Terms of Service

Last updated: January 19, 2026

1. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing or using Tathastu ("the Service"), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service ("Terms"). If you do not agree to these Terms, you may not use the Service.

These Terms constitute a legally binding agreement between you and Tathastu. Please read them carefully before using our Service.

2. Description of Service

Tathastu is a secure digital messaging service that enables you to create encrypted messages for delivery to your designated nominees after Life Status Verification. The Service includes:

  • Client-side message encryption using AES-256
  • Nominee designation and management
  • Activity monitoring to ensure service continuity
  • Optional passphrase escrow recovery using threshold encryption
  • Secure message delivery to nominees after Life Status Verification
  • OTP-based nominee identity verification

The Service is designed to work in conjunction with your estate planning. You are responsible for documenting your passphrase in your will or legal documents (unless you opt into escrow recovery).

3. Eligibility & Account Registration

3.1 Eligibility

You must be at least 18 years old to use Tathastu. By using the Service, you represent that:

  • You are at least 18 years of age
  • You have the legal capacity to enter into these Terms
  • You are not prohibited from using the Service under applicable laws

3.2 Account Creation

To use Tathastu, you must create an account using Google Sign-In. You agree to:

  • Provide accurate and complete information
  • Maintain the security of your account credentials
  • Notify us immediately of any unauthorized access
  • Accept responsibility for all activities under your account

3.3 Passphrase Responsibility

You are solely responsible for creating, remembering, and securely documenting your passphrase. If you lose your passphrase and have not enabled escrow recovery, your encrypted messages cannot be recovered. We strongly recommend:

  • Creating a strong, memorable passphrase
  • Documenting it in your will or with your attorney
  • Considering escrow recovery for additional security

4. Subscription Plans & Pricing

4.1 Free Trial

New users receive a 6-month free trial of the Starter plan. During the trial, you have access to:

  • Up to 2 nominees
  • Up to 10 text messages
  • Basic encryption features

At the end of the trial period, you must upgrade to a paid plan to continue using the Service. If you do not upgrade, your account will be suspended but your encrypted data will be retained for 90 days.

4.2 Paid Plans

We offer the following subscription tiers:

  • Starter: 2 nominees, 10 messages (free for 6 months, then paid)
  • Standard: 10 nominees, 100 messages, rich content, escrow recovery
  • Premium: 100 nominees, 1,000 messages, priority support
  • Enterprise: Unlimited messages, in-person delivery options (coming soon)

4.3 Billing

  • Subscriptions are billed monthly or annually
  • Payment is due at the start of each billing cycle
  • Prices may change with 30 days advance notice
  • Failed payments may result in service suspension

4.4 Refunds

Given the nature of the Service, refunds are generally not provided. However, we may offer refunds on a case-by-case basis at our discretion. Contact support for refund requests.

5. Nominees & Message Delivery

5.1 Nominee Designation

You may designate individuals as nominees to receive your messages. By designating a nominee, you represent that:

  • The contact information provided is accurate
  • You have the right to share their contact details with us
  • You understand messages will be delivered to them upon Life Status Verification

5.2 Life Status Verification

Message delivery is triggered only after Life Status Verification. Our verification process includes:

  • Monitoring account inactivity (45-day warning, 55-day critical threshold)
  • Review of legal documentation provided by family, executor, or authorities
  • Manual verification by our administrator

We reserve the right to request additional documentation before initiating message delivery. We are not responsible for delays caused by incomplete verification.

5.3 Message Delivery Process

After verification, our administrator will:

  1. Obtain your passphrase (from legal documents or escrow)
  2. Decrypt your messages using client-side tools
  3. Generate secure, time-limited access links for each nominee
  4. Contact nominees via email or SMS
  5. Verify nominee identity through OTP before granting message access

5.4 Delivery Limitations

We cannot guarantee delivery if:

  • Nominee contact information is invalid or outdated
  • The passphrase is unavailable (and escrow not enabled)
  • Nominees fail identity verification
  • Technical failures beyond our reasonable control

6. Escrow Recovery Service

6.1 Optional Feature

Escrow recovery is an optional feature available on Standard plans and above. By enabling escrow, you consent to:

  • Your passphrase being encrypted and stored on our servers
  • Recovery requiring authorization from multiple parties
  • All escrow access attempts being logged and audited

6.2 Threshold Encryption

Escrowed passphrases are protected by threshold encryption requiring both our Founder key and Operator key to decrypt. No single party can access your passphrase alone.

