Terms of Service for Heron

Effective Date: September 26, 2025

Welcome to Heron, an open-source client application for the AT Protocol. These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your use of the Heron application. By downloading, installing, or using Heron, you agree to be bound by these Terms.

1. The Heron Application

1.1 Nature of the Application

Heron is a client-side application. It acts as an interface that allows you to access and interact with the decentralized AT Protocol. Heron itself does not host, store, or process your account data, posts, or feeds. All your data and interactions are handled by the AT Protocol server (Personal Data Server or PDS) that you choose to connect to.

1.2 Open Source License

Heron is distributed as Free and Open Source Software under the terms of the Apache-2.0 License. The full license terms govern your right to use, copy, modify, and distribute the software. The source code is publicly available for inspection and contribution at:

https://github.com/tunjid/heron

2. User Responsibilities and Third-Party Services

2.1 Reliance on AT Protocol Servers (PDS)

By using Heron, you agree and acknowledge that:

  1. You must separately sign up for, or already possess, an account on an AT Protocol server (your PDS host).
  2. Your use of the AT Protocol network, including the content you view, post, and share, is subject to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy of the specific PDS host you connect to.
  3. Heron is not responsible for the stability, policies, content filtering, or security of any PDS host or AT Protocol server.

It is your sole responsibility to review and comply with the terms and policies of the AT Protocol server (PDS host) you use with Heron.

2.2 Account Security

You are responsible for safeguarding your AT Protocol credentials and any device where your access token for Heron is stored. Heron's developer cannot recover lost accounts or data managed by a PDS.

3. Content Policy and Reporting

3.1 Prohibited Content

Heron explicitly prohibits the use of the application for any purpose that promotes or facilitates Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation (CSAE), including the distribution of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM). Use of the application for such purposes is a direct violation of these Terms.

3.2 Reporting Mechanism and Limitations

Heron provides avenues for users to submit feedback or report objectionable content encountered within the app. Upon receiving a report, we will take appropriate action to forward the feedback to the hosting AT Protocol server's administrators.

However, you must acknowledge the following:

  • Heron is only a client application and hosts no content. As such, we have no authority or technical ability to investigate, validate, or remove any objectionable material from the AT Protocol network. The responsibility for content moderation lies solely with the server where the content is hosted.
  • The onus is on the reporter to provide clear and sufficient details about the objectionable material, including the AT Protocol server (PDS) on which it was encountered. Without this information, we cannot forward the report to the correct party.

Users are also strongly encouraged to submit feedback and reports directly to the administrators of the AT Protocol server they are signed into, as this is the most effective method for addressing objectionable content.

4. Disclaimer of Warranties and Limitation of Liability

4.1 "AS IS" Basis

The Heron application is provided "AS IS," without warranty of any kind, express or implied, including but not to the warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement. We make no warranty that the application will be uninterrupted, error-free, secure, or that defects will be corrected.

4.2 Limitation of Liability

In no event shall the developer of Heron be liable for any claims, damages, or other liability, whether in an action of contract, tort, or otherwise, arising from, out of, or in connection with the use of the Heron application. This includes, but is not limited to, any damages resulting from:

  • Loss of data, profits, or goodwill.
  • Security breaches or service interruptions caused by your PDS host or the underlying AT Protocol.
  • Your failure to comply with the terms of your PDS host.

5. Changes to These Terms

We reserve the right to modify these Terms at any time. We will post the revised Terms on this page with an updated "Effective Date." Your continued use of the Heron application after any changes become effective constitutes your acceptance of the new Terms.

6. Contact Information

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