Viala AI Travel Companion
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Viala – Terms of Use (Terms & Conditions)

Last updated: July 2026

These Terms of Use (“Terms”) govern your use of the mobile application Viala (the “App”) and related services (the “Service”).
By downloading, installing, accessing, or using the Service, you enter into a contract with the Provider and agree to these Terms.

If you do not agree to these Terms, do not use the Service.

Language versions

This document is provided in English and German. If you are habitually resident in Germany, the German version (“Nutzungsbedingungen”) is intended to apply.

1. Provider (Contracting Party) and Contact

Email: Travelcompanionai@gmail.com

2. Definitions

  • Provider / We / Us: the person identified in Section 1.
  • User / You: any person who uses the Service.
  • Content: all content made available through the Service (including AI Output), excluding User Content.
  • User Content: data/content you provide or generate via the Service (e.g., profile data, notes, preferences, saved trips, shared trips, uploaded profile photo).
  • AI Output: automatically generated content produced by AI-enabled features (e.g., itineraries, recommendations).

3. Scope of the Service (What the Service does / does not do)

3.1 Service purpose

The Service is a travel planning and inspiration tool. Depending on features available in your version, it may include:

  • AI-assisted generation of itineraries and recommendations,
  • location-based “What’s Nearby” functionality (optional, permission-based),
  • map display, places search, routing/directions,
  • weather display,
  • saving trips and preferences,
  • inviting other users to collaborate on the same trip in real time,
  • allowing others to create their own independent copy of a trip via a shareable import code or QR code.

3.2 No travel agency / no tour operator

Unless the Service explicitly offers bookings under our responsibility, we do not sell, bundle, book, or arrange travel services (transport, accommodation, activities). Any bookings or purchases you make with third parties are made under the third party’s terms and responsibility.

3.3 Informational nature

Content may be incomplete, outdated, or inaccurate. You remain responsible for verifying critical information before making decisions.

4. Eligibility / Minimum Age

The Service is not directed to children. You must be at least 16 years old to use the Service, unless a higher minimum age applies under the law of your country or parental consent is required and obtained under applicable law.

5. Accounts, Authentication, and Security

5.1 Account requirement

Some features require you to create an account. You agree to provide accurate information where requested and to keep your credentials confidential.

5.2 Biometric login (optional)

If you enable biometric login (Face ID / fingerprint), your credentials may be stored in encrypted local device storage to allow biometric unlock. We do not receive or store biometric templates; biometric matching is performed by your device/OS. You can disable biometric login in your device or app settings.

5.3 Your responsibility

You are responsible for activity under your account to the extent you are at fault. Notify us promptly if you suspect unauthorized access.

6. License to Use the App and Intellectual Property

6.1 Our intellectual property

The Service (software, design, logos, trademarks, and non-user content) is owned by us or our licensors and is protected by intellectual property laws.

6.2 License grant to you

We grant you a personal, non-exclusive, non-transferable, revocable, limited license to install and use the App for your own lawful purposes, subject to these Terms.

6.3 Restrictions

You must not (except where mandatory law permits):

  • copy, modify, distribute, sell, lease, sublicense, or create derivative works of the App,
  • reverse engineer, decompile, or attempt to extract source code,
  • bypass or circumvent technical protections.

7. Acceptable Use

You must not:

  • violate applicable laws or third-party rights;
  • use the Service to submit unlawful, infringing, hateful, abusive, or harassing content;
  • attempt to bypass security measures, scrape, overload, disrupt, or interfere with the Service;
  • introduce malware or attempt unauthorized access to systems or accounts;
  • misuse sharing or QR import features (e.g., share or import content you are not entitled to share).

We may suspend or terminate access for violations (see Section 15).

8. AI Features and AI Output (Important Disclaimers)

8.1 AI Output is not verified

AI Output is created automatically and is not manually verified.

8.2 AI Output may be wrong or outdated

For example: opening hours, prices, availability, safety conditions, local regulations, visa/entry requirements, accessibility, and routing/traffic estimates may be inaccurate.

8.3 No professional advice

The Service does not provide professional travel, safety, legal, medical, or financial advice.

8.4 No safety-critical use

Do not rely on the Service for emergencies or safety-critical decisions.

8.5 Similarity of outputs

AI Output may be similar to content generated for other users and may not be unique.

9. Device, Connectivity, and Security Notes

9.1 Connectivity and carrier charges

Some functions require an internet connection. Your mobile network provider’s terms apply and you may incur data/roaming charges. You are responsible for such charges.

9.2 Push notifications (optional)

The App may send push notifications (e.g., sharing invitations or trip-related updates). You can control notifications via your device settings.

9.3 Device security / rooting / jailbreaking

You are responsible for keeping your device secure. We strongly advise against rooting/jailbreaking because it can weaken device security and may cause the App to malfunction.

10. Location-Based Features (What’s Nearby, home-screen context) – Permission-based

If you use What’s Nearby, the App may request permission to access your device location and temporarily read device coordinates (approximate or precise depending on your OS settings).

If you have set a home base in your profile and have already granted location permission, the App additionally reads your device’s last known position when the home screen is shown, in order to display context-aware suggestions. The App never requests location permission on the home screen; if permission was not granted, or no recent position is available, this is skipped and non-location-based suggestions are shown instead.

  • Purpose: pre-fill a city via reverse geocoding to speed up planning, and determine whether you are currently away from your home city.
  • Control: you can deny permission and continue by entering a city manually.
  • Storage: we store only the derived city, not raw coordinates. Details are described in the Privacy Policy.

