Terms of Service

Last Updated: December 15, 2025
Effective Date: December 15, 2025

1. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing or using FireSoul (https://firesoul.me), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service ("Terms"). If you do not agree to these Terms, you may not use FireSoul.

Binding Agreement: These Terms constitute a legally binding agreement between you and apqa Tomasz Kozakiewicz.

Updates: We may modify these Terms from time to time. Material changes will be posted 30 days before the effective date. Continued use of FireSoul after changes become effective means you accept the updated Terms.

2. Governing Law and Jurisdiction

Governing Law: These Terms are governed by and construed in accordance with Polish law (Prawo polskie).

Jurisdiction: Any disputes arising from these Terms or your use of FireSoul will be resolved exclusively by the District Court in Kraków (Sąd Okręgowy w Krakowie), Poland.

For EU Consumers: If you are a consumer residing in the European Union, you may also bring proceedings in the courts of your country of residence under applicable consumer protection laws.

NO Mandatory Arbitration: Mandatory arbitration clauses are invalid under Polish law for business-to-consumer (B2C) contracts. You have the right to pursue claims in Polish courts.

Service Provider:
apqa Tomasz Kozakiewicz
ul. Józefa Sarego 5/4
31-047 Kraków, Poland
Email:

3. Description of Service

FireSoul is a free online book catalog focusing on spiritual and self-development literature.

What We Provide:

  • Book catalog with metadata aggregated from open sources (Open Library, Crossref, Library of Congress, Gutendex)
  • Proprietary AI-generated book descriptions (see Section 4)
  • Newsletter service (opt-in, double opt-in required)
  • Future features: User accounts, reading lists, bookmarks, community features
  • Future features: Affiliate links to book sellers (with clear disclosure)

What We Do NOT Provide:

  • Book sales (we don't sell books)
  • Book storage or hosting (we provide information only)
  • Guarantees of book availability (links to third-party sellers may break)
  • E-books or downloadable content (we link to external sources)

4. Intellectual Property

Our Content

AI-Generated Descriptions

Copyright Owner: © apqa Tomasz Kozakiewicz, All Rights Reserved

What You Can Do:

  • ✅ Read AI-generated descriptions on FireSoul for free
  • ✅ Link to FireSoul pages
  • ✅ Quote short excerpts with attribution (fair use)

What You CANNOT Do:

  • ❌ Copy, republish, or redistribute AI-generated descriptions without written permission
  • ❌ Use AI-generated descriptions in commercial products without licensing
  • ❌ Claim AI-generated descriptions as your own work
  • ❌ Scrape or systematically extract AI-generated descriptions (also prohibited by database rights - see below)

For Licensing Inquiries: Contact

Legal Basis - Human Creative Process: Our AI-generated descriptions are the product of substantial human creative input, including:

  • Custom prompt engineering and instruction design developed through extensive iteration
  • Manual curation of source data (selection, verification, quality control)
  • Human review and editing of AI outputs for accuracy, tone, and style consistency
  • Proprietary workflow and quality control procedures

This human creative contribution forms the basis of our copyright claim under Polish copyright law (Ustawa o prawie autorskim i prawach pokrewnych, Art. 1).

Additional Protection: Even if copyright in individual descriptions were challenged, our aggregated database of descriptions is separately protected by sui generis database rights (see below), and unauthorized copying is prohibited by these Terms (see Section 6 - Prohibited Activities).

Database Rights

Protection: Our aggregated book database is protected by Polish database rights (sui generis database right, 15-year protection).

Substantial Investment: We have made substantial investment in obtaining, verifying, and presenting book metadata.

Prohibited: Systematic extraction or reuse of substantial parts of our database (scraping) is prohibited.

For Bulk Access: Contact to discuss API access or licensing.

Website Code and Design

Copyright Owner: © apqa Tomasz Kozakiewicz, All Rights Reserved

Proprietary: Our website code, design, and layout are proprietary (closed source) and may not be copied or reproduced.

Third-Party Content

Book Metadata

Sources: Open Library (CC0), Crossref (CC0), Library of Congress (Public Domain), Gutendex/Project Gutenberg (Public Domain)

Our Aggregation: While source data is open, our aggregated database has sui generis protection (see above).

See Content Licensing Page: For detailed source attribution, visit https://firesoul.me/licensing/

Book Covers

Source: Open Library Cover API (hotlinked, not stored locally)

Legal Basis: Fair use under Polish copyright law (Art. 29 - prawo cytatu) for identification purposes.

Use: Thumbnail display for book identification (illustrative purpose, non-commercial context, does not compete with original market).

Takedown: If you own rights to a cover image and want it removed, contact

User-Generated Content (Planned Feature)

When we implement comments, reviews, or other user-generated content:

You Retain Ownership: You retain copyright to content you create.

License to Us: By posting, you grant FireSoul a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free license to use, display, and distribute your content on our platform.

