Terms of Service

These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your access to and use of Inkstra ("Inkstra," "we," "our," or "us") and the Inkstra website, applications, and services (collectively, the "Service"). By creating an account or using the Service, you agree to be bound by these Terms.

Not legal advice. This summary is informational and not legal advice. If you need legal guidance for your situation, please consult an attorney.

1. Eligibility & accounts

You must be at least 13 years old to use Inkstra. Some regions may require a higher minimum age; where that is the case, that higher age applies. By using the Service, you represent that you meet the minimum age requirements in your jurisdiction.
If you are under the age of majority where you live, you represent that you have your parent or legal guardian's permission to use Inkstra, and that they have reviewed and agree to these Terms on your behalf to the extent required by applicable law.
To access age-restricted (18+) content, you must be at or above the age of majority in your jurisdiction and provide an accurate birthdate.
You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account and for all activity that occurs under it. If you believe your account has been compromised, please contact danny@inkstra.ink.

2. Use of the Service

Subject to these Terms, we grant you a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable, and revocable license to access and use Inkstra for personal, non-commercial reading and, where applicable, for publishing your own content.

You agree not to:

Violate any applicable laws or regulations while using Inkstra.
Attempt to gain unauthorized access to any account, system, or data.
Interfere with, disrupt, or negatively impact the operation of the Service or other users' experience.
Use automated tools (scrapers, bots) to harvest content or metrics without our permission.
Attempt to manipulate ads, impressions, engagement metrics, or monetization outcomes (including view exchange, incentivized clicks, or botting).

2.1 Links and external URLs

You may not post or include unvetted links (URLs) in comments, series or chapter descriptions, title fields, author's notes, or any other user-facing input fields on the Service.

Vetted social links. The only links we allow you to associate with your presence on Inkstra are those we explicitly support. A list of permitted ("vetted") social and profile links that you may add to your account can be found on the account page. Use those fields to direct readers to your external profiles or social presence.
No links elsewhere. Links shall not appear in comments, descriptions, title fields, or other input fields on the website. Posting unvetted links—including external websites, storefronts, fundraising pages, or social URLs that are not added via the account page—in such places is not permitted and may result in content removal, comment bans, or other account action.

3. Creator content and license to Inkstra

Inkstra allows creators to upload, publish, and monetize original works such as webtoons, manga, comics, and related media ("Creator Content").

You retain ownership. You retain all right, title, and interest in and to your Creator Content, including all intellectual property rights. Inkstra does not claim ownership of your work.
Non-exclusivity. You are not granting Inkstra an exclusive license. You may publish, distribute, and monetize your Creator Content elsewhere at any time, subject to any third-party obligations you may have.
Limited license to run the Service. By uploading or publishing Creator Content on Inkstra, you grant Inkstra a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free license to host, store, cache, reproduce, transmit, publicly display, and distribute your Creator Content solely as necessary to operate, maintain, secure, and provide the Service, including making your content available to readers on different devices and networks.
Service providers only. Inkstra may share Creator Content with vendors and service providers that help us operate the Service (for example, hosting/storage providers, CDNs, security vendors, and analytics providers) solely to host, deliver, secure, and measure performance of the Service. These providers may process Creator Content only on Inkstra’s instructions and are not permitted to use Creator Content for their own purposes (including training generative AI models).
No creative modifications by Inkstra. Inkstra will not alter your Creator Content for creative purposes, and we will not create new derivative artwork from your pages/panels (such as generating thumbnails). Any changes we make will be purely technical and limited to what is reasonably necessary to deliver the Service (for example: file compression, resizing for performance, format conversion, generating previews required for on-site display, and similar delivery/compatibility steps). You are still bound by rules and content can be removed at Inkstra's discretion.
Your responsibility for rights. You represent and warrant that you have all necessary rights to upload and distribute your Creator Content on Inkstra and that it does not infringe the rights of any third party.
Promotion by Inkstra. You may promote your Creator Content anywhere, at any time. In addition, you grant Inkstra the right to use your series title, cover image(s), and short excerpts or previews of your Creator Content to feature, market, and promote your work and the Service (for example, featuring your series on the homepage, in discovery surfaces, and in Inkstra-controlled marketing such as social posts, emails, and announcements). Inkstra does not sell your Creator Content to third parties.
Removal and persistence. If you delete Creator Content or your account (or if Inkstra removes content for policy reasons), we will stop displaying the removed content within a reasonable time. Copies may remain in backups, logs, or security systems for a limited period as required for operational, legal, or safety purposes. This license continues only as long as needed to provide the Service and to comply with legal obligations or resolve disputes.

