Message in a Bottle — Terms of Service

Chapter 1 General Provisions

Article 1 (Purpose)

The purpose of these Terms is to set out the basic matters, including the rights, obligations, and responsibilities of Beetrace (the "Company") and its members, as well as the conditions and procedures of use, in connection with the use of the mobile application "Message in a Bottle" (the "Service") provided by the Company.

Article 2 (Definitions)

① The terms used in these Terms have the following meanings.

1. "Service" means the location-based messaging application "Message in a Bottle" provided by the Company and all services incidental thereto.
2. "User" means a member or non-member who uses the Service in accordance with these Terms.
3. "Member" means a person who has registered as a member by providing personal information to the Company and who may continuously use the Service provided by the Company.
4. "Non-member" means a person who uses the Service, within the scope made public by the Company, without registering as a member.
5. "Account" means the e-mail address registered by a member, or the external authentication method (Google, Facebook, etc.) linked by a member, for the purpose of identifying the member and using the Service.
6. "Bottle letter" means a message written by a member on the basis of their location and posted to the Service, being a post whose position moves over time according to rules set by the Company and whose display ends after a certain period.
7. "Signpost" means a location-based community that a member creates at a specific position on the map and uses together with other members.
8. "Creator" means the member who created a signpost, and "signpost member" means a member who has joined that signpost.
9. "Post" means any information published by a member on the Service, including text, photographs, files, and links, and includes bottle letters and replies to them, the name and description of a signpost, articles and comments on signpost boards, and information entered in a profile.
10. "Membership level" means the level assigned by the Company to a member in order to distinguish the scope of use of the Service (the radius within which letters can be discovered, the daily number of letters that may be written, the number of signposts that may be created, and the like).

② The meaning of terms not defined in these Terms shall follow relevant laws and the guidance provided for each service, and otherwise general commercial practice.

Article 3 (Publication and Amendment of These Terms)

① The Company shall post the contents of these Terms on the initial screen of the Service or on a linked screen so that members can easily review them.

② The Company may amend these Terms to the extent that it does not violate relevant laws, including the Act on the Regulation of Terms and Conditions, the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection (the "Network Act"), the Act on the Protection and Use of Location Information (the "Location Information Act"), and the Personal Information Protection Act.

③ Where the Company amends these Terms, it shall announce the amendment together with the current Terms, specifying the effective date and the reasons for the amendment, from seven days before the effective date, by means of in-app notices, e-mail, app push notifications, or similar methods. However, where the amendment is unfavourable to members, it shall be announced from 30 days before the effective date and notified individually through the contact means registered by the member (e-mail, app push notification, etc.).

④ Where, in announcing or notifying the amended Terms under Paragraph 3, the Company has also clearly stated that "a member who does not express refusal by the effective date shall be deemed to have consented," and the member does not expressly refuse, the member shall be deemed to have consented to the amended Terms.

⑤ Where a member does not agree to the application of the amended Terms, the Company may not apply the amended Terms, and in that case the member may terminate the service agreement (delete their account). However, where special circumstances make it impossible to apply the existing Terms, the Company may terminate the service agreement.

Article 4 (Interpretation of These Terms and Relevant Laws)

① The Company may establish separate terms of use or operating policies for individual services (the "Individual Terms"), and where their contents conflict with these Terms, the Individual Terms shall prevail. With respect to the collection, use, and provision of location information, the Location-Based Services Terms of Use shall prevail; with respect to the processing of personal information, the Privacy Policy shall prevail.

② Matters not provided for in these Terms or the Individual Terms shall be governed by relevant laws and commercial practice.

Chapter 2 Formation of the Service Agreement

Article 5 (Formation of the Service Agreement)

① The service agreement is formed when a person who wishes to use the Service (an "applicant") agrees to the contents of these Terms, applies for membership in accordance with the procedures set by the Company, and the Company accepts the application.

② When registering, an applicant must agree to the Terms of Service, the Consent to the Collection and Use of Personal Information, and the Location-Based Services Terms of Use. As these are essential to the provision of the Service, registration is restricted if the applicant does not agree. Consent to receive promotional information is optional, and use of the Service is not restricted if such consent is not given.

③ The Company may decline, or subsequently terminate the service agreement in respect of, an application falling under any of the following.