You Represent:

  • You own or have permission to post the content
  • Content does not infringe third-party rights
  • Content complies with these Terms and applicable laws

Moderation: We reserve the right to remove any content that violates these Terms.

5. User Accounts (Planned Feature)

Eligibility

Age Requirement: You must be 16 years or older to create an account (GDPR compliance).

Accurate Information: You must provide accurate and complete information when creating an account.

Account Security

Your Responsibility: You are responsible for:

  • Maintaining confidentiality of your password
  • All activities under your account
  • Notifying us immediately of unauthorized access

Our Responsibility: We will hash passwords with industry-standard bcrypt (we cannot read your password).

Account Termination

By You: You may delete your account at any time from account settings.

By Us: We may suspend or terminate your account for:

  • Violation of these Terms
  • Illegal activity
  • Fraud or abuse
  • Inactivity (after notice)

Effect of Termination: Your data will be deleted according to our Privacy Policy (30-day grace period, then permanent deletion).

6. Prohibited Activities

You agree NOT to:

Content Violations

  • ❌ Republish or redistribute our AI-generated descriptions without permission
  • ❌ Scrape or systematically extract data from our database
  • ❌ Circumvent technical measures that prevent automated access
  • ❌ Remove copyright notices or attributions

Abuse and Misconduct

  • ❌ Harass, threaten, or abuse other users
  • ❌ Post spam, advertisements, or commercial content
  • ❌ Impersonate another person or entity
  • ❌ Interfere with website functionality or security

Legal Violations

  • ❌ Violate any applicable laws or regulations
  • ❌ Infringe copyright, trademark, or other intellectual property rights
  • ❌ Post defamatory, hate speech, or illegal content
  • ❌ Attempt to gain unauthorized access to our systems

Age Violations

  • ❌ Use FireSoul if you are under 16 years old (GDPR requirement)

Consequences

Violations may result in:

  1. Warning (first offense, minor violation)
  2. Temporary suspension (repeat offense or moderate violation)
  3. Permanent ban (severe violation or repeat offender)

No Refund: As FireSoul is a free service, no refunds apply to account termination.

7. Affiliate Links and No Endorsement (Future Feature)

Affiliate Disclosure

Planned Feature: In the future, FireSoul may include affiliate links to book sellers (e.g., Amazon Associates).

Disclosure: When implemented, all affiliate links will be clearly marked with "(Link partnerski)" or "(Affiliate Link)".

How It Works: If you purchase a book through an affiliate link, we may earn a commission (typically 4-10%) at no extra cost to you.

Full Disclosure: See https://firesoul.me/affiliate-disclosure/ for complete information.

No Endorsement

Affiliate Links ≠ Endorsement: Inclusion of affiliate links does not imply recommendation or endorsement by FireSoul.

Check Before Buying: Always verify current prices, availability, and seller reputation before purchasing.

Editorial Independence

Catalog Selection: Books are cataloged based on Open Library data and spiritual categories, NOT on affiliate commission potential.

AI Descriptions: Generated from open source metadata, NOT influenced by affiliate relationships.

No Pay-to-Play: Publishers cannot pay for inclusion or favorable descriptions.

8. Disclaimers and Limitation of Liability

"AS IS" Disclaimer

IMPORTANT: FireSoul is provided "AS IS" and "AS AVAILABLE" without warranties of any kind, either express or implied, including but not limited to:

  • ❌ NO WARRANTY of accuracy or completeness of book metadata (aggregated from third-party sources)
  • ❌ NO WARRANTY of uninterrupted or error-free service (we may have downtime or bugs)
  • ❌ NO WARRANTY of fitness for a particular purpose
  • ❌ NO WARRANTY that the service will meet your requirements

Third-Party Websites

Not Responsible: We are not responsible for:

  • Content on external websites (book sellers, Open Library, Wikipedia, etc.)
  • Privacy practices of external websites
  • Availability or pricing of books on external websites
  • Transactions between you and external websites

Recommendation: Review terms and privacy policies of external websites before using them.

Book Availability

No Guarantees: We do not guarantee:

  • Books will be available for purchase
  • Links to book sellers will remain active
  • Prices will be accurate or up-to-date
  • Sellers will fulfill orders

We Are Not a Seller: FireSoul provides information only. We do not sell, store, or ship books.

Limitation of Liability (Polish Civil Code Compliant)

To the Maximum Extent Permitted by Polish Law:

  1. Indirect Damages: We are NOT liable for indirect, consequential, special, or punitive damages, including but not limited to:
    • Lost profits or revenue
    • Loss of data
    • Loss of business opportunities
    • Emotional distress
  2. MANDATORY EXCEPTIONS - We CANNOT Exclude Liability For (Polish Civil Code):
    • Intentional harm or gross negligence (umyślne działanie lub rażące niedbalstwo)
    • Personal injury or death
    • Mandatory consumer rights under Polish consumer protection law (Act of 30 May 2014 on Consumer Rights)
    • Fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation
    • Liability for defects under warranty laws

For Consumers (B2C): If you are using FireSoul as a consumer (not for business purposes), the limitations above apply. We do not impose any monetary cap on liability for consumer users, as such caps may be deemed abusive clauses (klauzule abuzywne) under Art. 385¹ § 1 of the Polish Civil Code.

