StudyNext Terms of Service

Last updated: June 10, 2026

Introduction

Before using StudyNext ("the App"), please carefully read the following Terms of Service ("these Terms"). By using the App — including downloading, installing, linking a Bluesky account, or browsing the service — you are deemed to have agreed to the entirety of these Terms.

Article 1 (Purpose and Nature of the Service)

The App is an educational support tool for managing and supporting individual study, providing backward-calculated task generation from a target deadline, memorization support, timer functionality, and decentralized social features.

The backward-calculated schedules, review intervals (including those based on the SM-2 algorithm), and all other output provided by the App are mechanically generated estimates based on the App's own internal calculation algorithms, and do not guarantee their accuracy, certainty, suitability, or any particular exam result or learning outcome. The final execution of and decisions about your studying remain your own responsibility.

Article 2 (Eligibility and Use by Minors)

The App is designed for users aged 13 and over. Users under 13 may not use the App.

If a minor uses the App, they must first obtain the consent of a legal guardian (such as a parent) before beginning to use it. Once a minor begins using the App, valid guardian consent is deemed to have been obtained.

Article 3 (Data Storage and Storage Locations)

The App's data storage and sync system consists of the following two components, and users shall use the App with an understanding of the characteristics and risks of each.

Local Device Storage (Local Mode)

If a user does not use the AT Protocol (Bluesky) integration feature, study data and settings are stored only in a secure area on the user's device (such as Zustand storage).

Data Storage via AT Protocol (Bluesky) Integration (Decentralized Repository)

When a user uses the Bluesky (AT Protocol) integration feature, data such as study plans (app.studynext.plan), study records (app.studynext.record), and simple in-room chat/status (app.studynext.comment, app.studynext.status, app.studynext.invite, etc.) is stored and synced as custom records in the public repository of the PDS (Personal Data Server) designated by the user themselves.

Due to the specifications of PDS and the design of AT Protocol, data written this way is, in principle, "fully public" on the internet and freely retrievable and crawlable by anyone.

Article 4 (AT Protocol (Bluesky) Integration and Self-Management of Account Information)

When using AT Protocol (Bluesky) integration within the App, the user is responsible for managing their account name, display name, and app password at their own risk.

The app password is encrypted and stored in a secure storage area on the device (such as iOS Keychain or Android SecureStore); the App's operator does not directly collect or store the user's app password on its own servers.

The App's operator bears no responsibility whatsoever for damages resulting from leakage of the app password, unauthorized rewriting of data, account takeover, or similar incidents arising from inadequate device management, misuse, unauthorized use by a third party, or rooting/jailbreaking of the device by the user.

Article 5 (In-App Purchases / Support Feature)

The App offers an optional support purchase ("the Support Feature") to help fund its continued development.

Processing of Purchases

Payments for the Support Feature are processed through the official payment systems provided by the Apple App Store (iOS) or Google Play (Android). Purchase processing is managed using RevenueCat, Inc.'s SDK, and anonymous purchase-related data is sent to RevenueCat's servers (see the Privacy Policy for details).

Consumable Purchases

All Support Feature purchases are consumable (non-subscription) and do not unlock any specific feature or grant any additional content. A purchase is a voluntary contribution to StudyNext's continued development, and once made, cannot be refunded or cancelled (except where Apple's or Google's refund policy applies).

Refunds

Refunds after purchase are subject to the official refund policy of the Apple App Store or Google Play. The App's operator does not provide its own independent refund process.

Article 6 (Prohibited Conduct in Simple Chat / Study Record Sharing)

The App provides features for sharing progress status within Study Rooms and for simple communication (chat) between users related to studying. When using the App, users must not engage in the following conduct:

• Decompiling, disassembling, reverse-engineering, or otherwise attempting to tamper with or improperly analyze the App (including the application, source code, or communication protocols)
• Placing excessive load on another user's PDS, DDoS attacks, sending spam data, or unauthorized access exceeding API rate limits
• In shared spaces such as Study Rooms: conduct that discourages others' motivation to study, abuse, defamation, harassment, or discriminatory remarks toward others, sending text that violates public order and morals, or advertising/spam/solicitation unrelated to studying
• Collecting, accumulating, republishing, or publicly disclosing/disseminating another user's study records or personal information shared or disclosed through the App, without that person's prior consent
• Intentionally and repeatedly sending or sharing false study records not reflecting actual study, or progress that has been fraudulently altered
• Any other conduct the operator deems inappropriate

If conduct violating the above is confirmed within a Room or another shared space such as the study timeline, the operator may, without prior notice to the user concerned, hide posts, restrict access, or take other necessary moderation action.

Article 7 (Disclaimers)

Regarding the App's Performance

The operator makes no warranty, express or implied, that the App is free of any factual or legal defect (including defects, errors, or bugs relating to safety, reliability, accuracy, completeness, effectiveness, fitness for a particular purpose, or security, or infringement of rights).

Regarding Response to Defects

When the operator receives a report of a defect in the App from a user, the operator will make reasonable efforts to fix it, but only where the defect is reproducible and its cause can be identified. For all other defects, the operator assumes no obligation to respond and will only make a best-effort attempt.

Regarding Data Preservation and Backup

The operator has implemented multiple fail-safes and other safety measures to protect data within the App. However, except where caused by the operator's intentional misconduct or gross negligence, the operator bears no responsibility for any damage caused to the user by loss, corruption, or alteration of data due to system failure, network congestion, equipment failure, or other force majeure events.

Users shall, at their own responsibility, periodically back up the data they store and manage within the App.

Limitation of Liability

Except where caused by the operator's intentional misconduct or gross negligence, the operator bears no liability whatsoever, whether in contract or tort, and regardless of foreseeability, for any damage arising from the user's use of the App — including direct damage, indirect damage, special damage, incidental damage, lost profits, loss of study opportunity, device failure, or corruption/loss of data.