3.1 Prohibition of AI-Generated Content

AI-generated art is not allowed on Inkstra. This includes, but is not limited to:

Art, panels, backgrounds, or visual elements created using generative AI tools (such as DALL-E, Midjourney, Stable Diffusion, or similar)
Content that has been substantially modified from AI-generated material but remains primarily AI-generated

Enforcement:

Content Removal: Users who upload AI-generated content will have their content immediately removed from the platform.
Account Bans: Users proven to use AI-generated content in finalized published work will be permanently banned from Inkstra.
Monetization Revocation: Any creator found using AI-generated content will have their monetization eligibility immediately and permanently revoked.
Inkstra reserves the right to remove any content that is suspected of being AI-generated.

Verification Requests:

If Inkstra receives a significant volume of credible reports alleging AI-generated content, we may request verification materials as part of an investigation. This can include original workflow/source files used to create the final images (for example: layered project/source files such as PSDs or equivalent, exports, drafts, or other provenance that reasonably demonstrates a human-created workflow). Failure to provide requested verification may result in immediate account suspension or ban.

This policy applies to all content uploaded to Inkstra, regardless of monetization status.

3.2 Generative AI and Creator Content

Inkstra is a publishing platform, not a generative AI training service. The license you grant Inkstra in this Section 3 is limited to operating and promoting the Service and does not include permission to use Creator Content to train generative AI models.

No training on your work. Inkstra will not use Creator Content to train generative AI models (including models built or operated by Inkstra) without your explicit permission.
No sale/licensing for training. Inkstra does not sell, license, or otherwise provide Creator Content to third parties for the purpose of training generative AI models.
Service providers are limited. Inkstra may share Creator Content with vendors that help us operate the Service (for example, storage/CDN providers, image processing, security, and analytics vendors) solely to host, deliver, and secure the Service. These vendors are not permitted to use Creator Content to train generative AI models.
Opt-in only. If Inkstra ever offers an optional program involving generative AI training or similar use of Creator Content, participation would require a clear, explicit opt-in.

3.3 Release timing and anti-circumvention (chapter delay)

Inkstra may apply access timing rules to content (for example, delaying access to newly published chapters for non-subscribers). Where such rules apply, you agree not to evade, bypass, or attempt to circumvent them.

No placeholders to bypass delays. Creators may not publish, upload, or schedule "placeholder" chapters (including empty chapters, near-empty chapters, duplicate uploads, intentionally incomplete pages/panels, filler pages, or substantially non-content updates) for the purpose of making a later update appear "older" or otherwise avoiding any subscriber-only window or delay applied to new chapters.
What counts as a placeholder. A chapter may be treated as a placeholder if it does not contain meaningful story content consistent with the creator's normal publishing format, or if it exists primarily as a timing/visibility workaround rather than a genuine release.
Enforcement. Inkstra may remove or unpublish placeholders, reset the chapter's publish date/timestamp, re-apply the applicable delay window, limit visibility/discovery, or take other enforcement actions (including monetization restrictions or account actions) if we determine in our reasonable discretion that a creator is attempting to circumvent release timing rules.

3.4 Content protection and watermarking

Inkstra employs technical measures to protect Creator Content from unauthorized distribution and piracy, including invisible watermarking technology.