For Business Users (B2B): If you are using FireSoul for commercial or business purposes, our maximum aggregate liability for all claims is limited to 100 PLN, except for the mandatory exceptions listed above which cannot be excluded.

9. Indemnification

You Agree to Indemnify: You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless apqa Tomasz Kozakiewicz and FireSoul from any claims, damages, losses, liabilities, and expenses (including legal fees) arising from:

  • Your violation of these Terms
  • Your violation of any law or third-party rights
  • Your use of FireSoul (misuse, abuse, or illegal activity)
  • Content you post (if user-generated content is implemented)
  • Copyright infringement or other intellectual property violations

Notice: We will notify you of any claim and cooperate in your defense.

Control: We reserve the right to assume exclusive defense and control of any matter subject to indemnification.

10. Modification of Service and Terms

Service Changes

Right to Modify: We may modify, suspend, or discontinue any feature of FireSoul at any time, with or without notice.

No Liability: We are not liable for any modification, suspension, or discontinuation of the service.

Free Service: As FireSoul is a free service, we do not owe refunds or compensation for service changes.

Terms Changes

Right to Update: We may update these Terms from time to time.

Notification:

  • Material changes: Email notification 30 days before effective date (if you subscribed to newsletter)
  • Minor changes: Posted on this page with updated "Last Updated" date

Continued Use: Using FireSoul after the effective date of updated Terms means you accept the changes.

Your Options:

  • Disagree: Stop using FireSoul before effective date
  • Questions: Contact

11. Termination

By You

Delete Account: You may delete your account at any time from account settings (when implemented).

Unsubscribe: You may unsubscribe from newsletters at any time using the unsubscribe link.

Effect: Your data will be deleted according to our Privacy Policy (30-day grace period, then permanent deletion).

By Us

Right to Terminate: We may suspend or terminate your access to FireSoul at any time, with or without cause, with or without notice, including for:

  • Violation of these Terms
  • Illegal activity or fraud
  • Risk to security or integrity of our systems
  • At our sole discretion

Notice: We will provide notice when reasonably possible, unless immediate termination is necessary (e.g., security threat, legal requirement).

Effect: Upon termination:

  • Your access to FireSoul will be immediately revoked
  • Your data will be deleted according to our Privacy Policy
  • No refunds (free service)

12. Dispute Resolution

Informal Resolution

First Step: Before filing any formal claim, please contact us at to attempt informal resolution.

Good Faith: Both parties agree to make good-faith efforts to resolve disputes informally.

Formal Disputes

Governing Law: Polish law (Prawo polskie)

Jurisdiction: District Court in Kraków (Sąd Okręgowy w Krakowie), Poland, has exclusive jurisdiction over disputes arising from these Terms.

For EU Consumers:

  • You may also bring proceedings in the courts of your country of residence
  • Polish consumer protection law may provide additional rights that cannot be waived

NO Mandatory Arbitration: Mandatory arbitration is invalid under Polish law for B2C contracts. All users have the right to pursue claims in Polish courts.

EU Online Dispute Resolution (ODR):

  • For EU consumers: https://ec.europa.eu/consumers/odr
  • Note: ODR is primarily for disputes involving online purchases. As we don't sell products, this may not apply, but the platform is available if relevant.

13. Severability

Invalid Provisions: If any provision of these Terms is found to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, the remaining provisions will remain in full force and effect.

Reformation: Invalid provisions will be reformed to the extent possible to reflect the original intent while being enforceable.

14. Entire Agreement

Complete Agreement: These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy (https://firesoul.me/privacy/), constitute the entire agreement between you and FireSoul regarding use of the service.

Informational Duty (Polish Consumer Rights Act): These Terms and our Privacy Policy fulfill the informational duty required under Art. 8 of the Polish Consumer Rights Act (Ustawa o prawach konsumenta), providing you with all necessary information about:

  • Service provider identification (Section 2)
  • Main characteristics of the service (Section 3)
  • Duration and termination (Sections 10, 11)
  • Complaint and dispute resolution procedures (Section 12)
  • Privacy and data processing (Privacy Policy)

Supersedes: These Terms supersede any prior agreements, representations, or understandings (written or oral).

15. Contact Information

Legal Inquiries:
General Contact:

Mailing Address:
apqa Tomasz Kozakiewicz
ul. Józefa Sarego 5/4
31-047 Kraków, Poland

Business Information:
NIP: PL6751191044
REGON: 121251317

16. Language

Official Version: The official version of these Terms is in English.

Translations: If we provide translations, the English version prevails in case of conflicts or discrepancies.

Acknowledgment: By using FireSoul, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms of Service.

Questions about this document? Contact us at