Terms of Service

1. General terms

1.1. Agreement

Storyon.net (“Storyon”, “we”, “our”, or “Service”) operates as an online platform established in Belgium and owned by a company registered in Antwerp, Belgium. The Service hosts and shares literary works and related creative content submitted by users (“Authors” or “you”). Our Content Policy and Privacy Policy are incorporated by reference into these Terms of Service (“TOS”).

By submitting any text, image, link, tag, audio, video, or other form of creative or personal content (collectively, “Content”) to Storyon.net, or by creating an account and/or accessing any Content on the Service, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these TOS, as well as any applicable Belgian and EU regulations.

If you do not agree to these TOS, you must not use or access the Service.

1.2. Entirety of Agreement

These Terms of Service constitute the entire agreement between you and Syntelium B.V., a company registered in Antwerp, Belgium, and govern your use of the Storyon.net platform and related services.

They replace and supersede all prior agreements, understandings, or communications between you and Storyon regarding your use of the Service.

These Terms apply only to Storyon.net and do not govern your use of any other websites, services, or applications that may be owned or operated by Storyon or third parties, each of which may be subject to separate terms.

1.3. Governing Law and Jurisdiction

These Terms of Service, your relationship with Syntelium B.V., and any dispute or claim arising out of or related to them shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of Belgium, without regard to conflict-of-law principles.

You and Syntelium B.V. agree to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Antwerp, Belgium, for the resolution of any dispute arising out of these Terms or the use of the Service.

If you are a consumer residing in the European Union, you may also have the right to bring proceedings in your country of residence under applicable EU consumer protection laws.

If you access the Service from outside the European Union, you are responsible for compliance with any local laws that may apply to your use of the Service.

1.4. Severability and Waiver

The failure of Syntelium B.V. to enforce any provision of these Terms of Service shall not constitute a waiver of that provision or any other provision. Any waiver of a specific breach or instance must be made in writing and shall not constitute a waiver of any other breaches or instances.

If any provision of these TOS is found by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect. The invalid provision shall be interpreted, to the extent possible, in a manner that reflects the original intent of the parties.

1.5. Limitation on Claims

To the extent permitted by applicable law, any claim or cause of action arising out of or related to your use of the Service or these Terms of Service must be brought within one (1) year from the date on which the claim or cause of action arose, or it will be time-barred.

This limitation does not apply where a longer period is required under mandatory Belgian or EU consumer protection laws, which shall prevail.

1.6. No Assignment

These Terms of Service are personal to you and may not be assigned, delegated, or transferred by you to any other person or entity without the prior written consent of Syntelium B.V. Any attempted assignment, delegation, or transfer in violation of this provision shall be void.

Syntelium B.V. may assign, delegate, or transfer its rights and obligations under these TOS, in whole or in part, in connection with a merger, acquisition, sale of assets, or corporate restructuring, without your consent.

2. Updates to the Terms of Service

Syntelium B.V. may modify these Terms of Service, including the Content Policy and Privacy Policy, at any time. When changes are made, the updated TOS will be posted on the Storyon.net website and will become effective upon posting, unless otherwise stated.

It is your responsibility to review the TOS regularly. Your continued use of the Service after the posting of any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated TOS.

These Terms may not be altered by emails, verbal communications, or other informal communications with Storyon representatives.

3. Potential problems with StoryOn

3.1. Disclaimer of Warranties

The services provided by Syntelium B.V., including the Storyon.net platform, are provided on an “as is” and “as available” basis. While we strive to ensure that the Service operates reliably, we do not guarantee that it will meet your requirements, operate without interruptions or errors, be secure, or provide results that are accurate, reliable, or complete.

To the extent permitted by applicable law, all Content and services are provided without express or implied warranties, including, without limitation, warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement.

Nothing in these Terms affects any rights you may have under mandatory Belgian or EU consumer protection laws.

3.2. Data Breach Notification

If Syntelium B.V. becomes aware of a personal data breach that is likely to result in a risk to the rights and freedoms of individuals, we will notify the affected users without undue delay, in accordance with the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Belgian data protection laws.

