Vendor Terms

Effective Date: 01 January 2025 Last Updated: 27 May 2026 Welcome to Spread the Word ("we," "our," "us," or the "Company"). These Terms and Conditions ("Terms") govern your access to and use of our website (https://spreadtheword.in), our WhatsApp CRM and messaging management platform, and all related services (collectively, the "Platform" or "Services"). Please read these Terms carefully. By accessing or using the Platform, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms, our Privacy Policy, and all applicable laws and regulations — including Meta's Platform Terms and WhatsApp Business Messaging Policy. If you do not agree to these Terms, you must immediately discontinue use of the Platform. 1. Acceptance of Terms By registering for an account, accessing the Platform, or using any of our Services — including through our Embedded Signup integration — you enter into a legally binding agreement with Spread the Word. These Terms apply to: Individual users accessing the platform on their own behalf Business Users connecting their WhatsApp Business Accounts (WABA) through our Embedded Signup flow Authorized representatives acting on behalf of a registered business entity If you are accepting these Terms on behalf of a company or other legal entity, you represent and warrant that you have the authority to bind that entity to these Terms. 2. About Our Platform & Role as a Tech Provider Spread the Word operates as a WhatsApp Business API Tech Provider and Solution Partner on Meta's platform ecosystem. Our Services include: WhatsApp CRM and contact management Bulk messaging and broadcast campaigns Chat automation and AI-powered chatbots Message template creation and submission Campaign analytics and performance tracking Task delegation and team collaboration tools Embedded Signup — enabling businesses to connect their WhatsApp Business Accounts directly through our Platform As a Tech Provider, we integrate with the WhatsApp Business API (Cloud API) operated by Meta Platforms, Inc. ("Meta"). Our access to and use of Meta's APIs is governed by: Meta's Platform Terms WhatsApp Business API Terms of Service WhatsApp Business Messaging Policy Meta's Developer Policies In the event of any conflict between these Terms and Meta's Platform Terms or WhatsApp Policies, Meta's terms shall take precedence with respect to API usage and messaging conduct. 3. Eligibility To use the Platform, you must: Be at least 18 years of age Be legally capable of entering into binding contracts under applicable law Represent a legitimately registered business if onboarding as a Business User Not be barred from using the Services under any applicable law or regulation in India or your jurisdiction Not have been previously suspended or terminated from our Platform or any Meta platform for policy violations By accessing the Platform, you represent and warrant that you meet all of the above eligibility requirements. 4. Account Registration and Security a. Account Creation To access most features of the Platform, you must create an account by providing accurate, complete, and current information, including your name, business name, email address, and phone number. b. Account Accuracy You agree to: Provide truthful and accurate registration information Keep your account information up to date at all times Not impersonate any person or entity or misrepresent your affiliation with any business c. Security Responsibilities You are solely responsible for: Maintaining the confidentiality of your login credentials All activities that occur under your account Immediately notifying us at support@spreadtheword.in of any unauthorized access or suspected security breach Spread the Word will not be liable for any loss, damage, or harm resulting from unauthorized access to your account due to your failure to protect your credentials. d. One Account Per Business Each Business User may maintain one primary account per registered WhatsApp Business Account (WABA), unless otherwise agreed in writing with Spread the Word. 5. Embedded Signup and WhatsApp Business Account Connection a. Embedded Signup Process Our Platform provides an Embedded Signup feature that allows Business Users to connect their WhatsApp Business Account (WABA) and Facebook Business Manager account to our Platform. By completing the Embedded Signup process, you: Authorize Spread the Word to act as a Tech Provider for your WhatsApp Business Account Grant us the permissions necessary to send and receive messages, manage templates, and access messaging analytics on your behalf Confirm that you are an authorized representative of the business account being connected Confirm that the business account complies with Meta's Business Verification requirements b. Permissions Granted During Embedded Signup, you grant Spread the Word the following minimum necessary permissions: Access to your WhatsApp Business Account (WABA) via the WhatsApp Cloud API Ability to send and receive messages on behalf of your registered WABA numbers Access to submit and manage message templates on your behalf Access to messaging analytics and delivery reports c. Revocation of Access You may revoke Spread the Word's access to your WhatsApp Business Account at any time through: Your Facebook Business Manager settings, or By submitting a written request to support@spreadtheword.in Upon revocation, we will cease API access within 24 hours and delete associated API tokens within 30 days, as described in our Privacy Policy. d. No Liability for Meta Decisions Spread the Word is not responsible for any suspension, restriction, or termination of your WhatsApp Business Account by Meta. Such decisions are solely within Meta's authority and governed by Meta's own terms and policies. 