1. Where the applicant has previously lost membership status under these Terms. This does not apply where the Company has approved re-registration.
2. Where the applicant has misappropriated another person's name, e-mail address, or contact details, or has entered false information
3. Where the applicant is under the age of 14. This does not apply where the consent of a legal representative has been obtained and the procedures set by the Company have been completed.
4. Where there is insufficient capacity in the facilities related to the Service, or where there are technical or operational impediments
5. Where the applicant intends to use the Service for improper purposes
6. Where the application is made in violation of relevant laws or for the purpose of harming public order or good morals
7. Where the application is otherwise confirmed to violate these Terms or to be unlawful or improper

④ The Company may request identity verification prior to acceptance, and where the applicant does not comply or false information is confirmed, the Company may decline to accept or may terminate the service agreement.

Article 6 (Management of Member Information)

① Members may view and edit their information through the member information edit screen in the Service. However, editing may be restricted for certain items required for operating the Service and identifying the member, such as e-mail address, name, date of birth, and gender.

② Where any details entered at registration change, the member shall update them or notify the Company. The Company is not liable for any disadvantage arising from a failure to report such changes.

Article 7 (Management of Accounts and Passwords)

① Responsibility for managing accounts and passwords rests with the member, who must not allow a third party to use them.

② Where a member becomes aware that their account or password has been misappropriated or is being used by a third party, the member shall immediately notify the Company and follow the Company's guidance. The Company is not liable for any disadvantage arising where the member fails to give such notice or fails to follow the Company's guidance after giving notice.

③ Where a member uses the Service through an external authentication method (Google, Facebook, etc.), responsibility for managing that external account rests with the member, and the Company is not liable for restrictions on sign-in caused by policy changes or service interruptions on the part of the external service provider. The Company shall, however, endeavour to inform members of reasonable alternative means so that they can continue to use the Service.

Article 8 (Notices to Members)

① Where the Company gives notice to a member, it may do so by means of the e-mail address registered by the member, app push notifications, the in-app notification box, or similar methods.

② For notices addressed to all members, the Company may substitute the notice under Paragraph 1 by posting it in the in-app notices for at least seven days. However, individual notice under Paragraph 1 shall be given for matters that materially affect the member personally.

③ Members shall provide the Company with an e-mail address at which they can actually be reached and keep it up to date.

Chapter 3 Use of the Service

Article 9 (Contents of the Service)

① The services provided by the Company are as follows.

1. Bottle letter service: a feature allowing members to write and post messages at their location, and allowing other users to discover, read, reply to, react to (like), and add to favorites the bottle letters within a certain radius of their own location
2. Signpost service: a feature allowing members to create a community at a specific position on the map, and allowing other members to join it and exchange articles and comments through its boards
3. Supplementary services such as public member profiles, notifications, inquiries, notices, and the user guide
4. All other services the Company develops or provides to members through partnerships with other businesses

② The scope of use — including the radius within which bottle letters can be discovered, the number of bottle letters that may be written per day, the number of signposts that may be created, and the number of members who may join a single signpost — may differ according to membership level, and the specifics are set out in the Membership screen and the user guide within the Service.

③ For the operation and improvement of the Service, the Company may determine the detailed behaviour of the Service, including the rules by which bottle letters move, their display period, and the extension of that period in response to reactions; such details are set out in the user guide within the Service.

Article 10 (Notice Regarding the Nature of Bottle Letters and Signposts)

Before using the Service, members shall fully understand and agree to the following.

1. A bottle letter is a post made public to an unspecified number of people. It cannot be designated for delivery to a specific person, and the member cannot choose who reads it.
2. A bottle letter ceases to be displayed on the map after a certain period. That period varies according to the vessel selected by the member when writing, and the member can still read the letter in their own list after display has ended.
3. The Company does not show a member's exact location on a post. The position at which a bottle letter is posted is not the member's actual location as stored, but coordinates adjusted to a random point within a certain radius; this is a measure to prevent the member's residence or similar location from being identified.
4. A signpost is a public community fixed to a location. A signpost's name, description, cover image, and position may be made public to anyone, whether or not they have joined.
5. Location-related information posted by a member may prompt other users to visit that spot. Members shall take care not to include in their posts any information that could identify private places such as their residence or workplace.

Article 11 (Service Hours and Interruption)

① As a rule, the Service is provided 24 hours a day, all year round.

② The Company may restrict or suspend all or part of the Service in the following cases.