Where required, we will also notify the Belgian Data Protection Authority (Gegevensbeschermingsautoriteit / Autorité de protection des données) within the timelines established by law.

If you reside outside the European Union, we will also comply with any additional data breach notification requirements applicable in your jurisdiction to the extent they do not conflict with GDPR.

3.3. Use at Your Own Risk

Any material you access through Storyon is used at your own risk. You are solely responsible for any damage, loss, or corruption of data that may result from accessing, downloading, or interacting with any such material.

3.4. Additional Warranty Disclaimer

Syntelium B.V. disclaims, to the extent permitted by applicable law, all warranties not expressly stated in these Terms, including any implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement.

No communication from any representative or agent of Storyon shall create a warranty or representation unless it is expressly included in these Terms of Service.

Nothing in these Terms affects rights that cannot be limited or excluded under mandatory Belgian or EU consumer protection laws.

3.5. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, you agree that Syntelium B.V. shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, including loss of profits, loss of data, or business interruption, even if we have been advised of the possibility of such damages.

This includes, without limitation, damages arising from:

• your use of, or inability to use, the Storyon.net platform or services;
• unauthorized access to or alteration of any Content or personal data you submit; and
• the actions, statements, or conduct of third parties using the Storyon.net platform.

Explicit clarification: Syntelium B.V. is not liable for indirect or consequential loss to the extent permitted by Belgian and EU law.

Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits liability where such exclusion or limitation would be unlawful under Belgian or EU law, including liability for gross negligence, intentional misconduct, violations of data protection law (GDPR), or for death or personal injury caused by negligence.

3.6. Termination and Service Modifications

You agree that Syntelium B.V. shall not be liable to you or any third party for any limitation, suspension, or termination of your access to the Storyon.net platform or services, provided such actions comply with applicable Belgian and EU consumer protection laws.

Storyon may, at its sole discretion, modify, restrict, suspend, or discontinue the platform or any part of the services at any time. Where required by law, users will be provided with prior notice.

3.7. User Content Liability

You agree that Syntelium B.V. shall not be liable for any claim arising from Content you make available, your connection to the Storyon.net platform, your use of the platform, or your violation of the rights of others.

Storyon is not responsible for any legal risks you may face by posting, accessing, downloading, or interacting with Content on the platform. By using Storyon.net, you assume responsibility for your own actions regarding Content.

Nothing in this section limits any rights or remedies you may have under mandatory Belgian or EU laws.

3.8. No Storage or Backup Guarantee

The Storyon.net platform is not intended to be used as a personal storage or file backup service. You are solely responsible for maintaining your own backups of any Content you submit. Syntelium B.V. shall not be liable for any Content that is lost, deleted, or otherwise unrecoverable, except where such loss results from a violation of our legal obligations under applicable Belgian or EU law.

4. Content you access when using Storyon

4.1. Third-Party Links and Content

Storyon or users of the Storyon.net platform may provide links to, or content from, websites or services operated by third parties. If you follow such links or access third-party content, you should review the applicable terms of use and privacy policies, which may differ from those of Storyon.net.

Storyon has no control over third-party sites, their content, availability, or terms, and does not endorse or assume any responsibility for them.

4.2. User-Embedded and Third-Party Hosted Content

Some content displayed on or accessible via the Storyon.net platform may not be hosted by Syntelium B.V. and may instead be embedded from or hosted by third-party services (“User-Embedded Content”). If you access a page containing User-Embedded Content, the embedded file may transfer data to the hosting service as if you were visiting that service directly.

While User-Embedded Content must comply with Storyon’s Content Policy, it is otherwise governed by the terms of use and privacy policies of the third-party service that hosts it. Storyon reserves the right to indicate to users that User-Embedded Content is present on or visible via your content.

4.3. User Responsibility and Content Exposure

You understand that Syntelium B.V. does not prescreen or review content for compliance with these Terms of Service. This includes, without limitation, text, graphics, tags, comments, or any other material, including User-Embedded Content.

All content is the sole responsibility of the submitter. By using the Storyon.net platform, you acknowledge that you may encounter material that is offensive, objectionable, or otherwise inappropriate according to your personal standards.

