
  profile (per `project-overview.md`).
- **Referral program disclosure — acknowledged at signup (DECIDED by Joel
  2026-07-21).** So that every member is aware of the referral relationship up
  front — and no one can later say they didn't know — at signup each member
  acknowledges that:
  1. The member who referred them **may earn an ongoing referral fee (a
     commission) if they join and remain a paying member.**
  2. **The same opportunity is open to every member** — anyone can earn
     referral fees by referring others, at **no additional cost.** Full terms
     are in `referral-agreement.md`.
  - **Payment label — DECIDED by Joel 2026-08-08: "referral fee."** (Chosen over
    "commission" / "rebate" — plainest and what we've been using.) [ATTORNEY
    REVIEW] counsel to confirm "referral fee" is fine as the legal term and that
    this disclosure satisfies FTC endorsement/disclosure rules. This same
    disclosure should also appear wherever a referrer's invite reaches a prospect
    (see `referral-agreement.md` Section 8).
- **How member information is used — purpose statement.**
  > **⚠️ CHANGED 2026-07-19 — the absolute "we will not sell member
  > information" commitment was REMOVED from this section.**
  >
  > **Joel's direction:** *"We definitely cannot say never, because who knows
  > what never is."* His reasoning: the business may be sold one day, and
  > member information would likely transfer as part of that sale, so
  > committing to "never" would be a promise the company might not be able to
  > keep. This is consistent with the tension already flagged in Section 10
  > (Assignment & Change of Control).
  >
  > **What replaces it:** a plain statement of *intention and use* — telling
  > members what we collect their information for and what we do with it,
  > rather than making an absolute promise about what we will never do.
  >
  > **This must stay in sync with the avatar scripts.** The Founder Video #2
  > script in `avatar-invite-script.md` uses the matching framing:
  > *"Everything we gather is used for one purpose, and one purpose only:
  > connecting you with the right business partners, referral sources, and
  > customers."* If either document changes, change both. The retired
  > "we never sell your information" lines in the preserved Videos 6 and 8
  > must not be reused.

  Member information — questionnaire answers, intro video, and live meeting
  participation — is collected and used for these purposes:
  1. To connect members with **other members** for business, referrals, and
     networking (the core matching purpose).
  2. To connect members with **possible vendors** who can offer goods or
     services relevant to their personal or business needs (ties to the
     partner/sponsor revenue stream in `project-overview.md`).
  - **For #2, by design, vendor companies do not receive the member's name
    or personal information.** The matching between a member and a relevant
    vendor offer is done by AI Human Connection's own AI technology, on the
    backend — the vendor is not given the member's identity or personal data.
    (How the member actually receives/sees a vendor offer without the vendor
    knowing who they are is a technical design question for Mark's build —
    e.g., the platform could surface the offer directly to the member, rather
    than handing the member's contact info to the vendor.) Stated as the
    current design intent, not as a permanent guarantee.

- **[⚠️ NEEDS ATTORNEY REVIEW — HIGH PRIORITY]** Removing the "we don't sell
  your data" promise does **not** remove the legal obligation to *disclose*
  what can happen to member data. Specifically for counsel:
  - Several US state privacy laws give consumers a **right to opt out of the
    "sale" or "sharing" of their personal information**, and require that
    practice to be disclosed. So "we might sell it one day" generally has to
    be **stated**, not simply left unsaid. Silence is not the same as
    flexibility.
  - The questionnaire collects **religion and political views** (Section 7 of
    `signup-questions.md`) — sensitive/special-category data with heightened
    protection and disclosure requirements in many jurisdictions (GDPR
    "special category data" if any EU members join; various US state privacy
    laws). This compounds the above.
  - The acquisition/change-of-control scenario in Section 10 needs wording
    that is both accurate and enforceable.
  - This still needs to become an actual privacy-policy-level document:
    exactly what's collected, how long it's kept, who it can go to, and the
    precise mechanics of how vendor-matching happens without exposing member
    identity (the "anonymized matching" design should be reviewed to confirm
    it holds up in practice, not just in wording).

## 4. Code of Conduct — Behavior Expectations
Revised per Joel's direction (this session): openness and promotion between
members is a *feature*, not something to restrict — members are actively
encouraged to talk about and promote the people they connect with.

Members are expected to:
- Treat other members with respect, regardless of differences in values,
  beliefs, religion, or political views shared through the questionnaire.
- Engage in good faith — genuine interest in making real connections and
  referrals, not just extracting value from others without reciprocity.
- Talk openly about and promote the connections they make here — sharing who
  you've met and worked with is encouraged, not discouraged. (No blanket
  confidentiality requirement on member-to-member conversations — openness
  is the point of the platform.)
- Use the relationships and referrals made through the platform to build
  their own business — that's explicitly the goal. (Contrast with Section 5
  below: using the *platform's own business concept/method* to build a
  competing product is different and is prohibited.)

