Terms of Service

1. Acceptance of Terms

Welcome to AO3 Skin Generator. By accessing or using our website at ao3skingen.wordfokus.com (the "Service"), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service ("Terms"). If you do not agree to these Terms, please do not use the Service.

We reserve the right to modify these Terms at any time. Continued use of the Service after changes constitutes acceptance of the modified Terms.

2. Description of Service

AO3 Skin Generator is a free, browser-based tool for building social-media-style scenes for Archive of Our Own (AO3) fanfiction, and for restyling AO3 itself. The Service includes:

• Pre-built templates for X/Twitter posts, iMessage and WhatsApp conversations, and Google search results, including group chats, quoted replies, photo grids, link cards, voice notes, video and reactions
• Site skin templates that recolour the AO3 interface for your own account only
• Visual editing interface with live preview, and a pre-publication check against AO3's CSS rules
• Export as a downloadable image, or as a work skin and HTML ready to paste into an AO3 chapter — where the conversation is real, selectable text rather than a picture
• Optional image upload via third-party service (ImgBB)
• Local browser storage for saving work in progress

Audio, video and link cards are stored as web addresses that you supply. The Service never downloads, copies, or re-hosts those files, and it makes no commitment about whether the host you chose will still be serving them later.

The Service is provided free of charge and does not require account creation.

3. User Eligibility

You must be at least 13 years old to use this Service. If you are between 13 and 18 years old (or the age of majority in your jurisdiction), you must have parental or guardian consent to use the Service.

By using the Service, you represent and warrant that you meet these age requirements and have the legal capacity to enter into these Terms.

4. Acceptable Use

4.1 You May:

• Use the Service to create content for your own fanfiction on AO3
• Share your generated images and HTML snippets with others
• Use generated skins on other platforms (with attribution appreciated but not required)
• Export and save your work locally
• Modify exported code as you see fit

4.2 You May Not:

• Abuse the Service: Automated scraping, excessive requests, or attempts to overload our systems
• Violate Laws: Use the Service for any illegal purpose or in violation of any local, state, national, or international law
• Infringe Rights: Upload copyrighted images, trademarks, or other content you don't have rights to use
• Harm Others: Create content that harasses, threatens, or promotes violence against individuals or groups
• Spread Malware: Attempt to inject malicious code or exploit security vulnerabilities
• Impersonate: Misrepresent your identity or affiliation with any person or organization
• Spread Disinformation: Create fake social media posts, screenshots, or conversations designed to deceive people into believing they are real
• Defame Others: Create false statements about real people that could damage their reputation
• Political Manipulation: Create fake social media content for political campaigns, election interference, or propaganda
• Reverse Engineer: Attempt to reverse engineer, decompile, or extract source code from the Service

5. Intellectual Property

5.1 Your Content

You retain all rights to content you create using the Service. This includes:

• The text, dialogue, and creative elements you input
• The exported image and HTML snippet
• Any images you upload (subject to your having rights to those images)

By using the Service, you grant us no rights to your content. It's yours, period.

5.2 Our Content

The Service itself (including but not limited to the website design, interface, templates, code structure, and branding) is owned by AO3 Skin Generator and protected by copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws.

The source code is source-available, not open source: it is published so that anyone can read and verify what it does, and it carries no licence to reuse it. Those terms are set out in the LICENSE file that ships with the source, and that file governs the source code.

You may not:

• Copy or redistribute the Service's codebase
• Use our branding or logos without permission
• Create derivative works based on the Service's core functionality

Exception: The images and HTML snippets you generate are yours to use, modify, and share as you wish.

5.3 Third-Party Content

Templates and examples may reference or emulate third-party designs (Twitter/X, iOS, Android). These designs are property of their respective owners. Our Service creates parody/transformative work for fanfiction purposes, which we believe falls under fair use.

6. Third-Party Services

The Service integrates with third-party providers:

• ImgBB: For image hosting. Subject to ImgBB's Terms of Service.
• Google Analytics: For usage analytics. Subject to Google Analytics Terms of Service.
• Ko-fi: For optional donations/support. Subject to Ko-fi's Terms of Service.
• YouTube: If you reference a YouTube video, it is embedded through YouTube's privacy-enhanced domain, and YouTube's Terms of Service apply to your readers when it plays.
• Any media host you choose: Images, audio and video you reference by address remain on whoever hosts them, and their terms apply.

We are not responsible for the availability, policies, or practices of these third-party services. Your interactions with them are governed by their respective terms.

This matters after you publish as well as while you build: a posted work asks your readers' browsers to fetch that media directly from its host. If the host removes the file or disappears, the work loses it, and AO3 keeps no copy. Check that you have the right to reference a file before you use it.