4.4. No Endorsement of Content

You acknowledge that Syntelium B.V. does not endorse or approve any content on the Storyon.net platform, except where such material is published as an official statement of Storyon.

No employees, volunteers, administrators, or officers of Storyon are acting in an official capacity when posting content, commentary, or other material similar to that generally provided by users.

4.5. No Liability for User Content

To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, Syntelium B.V. shall not be liable for any content to which you are exposed through or because of the Storyon.net platform.

Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits liability where such exclusion or limitation would be unlawful under mandatory Belgian or EU law, including liability for intentional misconduct, gross negligence, or violations of data protection obligations.

5. What we do with Content

5.1. User Content Ownership

Syntelium B.V. does not claim any copyright or ownership in the Content you submit to the Storyon.net platform. You retain full ownership of your Content, including all moral rights (droit moral) under EU and Belgian law, which cannot be waived. Nothing in these Terms alters your moral rights or other non-transferable rights as an author.

To operate the platform, Storyon may store, process, or make backup copies of your Content on servers located in the European Union or in other countries. If Content or personal data is transferred outside the European Economic Area, such transfers will be carried out in compliance with the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), including appropriate safeguards such as adequacy decisions or standard contractual clauses.

5.2. License Granted to Storyon

By submitting Content to the Storyon.net platform, you grant Syntelium B.V. a worldwide, royalty-free, nonexclusive license to use such Content solely for the purpose of operating, displaying, distributing, and maintaining the platform, including any free Content you make available.

This license includes the right to reproduce, perform, display, compile, and modify or adapt Content as reasonably necessary for:

• displaying Content on the platform;
• organizing, navigating, or ensuring the discoverability of Content;
• enabling platform functionality, including formatting, moderation, indexing, or backup.

For Content you make available for sale, you retain all commercial rights. Storyon does not claim ownership of paid Content or revenue generated from its sale, except for any fees explicitly agreed to in connection with the platform’s sales or payment system.

Nothing in this section transfers ownership of your intellectual property rights to Storyon.

5.3. Termination of License and Content Removal

The license you grant to Syntelium B.V. exists only for as long as you choose to make the Content available on the Storyon.net platform. This license will terminate within a reasonable time after you remove the Content, or Storyon removes it in accordance with these Terms.

We will make reasonable efforts to ensure that removed Content becomes unavailable to other users as soon as practicable.

Although removed Content will no longer be publicly accessible, Storyon may retain backup copies where required for:

• compliance with legal or regulatory obligations;
• the establishment, exercise, or defense of legal claims;
• security, fraud prevention, or disaster recovery.

Such backups will be retained only for as long as necessary for those purposes and will be accessible solely to authorized platform administrators.

5.4. Paid Works, Ongoing Content, and Access After Removal

Completed Works If you purchase access to a completed Work (such as a finished novel, story, or chapter), the Author is obligated to make the purchased content available to you in full. Syntelium B.V. will facilitate access to such purchased Works according to the license terms in effect at the time of purchase. Syntelium B.V. is not responsible for enforcing individual Author obligations beyond ensuring that access is provided as described at the time of sale. Authors remain solely responsible for the accuracy and completeness of their Works.

Ongoing or Pre-ordered Works If you purchase access to a Work that is in progress (for example, an unfinished novel or serialized story), the Author may choose to discontinue publishing at their discretion. Users retain access to all portions of the Work that were published before discontinuation. Neither the Author nor Syntelium B.V. is liable for non-completion unless a specific, explicit written commitment to complete the Work was made at the time of purchase.

Author-Initiated Removal Authors may remove their Works from public view at any time. However, Syntelium B.V. may continue to provide access to Users who previously purchased those Works, provided such access does not violate applicable laws or third-party rights. This continued access constitutes a limited, non-transferable license for the buyer to view the Work for personal use only.

Copyright or Legal Removals (EU/Belgium Notice-and-Takedown) If a Work must be removed due to a valid copyright notice, court order, EU Digital Services Act (DSA) complaint, or other legal obligation, Syntelium B.V. will remove the content for all users, including purchasers. No refunds or continued access are guaranteed in such cases unless required by Belgian or EU law.