## 5. Prohibited Conduct
The following will not be tolerated and may result in warning, suspension,
or termination without refund:
- **Sexual harassment** of any kind, toward any member — zero tolerance.
- Harassment, discrimination, or abusive behavior toward another member,
  based on any protected characteristic or otherwise.
- Misrepresentation — false statements in the questionnaire or intro video
  about who you are or what you do.
- **Copying or replicating AI Human Connection's business concept, matching
  method, or techniques** to build a competing product or service. (Note:
  this is distinct from using the *connections and relationships* made
  through the platform to grow your own business, which is explicitly
  encouraged — see Section 4. This clause protects the platform's own
  business model/IP, not member-to-member networking.) [NEEDS ATTORNEY
  REVIEW — non-compete and trade-secret/IP-protection clauses are treated
  very differently state to state (e.g., non-competes are broadly
  unenforceable in California, and the FTC has pursued restrictions on
  non-competes nationally). This needs to be drafted carefully to be
  enforceable where the business actually operates.]
- Fraud, scams, or illegal activity conducted through or facilitated by the
  platform.
- Threats or violence toward another member.
- Attempting to circumvent the referral/commission system (e.g., referring
  someone through a friend's link/code instead of your own to avoid
  detection, or vice versa) — see `referral-agreement.md`.
- Attempting to hack, scrape, or abuse the platform/AI system itself (e.g.,
  fake accounts, manipulating the matching or ranking system).
- **Misusing another member's intro video or personal information** —
  downloading, sharing, reposting, or using another member's intro video,
  contact details, or other personal information **outside the platform**, or
  for any purpose other than the connection it was provided for, without that
  member's consent. (Added by Joel 2026-07-21 — members' intro videos are
  shown to others inside the platform, so they need protection from misuse.)

> **🔧 CANDIDATE additions to consider — NOT in the contract (working process,
> 2026-08-11).** Joel's call: keep these in our working notes and ask the
> attorney to review the code of conduct for sufficiency, rather than adding them
> to the agreement ourselves. Ideas to weigh (with counsel):
> 1. **No spam / unwanted solicitation** of members — with the nuance that
>    genuine promotion of your business and your connections is welcome, but
>    blasting members with unsolicited/repeated pitches is not.
> 2. **Professional conduct in live meetings** — no disruption; respect others'
>    time.
> 3. **Don't record other members** in one-on-one meetings without their consent
>    (distinct from the group meetings, which are recorded with notice).
> 4. **Don't hijack the network to recruit for unrelated schemes** (e.g., pushing
>    a separate MLM/pyramid downline aggressively).
> 5. **Strengthen the positive expectations** — reflect the give-first /
>    generosity culture (be generous, follow through on commitments, treat every
>    connection professionally).
>
> The clean Membership Agreement carries a ⚑ For-counsel flag on Sections 3–4
> asking counsel to confirm sufficiency and suggest standard provisions.

## 6. Enforcement
*(Decided by Joel 2026-07-21. Joel wants the **basis for removing a member to
be clear and spelled out**, so no one is caught off guard.)*

**Grounds for suspension or removal.** A member may be suspended or removed for:
1. **Non-payment** — an account that stays delinquent past the windows in
   Section 2.
2. **Any violation of the Code of Conduct (Section 4) or Prohibited Conduct
   (Section 5)** — e.g. harassment, discrimination, misrepresentation, fraud,
   threats or violence, copying the business concept, gaming the referral
   system, hacking/abusing the platform, or misusing another member's video or
   information.

**How it's handled (the process).**
- **Standard ladder for lesser issues:** **warning → temporary suspension →
  removal.** A member gets a chance to correct the behavior first.
- **Serious violations skip the ladder** and can result in immediate
  suspension or removal, no warning — specifically: sexual harassment,
  harassment or abuse of another member, threats or violence, fraud or illegal
  activity, and hacking/abuse of the platform.
- **Immediate freeze — added by Joel 2026-08-11.** AI Human Connection reserves
  the right to **freeze an account immediately** — pausing the member's access to
  the network and live meetings — while it reviews a possible removal, or if it
  decides the member is not a good fit for the community. **While frozen, no
  membership payment is charged** (billing is paused for the duration of the
  freeze). A frozen member may appeal.
- **Who reviews complaints:** AI Human Connection reviews reported violations
  and decides the outcome (Joel and Mark handle this in the early stage).
- **Appeals — updated 2026-08-11.** To appeal a freeze, suspension, or removal, a
  member submits a written appeal by **registered mail** to AI Human Connection
  (**required** — registered mail gives proof of delivery and a record; email can
  get lost or missed, so it isn't the official channel). A member may **also send
  a copy by email**. [NEEDS INPUT — set up a mailing address and an appeal email
  address.]
  - **🔧 For Mark to explore:** an **in-platform appeal** option for each member.
    ⚠️ Caveat Joel raised: a member who's been **frozen/locked out can't appeal
    through the platform** they can't access — so registered mail (+ email) must
    remain the universal channel for locked-out members regardless.
- **Removal for cause:** the member **forfeits the remainder of the current
  paid month and receives no refund** (consistent with Section 5). Note: for
  how removal for cause affects *referral commissions*, see
  `referral-agreement.md` Section 7 (commissions continue 12 months after a
  for-cause removal — a deliberate safeguard).
- [NEEDS ATTORNEY REVIEW] Confirm the enforcement process, the
  immediate-removal categories, and the no-refund-on-for-cause-removal term are
  enforceable and clearly disclosed.