7. Disclaimers and Limitations of Liability

7.1 "As-Is" Service

THE SERVICE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE" WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED. We do not guarantee that:

• The Service will be uninterrupted or error-free
• Generated skins will work perfectly on AO3 or other platforms
• Your locally-stored data will be preserved indefinitely
• The Service will meet your specific needs or expectations

7.2 No Liability for User Content

We are not responsible for:

• Content you create using the Service
• How you use exported images and HTML snippets
• Violations of AO3's Terms of Service resulting from content you post
• Copyright or trademark issues arising from images you upload
• Any damages or losses resulting from your use of the Service

7.3 Limitation of Liability

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, WE SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, OR ANY LOSS OF PROFITS OR REVENUES, WHETHER INCURRED DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, OR ANY LOSS OF DATA, USE, GOODWILL, OR OTHER INTANGIBLE LOSSES RESULTING FROM:

• Your use or inability to use the Service
• Any unauthorized access to or use of our servers
• Any bugs, viruses, or malicious code
• Any errors or omissions in content
• Any conduct or content of third parties

OUR TOTAL LIABILITY SHALL NOT EXCEED $100 USD OR THE AMOUNT YOU PAID US (WHICH IS ZERO, SINCE THE SERVICE IS FREE).

8. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless AO3 Skin Generator, its creators, affiliates, and partners from any claims, damages, losses, liabilities, costs, or expenses (including legal fees) arising from:

• Your use of the Service
• Your violation of these Terms
• Your violation of any rights of another party
• Content you create or upload using the Service

9. Data and Privacy

Our collection and use of personal information is governed by our Privacy Policy. Key points:

• Your creative work is stored locally in your browser, not on our servers
• Google Analytics remains off in the application unless you choose to allow content-free usage measurement
• We do not sell or share your data with third parties (except as described in the Privacy Policy)
• You are responsible for backing up your work

10. Termination

We reserve the right to suspend or terminate your access to the Service at any time, for any reason, without notice. Reasons may include but are not limited to:

• Violation of these Terms
• Abusive behavior or excessive resource consumption
• Legal or regulatory requirements
• Discontinuation of the Service

Upon termination, your right to use the Service ceases immediately. Any data stored locally in your browser will remain, but we are not responsible for its preservation.

11. Changes to the Service

We reserve the right to:

• Modify or discontinue any part of the Service at any time
• Impose limits on certain features or restrict access to parts of the Service
• Change these Terms with or without notice

We will make reasonable efforts to notify users of significant changes via:

• A notice on the website for 30 days
• Updates to the "Last updated" date on this page

12. Relationship with Archive of Our Own (AO3)

Important Clarification:

• AO3 Skin Generator is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or officially connected to Archive of Our Own (AO3) or the Organization for Transformative Works (OTW).
• We are an independent tool created to help users format their work for AO3.
• You are responsible for ensuring your use of generated skins complies with AO3's Terms of Service.
• We are not responsible if AO3 disallows or breaks compatibility with skins generated by our Service.

13. Donations and Support

The Service is free to use. We accept optional donations via Ko-fi to support development and hosting costs. Donations are voluntary and do not entitle you to:

• Additional features or priority support
• Guaranteed uptime or service availability
• Refunds (all donations are final)
• Any form of equity or ownership in the Service

Donations are a gesture of support, not a purchase. Ko-fi transactions are governed by Ko-fi's Terms of Service.

14. Copyright Infringement (DMCA)

We respect intellectual property rights. If you believe content on our Service infringes your copyright, please contact us with:

• Identification of the copyrighted work claimed to be infringed
• Identification of the infringing material and its location
• Your contact information (email, phone, address)
• A statement that you have a good faith belief that the use is not authorized
• A statement under penalty of perjury that the information is accurate and you are authorized to act on behalf of the copyright owner
• Your physical or electronic signature

Note: Since the Service generates images from text you supply, rather than hosting a library of user content, DMCA claims are rare. If you uploaded an infringing image to ImgBB, that falls under ImgBB's DMCA process.

15. Governing Law

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with applicable international laws and regulations. If you have a dispute, please contact us first at hello@wordfokus.com to attempt a good-faith resolution.

16. Severability

If any provision of these Terms is found to be invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect. The invalid provision shall be replaced with a valid provision that most closely matches the intent of the original.

17. Entire Agreement

These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and AO3 Skin Generator regarding the Service and supersede any prior agreements.

18. Contact Information

If you have questions about these Terms, please contact us:

19. Acknowledgment

By using the Service, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms of Service. If you do not agree, please discontinue use immediately.