1. Where it is unavoidable due to construction work such as facility maintenance
2. Where normal use of the Service is impeded by a power outage, a failure of facilities, a surge in usage, or the like
3. Where the service of a telecommunications carrier or an external service required to provide the Service (maps, authentication, notifications, etc.) has been interrupted
4. Where there is a force majeure event such as a national emergency or natural disaster
5. Where there is otherwise a substantial business reason on the part of the Company

③ Where the Company restricts or suspends the Service under Paragraph 2, it shall give advance notice of the reason and the period. However, where there are unavoidable reasons why advance notice cannot be given, notice may be given afterwards.

④ Where the Company terminates all or part of the Service, it shall give notice of that fact at least 30 days before the termination date.

Article 12 (Changes to the Service)

① The Company may change all or part of the Service it provides as required for operational or technical reasons.

② Where there is a change to the contents, method of use, or hours of the Service, the Company shall post the reason for the change, the details of the change, the date from which it applies, and similar information in the in-app notices before the change takes effect. However, where the change is unfavourable to members, Article 3, Paragraph 3 shall apply.

Article 13 (Paid Services and Membership Levels)

① The Service provided by the Company is, in principle, free of charge. However, the Company may provide separate paid services, in which case it shall clearly disclose in advance the fees, payment methods, period of use, withdrawal of subscription, and refund conditions, and obtain the member's consent.

② In order to promote the Service and for similar purposes, the Company may provide members with the scope of use of a higher membership level free of charge for a certain period (a "temporary upgrade"). The eligibility, period, and benefits of a temporary upgrade are determined by the Company and are set out in the Membership screen within the Service.

③ A temporary upgrade ends automatically when its period expires, and the member returns to their original level. In that case the scope of use, such as the radius within which letters can be discovered, may be reduced; the Company shall inform the member before and at the time of expiry.

④ Where paid services are introduced, their use shall be governed by relevant laws such as the Act on the Consumer Protection in Electronic Commerce and by separate terms of use for paid services.

Article 14 (Transmission of Promotional Information)

① The Company transmits promotional information for commercial purposes by e-mail, app push notification, or similar means only where the member has consented in advance.

② The Company shall not transmit promotional information where a member has withdrawn consent to receive it or has expressed a refusal to receive it. Members may change their preferences at any time through the notification settings or the member information edit screen in the Service.

③ Information essential to the use of the Service (amendments to these Terms, service maintenance, replies to inquiries, reactions to a member's posts, and the like) does not constitute promotional information and may therefore be transmitted regardless of consent. Members may, however, choose which types to receive in the notification settings.

Chapter 4 Members' Obligations and Posts

Article 15 (Members' Obligations)

① Members shall not engage in any of the following.

1. Registering false information when applying for membership or changing member information
2. Misappropriating another person's information or using another person's account without authorisation
3. Altering information posted by the Company without authorisation
4. Transmitting or posting information other than that designated by the Company (computer programs and the like)
5. Infringing the copyright or other intellectual property rights of the Company or a third party
6. Damaging the reputation of, or interfering with the business of, the Company or a third party
7. Disclosing or posting obscene or violent messages, images, sounds, or other information contrary to public order and good morals
8. Stalking, threatening, or harassing another user, or sending posts that cause persistent discomfort
9. Using the Service for the purpose of tracking or identifying the location of another user
10. Creating posts that solicit sexual contact with children or adolescents or that sexualise them
11. Posting advertisements, promotions, sales solicitations, or similar material for commercial purposes by means not permitted by the Company. This does not apply where the signpost promotion feature provided by the Company is used.
12. Accessing the Service, or collecting or reproducing posts, by automated means (bots, crawlers, scrapers, etc.)
13. Repeatedly posting identical or similar content for the purpose of interfering with the normal operation of the Service
14. Circumventing, by improper means, the usage limits set by the Company (daily writing limits, the number of signposts that may be created, etc.)
15. Any other act that violates relevant laws or is otherwise improper

② Members shall comply with relevant laws, the provisions of these Terms, the user guide, and the precautions announced by the Company in connection with the Service, and shall not interfere with the Company's business.

③ Members shall not use the Service by artificially manipulating location information so that it differs from their actual location.

Article 16 (Copyright in Posts)

① Copyright in a post published by a member within the Service belongs to the member who authored it.

② Members grant the Company a free, non-exclusive licence to use their posts for the purposes and within the scope set out below.

1. Provision and operation of the Service: displaying posts to other users and storing, reproducing, transmitting, and exhibiting them, and changing their format, such as by resizing, to the extent necessary for those purposes
2. Promotion of the Service: displaying part of a post for the purpose of introducing or promoting the Company's services. In this case the Company shall obtain the separate prior consent of the member concerned, and the member may withdraw that consent at any time.

③ Where the Company wishes to use a member's post beyond the scope set out in Paragraph 2, it shall obtain the prior consent of the member concerned.

④ Even where a member leaves the Service, the licence under Paragraph 2 continues to apply to posts that remain on the Service pursuant to Article 20, Paragraph 3.

⑤ Where the Company determines that a post published or registered by a member violates Article 15, it may delete the post or restrict its display.

Article 17 (Requests for Deletion of Posts and Temporary Measures)

① A person whose rights have been infringed — for example through invasion of privacy or defamation — by a post provided through an information and communications network for the purpose of public disclosure may, by substantiating the infringement, request the Company to delete the post or publish a rebuttal (a "deletion request").

② A request under Paragraph 1 may be made through the report feature in the Service, the inquiry form, or the Company's e-mail address (beetrace2026@gmail.com), and must state the following.

1. The name and contact details of the requester
2. The location of the post for which deletion is requested (screen path, post identifier, etc.)
3. The fact that a right has been infringed and material substantiating it
4. The means by which the requester is to be notified of the progress and outcome (text message, e-mail, etc.)

③ Upon receiving a request under Paragraph 1, the Company shall without delay take necessary measures such as deletion or a temporary measure, and shall inform the requester and the author of that fact. The Company shall make the fact that it has taken such measures known to users, for example by posting a notice on the relevant board.

④ Where it is difficult to determine whether a right has been infringed, or where a dispute between interested parties is anticipated, the Company may temporarily block access to the post (a "temporary measure"). The period of a temporary measure shall not exceed 30 days.

⑤ The author of a post subject to a temporary measure may request the Company to restore it during the period of the measure, and the Company shall decide whether to restore it in light of the request and relevant laws. Where no restoration request is made within the period of the temporary measure, the Company may delete the post.

⑥ The Company may delete or block access to the following posts even in the absence of a request under Paragraph 1.

1. Posts that clearly violate relevant laws
2. Posts that violate labelling obligations as media material harmful to youth
3. Posts that violate the Act on the Protection of Children and Youth against Sexual Abuse
4. Other posts that clearly fall under any item of Article 15, Paragraph 1

Article 18 (Reporting and Blocking Between Users)

① Where a user considers that a post within the Service, or a member, violates Article 15, the user may report it to the Company through the report feature in the Service. Bottle letters, replies, signposts, signpost posts, comments, and members may be reported.

② The Company shall endeavour to take necessary measures, such as blocking access to or deleting the post, within 24 hours of receiving a report, and to inform the reporter of the outcome. This does not apply where time is required to verify the facts of the report.

③ A reported post is no longer displayed to the reporter. Where the Company's review confirms a violation, display of the post is restricted for all users, and in that case the body of the post is replaced with an explanatory message.

④ Members may block other members. Once blocked, posts written by the blocking member and the blocked member are not displayed to each other, and neither may leave replies or reactions on the other's posts. The other party is not notified of the block.

⑤ Members may lift a block at any time through the block management screen in the Service.

⑥ Where the Company determines that a member has repeatedly made improper reports, it may restrict that member's use of the report feature.

Article 19 (The Company's Obligations)

① The Company shall not engage in acts prohibited by relevant laws or these Terms, or contrary to public order and good morals, and shall use its best efforts to provide the Service continuously and reliably.

② The Company shall maintain security systems to protect members' personal information and personal location information, and shall publish and comply with its Privacy Policy.

③ Where the Company acknowledges that an opinion or complaint raised by a member in connection with use of the Service is justified, it shall address it, and where handling it takes a prolonged period, the Company shall notify the member of the reason and the expected schedule.

④ The Company shall endeavour to monitor inappropriate posts and conduct and to take necessary measures so that users can use the Service safely.

Chapter 5 Termination of the Agreement and Restrictions on Use

Article 20 (Termination by the Member and Account Deletion)

① Members may apply at any time to terminate the service agreement (delete their account) through the account settings screen in the Service, and the Company shall process such applications immediately in accordance with relevant laws.

② Account deletion is restricted while any signpost created by the member remains. This is because a signpost is a space that other members join and use, so that if the creator disappears, it is left without an operator. In such a case, the member may delete their account after deleting all of the signposts they created.

③ Upon account deletion, the member's account information is deleted, but posts already written by the member (bottle letters, replies, signpost posts, comments, and the like) are not deleted and remain on the Service with the author shown as anonymous. This is so that the context of conversations exchanged with other users is not damaged. A member who wishes to have their posts deleted must delete them personally before deleting their account.

④ The personal information of a member who has deleted their account is handled as set out in the Privacy Policy.

⑤ Upon account deletion, the membership level, temporary upgrade benefits, and the like held by the member are all extinguished and cannot be restored.

Article 21 (Restrictions on Use and Termination by the Company)

① Where a member violates these Terms or relevant laws, the Company may take the following measures, taking into account the seriousness of the violation and whether it has been repeated.

1. A warning
2. Deletion of a post or restriction of its display
3. Suspension of use of the Service for a fixed period
4. Permanent suspension of use of the Service and termination of the service agreement

② The Company may take the measures under items 3 or 4 of Paragraph 1 without prior notice in the following cases.

1. Where the member has misappropriated another person's account or personal information
2. Where the member has intentionally interfered with the operation of the Service
3. Where the member has published a post amounting to the sexual exploitation or sexualisation of children or adolescents
4. Where stalking, threats, or persistent harassment of another user has been confirmed
5. Where a serious act in violation of relevant laws has been confirmed

③ Where the Company restricts use under Paragraph 1, it shall notify the member of the reason, the period, and how to file an objection. This does not apply where notice is impossible, for example because the member's contact details cannot be confirmed.

④ Members may file an objection to the Company's restriction through the inquiry form in the Service or the Company's e-mail address. Where the Company acknowledges that the objection is justified, it shall resume the member's use of the Service without delay.

⑤ Where the service agreement is terminated, Article 20, Paragraphs 3 and 4 shall apply mutatis mutandis.

Chapter 6 Damages and Miscellaneous

Article 22 (Damages)

① Where the Company or a member causes damage to the other party by violating these Terms, it shall be liable to compensate that damage.

② Where the Company receives a claim for damages, a lawsuit, or another objection from a third party as a result of an unlawful act or a violation of these Terms committed by a member in using the Service, that member shall indemnify the Company at their own responsibility and expense, and where the Company is not so indemnified, shall compensate the resulting damage.

Article 23 (Disclaimer)

① The Company is released from responsibility for providing the Service where it is unable to do so due to force majeure, such as a natural disaster, war, or the suspension of a telecommunications carrier's service.

② The Company is not liable for impediments to use of the Service attributable to the member.

③ The Company does not guarantee the accuracy of location information collected via satellite positioning systems (GPS), mobile communications networks, and the like. Location information may contain a margin of error depending on device performance, the surrounding environment, and communication conditions, and the Company is not liable for damage arising from such error unless there is intent or negligence on its part.

④ The Company is under no obligation to intervene in disputes arising between members, or between a member and a third party, through the Service, and is not liable to compensate any resulting damage. The Company shall, however, make the necessary efforts to prevent and resolve disputes, including receiving reports and taking measures.

⑤ The Company is not liable for conduct that takes place outside the Service, such as a member actually meeting another user they came to know through the Service. Members shall take care for their own safety.

⑥ The Company is not liable for the reliability, accuracy, or other qualities of the content of posts published by members.

⑦ With respect to the use of services provided free of charge, the Company is not liable unless there is intent or gross negligence on its part, save where relevant laws provide otherwise.

Article 24 (Protection of Personal Information)

The Company complies with relevant laws, including the Personal Information Protection Act and the Network Act, in order to protect members' personal information, and the specifics of the processing of personal information are governed by the separately published Privacy Policy.

Article 25 (Protection of Location Information)

Matters concerning the collection, use, and provision of personal location information in connection with the location-based services provided by the Company are governed by the separate Location-Based Services Terms of Use, to which members must agree when registering.

Article 26 (Governing Law and Jurisdiction)

① The laws of the Republic of Korea shall be the governing law for any lawsuit brought between the Company and a member.

② Lawsuits concerning disputes arising between the Company and a member shall be brought before the competent court under the Civil Procedure Act.

Article 27 (Resolution of Disputes)

① The Company and members shall make all necessary efforts to resolve amicably any dispute arising in connection with the Service.

② Where a dispute is not resolved despite the efforts under Paragraph 1, a member may apply for dispute mediation to the following bodies.

1. Personal Information Dispute Mediation Committee (kopico.go.kr / 1833-6972)
2. Korea Consumer Agency, Consumer Counselling Centre (kca.go.kr / 1372)
3. Content Dispute Resolution Committee (kcdrc.kr / 1588-2594)

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Addendum

These Terms take effect on 01 October 2026.

• Version: v1.0
• Date of announcement: 01 September 2026
• Effective date: 01 October 2026