Refunds and Liability Syntelium B.V. does not guarantee refunds for discontinued or removed Works, except to the extent required under mandatory Belgian or EU consumer protection laws, including the EU Consumer Rights Directive (2011/83/EU) and related national legislation. Nothing in these Terms can waive, limit, or circumvent these rights. In exceptional circumstances, Syntelium B.V. may provide refunds, credits, or other remedies at its discretion.

5.5. Transformative Works and Monetization Restrictions

Authors may designate their submissions as transformative works (fanworks) by selecting the “This work is a Fanfic” checkbox when creating a work. Transformative works are considered non-commercial and may not be monetized through the Storyon platform. Selecting this designation automatically disables all payment, purchase, or tipping features for the work.

Authors of transformative works may not solicit or encourage payments, donations, or any other form of compensation for those works—whether directly on Storyon or indirectly through external platforms or links. This rule ensures compliance with copyright and fair use principles and preserves the non-commercial nature of transformative creations.

5.6. Content in Shared or Moderated Spaces

You may submit content to areas of Storyon.net that you do not fully control, such as challenges, contests, group spaces, or posts moderated by Storyon users or administrators.

By submitting content to these areas, you agree to comply with the rules for content removal and retention specific to those spaces. Storyon may moderate, retain, or remove content in accordance with platform policies for these shared or official areas.

5.7. Imported or Third-Party Content

Some content on Storyon.net may be imported from third-party collections or services under agreements separate from these Terms of Service.

If a creator of imported content requests that their work be removed, Storyon will honor the request and remove the content from the platform.

If a third-party collection or service chooses to remove imported content, any works that have been claimed or assigned to their original creators will remain on Storyon.net.

5.8. Content Preservation and Legal Disclosure

You acknowledge and agree that Syntelium B.V. may preserve and disclose Content if required under Belgian or EU law, or in the good-faith belief that such preservation or disclosure is reasonably necessary to:

• comply with legal processes, governmental requests, or obligations under the EU Digital Services Act (DSA);
• enforce these Terms of Service;
• respond to claims that Content violates the rights of third parties;
• protect the rights, property, or personal safety of Syntelium B.V., users of the Service, or the public.

Nothing in these Terms limits the mandatory rights of users under Belgian or EU consumer protection law, including rights related to access, refunds, or remedies for non-conforming services. Please refer to our Privacy Policy for detailed information on when Syntelium B.V. may preserve and/or disclose your personal information in compliance with the GDPR.

6. What you can't do

You agree not to use Storyon.net or any associated services, features, or communication channels to:

• Make available any content that violates the Content Policy;
• Impersonate any person or entity, including Storyon representatives, administrators, or volunteers, or misrepresent your affiliation with any person or entity;
• Forge or manipulate identifiers, such as email headers or routing information, to disguise the origin of content;
• Make available any content that a competent court or authority has determined infringes a copyright, trademark, patent, trade secret, or other third-party rights;
• Introduce viruses, malware, or any code intended to disrupt, damage, or gain unauthorized access to any system, network, or data;
• Interfere with or disrupt Storyon.net or any hosted content, servers, networks, or related services;
• Create an account if you are under the minimum age required under Section I.H of these Terms;
• Create or use an account in violation of applicable Belgian or EU laws, including sanctions regimes applicable within the European Union;
• Otherwise violate any applicable local, national, or international law or regulation.

Note: Storyon is operated by Syntelium B.V., a company established in Belgium. Users are responsible for complying with the laws applicable in their own jurisdiction when accessing and using the Service.

7. User Registration and Email Accuracy

As part of your registration on Storyon.net, you agree to provide an accurate and current email address and to update it as necessary. If your email address is inaccurate, outdated, or otherwise unusable, Storyon may suspend or restrict access to your account until the issue is resolved.

By registering or using an email address in connection with Storyon.net, you confirm that the email address is your own and that Storyon may lawfully communicate with you at that address, as described in these Terms of Service.

8. Age Restrictions

Storyon.net does not knowingly solicit or collect information from Age-Barred Individuals.

For the purposes of these Terms, Age-Barred Individuals are:

• Individuals under the age of thirteen (13); and
• Individuals under the age of sixteen (16) who, in their country of residence or citizenship, cannot legally consent to the processing of personal data under the GDPR or applicable national laws.