Where damage is caused to a user by the operator's slight negligence, the amount of damages payable to any single user shall be capped at ¥1,000.

Notwithstanding the preceding paragraph, the total amount of damages payable for damage arising from the same cause across all users shall, regardless of the reason, be capped at ¥50,000. In such cases, the amount payable to each user shall be prorated within this total cap.

Statute of Limitations on Damage Claims

If a user does not notify the operator of a claim in writing or by email within 6 months of becoming aware of damage arising from use of the App, that claim shall be deemed waived, and no subsequent claim will be accepted.

Disclaimer Regarding External Services

The operator bears no responsibility whatsoever for the content, terms of service, privacy policy, outages, discontinuation, or specification changes of any external service the App integrates with or links to (including various AT Protocol PDSs, relays, indexers, and third-party services such as RevenueCat, the Apple App Store, and Google Play). Use of these services is the user's own responsibility, and each service's own terms apply.

Disclaimer Regarding Communication Between Users and Study Data Sharing

The App's Study Rooms, chat feature, and study record sharing feature are provided through an autonomous, decentralized system based on AT Protocol. The operator bears no responsibility whatsoever for mediating, responding to, or otherwise being liable for disputes arising between users (such as chat-related trouble, harassment, or disputes over the legitimacy of study records). Such disputes shall be resolved between the parties involved.

Disclaimer Regarding the AT Protocol Decentralized System

The user acknowledges and understands that AT Protocol and the infrastructure of each PDS, relay, etc. are managed and provided by decentralized, independent third parties. The operator bears no responsibility whatsoever for recovery or compensation relating to data loss, non-delivery or loss of chat/study records, or viewing/storage by third parties, caused by a PDS outage, data loss, relay server failure, or a change in AT Protocol's specifications.

When a user submits a request from within the App to delete a study record or chat message, the App sends a delete command (DeleteRecord); however, due to the specifications of AT Protocol, the operator has no authority to delete data cached by third parties, history relayed by relays, or data indexed by external indexers, and the operator is not liable for any resulting trouble caused by such remaining data.

Article 8 (Changes, Suspension, and Termination of the Service)

Changes to Features

The operator may change, add, or remove features of the App without prior notice to users.

Temporary Suspension of the Service

In the event of emergency system maintenance, failure response, or other unavoidable circumstances, the operator may temporarily suspend all or part of the App without prior notice to users. Except where caused by the operator's intentional misconduct or gross negligence, the operator bears no responsibility for any resulting damage to users.

Termination of the Service

If the operator discontinues the App's service, the operator will endeavor to notify users within the app or on the official website at least 30 days before the discontinuation date, and will make reasonable efforts to provide an opportunity for users to export their study data before discontinuation. This shall not apply, however, where a shortened or omitted notice period is unavoidable due to technical, legal, or other unavoidable circumstances.

Article 9 (Exclusion of Antisocial Forces)

The user represents and warrants that they do not, now or in the future, fall under the category of, and do not have a close relationship with, organized crime groups, their members, persons who ceased to be members less than 5 years ago, quasi-members, affiliated companies, corporate racketeers (sokaiya), groups advocating social movements as a pretext for extortion, specialized intelligence-based violent groups, or any other equivalent persons (collectively, "Antisocial Forces").

If it is found that a user has violated the above, the operator may suspend that user's use of the App without prior notice or demand. In this case, the operator shall bear no obligation to pay damages to that user whatsoever.

Article 10 (Force Majeure)

If the App's service is suspended, delayed, or rendered impossible due to a natural disaster, war, riot, epidemic, enactment or amendment of laws or regulations by a government, a large-scale failure of electrical or communications infrastructure, the suspension, specification change, or failure of a third-party platform such as Apple Inc., Google LLC, or Bluesky Social PBC, or any other cause beyond the operator's reasonable control (collectively, "Force Majeure"), the operator bears no responsibility whatsoever for any resulting damage to users.

Article 11 (Intellectual Property Rights)

Copyright and other intellectual property rights in the App's source code, UI/UX design, logo, icons, text, and other content belong to Taishi Awata (the operator). Users have the right to use the App within the scope of these Terms, but may not reproduce, modify, distribute, or commercially exploit the App's content beyond the scope explicitly permitted.

Copyright in content that a user posts or submits through the App (such as chat messages or study records) belongs to the user. However, the user grants the operator a royalty-free, non-exclusive license to the extent necessary to provide the App's services (such as transmission/sync to a PDS via AT Protocol, or in-app display).

Article 12 (Individual Resolution of Disputes)

Users may not bring any lawsuit, arbitration, mediation, or other legal proceeding jointly with other users, or as a representative of a group, regarding any dispute arising from use of the App; such disputes shall be resolved individually.

Article 13 (Severability, No Waiver, and Entire Agreement)

Even if any provision of these Terms is found to be invalid or unenforceable under applicable law, the validity of the remaining provisions shall not be affected and shall remain in effect.

The operator's failure to exercise any right under these Terms shall not be deemed a waiver of that right.

These Terms constitute the entire agreement between the user and the operator regarding use of the App, and supersede any prior oral or written agreements, representations, or understandings regarding the same subject matter.

Article 14 (Changes to These Terms)

The operator reserves the right to change these Terms at any time. Where a material change is made, the operator will notify users in advance via the app or the official website. If the user continues to use the App after such a change, the user is deemed to have agreed to the revised Terms.

Article 15 (Governing Law and Jurisdiction)

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of Japan, and the Tokyo District Court shall have exclusive jurisdiction as the court of first instance for any dispute arising between the operator and a user in connection with use of the App.