:page_facing_up: GDPR & CCPA-Compliant Terms of Service

Effective Date: January 1, 2026.

Welcome to CostoCommunity. The following Terms of Service govern all use of the https://community.projectcosto.org/ website and all content, services, and products available through it (collectively, the “Website”). The Website is owned and operated by CostoCommunity (“we,” “our,” or “us”).

The Website is offered subject to your acceptance, without modification, of these Terms of Service and all other operating rules, policies, and procedures we may publish, including our Privacy Policy and Community Guidelines (together, the “Agreement”).

Please read this Agreement carefully before accessing or using the Website. By accessing or using any part of the Website, you agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree to all of the Terms, you may not access the Website or use any services.

The Website is available only to individuals who are at least 18 years old.

1. Membership & Access

  • Access requires a paid subscription.

  • Membership is personal and non-transferable.

  • We may suspend or terminate accounts that violate these Terms.

Registration
To access the forum, you must register for an account using a valid email address. You agree to provide accurate, complete, and up-to-date information about yourself. You may not:

  • Use an email address you do not own or control.

  • Register using another person’s name with the intent to impersonate them.

  • Share your account login with others; each account is for a single individual only.
    We reserve the right to delete or change a username, suspend an account, or reset login credentials at our discretion, including for security, moderation, or policy compliance reasons.

Member Password and Login Identity
You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your password and are fully responsible for all activities that occur under your account, with or without your knowledge. You agree to notify us immediately of any unauthorized use of your account or any other breach of security.

2. No Medical Advice

  • The forum is intended for peer support and sharing of personal experiences only.

  • All content posted by members, including messages, discussions, advice, tips, or health-related experiences, is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical care, diagnosis, or treatment.

  • We do not provide, recommend, or endorse any specific medical tests, treatments, medications, procedures, or healthcare providers.

  • Reliance on any content shared by other members is entirely at your own risk.

  • Always consult a qualified healthcare professional regarding any medical condition or health concern. Never disregard or delay professional medical advice because of something you read or experience on this forum.

3. Medical Disclaimer

General Information Only
This Website does not provide medical, psychological, fitness, or any other healthcare advice. All content, including text, graphics, images, and other material, is for informational purposes only.

No Doctor–Patient Relationship
Nothing on this Website constitutes the practice of medicine or professional healthcare services. It does not create a doctor–patient relationship. Content is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, treatment, or prevention.

Seek Professional Guidance
Always consult your physician or another qualified healthcare provider regarding any medical condition, treatment, exercise, or diet regimen. Never disregard or delay professional medical advice based on content you read on this Website.

Cardiac Concerns
If you experience chest pain or other symptoms that may resemble cardiac issues, consult your physician immediately. Do not delay medical evaluation, especially if you are undiagnosed, experiencing new or worsening symptoms, or have concerns about your condition.

Mental Health Support
If you are struggling with mental health issues, including anxiety, depression, or suicidal thoughts, seek care from a licensed mental health professional. If you are in crisis, call your local emergency number immediately.

Unregulated Health Information
Health-related information on this Website, including herbal therapies or dietary supplements, has not been regulated or evaluated by the FDA. Such information should not be used to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease without supervision by a licensed medical doctor.

Accuracy and Updates
Medical knowledge evolves rapidly, and some information may become outdated. CostoCommunity is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of information and expressly disclaims liability for any damages, loss, injury, or other consequences arising from reliance on this content.

Acceptance of Disclaimer
By visiting this Website, you agree to this Medical Disclaimer, which may be updated or supplemented by CostoCommunity from time to time. If you do not agree to these terms, you should not access or use the Website.

4. User Responsibilities

  • You are responsible for the content you post.

  • Do not post offensive, illegal, or harmful content.

  • Respect other members’ privacy—do not share their content outside the forum without consent.

  • Messages between users can be viewed & accessed in cases of abuse reports, harassment, or legal/compliance reasons — it’s generally not expected that admins casually read private chats.

5. Payments & Refunds

  • Fees are billed through Stripe.

  • All payments are final. We do not offer refunds for subscriptions, whether full or partial, including for unused time.

  • Pricing may change with prior notice.

6. Data Protection & Privacy

  • We process your data in line with our Privacy Policy.