Watermarking technology. When you view content on Inkstra, certain images may be processed with invisible digital watermarks that embed identifying information (such as a hashed user identifier or IP address) into the image data. These watermarks are designed to be imperceptible to human viewers and do not alter the visual appearance of the content.
Purpose of watermarking. Watermarking is used solely for content protection and anti-piracy purposes, including identifying the source of unauthorized distribution of Creator Content. This helps protect creators' intellectual property rights and enables Inkstra to take appropriate action against piracy.
No impact on viewing experience. Watermarking does not affect your ability to view, read, or enjoy content on Inkstra. The watermarks are invisible and do not degrade image quality or interfere with normal use of the Service.
Privacy and data protection. Watermarking uses hashed identifiers (not plain text) and is subject to our Privacy Policy. For more information about how we handle identifying information used in watermarks, see Section 1 of our Privacy Policy.

4. NSFW & mature content guidelines

Inkstra supports storytelling that may include mature themes. To protect users and comply with platform, advertiser, and payment policies, we apply additional rules to NSFW and sensitive content.

4.1 Age gating and visibility

NSFW series and chapters must be correctly labeled as such by creators during upload. We may adjust labels where necessary.
Unauthenticated users cannot view NSFW content. NSFW works will not appear in public surfaces intended for general audiences.
Only accounts that are verified as 18+ may enable the NSFW toggle and view mature content.

4.2 Sexual content

We distinguish between stories that include intimate or romantic themes as part of a broader narrative and content created primarily to be sexually explicit. The following guidelines apply:

Romantic or suggestive scenes that support character or story development may be allowed in NSFW-tagged works when handled with reasonable restraint.
Content whose main focus is highly explicit sexual activity or prolonged close-ups of the most intimate areas of the body, where the primary purpose is arousal rather than storytelling, is not permitted on Inkstra.
We strictly prohibit any sexualized depictions of minors or characters presented as under the age of majority, including suggestive posing, fetishization of youth, or "barely legal" framing.
We may require edits, additional censoring, age-gating, or removal of panels or chapters that cross these lines or create undue risk for the platform.

4.3 Violence and gore

Strong violence and horror elements (for example, intense battles, monsters, or dark fantasy similar to well-known mature series) may be allowed but must be tagged appropriately.
Gratuitous, lingering depictions of extreme gore, or content whose primary purpose is shock value, may be restricted, require NSFW labeling, or be disallowed at Inkstra's discretion.

4.4 Ads and monetization

Some content may be allowed on Inkstra but may not be eligible for ads, paid features, or creator payouts due to advertiser and payment-processor requirements.

Inkstra may, at its discretion:

Disable ads on specific series or chapters.
Limit promotion or discovery for certain content categories.
Disable tips, subscriptions, or other paid features for certain content.
Adjust revenue share, eligibility, or payout timing where required by partner rules, fraud risk, or compliance.

Common categories that may trigger restricted ads or disabled monetization

Sexual content (especially explicit sexual content).

Shocking content (graphic violence/gore/disturbing imagery).

Explosives and weapon-related content that facilitates purchase or instructions.

Tobacco, recreational drugs, and content facilitating their sale.

Alcohol sale or irresponsible alcohol promotion.

Online gambling and gambling-focused content.

Prescription drug sales, unapproved pharmaceuticals, or supplement sales.

We try to keep stories readable even when monetization is limited, but we must protect the platform's ability to operate.

Our goal is to keep the platform sustainable for both creators and readers while honoring reasonable content boundaries.

5. Prohibited content

The following types of content are not allowed on Inkstra. This list is not exhaustive, and we may remove content or restrict accounts at our discretion:

Sexual exploitation or sexualized depictions of minors, or content that appears to normalize or eroticize such behavior.
Pornographic content whose primary purpose is sexual arousal rather than storytelling.
Hateful or harassing content targeting individuals or groups based on protected characteristics.
Content that incites violence, terrorism, or real-world harm, or that glorifies real-world extremist organizations.
Content that violates intellectual property rights, including unlicensed uploads of works you do not own or have rights to use.
Content that violates applicable law or regulations in your region, including content that provides instructions for dangerous or illegal activities.
Content that facilitates or promotes the sale of regulated or restricted products/services (for example: weapons, explosives, tobacco, recreational drugs, online gambling, or prescription drug sales). Educational or news discussion may be allowed, but storefront-style promotion is not.