This includes individuals under sixteen (16) who are residents or citizens of:

• Any EU or EEA country that requires parental consent for processing the personal data of minors, or
• Any country that prohibits the processing of personal data of minors of that age without parental or guardian consent.

Footnote (for clarity regarding Belgium): Under Belgian law, the age at which minors can legally provide consent for the processing of their personal data is sixteen (16). Therefore, Belgian users under sixteen require parental or guardian consent.

If your country of residence or citizenship sets a higher minimum age for digital consent than specified above, you must comply with that higher age limit.

Age-Barred Individuals may not create an account or submit content to Storyon.net. By registering or submitting content, you confirm that you are not an Age-Barred Individual.

If administrators of Storyon (operated by Syntelium B.V.) determine that an Age-Barred Individual has created an account or submitted content, Storyon may suspend or delete the account, hide or delete the content, or take other appropriate measures.

If you are under thirteen (13) and not a resident or citizen of the EU/EEA, a parent or legal guardian may submit content on your behalf using their own account.

9. Abuse, Complaints, and Content Moderation

9.1. Prescreening

Storyon.net does not prescreen content for violations of the Terms of Service, including the Content Policy.

Storyon investigates complaints only when submitted through the appropriate reporting channels and accompanied by sufficient information to evaluate the issue.

9.2. Submitting a Complaint

Complaints regarding content or user behavior may be submitted to Storyon’s Abuse & Support team using the official Storyon Abuse Reporting Form.

Copyright and Intellectual Property Complaints

Copyright or other intellectual property infringement claims must be submitted only through Storyon’s designated copyright reporting process. Storyon accepts notices submitted under:

• EU and Belgian copyright law, including the implementation of Directive (EU) 2019/790; and
• The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) for rights holders or representatives who choose to submit a DMCA-compliant notice.

Note: For users and rights holders within the EU, EU copyright law applies first. DMCA notices are optional for rights holders outside the EU who wish to submit under U.S. law.

Notices must be submitted by the rights holder or an authorized legal representative.

Incomplete, invalid, or unauthorized notices will not be processed.

9.3. Treatment of Complaints

All complaints are handled in accordance with the Privacy Policy and Content Policy.

Personal data collected during complaint processing will be handled in accordance with the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and Storyon’s Privacy Policy.

Storyon (operated by Syntelium B.V.) reviews complaints at its discretion, but aims to respond within 14–30 calendar days of receipt, depending on the complexity of the issue. Responses to complaints are not guaranteed, but we make reasonable efforts to address them promptly.

Storyon may remove, restrict, or otherwise moderate content or accounts if required by law, necessary to protect users or the platform, or appropriate under platform policies.

9.4. Resolution of Complaints

When Storyon administrators (operated by Syntelium B.V.) determine that content violates the Terms of Service, it may be hidden from public view or removed.

For content submitted by the creator of a work (including imported works), Storyon (operated by Syntelium B.V.) will attempt to notify the creator if valid contact information is available, in accordance with applicable data protection laws (e.g., GDPR).

Storyon administrators may set deadlines for voluntary removal of violating material. If the content is not removed within the deadline, Storyon may permanently remove it.

Non-work content, or content for which valid contact information is not available, may be immediately removed if it violates the Terms of Service.

9.5. Penalties

Violations of the Terms of Service may result in warnings, suspensions, or other penalties for all accounts owned by the offending user. Storyon’s Abuse & Support team determines appropriate penalties based on the nature of the violation and the user’s behavior.

Content removal due to legal obligations, copyright claims, or court orders does not automatically result in suspension, unless the content also violates age restrictions, illegal content rules, or other provisions of these Terms.

Suspended users may not post, edit content, or create accounts while suspended. Suspended users retain the right to request deletion or removal of their content by contacting Storyon administrators.

9.6. Appeals

Both the complainant and the subject of a complaint may appeal moderation decisions. Appeals are reviewed by an additional member of the Abuse & Support team.

The original decision remains in effect during the appeal process.

All decisions of the Abuse & Support team are final, though Storyon will make reasonable efforts to process appeals promptly.

Effective: November 25, 2025