6.3 Escrow Access

Escrow recovery will only be used after Life Status Verification through the same process described in Section 5.2. You may disable escrow at any time from your account settings.

7. Acceptable Use

You agree not to use the Service to:

  • Violate any laws or regulations
  • Transmit illegal, harmful, threatening, or harassing content
  • Impersonate any person or entity
  • Interfere with or disrupt the Service
  • Attempt to access other users' accounts or data
  • Reverse engineer or attempt to extract source code
  • Use automated systems to access the Service
  • Store or transmit malware or malicious code

Violation of these rules may result in immediate termination of your account.

8. Content Ownership & Rights

8.1 Your Content

You retain ownership of all messages and content you create. By using the Service, you grant us a limited license to store, process, and deliver your encrypted content as necessary to provide the Service.

8.2 Our Content

The Service, including its design, features, code, and documentation, is owned by Tathastu and protected by intellectual property laws. You may not copy, modify, or distribute any part of the Service without our written permission.

9. Privacy

Your use of the Service is also governed by our Privacy Policy, which describes how we collect, use, and protect your information. By using the Service, you consent to our data practices as described in the Privacy Policy.

10. Disclaimer of Warranties

THE SERVICE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE" WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO:

  • Merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose
  • Uninterrupted or error-free operation
  • Accuracy or reliability of any information
  • Correction of defects or errors

We do not warrant that the Service will meet your specific requirements or that messages will be delivered within any particular timeframe.

11. Limitation of Liability

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, TATHASTU AND ITS OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, AND AGENTS SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR:

  • Indirect, incidental, special, or consequential damages
  • Loss of profits, data, or business opportunities
  • Damages arising from lost or undelivered messages
  • Damages resulting from unauthorized access to your account
  • Any amount exceeding the fees you paid in the 12 months prior to the claim

Some jurisdictions do not allow limitation of liability for certain damages. In such cases, our liability will be limited to the greatest extent permitted by law.

12. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Tathastu and its affiliates from any claims, damages, losses, or expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising from:

  • Your use or misuse of the Service
  • Your violation of these Terms
  • Your violation of any third-party rights
  • Content you create or transmit through the Service

13. Termination

13.1 By You

You may terminate your account at any time through your account settings. Upon termination:

  • Your encrypted messages will be permanently deleted after 90 days
  • Nominee information will be removed
  • Audit logs will be retained for compliance purposes
  • No refunds will be provided for unused subscription time

13.2 By Us

We may suspend or terminate your account if you:

  • Violate these Terms
  • Fail to pay subscription fees
  • Engage in fraudulent or illegal activity
  • Become inactive for extended periods (with notice)

We will provide reasonable notice before termination except in cases of severe violations.

14. Changes to Terms

We may modify these Terms at any time. We will notify you of material changes via email or prominent notice on the Service at least 30 days before they take effect.

Your continued use of the Service after changes become effective constitutes acceptance of the new Terms. If you do not agree to the changes, you must stop using the Service and terminate your account.

15. Governing Law & Disputes

These Terms are governed by the laws of India, without regard to conflict of law principles. Any disputes arising from these Terms or your use of the Service shall be resolved through:

  1. Good faith negotiation between the parties
  2. Mediation if negotiation fails
  3. Binding arbitration in accordance with applicable arbitration rules

You agree to waive any right to participate in class action lawsuits against us.

16. Miscellaneous

16.1 Entire Agreement

These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and Tathastu regarding the Service.

16.2 Severability

If any provision of these Terms is found to be unenforceable, the remaining provisions will continue in full force and effect.

16.3 No Waiver

Our failure to enforce any right or provision does not constitute a waiver of that right or provision.

16.4 Assignment

You may not assign or transfer these Terms without our consent. We may assign these Terms to any successor or acquirer.

17. Contact Us

For questions about these Terms: