1. Definitions

2. Eligibility and Account Registration

2.1 Age Requirements

You must be at least 13 years of age to create an account and use the Platform. Users between the ages of 13 and 17 must have verifiable parental or guardian consent. Users under 13 years of age are strictly prohibited from registering or using the Platform.

Paperclip reserves the right to introduce age-gating features and may require additional verification for users under 18 in jurisdictions where higher age thresholds apply.

2.2 Account Accuracy

You agree to provide accurate, current, and complete information when creating your account. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your login credentials and for all activity that occurs under your account. You must notify us immediately of any unauthorised use of your account.

2.3 One Account Per Person

Each User may maintain only one active account. Creating duplicate or fraudulent accounts may result in immediate termination of all associated accounts.

3. Nature of the Platform

Paperclip is a peer-to-peer item trading platform. The Platform facilitates introductions between Users who wish to exchange physical items of personal value. Paperclip is not a party to any trade conducted between Users and accepts no responsibility for the outcome, quality, condition, legality, or delivery of any Item traded.

The Platform operates on a barter model only. No monetary exchange of any kind may take place through the Platform, except as expressly permitted under Section 6.3. Paperclip does not process payments between Users and has no involvement in the financial aspects of any transaction.

4. Item Listings and Content Standards

4.1 General Listing Requirements

All Listings must accurately describe the Item being offered for trade. Users must include a title, a clear description, and at least one photograph of the actual Item. Misleading, false, or deceptive Listings are strictly prohibited and may result in account suspension.

4.2 Image Standards

Images submitted as part of a Listing must depict the Item itself and nothing else. The following standards apply without exception:

• No personal photographs. Users may not post photographs of themselves, other individuals, or identifiable body parts in the Items section. The Items section is for Item photography only.
• Clothing and wearable items. Items of clothing or wearables must be photographed either laid flat or hung, or displayed on a mannequin or dress form. If photographed on a person, the image must be cropped such that no identifying features — including face, hands, distinguishing tattoos, birthmarks, or any feature that could identify the individual — are visible. The crop must render the individual indistinguishable from a mannequin.
• No nudity or suggestive imagery. Images that contain nudity, partial nudity, or sexually suggestive content are strictly prohibited regardless of context.
• No identifiable third parties. Images may not depict identifiable third parties without their explicit written consent. Images of minors are prohibited in all circumstances.
• Image authenticity. All images must be genuine photographs of the actual Item being listed. AI-generated, stock, or copied images are not permitted.

4.3 Expirable and Perishable Items

Where a User lists an Item with an expiration or use-by date (including food, beverages, cosmetics, medicines, or supplements):

• The Listing must state the expiration or use-by date clearly in the Item description.
• The Item must not be expired at the time of Listing.
• If the Item approaches or reaches its expiration date before a Trade is completed, the User must remove the Listing immediately. Paperclip reserves the right to automatically delist Items that are expired or imminently expiring.
• Listing or trading an expired Item constitutes a material breach of these Terms and may result in account suspension.

4.4 Item Condition

Users must accurately represent the condition of Items. Items listed as functional must be in working order. Items listed as damaged or incomplete must be described as such. Deliberate misrepresentation of Item condition is a breach of these Terms.

5. Prohibited Items and Prohibited Conduct

5.1 Absolutely Prohibited Items

The following categories of Items may not be listed, offered, traded, or referenced on the Platform under any circumstances:

Illegal Goods and Contraband

• Any item whose possession, trade, or transfer is prohibited under applicable local, national, or international law.
• Controlled substances, illegal drugs, drug paraphernalia, narcotics, or psychoactive substances.
• Counterfeit goods, unauthorised replicas, or items infringing intellectual property rights.
• Stolen goods or goods obtained through unlawful means.
• Items subject to trade sanctions, embargoes, or export controls.

Weapons and Dangerous Items

• Firearms, component parts of firearms, ammunition, and items readily convertible into weapons.
• Explosives, fireworks, or incendiary devices.
• Knives and bladed articles where listing or transfer would be unlawful in the User's or recipient's jurisdiction.
• Chemical, biological, radiological, or hazardous materials.
• Items subject to a product safety recall.

