Terms and Conditions

Effective Date: 10 March 2026  ·  Last Updated: 25 March 2026

1. Acceptance of Terms

By downloading, installing, or using the Hongi mobile application ("the App"), you agree to be bound by these Terms and Conditions ("Terms"). If you do not agree to these Terms, do not use the App.

2. What Hongi Does

Hongi is a mutual identity verification tool. It allows two people who have paired their devices to verify each other's identity in any conversation by reading aloud short codewords derived from a shared cryptographic secret. The App is offline-first: core verification works without an internet connection. Optional features — remote pairing and verification pings — use our relay server to exchange cryptographic material; see our Privacy Policy for details on what data is transmitted.

The App does not guarantee or certify the real-world identity of any person. It is a tool to help you confirm that you are communicating with the same device you previously paired with. Hongi cannot detect whether the initial pairing itself was with the correct person — that responsibility lies entirely with you.

3. Assumption of Risk

You acknowledge and agree that:

  • No identity guarantee. Hongi provides a cryptographic matching mechanism. It does not verify government-issued identity, legal names, or real-world credentials. A successful codeword match only indicates that you are communicating with the same device you previously paired with.
  • Initial pairing is your responsibility. The security of Hongi depends entirely on pairing with the correct person. If you pair with an impersonator, Hongi will confirm that impersonator's identity in future conversations. We are not responsible for verifying the identity of the person you pair with.
  • No substitute for professional verification. Hongi is not a replacement for professional identity verification, background checks, law enforcement, or any other formal authentication system. You must not rely solely on Hongi for decisions involving personal safety, financial transactions, or legal matters.
  • Technical limitations. Verification depends on both devices having reasonably accurate clocks. Network features (remote pairing, verification pings) depend on internet availability and third-party services (APNs, FCM) that are outside our control.
  • Your use is at your own risk. You assume full responsibility for any consequences arising from your use of the App, including but not limited to decisions made based on verification results.

4. Acceptable Use

You may use Hongi only for lawful purposes and in accordance with these Terms. You agree not to:

  • Use the App to facilitate or assist any illegal activity, including fraud, impersonation, or identity theft.
  • Impersonate any person or entity, or misrepresent your affiliation with any person or entity.
  • Attempt to reverse engineer, decompile, disassemble, or derive the source code of the App, except to the extent permitted by applicable law.
  • Use the App in any manner that could damage, disable, or impair its operation.
  • Circumvent or attempt to circumvent the App's cryptographic verification mechanisms.

5. Disclaimer of Warranties

The App is provided "as is" and "as available", without warranty of any kind, express or implied.

To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, we disclaim all warranties, including but not limited to:

  • Warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement.
  • Any warranty that the App will be error-free, uninterrupted, or free of defects.
  • Any warranty as to the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the verification result produced by the App.

The codeword matching in Hongi relies on both parties' devices having reasonably accurate clocks. We do not guarantee that the App will produce matching codewords in all circumstances, and you should not rely solely on Hongi for any security-critical decision.

6. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, Lovit BV, its directors, employees, contractors, and developers shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, including but not limited to:

  • Loss of data
  • Financial loss
  • Harm arising from a failure of identity verification
  • Harm arising from a successful but fraudulent pairing
  • Harm arising from decisions made in reliance on verification results
  • Harm arising from the unavailability of network features (relay server, push notifications)
  • Harm arising from the compromise, loss, or theft of your device

Our total liability to you for any claim arising from your use of the App shall not exceed the amount you paid for the App (which, if the App was provided free of charge, is zero).

Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits our liability for fraud, death, or personal injury caused by negligence, or any other liability that cannot be excluded under applicable law.

7. Intellectual Property

The App, including its design, code, wordlists, branding, and all associated intellectual property, is owned by Lovit BV and is protected by copyright, trade secret, and other applicable intellectual property laws.

You are granted a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable, revocable licence to use the App on your personal device, solely for your personal, non-commercial use in accordance with these Terms.

Nothing in these Terms grants you any rights in the "Hongi" name, logo, or brand.

8. Updates and Termination

We may, at our sole discretion and without notice:

  • Update, modify, or discontinue the App or any feature thereof at any time.
  • Cease offering the App on any platform.

We reserve the right to terminate or suspend your access to the App if you violate these Terms.

9. Third-Party Platforms

The App is distributed through the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. Your use of those platforms is governed by their respective terms of service. We are not responsible for the policies or conduct of those platforms.

10. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Lovit BV, its directors, employees, and contractors from and against any and all claims, damages, losses, liabilities, costs, and expenses (including reasonable legal fees) arising from:

  • Your use of the App
  • Your breach of these Terms
  • Your reliance on verification results for any purpose
  • Any claim by a third party related to your use of the App

11. Governing Law and Jurisdiction

These Terms are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of Belgium, without regard to its conflict of law principles. Any dispute arising under these Terms shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Belgium, unless otherwise required by applicable consumer protection laws in your jurisdiction.

12. Contact

Company: Lovit BV
Address: Asse, Belgium
Email: legal@hongi.io

13. Changes to These Terms

We may update these Terms at any time. When we do, we will update the "Last Updated" date above. Your continued use of the App after the effective date of any changes constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms. If you do not agree with the revised Terms, you must stop using the App.