11. Weather Information

If the App shows weather data, it is provided by a third-party provider (currently WeatherAPI.com) and may be inaccurate or outdated. Weather data is informational only.

12. Third-Party Services and External Links

12.1 Third-party services used

The Service integrates third-party services, including:

  • Google Firebase (Authentication, Firestore, Cloud Functions, Storage, Cloud Messaging, Analytics, Crashlytics),
  • Google Maps Platform (Maps, Places, Directions),
  • Google Gemini / Vertex AI (AI features),
  • WeatherAPI.com (weather data).

Third-party services may be governed by their own terms and policies.

12.2 External websites and providers

If the Service links to external sites or providers, those are outside our control. Your relationship is with the third party.

12.3 App store terms

If you download the App from Google Play, your use of Google Play is subject to Google Play's terms and policies. If you download the App from the Apple App Store, your use of the App Store is subject to Apple's Media Services Terms and Conditions. Neither Google nor Apple is a party to this contract between you and the Provider, except where mandatory law provides otherwise.

12.4 Links to third-party terms and policies (informational)

The following links are provided for convenience. They may change over time; the current versions on the providers’ websites apply:

13. User Content (Ownership, License, Sharing, Import)

13.1 Your rights

You retain rights to your User Content.

13.2 License you grant to us (only to operate the Service)

You grant us a non-exclusive, worldwide, revocable license to host, store, process, transmit, and display your User Content solely to provide, secure, maintain, and improve the Service (e.g., syncing, generating itineraries, providing sharing/import, customer support, abuse prevention, and security).

13.3 Your responsibility

You represent that you have the rights necessary to submit User Content and that it does not infringe third-party rights or violate law.

13.4 Sharing and collaboration (invite-based)

The Service may allow you to share a trip/itinerary with another user through an invitation mechanism.

  • What may be shared: your display name (or similar profile label) and the shared trip content (destination, itinerary details).
  • Collaboration: invited collaborators may be able to view and edit a shared trip in real time. You are responsible for choosing recipients and managing access.
  • Your responsibility: share only with intended recipients and only content you have the right to share.

13.5 QR code import

The Service may allow trip import by scanning a QR code. Only scan QR codes from sources you trust. Scanning may import trip data into your account. Camera access is used only for scanning.

13.6 Profile photo

If you upload a profile photo, it will be stored and displayed for personalization. You can remove or replace it via in-app controls.

13.7 Account deletion and data effects (functional description)

If you delete your account, your account and profile data will be deleted. Some trip and activity content you created may remain for a limited time without a direct account link. Details are described in the Privacy Policy.

14. Free Service and Future Paid Features

14.1 Current model

The Service is currently provided free of charge.

14.2 Future changes

If we introduce paid features (e.g., subscriptions or in-app purchases) in the future, we will update these Terms and provide store-compliant pricing and billing information. Mandatory consumer rights remain unaffected.

15. Suspension and Termination

15.1 Termination by you

You can stop using the Service at any time and delete the App. You can delete your account via the in-app deletion feature.

15.2 Suspension/termination by us

We may suspend or terminate your access for cause, including violations of these Terms, legal compliance reasons, security incidents, or abuse.

15.3 Effect of termination

Upon termination, your license to use the App ends. Sections that by their nature should survive remain in effect (e.g., IP, liability, governing law).

16. Availability, Updates, and Changes to the Service

16.1 Availability

We strive to keep the Service available but do not guarantee uninterrupted availability.

16.2 Updates

We may deploy updates for security, compliance, bug fixes, or improvements. Your device/OS requirements may change over time.

16.3 Changes to features

We may change, add, or remove features. Where mandatory law requires (including consumer rules for digital services), we will provide notice and, where applicable, options (e.g., to terminate) for changes that materially negatively affect your access or use.

17. Warranty and Liability (consumer-safe structure)

17.1 Statutory rights

Mandatory statutory rights (especially consumer rights) remain unaffected.

17.2 No guarantee of accuracy

To the extent permitted by law, we do not warrant that Content (including AI Output and third-party data) is accurate, complete, or fit for a particular purpose.

17.3 Liability limitations (must not override mandatory law)

We are liable without limitation:

  • for intent and gross negligence (where exclusion is not permitted),
  • for damage resulting from injury to life, body, or health,
  • and under mandatory statutory liability regimes (if applicable).

For simple negligence, we are liable only for breach of essential contractual obligations (“cardinal duties”), and then limited to foreseeable, typical damages, to the extent permitted by law.

If the Service is provided free of charge, liability may be further limited to the extent permitted by law.

18. Privacy

Our Privacy Policy explains how we process personal data and how third-party services are involved: https://viala-ai.com/privacy/.

19. Consumer Dispute Resolution / ADR (Germany/EU)

We are not willing or obliged to participate in dispute resolution proceedings before a consumer arbitration board.

20. Governing Law and Jurisdiction

20.1 Governing law

German law applies, excluding the UN Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG). Mandatory consumer protections of your habitual residence remain unaffected where applicable.

20.2 Jurisdiction

If you are a consumer, mandatory consumer venue rules apply. If you are a business user, exclusive jurisdiction is Bonn, Germany.

21. Changes to These Terms

We may update these Terms to reflect legal, technical, or product changes. We will provide notice in an appropriate manner (e.g., in-app notice). Where required, we will obtain consent.

22. Contact

Email: Travelcompanionai@gmail.com