Sexual Services and Adult Content

• Adult-only content, pornographic material, or sexually explicit Items.
• Unsolicited sexual communications, solicitation, or grooming behaviour — results in immediate termination and reporting to relevant authorities.
• Unwashed or used undergarments listed in a suggestive manner.

Items Involving Living or Protected Creatures

• Live animals of any kind.
• Products derived from endangered species or species protected under CITES.
• Animal pelts, ivory, or other animal products subject to international trade restrictions.

Other Prohibited Items

• Tobacco, cigarettes, vaping products, and smoking accessories.
• Prescription medications, medical devices, or any item requiring regulatory approval to distribute.
• Human remains or human tissue of any kind.
• Items related to pyramid schemes or multi-level marketing arrangements.
• Leaked, stolen, or unlawfully obtained personal data.

5.2 Conditionally Permitted Items

• Alcohol. Permitted only where the User and recipient are of legal drinking age in their respective jurisdictions, and where private transfer is lawful. The Listing must state the best-before date where applicable.
• Collectible coins and currency. Physical coins, banknotes, and currency items are permitted exclusively as collectibles. They may not be offered or accepted at face value as a medium of exchange.
• Vintage or antique Items. Permitted provided they comply with all applicable laws including export restrictions and safety standards.

6. Trading Rules and Conduct

6.1 No Monetary Exchange

Paperclip operates exclusively as a barter platform. Monetary exchange of any kind is strictly prohibited on the Platform. This includes:

• Cash payments, bank transfers, or electronic money transfers in connection with a trade.
• Requests, offers, or demands for payment as consideration for an Item.
• Using the in-app chat to negotiate or arrange monetary compensation for an Item.
• Digital currencies, cryptocurrencies, tokens, or virtual currencies used as consideration.

The sole exception is the recovery of reasonable postage and shipping costs, as set out in Section 6.3.

6.2 No Post-Match Haggling

Once a Match is made, both Users have expressed mutual interest in a potential trade. Post-match negotiation is subject to the following restrictions:

• Users may not negotiate or request the addition of monetary payment in exchange for an Item.
• Users may not attempt to alter the terms of the trade by demanding an additional Item, payment, or favour not related to postage.
• Attempting to leverage a Match for financial gain or personal favours constitutes a material breach of these Terms.

6.3 Shipping Costs

The only permitted financial exchange between matched Users is the agreed reimbursement of actual postage, packaging, and shipping costs where Items are shipped rather than exchanged in person. This reimbursement must:

• Reflect the actual cost of shipping only, without mark-up or profit.
• Be agreed by both parties before shipment.
• Take place entirely outside the Platform. Paperclip does not process, facilitate, or verify shipping cost payments and accepts no liability for such arrangements.

6.4 Trade Confirmation

A Trade is considered complete only when both parties have confirmed the exchange using the in-app Trade Confirmation function. Users should not confirm a Trade until the Item has been received and inspected. Once confirmed by both parties, the Trade is final.

6.5 User Conduct in Chat

The in-app chat is provided solely to facilitate trade logistics. Users agree not to use the chat to:

• Send unsolicited sexual, offensive, or harassing messages.
• Attempt to arrange transactions outside the scope of these Terms.
• Share personal financial information.
• Promote external platforms, services, or social media accounts.
• Engage in scams, phishing, or deceptive communications.

7. User Content and Intellectual Property

7.1 Licence to Paperclip

By uploading Content to the Platform, you grant Paperclip a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide, transferable licence to use, store, display, reproduce, and distribute that Content solely for the purposes of operating and improving the Platform. This licence terminates when you delete the Content or your account, subject to retention periods required by law.

7.2 Your Ownership

You retain ownership of all Content you upload. You represent and warrant that you have all necessary rights to upload such Content and that it does not infringe the rights of any third party.