## 7. Live Meetings
- Attendance is not required but is incentivized — members who attend more
  are ranked higher in the matching/referral system (per
  `project-overview.md`).
- **Recording policy — DECIDED by Joel (2026-07-21): live meetings ARE
  recorded and transcribed.** This is core to how the platform works — the AI
  uses what's shared in meetings to keep each member's matching profile current
  over time (per `project-overview.md`). Members **consent to this recording
  and transcription at signup,** and are reminded that meetings are recorded.
  - [⚠️ NEEDS ATTORNEY REVIEW] Recording-consent laws vary significantly by
    state — some are "one-party consent," others require "all-party consent."
    Counsel needs to confirm the consent wording, where/how it's captured
    (signup + in-meeting notice), and whether guests/non-members ever present
    change the requirements.

## 8. Limitation of Liability & Disclaimers
**Starting draft written 2026-08-11** (see the clean Membership Agreement Sec. 7
for the full wording): the platform facilitates connections but does not
guarantee outcomes/referrals/revenue and is not responsible for member conduct;
provided "as is"; total liability capped at fees paid in the prior 12 months; no
indirect/consequential damages. [For counsel: finalize/adjust for enforceability.]

## 9. Governing Law & Dispute Resolution
**DECIDED 2026-08-11: Delaware** (the company is registered in Delaware). Starting
draft: governed by Delaware law; disputes resolved by binding arbitration seated
in Delaware, jury-trial waiver. [For counsel: confirm Delaware choice of law,
decide arbitration vs. courts, and confirm enforceability where members reside.
Keep identical in the Referral Fee Agreement.]

## 10. Assignment & Change of Control
AI Human Connection reserves the right to sell, transfer, or otherwise
change ownership of the company if it chooses to do so. [NEEDS ATTORNEY
REVIEW] — standard practice in a sale/acquisition is that this agreement
(and the data covered by Section 3's privacy commitment) would transfer to
the new owner as part of that transaction. Worth confirming with counsel
whether/how the "we don't sell member data to third parties" commitment in
Section 3 should be worded so it still holds up in an acquisition scenario
(i.e., the data isn't being "sold" separately from the business itself, but
still needs to be handled consistently by whoever owns the company next).

## Open Questions for Joel
- ~~Specific behaviors to prohibit~~ — **RESOLVED 2026-07-21:** added misuse of
  another member's video/personal info to Section 5.
- ~~Cancellation and refund policy~~ — **RESOLVED 2026-07-21** (Section 2:
  cancel anytime, effective end of paid month, no partial refunds).
- ~~Data retention/deletion after cancel~~ — **RESOLVED 2026-07-21** (Section 2:
  profile kept deactivated, deleted on request).
- ~~Live meeting recording policy~~ — **RESOLVED 2026-07-21** (Section 7:
  recorded + transcribed, consent at signup).
- ~~Enforcement process~~ — **RESOLVED 2026-07-21** (Section 6: warning →
  suspension → removal; serious cases immediate; appeal by email; for-cause =
  no refund).
- Still to choose: the final label for the referral payment ("referral fee" /
  "commission" / "rebate") — Section 3.
- Still to set up: the appeal contact email — Section 6.

**Remaining items are now mostly [NEEDS ATTORNEY REVIEW], not Joel decisions** —
the business terms are largely settled. The lawyer's pile: billing/late-fee
compliance (Sec 2), auto-renewal disclosure for free-period members (Sec 2),
privacy/data-sale disclosure and sensitive-data handling (Sec 3), the
business-concept-protection clause (Sec 5), recording consent (Sec 7),
limitation of liability (Sec 8), governing law/arbitration (Sec 9), and
change-of-control/data-transfer wording (Sec 10).
