Bænkle terms of use
Draft. Written by Claude, to be reviewed by the operator (see docs/legal/README.md). Placeholders are in [[double square brackets]]. Not legal advice. The German version is authoritative; this is a translation.
Version: 2026-09-25 [[must match TERMS_VERSION in apps/api/wrangler.jsonc; raise both on every material change]]
1. What this is
Bænkle is a free app and web app for finding public benches (especially benches with a view) in Europe and planning walks with breaks. It is operated by [[first and last name, address]] ("we"). Bænkle is a private, non-commercial project.
These terms apply to everyone who uses Bænkle. Anyone who creates an account or contributes content must accept them and the content policy explicitly.
2. Use without an account
Browsing and searching benches, planning, sharing and exporting walks as GPX, and reporting content work without an account. These terms apply accordingly, except where they concern accounts only.
3. Accounts
• You must be at least 16 to create an account.
• You are responsible for keeping your sign-in secure (your mailbox, Google or Apple account).
• Your display name is public. It must not be offensive, impersonate anyone or contain other people's personal data.
• You can delete your account in the app at any time (see section 7).
4. Your contributions
Contributions are benches, additions to OpenStreetMap benches, photos, titles, descriptions and view descriptions.
What you promise. You only contribute content you hold the necessary rights to, in particular photos you took yourself. Your contributions follow the content policy and don't infringe anyone's rights.
A licence for everyone. You publish your photos and texts under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International licence (CC BY-SA 4.0), https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/. Others may reuse them, also outside Bænkle, if they credit your display name and use the same licence. This licence can't be revoked, not even by deleting your account. Attribution is your display name at the time of use, or "Former contributor" after you delete your account.
An additional licence for Bænkle. You also grant us a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free licence to store, publicly display, resize, convert and moderate your contributions in order to run Bænkle. This licence lasts as long as the contribution exists in Bænkle.
Not copied into OpenStreetMap. Contributions to Bænkle are never automatically transferred to OpenStreetMap. CC BY-SA 4.0 isn't compatible with the OpenStreetMap licence (ODbL); copying contributions into OpenStreetMap would need your separate consent.
No duty to publish. Contributions go live immediately. We are not obliged to show a contribution or keep it forever.
5. Rules and moderation
• The content policy applies (content-policy.en.md, or https://baenkle.app/[[address]]).
• Anyone can report content or users. When several registered users report a piece of content, it is hidden automatically; a "shows personal data" report hides a photo immediately until it is reviewed.
• We review reports promptly and may hide, restore or delete content and ban accounts for breaches of these terms, the content policy or the law. We give the affected person reasons for such decisions and tell them how to object by email to kontakt@baenkle.app (Art. 17 and 20 Digital Services Act) [[check how the app delivers reasons; by email until then]].
• You can block other users; their content is then hidden for you.
• Notices of illegal content under the Digital Services Act can be sent through the report function in the app or to kontakt@baenkle.app.
6. OpenStreetMap and other services
Most benches come from OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL). The view rating is an automatic estimate. The base map, routes and place search come from OpenFreeMap, openrouteservice and Photon. We don't guarantee that benches exist, are accessible or usable, that there is a view, or that a route is walkable, safe or accurate. Look after paths, weather, terrain and your own strength yourself.
7. Deleting your account
When you delete your account, we delete your profile, favorites, synced walks, blocks and photos. Benches and texts you contributed stay and are shown as from a "Former contributor", with no link to you. Confirmations ("still here" / "gone") and reports stay as moderation signals, with no link to you. If you want particular texts removed too, delete them before deleting your account, or write to us.
8. Availability and changes
Bænkle is free and runs on the free quotas of the services it uses. Some features, especially route computation, may be limited at times. We may change features or discontinue the service; we'll announce a shutdown with reasonable notice so you can export your data.
9. Liability
We are fully liable for intent and gross negligence, for injury to life, body or health, and under the German Product Liability Act. For slight negligence we are liable only for breach of essential obligations and limited to foreseeable, typical damage. As the service is free of charge, we are otherwise liable only for intent and gross negligence (by analogy with Sections 521 and 599 BGB) [[have the wording checked]].
10. Suspension and termination
You can stop using Bænkle and delete your account at any time. We can ban accounts for serious or repeated breaches. We state the reasons for a ban where the law requires it.
11. Changes to these terms
When we change these terms, the app tells you. You can contribute again once you have accepted the new version. Licences already granted for contributions are not affected.
12. Final provisions
German law applies. Mandatory consumer protection rules of your country of residence remain unaffected. If any provision is invalid, the rest remain valid.
We are neither willing nor obliged to take part in dispute resolution proceedings before a consumer arbitration board.
Contact: kontakt@baenkle.app