7.3 Content Moderation

Paperclip reserves the right to remove any Content that violates these Terms or that we determine, in our sole discretion, to be offensive, harmful, or otherwise inappropriate. We may do so without prior notice. Pursuant to the EU Digital Services Act, where Content is removed, affected Users in the EU will receive a statement of reasons.

8. Privacy and Data Protection

8.1 Data Controller

The individual developer(s) of Paperclip act as the data controller in respect of personal data collected through the Platform. Our processing of personal data is governed by our Privacy Policy, which forms part of these Terms and is incorporated by reference.

8.2 GDPR Compliance (EU/EEA Users)

For Users located in the European Union or European Economic Area, Paperclip processes personal data in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679 ("GDPR"). You have the right to access, rectify, erase, restrict processing of, and port your personal data. You may exercise these rights by contacting contact@paperclip-trades.com.

8.3 UK Data Protection

For Users located in the United Kingdom, Paperclip complies with the UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018. The rights described in Section 8.2 apply equally to UK Users.

8.4 Data Insights and Third-Party Sharing

Paperclip may analyse aggregated and anonymised trading data to generate insights. Where data is shared with third parties, it will be anonymised such that no individual User can be identified. We will not sell personally identifiable information to third parties without your explicit consent.

9. EU Digital Services Act Compliance

For Users accessing the Platform from the European Union, the following provisions apply in accordance with the EU Digital Services Act (Regulation (EU) 2022/2065) ("DSA"):

9.1 Notice and Action

Users may report Content or conduct that they believe violates these Terms or applicable law via the in-app reporting tools (described in Section 9.5) or by emailing contact@paperclip-trades.com. Paperclip will process reports in a timely, diligent, and non-arbitrary manner.

9.2 Statement of Reasons

Where Paperclip removes Content, restricts a Listing, or suspends an account belonging to a User in the EU, we will provide that User with a clear statement of the reasons for that decision.

9.3 Internal Complaint Mechanism

EU Users who disagree with a content moderation decision have the right to access Paperclip's internal complaint-handling mechanism free of charge. Complaints should be submitted to contact@paperclip-trades.com with the subject line "Content Decision Appeal". We will respond within 14 calendar days.

9.4 Out-of-Court Dispute Settlement

EU Users may also refer disputes to a certified out-of-court dispute settlement body as designated under Article 21 of the DSA. Participation in such proceedings does not affect your right to seek judicial redress.

9.5 In-App Reporting and Flagging Tools

Paperclip provides two built-in tools for Users to report concerns directly within the app:

• Report button (Chat). A Report button is accessible via the action menu within every chat. If another User sends offensive, harassing, or otherwise inappropriate messages, or attempts to conduct prohibited activity through the chat, use this button to report the conduct. Reports are reviewed by Paperclip and may result in the suspension or termination of the offending account.
• Flag Item button (Search). A Flag Item button appears on every Listing in the main search feed. If you encounter a Listing that you believe violates these Terms — including prohibited items, inappropriate images, or misleading descriptions — use this button to flag it for review. Flagged Listings will be assessed and may be removed if found to be in breach.

10. General Prohibited Conduct

In addition to the specific prohibitions above, Users must not:

• Attempt to circumvent, disable, or interfere with security features of the Platform.
• Use automated scripts, bots, or scraping tools to access or interact with the Platform.
• Impersonate any person, entity, or Paperclip itself.
• Attempt to gain unauthorised access to other Users' accounts or data.
• Engage in any form of harassment, stalking, or intimidation of other Users.
• Use the Platform to facilitate any form of human trafficking or exploitation.
• Re-list Items solely to artificially boost their visibility in contravention of Platform rules.
• Interfere with the integrity of the matching or review systems.

11. Enforcement and Account Termination

11.1 Paperclip's Rights

Paperclip reserves the right to, at its sole discretion and without prior notice where circumstances require:

• Remove any Listing or Content that violates these Terms.
• Issue warnings to Users who breach these Terms.
• Temporarily suspend access to the Platform.
• Permanently terminate an account.
• Report illegal activity to relevant law enforcement authorities.