5.1 Monetization exclusions (partner requirements)

Even if content does not violate Inkstra's hosting rules, it may be ineligible for monetization (ads, payouts, paid features) due to requirements from advertisers and payment processors. Inkstra may keep the content available to readers while disabling monetization, or may require edits before monetization is restored.

6. Payments, subscriptions, and revenue sharing

6.1 Subscriptions & billing

Inkstra may offer paid subscriptions such as INKSTRA+ along with other paid features. Subscription pricing, billing frequency, and available plans are shown at checkout and may change over time.

When you start a paid subscription, you authorize us and our payment processors to charge you the recurring subscription amount, plus any applicable taxes, using your selected payment method.
Unless otherwise stated, subscriptions automatically renew at the end of each billing period. You can cancel auto-renew at any time through the billing portal or manage pages described in the Service.
If you turn off auto-renew, your subscription will remain active through the end of the current paid period. You will not be charged again unless you re-subscribe.
Except where required by law, we do not provide refunds or credits for partial billing periods, unused time, or unused features once a charge has been successfully processed.

6.2 Creator monetization, eligibility, and payout timing

Inkstra may offer monetization features including subscription revenue sharing, ad revenue sharing, tips, or other programs for eligible creators. The detailed eligibility rules, review process, and payout requirements for creators are described in our Monetization review guidelines.

Participation in any monetization program is optional and subject to approval and ongoing compliance. We may deny, suspend, or revoke monetization eligibility at any time for policy, fraud, dispute, safety, or partner-compliance reasons.
Monetization is 18+ only. If you are under 18 (or under the age of majority where you live), you may publish on Inkstra but you are not eligible for creator payouts or monetization programs.
Ads may be displayed on Creator Content regardless of whether a creator is eligible for payouts. However, payout distributions and revenue sharing are limited to eligible monetized creators as described in the Monetization review guidelines.
You will not receive creator payouts unless and until you meet the eligibility requirements described in the Monetization review guidelines (including, where applicable, identity verification, payout account onboarding, payout thresholds, and policy compliance). Earnings may not accrue (or may be excluded) during periods when you are not eligible.
We may hold, adjust, or withhold payouts if we suspect fraud, invalid traffic, chargebacks, disputes, violations of these Terms or our policies, or where required by law or by our payment or advertising partners.

6.3 Billing disputes & chargebacks

If you believe there is an error with any INKSTRA+ or other Inkstra charge, we encourage you to contact us first at danny@inkstra.ink so we can try to resolve it.

If you open a payment dispute or chargeback with your bank or payment provider for a transaction related to your Inkstra subscription or other paid features:

We may immediately suspend or terminate your access to the associated subscription and any related benefits while the dispute is under review.
If the dispute is resolved in our favor and the charge is reinstated, we may, at our discretion, restore your access for the remaining period you originally paid for.
If the dispute or chargeback is resolved against us, or the charge is refunded or reversed, we may treat the transaction as unpaid, cancel your subscription effective as of the date of the dispute or reversal, and permanently revoke any remaining access tied to that payment.
Repeated or abusive disputes may result in permanent loss of access to INKSTRA+, monetization programs, and/or your Inkstra account.

Nothing in these Terms is intended to limit your legal rights with your bank, card network, or under applicable consumer protection laws. However, initiating a dispute or chargeback may affect your ability to continue using paid features on Inkstra.

7. Advertising

Inkstra may display advertisements on the Service, including on series pages, chapter readers, and general site surfaces. Ad placements and revenue models may change over time.

We may share a portion of ad revenue with eligible creators based on factors such as engagement and compliance with our policies, as described in our Monetization review guidelines.
We may display ads on content that is hosted on Inkstra even if that content (or its creator) is not eligible for monetization, revenue sharing, or payouts (for example, content that is demonetized due to advertiser or payment processor requirements).
We may disable ads on content that is not suitable for advertisers, even if it otherwise remains available to readers.
If ads are disabled for a chapter or series, reading activity may not contribute to ad-based earnings for that content.