6. WhatsApp Messaging — Permitted Use and Policy Compliance This section governs how you may use our Platform to send messages via the WhatsApp Business API. Compliance with this section is mandatory and non-negotiable. a. Compliance with WhatsApp Business Policy By using our Platform, you agree to comply fully with: WhatsApp Business Messaging Policy WhatsApp Commerce Policy Meta's Ads & Business Policies All applicable local laws regarding electronic messaging, marketing, and data privacy b. Mandatory Opt-In Requirement You must obtain explicit, verifiable opt-in consent from every individual before sending them WhatsApp messages through our Platform. Specifically: Opt-in must be freely given, specific, informed, and unambiguous You must maintain records of opt-in consent (date, method, and source) for a minimum of 3 years You must provide recipients with a clear and easy mechanism to opt-out at any time Upon receiving an opt-out request, messaging to that contact must cease immediately Failure to obtain proper opt-in consent is a violation of WhatsApp Policy and these Terms, and may result in immediate account suspension. c. Prohibited Messaging Activities You must NOT use the Platform to: Send spam, bulk unsolicited messages, or messages to users who have not opted in Send misleading, deceptive, or fraudulent content Promote illegal products or services, including unlicensed pharmaceuticals, weapons, or counterfeit goods Send content that is sexually explicit, violent, or promotes hatred against any group Conduct phishing attacks or attempt to obtain user credentials through deceptive means Send messages that impersonate any person, business, or brand Engage in mass marketing campaigns using WhatsApp in violation of WhatsApp's policies Bypass or circumvent Meta's rate limiting, quality ratings, or conversation-based pricing Use the API to scrape, harvest, or aggregate user data from WhatsApp d. Message Template Compliance All WhatsApp Message Templates submitted through our Platform: Must comply with WhatsApp's Message Template Guidelines Are subject to Meta's review and approval process — Spread the Word does not guarantee template approval Must not contain prohibited content categories as defined by Meta Must accurately represent the message that will be delivered to end users e. Quality Rating and Phone Number Health You acknowledge that: Meta assigns a Quality Rating to your WABA phone numbers based on user feedback Poor quality ratings may result in messaging limits or phone number bans by Meta Spread the Word is not liable for quality rating degradation caused by your messaging practices You are responsible for monitoring your own quality ratings through Meta's Business Manager 7. User Responsibilities In addition to the WhatsApp-specific obligations above, you agree to: Use the Platform only for lawful business purposes Not attempt to reverse engineer, decompile, or extract the Platform's source code Not use the Platform to violate any intellectual property rights of any third party Not engage in any activity that disrupts, overloads, or impairs the Platform's infrastructure Not attempt to gain unauthorized access to any part of the Platform, other users' accounts, or connected Meta systems Not resell, sublicense, or redistribute access to the Platform without prior written authorization from Spread the Word Promptly notify us of any suspected policy violations by other Platform users 8. Payment, Billing, and Refunds a. Fees Access to certain features of the Platform requires payment of subscription or usage fees as described on our pricing page. All fees are stated in Indian Rupees (INR) unless otherwise specified. b. Billing Cycle Subscription fees are billed in advance on a monthly or annual basis, depending on your selected plan. Usage-based charges (e.g., WhatsApp conversation fees) will be billed at the end of each billing cycle. c. WhatsApp Conversation Charges You acknowledge that the WhatsApp Business API operates on a conversation-based pricing model defined by Meta. These charges are passed through to you as part of your usage fees. Spread the Word is not responsible for changes to Meta's pricing structure. d. Payment Methods We accept payments via the methods listed on our website, including UPI, Net Banking, Debit/Credit Cards, and other gateways as made available. e. Late Payments Failure to pay fees on time may result in service suspension until the outstanding balance is cleared. We reserve the right to charge interest on overdue amounts at the rate of 1.5% per month or the maximum rate permitted by law, whichever is lower. f. Refund Policy All payments are non-refundable except: Where explicitly stated in a separate written service agreement Where required by applicable Indian consumer protection law In cases where Spread the Word terminates your account without cause Refund requests must be submitted in writing to support@spreadtheword.in within 7 days of the disputed charge. g. Taxes All fees are exclusive of applicable taxes including GST. You are responsible for paying all applicable taxes on your purchases. 9. Intellectual Property Rights a. Our Intellectual Property All content, software, technology, design elements, graphics, logos, trademarks, and materials on the Platform ("Spread the Word IP") are the exclusive property of Spread the Word or its licensors. These are protected under the laws of India, including the Copyright Act, 1957, and the Trade Marks Act, 1999. You are not permitted to: Copy, reproduce, or distribute any Spread the Word IP without written authorization Use our trademarks, logos, or brand elements in any marketing materials without consent Create derivative works based on our Platform or its content b. Meta's Intellectual Property The WhatsApp name, logo, and all related marks are the intellectual property of Meta Platforms, Inc. Use of Meta's brand assets is governed by Meta's Brand Guidelines. c. Your Content and Data You retain ownership of all data, messages, contact lists, and content you upload or transmit through the Platform ("User Content"). By using the Platform, you grant Spread the Word a limited, non-exclusive, royalty-free license to use your User Content solely to the extent necessary to provide the Services. We do not claim ownership of your User Content and will not use it for any purpose beyond delivering the contracted Services. 10. Data Processing and Privacy a. Privacy Policy Our collection and use of personal data is governed by our Privacy Policy, which is incorporated into these Terms by reference. b. Data Processing Agreement Where required under applicable data protection law (including for Business Users based in the EU or UK), Spread the Word will enter into a Data Processing Agreement (DPA) upon written request. Please contact support@spreadtheword.in to request a DPA. c. Business User Data Obligations As a Business User, you are responsible for: Ensuring that all contact data uploaded to the Platform has been lawfully collected with appropriate consent Complying with applicable data protection laws in your jurisdiction Not uploading sensitive personal data (e.g., health records, financial data, government IDs) through WhatsApp messaging channels unless you have explicit legal authority to do so Maintaining your own records of consent for WhatsApp opt-ins 11. Service Availability and Support a. Service Availability We aim to maintain Platform availability of 99.5% uptime (excluding scheduled maintenance). However, we do not guarantee uninterrupted or error-free service. b. Scheduled Maintenance We will provide reasonable advance notice for scheduled maintenance windows that may impact service availability. c. API Dependency You acknowledge that our WhatsApp-related Services are dependent on Meta's API infrastructure. Service disruptions caused by Meta's platform, API changes, or policy enforcement are outside our control, and Spread the Word shall not be liable for such disruptions. d. Support Technical support is available via: 📧 Email: support@spreadtheword.in 🌐 Help Center: https://spreadtheword.in/support 12. Suspension and Termination a. Termination by You You may terminate your account at any time by providing written notice to support@spreadtheword.in. Termination does not entitle you to a refund of prepaid fees. b. Suspension or Termination by Us We reserve the right to immediately suspend or permanently terminate your account, without prior notice, if: You violate any provision of these Terms You violate Meta's Platform Terms, WhatsApp Business Policy, or any other applicable Meta policy You engage in any prohibited messaging activity described in Section 6 You fail to pay outstanding fees after a reasonable cure period We are required to do so by Meta, a court of competent jurisdiction, or applicable law We reasonably suspect fraudulent, abusive, or illegal activity on your account c. Effect of Termination Upon termination: Your access to the Platform will be immediately revoked Your WhatsApp Business Account will be disconnected from our Tech Provider credentials We will retain your data for the period specified in our Privacy Policy, then delete or anonymize it Outstanding payment obligations survive termination d. Meta-Initiated Restrictions You acknowledge that Meta may independently suspend or restrict your WhatsApp Business Account. Spread the Word is not responsible for and has no control over Meta's enforcement actions. 13. Limitation of Liability a. No Warranties The Platform is provided on an "as is" and "as available" basis, without warranties of any kind, express or implied, including but not limited to warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement. b. Limitation of Damages To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, Spread the Word shall not be liable for: Any indirect, incidental, consequential, special, or punitive damages Loss of profits, revenue, data, business opportunities, or goodwill Damages arising from Meta's API downtime, policy changes, or enforcement actions Damages resulting from unauthorized access to your account due to your negligence Damages arising from your failure to comply with WhatsApp Business Policy or these Terms c. Cap on Liability Our total aggregate liability to you for any claim arising under or in connection with these Terms shall not exceed the total fees paid by you to Spread the Word in the 3 months immediately preceding the event giving rise to the claim. d. Essential Basis You acknowledge that the limitations in this section reflect a reasonable and fair allocation of risk and are an essential basis of the bargain between you and Spread the Word. 14. Indemnification You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Spread the Word, its directors, employees, agents, and service providers from and against any claims, damages, losses, liabilities, costs, and expenses (including reasonable legal fees) arising from: Your use of the Platform in violation of these Terms Your violation of Meta's Platform Terms, WhatsApp Business Policy, or any applicable law Your messaging activities, including spam complaints or opt-in violations Any third-party claims arising from content you transmit through the Platform Your misrepresentation of authorization when completing the Embedded Signup process 15. Dispute Resolution a. Good Faith Resolution In the event of any dispute arising under these Terms, both parties agree to first attempt resolution through good-faith negotiation within 30 days of written notice of the dispute. b. Arbitration If the dispute cannot be resolved through negotiation, it shall be referred to arbitration in accordance with the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 (India). The arbitration shall be conducted by a single arbitrator mutually agreed upon by both parties, and the proceedings shall be in English in [City, India — e.g., Bangalore / Mumbai / Delhi]. c. Jurisdiction Notwithstanding the above, both parties submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of [City, India] for injunctive relief or enforcement of arbitral awards. 16. Governing Law These Terms are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of India, including: The Information Technology Act, 2000 and its amendments The Consumer Protection Act, 2019 The Indian Contract Act, 1872 Applicable rules under the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 17. Third-Party Services The Platform may integrate with or link to third-party services, including but not limited to Meta's platforms, payment gateways, and analytics tools. We are not responsible for the terms, privacy practices, or availability of any third-party services. Your use of third-party services is governed by their respective terms and policies. 18. Changes to These Terms We reserve the right to update or modify these Terms at any time. When we make material changes, we will: Update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this document Notify registered users via email or in-platform notification at least 7 days before the changes take effect Post the updated Terms on our website at https://spreadtheword.in/terms Your continued use of the Platform after the effective date of any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated Terms. If you do not agree to the updated Terms, you must discontinue use of the Platform. 19. Miscellaneous a. Entire Agreement These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy and any applicable Data Processing Agreement, constitute the entire agreement between you and Spread the Word regarding use of the Platform, superseding all prior discussions, representations, or agreements. b. Severability If any provision of these Terms is found to be invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions will continue in full force and effect. c. Waiver Our failure to enforce any right or provision of these Terms shall not constitute a waiver of that right or provision. d. Assignment You may not assign or transfer your rights or obligations under these Terms without our prior written consent. Spread the Word may assign these Terms in connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets. e. Force Majeure Spread the Word shall not be liable for delays or failures in performance resulting from circumstances beyond our reasonable control, including Meta API outages, government actions, natural disasters, or internet infrastructure failures. 20. Contact Us For any questions, concerns, or notices regarding these Terms, please contact: Spread the Word 📧 Email: support@spreadtheword.in 🌐 Website: https://spreadtheword.in https://spreadtheword.in/terms-and-policies/user_terms https://spreadtheword.in/terms-and-policies/privacy_policy