  • If you are in the EEA/UK, your data is protected under GDPR.

  • If you are in California, your data is protected under CCPA/CPRA.

  • Messages between users are generally private. However, they may be viewed or accessed in cases of abuse reports, harassment, or legal/compliance requirements. Admins are not expected to casually read private chats.

7. Intellectual Property

User Content
The forum includes community areas where members may post messages, images, and other material (“User Content”). You (or the original author) retain ownership of the copyright and other rights in the User Content you post. By posting User Content, you grant CostoCommunity and its affiliates a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to use, copy, display, store, distribute, translate, and create derivative works of your User Content for the purpose of operating, maintaining, and promoting the Website, subject to the Privacy Policy.

Moderation
We have no obligation to prescreen User Content and are not responsible for its accuracy or legality. We reserve the right to review, edit, or remove User Content at our discretion, including when it violates these Terms, our Community Guidelines, or applicable law. Members are encouraged to report inappropriate or unlawful content directly.

Forum Branding and Software
All trademarks, service marks, forum branding, design, and underlying software remain the property of CostoCommunity or our licensors. You may not copy, modify, or distribute these materials without prior written permission.

8. Disclaimer of Warranties

  • The Website is provided “as is,” without warranties of any kind, whether express or implied.

  • We do not guarantee uninterrupted or error-free access, nor do we make representations about the accuracy or reliability of member content.

9. Limitation of Liability

  • To the maximum extent permitted by law, CostoCommunity, its founders, partners, contributors, moderators, employees, or affiliates shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, or consequential damages, even if advised of the possibility of such damages, arising out of or related to your use of the Website.

  • This includes, without limitation, damages resulting from:

    • Reliance on content shared by members

    • Unauthorized access to or alteration of your data

    • Interruptions, errors, or delays in the Website’s availability

    • Any third-party links, services, or content accessible through the Website

  • Your sole and exclusive remedy for dissatisfaction with the Website is to stop using it.

10. Governing Law

  • These Terms are governed by the laws of Canada and the Province of Ontario, unless otherwise required by applicable law.

11. Commercial Use

  • The Website, including member-only areas and all content within them, is for personal, non-commercial use by individual members.

  • Organizations, companies, and businesses may not become members or use the Website without our express written consent.

  • Members with individual commercial interests may not solicit, advertise, or promote products or services within the forum.

  • All content shared within the Website is intended for use inside the community only and may not be copied, distributed, or used externally without permission.

  • Non-members seeking permission to contact forum members for media, research, or other purposes should direct inquiries to support@projectcosto.org.

12. Disclosures for AI-Generated Content

  • We may label as “AI-Generated” any content substantially created by artificial intelligence tools.

  • If you submit content created or materially assisted by AI, you must clearly disclose within that content that it is AI-generated.

  • Failure to provide this disclosure is a violation of these Terms.

  • Consistent with the FTC Endorsement Guides, undisclosed AI-generated content may be removed immediately.

  • We reserve the right to suspend or terminate accounts that repeatedly fail to comply with this requirement.

13. Data Use for Research, AI Training, and Public Access

Research Use
Data submitted to the Website, including forum content, may be considered for research purposes. Such data will be used only in anonymized or aggregated form to protect member privacy.

AI Training
Forum posts, comments, and other contributions may be anonymized and used to train or improve AI systems.

Public Access
Please assume that all content you post may eventually be made publicly available. At present, the forum is private. In the future, the forum may be opened to the public.

Third Parties & Data Sharing
We may share anonymized or aggregated data with third parties (i.e.research institutions) for the purpose of furthering our aims of further understanding and increasing global awareness of costochondritis & tietze syndrome. Identifiable personal data will not be shared without your explicit consent, except as required by law.

Acknowledgment
By using the Website, you acknowledge and agree that your data may be used in the above ways.

14. Modifications to This Agreement

  • We reserve the right to modify this Agreement at any time, without prior notice, by posting amended terms on the Website.

  • We encourage you to review this Agreement periodically for updates.

  • The “Effective Date” at the top reflects the date of the most recent changes.

  • Your continued use of the Website following any changes constitutes agreement to be bound by the updated Terms.

Contact

For questions, contact:
CostoCommunity
:e_mail: support@projectcosto.org