8. Community guidelines and commenting rules

Inkstra provides comment functionality on chapter pages to facilitate discussion and community engagement. By posting comments, you agree to follow these guidelines and understand that violations may result in comment removal, comment bans, or account action.

8.1 Prohibited comment content

The following types of comments are not allowed and may be reported by users or removed by moderators:

Spam: Repetitive, low-quality, or off-topic content intended to disrupt discussion or promote unrelated products or services. This includes but is not limited to: chain letters, pyramid schemes, excessive self-promotion, or comments posted in bulk.
Harassment: Comments that target, intimidate, threaten, or otherwise harm other users. This includes but is not limited to: personal attacks, stalking behavior, doxxing (sharing private information), or coordinated harassment campaigns.
Hate speech: Comments that attack, demean, or incite hatred against individuals or groups based on protected characteristics such as race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or other identity factors.
Sexual content: Comments that contain explicit sexual descriptions, sexual harassment, unwanted sexual advances, or sexualized content inappropriate for the platform's general audience.
Self-harm: Comments that encourage, glorify, or provide instructions for self-harm, suicide, or other dangerous behaviors.
Other violations: Any other content that violates these Terms, promotes illegal activity, violates intellectual property rights, or otherwise harms the community.

8.2 Comment moderation and enforcement

Report functionality: Users can report comments that violate these guidelines using the reporting feature on chapter pages. Reports are reviewed by moderators, and appropriate action will be taken.
Comment removal: Inkstra reserves the right to remove, hide, or edit any comment at any time for any reason, including violations of these guidelines or to maintain community safety.
Comment bans: Users who repeatedly violate comment guidelines may be banned from commenting either temporarily or permanently. Bans may be:
- Comment-scoped: Restricted from posting comments while maintaining access to other platform features.
- Account-wide: Full account suspension or termination for severe or repeated violations.
Creator control: Series and chapter creators may disable comments on their content at their discretion. When comments are disabled on specific content, users must respect this setting.
Ban appeals: Users who have been banned from commenting may contact danny@inkstra.ink to appeal the decision or request clarification.

8.3 Comment ownership and deletion

You retain ownership of your comments, but by posting on Inkstra, you grant Inkstra the right to host, display, and moderate your comments in accordance with these Terms.
You may delete your own comments at any time. Deleted comments may remain in Inkstra's systems for moderation and safety purposes but will no longer be visible to other users.
Inkstra may preserve comments that have been reported or are subject to investigation, even if deleted by the original author.

8.4 Respect for creators

Comments should be constructive and respectful. While criticism of creative works is allowed, personal attacks against creators, threats, harassment, or other abusive behavior directed at creators is strictly prohibited and will result in comment removal and potential bans.

9. Series ratings and review guidelines

Inkstra allows users to rate series using a 5-star rating system. Ratings help readers discover quality content and provide feedback to creators.

9.1 Rating eligibility

You may only rate a series if it has at least 4 published chapters.
Each user may submit one rating per series. You may update your rating at any time.
Ratings are intended to reflect your genuine opinion of the series based on its content quality, story, artwork, and overall reading experience.

9.2 Prohibited rating behavior

The following behaviors related to series ratings are strictly prohibited:

Review bombing: Coordinated attempts to artificially inflate or deflate a series' average rating through the submission of multiple false, misleading, or malicious ratings.
Fake or fraudulent ratings: Submitting ratings that do not reflect your genuine opinion, including ratings made without reading the series, ratings motivated by factors unrelated to the series content, or ratings submitted in exchange for compensation or other incentives.
Manipulation: Using multiple accounts, automated tools, or other methods to submit multiple ratings for the same series or to otherwise manipulate rating scores.
Harassment through ratings: Using the rating system to target, harass, or retaliate against creators or their work.
Malicious ratings: Submitting ratings primarily intended to harm a series' reputation rather than provide honest feedback.

9.3 Enforcement and removal

Suspicious activity detection: Inkstra monitors rating activity and may flag series that show patterns of suspicious rating behavior, such as an unusually high volume of ratings within a short time period, or a disproportionate number of extreme (1-star or 5-star) ratings.
Rating removal: Inkstra reserves the right to remove, delete, or invalidate ratings that we determine in our sole discretion to be fake, fraudulent, malicious, manipulative, or otherwise in violation of these Terms or our community guidelines.
Account actions: Users who engage in prohibited rating behavior may have their ratings removed and may be subject to account warnings, temporary bans, or permanent account termination.
Warning notices: Inkstra may display notices on series pages that have received elevated amounts of review traffic to inform readers that ratings may be under review.

By submitting a rating, you represent that your rating reflects your honest, genuine opinion based on your actual experience with the series content.

10. Intellectual property complaints

If you believe that content on Inkstra infringes your copyright or other intellectual property rights, please contact us at danny@inkstra.ink with sufficient detail to identify the work and the allegedly infringing material. We may remove or restrict access to content and, where appropriate, suspend or terminate repeat infringers.

9.1 DMCA Takedown Policy and Three-Strike System

Inkstra operates a three-strike system for DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act) violations:

Strike accumulation: Each approved DMCA takedown request against your content counts as one strike against your account.
Strike expiration: Strikes expire after one (1) year from the date the DMCA takedown request was processed and approved.
Three-strike policy: If you accumulate three (3) approved DMCA violations within a one-year period, your account will be permanently banned from Inkstra.
Permanent ban consequences: A permanent ban due to three DMCA strikes means:
- Your account will be immediately and permanently terminated.
- You will be prohibited from creating new accounts on Inkstra.
- Any attempt to create new accounts may result in those accounts being immediately banned.
- All content associated with your banned account(s) may be removed from the platform.
Monetization impact: Approved DMCA takedown requests may also result in the immediate suspension or permanent revocation of your monetization eligibility, even before reaching three strikes, at Inkstra's discretion.

This policy is designed to protect intellectual property rights and maintain a safe, legal platform for creators and readers. For more information about DMCA takedown requests and how to submit a counter-notification, please visit our DMCA Policy.

11. Suspension & termination

We may suspend or terminate your access to the Service at any time if we reasonably believe you have violated these Terms, our policies, or applicable law, or if your use poses a risk to other users or the platform.

Permanent bans for repeat DMCA violations: As described in Section 9.1, accounts that accumulate three (3) approved DMCA takedown requests within a one-year period will be permanently banned. Permanent bans are final and may extend to future accounts created by the same individual or entity.

You may stop using Inkstra at any time and may request account deletion by contacting danny@inkstra.ink.

12. Disclaimers & limitation of liability

Inkstra is provided "as is" and "as available" to the maximum extent permitted by law. We do not guarantee that the Service will be uninterrupted, secure, or error-free.

To the extent permitted by law, Inkstra and its owners are not liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, or any loss of profits or data, arising out of or in connection with your use of the Service.

13. Privacy

Our collection and use of personal information in connection with the Service is described in our Privacy Policy. By using Inkstra, you acknowledge that we will handle your data as described there. In some regions, you may have additional privacy rights under local law; those rights and how to exercise them are explained in the Privacy Policy.

14. Changes to these Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. When we do, we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. Continued use of Inkstra after changes go into effect constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.

15. Governing law & disputes

These Terms and any disputes arising out of or relating to them or the Service are governed by the laws of the State of Florida and the United States, without regard to conflict-of-law principles, except where a different law is required to apply under your local consumer-protection rules.

Any legal action or proceeding arising out of or relating to these Terms or the Service will be brought in the state or federal courts located in Florida, and you consent to the personal jurisdiction of those courts, except where applicable law gives you the right to bring claims in your local courts.

Contact

If you have questions about these Terms, please contact:

Email: danny@inkstra.ink
If you have an Inkstra account, you can also open a support ticket at inkstra.ink/support.