11.2 Severity of Response

Our enforcement response will generally be proportionate to the nature and severity of the breach. However, certain categories of breach — including the offering of sexual services, the listing of illegal items, or the exploitation of minors — will result in immediate permanent termination without prior warning and, where appropriate, referral to law enforcement.

11.3 Appeals

If your account is suspended or terminated, you may appeal by emailing contact@paperclip-trades.com with the subject line "Account Appeal" within 30 days of the decision. We will respond within 14 calendar days.

12. Disclaimers and Limitation of Liability

12.1 Platform as Intermediary

Paperclip provides the Platform as a neutral intermediary to facilitate introductions between Users. Paperclip is not the seller, buyer, or owner of any Item listed on the Platform and accepts no responsibility or liability for:

• The accuracy of any Listing or Item description.
• The quality, safety, legality, or fitness for purpose of any Item traded.
• The conduct, reliability, or identity of any User.
• Any loss, damage, or injury arising from a Trade.
• Non-delivery, loss, or damage of Items during shipping.

12.2 No Warranties

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, Paperclip provides the Platform "as is" and makes no representations or warranties, express or implied, regarding the availability, reliability, accuracy, or fitness for a particular purpose of the Platform.

12.3 Limitation of Liability

Paperclip is operated as a free, non-commercial personal project with no revenue. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the developer(s) of Paperclip shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages arising from your use of the Platform. Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, fraud, or any other liability that cannot be excluded by law.

12.4 Consumer Rights

Nothing in these Terms affects your statutory consumer rights under applicable law. EU consumers benefit from consumer protection laws that may provide additional rights beyond those stated here.

13. Indemnification

Paperclip is a non-commercial personal project provided free of charge. By using the Platform, you accept that you do so at your own risk. You agree not to hold the individual developer(s) behind Paperclip liable for any claims, damages, losses, or expenses arising from: (a) your use of the Platform; (b) your violation of these Terms; (c) your violation of any applicable law; or (d) any Item you list or trade through the Platform.

You are solely responsible for your conduct on the Platform and for any Items you offer or receive. If your actions on the Platform cause harm to a third party or result in a legal claim, you agree to take responsibility for that and not to implicate the developer(s) of Paperclip.

14. Modifications to These Terms

Paperclip reserves the right to modify these Terms at any time. We will notify Users of material changes by push notification, in-app message, or email no less than 14 days before the changes take effect (or 30 days for EU Users where required by law). Your continued use of the Platform after the effective date of changes constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms. If you do not accept the revised Terms, you must cease using the Platform and may delete your account.

15. Governing Law and Dispute Resolution

15.1 General

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of [INSERT JURISDICTION — e.g. England and Wales, or the state/country where the developer is based], without regard to its conflict of law provisions.

15.2 EU Users

If you are a consumer located in the EU, you benefit from the mandatory consumer protection provisions of your country of residence. Any disputes with EU consumers will be subject to the jurisdiction of the courts in the User's country of residence.

15.3 Dispute Resolution

We encourage Users to contact us in the first instance to resolve any dispute informally. If a dispute cannot be resolved informally, EU Users may refer to the out-of-court dispute settlement mechanism described in Section 9.4. Users in other jurisdictions may pursue claims through courts of competent jurisdiction.

16. Miscellaneous

16.1 Entire Agreement

These Terms, together with the Privacy Policy and any other policies incorporated by reference, constitute the entire agreement between you and Paperclip regarding your use of the Platform and supersede all prior agreements.

16.2 Severability

If any provision of these Terms is found to be invalid or unenforceable, that provision shall be modified to the minimum extent necessary to make it enforceable, and the remaining provisions shall continue in full force.

16.3 Waiver

Paperclip's failure to enforce any provision of these Terms shall not constitute a waiver of its right to enforce that provision in the future.

16.4 Assignment

You may not assign or transfer your rights or obligations under these Terms without Paperclip's prior written consent. Paperclip may assign its rights and obligations freely.

16.5 Contact

For questions about these Terms, to report a violation, or to exercise your data protection rights: