Terms of Service 

Effective Date: June 25, 2025

1. Introduction

These Terms of Service ("Terms") constitute a legally binding agreement between you ("User") and Living English, which operates as a subscription-based website, digital magazine, study portal ("The Athenaeum"), and online community. The platform is curated and managed by a sole teacher, Mr. Derek (legal name: Derek Show), to offer high-quality, advanced, and academically styled English learning materials for learners in Japan and beyond.

Services are provided through the domain livingenglish.io. In this document, "Living English" may also be referred to as "the site," "the website," "the service," "we," "our," or "us."

By accessing or using the site, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agreed to these Terms. If you do not agree, you must discontinue use immediately.

2. Description of Service

Living English is a digital magazine, website, study platform, and online community that provides curated English learning content created by Mr. Derek and his AI assistants. Content is rooted in real-world language and themes, with modern tools such as native audio, translations, and practice features.

2.1 Subscription-Based Content (Monthly or Annual Plans):

Full Access 

• The Living English Magazine
• The Bulletin
• The Athenaeum (archived materials)
• The Community: Access Pass for activities and challenges

Read-Only Access

• The Living English Magazine
• The Bulletin (including LINE updates)
• The Athenaeum
• No access to community features

2.2 One-Time Purchase Content

Bespoke.Me — A personalized lesson package including twenty 45-minute private sessions with Mr. Derek, focused exclusively on article-based content from the site. Sessions may address pronunciation, vocabulary, reading, theme-based conversation, or challenge support.

Note: Availability is limited and offered at Mr. Derek’s discretion. Inquiries should be sent to [email protected]. Service is not guaranteed. This service is instructional only and does not include test prep, writing services, or consulting outside the scope of Living English materials.

3. Use of Service & Copyright

Living English provides original educational materials. Users may not:

• Copy, distribute, or reuse content for any commercial, personal, or public purpose.

• Use our materials in any paid or subscription-based service.

• Share login credentials or attempt to bypass access controls.

All content, structure, and functionality are the intellectual property of Living English. Misuse may result in suspension, ban, and/or legal action.

4. Age Restrictions & Parental Responsibility

• Full Access, including all community features such as challenges, posting, and interactive activities, is available only to users aged 18 or older.

• Users under the age of 18 may access the Read-Only Access plan only if the subscription is purchased by a parent or legal guardian, using a parent or guardian’s email address for the sign-in credentials, and under that adult’s direct supervision.

• Any user under 18 found accessing community features—such as submitting challenges, posting content, or participating in activities—may have their account suspended or terminated without refund, at our discretion.

• An exception applies only when special arrangements are made directly between a parent or guardian and Mr. Derek regarding the Bespoke.Me Private Lesson Coaching program.

5. Subscriptions and Payments

• Subscriptions renew automatically unless canceled at least 24 hours before the renewal date.

• A renewal notice is sent 7 days in advance, with clear billing information.

• Cancellations take effect at the end of the current billing cycle. No prorated or full refunds are issued for early termination unless explicitly stated below in the Cancellation & Refund Policy.

• One-time purchases are non-refundable, unless required by applicable law.

• Payments are processed securely via third-party providers (e.g., PayPal, Stripe) and are subject to their respective terms.

Cancellation & Refund Policy

The following conditions apply to purchases made through Living English:

Full Access and Read-Only Access Subscriptions:

• You may cancel auto-renewal at any time during your subscription. Cancellation stops future billing but does not refund past payments.

• If you have not accessed any content, you may request a full refund within 24 hours of purchase.

• First-time subscribers may request a full refund within 48 hours of purchase if there has been no substantial use of the service.
  (Example: if you have logged in three times or fewer, a refund may be granted. More than three logins will void the refund request.)

• Prorated refunds are not available under any circumstance for active subscriptions.

• All cancellation and refund requests must be submitted to:
  [email protected]

Bespoke.Me (Private Lesson Coaching Service):

• This service does not auto-renew. Lessons are sold in pre-paid bundles.

• If lessons remain unused, a prorated refund may be requested within one year of the original purchase date.

• All refund requests must be submitted to:
  [email protected]

6. Intellectual Property Rights

• All site content (text, video, graphics, etc.) is owned by Living English.
• No copying, redistribution, or deep linking is permitted.
• Social media content may only be reshared per platform guidelines with proper credit.
• Violations may result in immediate suspension and legal action.

7. Use of A.I.

All illustrations are either original, AI-generated using OpenAI tools (e.g., DALL·E), or in the public domain. No actual artworks by living or deceased artists are reproduced.

AI is used for stylistic enhancement, not impersonation. All AI-generated visuals are curated and approved by Mr. Derek.

Editorial Integrity:

• Real individuals are depicted only in editorial or educational contexts.

• AI is not used to mimic specific artists or brands unless use is clearly editorial and transformative.

Ownership:

• AI images may not be eligible for copyright protection under current law. Living English claims editorial ownership over layout, article content, and curated visual design.

8. Submission Consent and Rights Waiver

By submitting content (comments, essays, etc.), users agree to:

1. Grant of Use Rights — Unlimited, irrevocable rights to publish, edit, and archive the content.
2. Waiver of Compensation — No monetary reward is owed for submissions.
3. Transfer of Rights — Copyright (excluding moral rights) is transferred to Living English upon submission.
4. Originality — The work must be your own and not infringe on others’ rights.
5. Editorial Discretion — We may choose to reject, edit, or omit submissions at our sole discretion.

9. Third-Party Services

Some features rely on third-party tools (e.g., quizzes, games, payment processors).

• These services operate independently with their own policies.

• Most embedded tools do not require separate logins. If they do (e.g., for scoreboards), usernames are optional and unlinked to your site login.

10. Legal Jurisdiction

Living English operates under Japanese law. International users agree to resolve disputes under Japanese jurisdiction unless local laws require otherwise.

11. Limitation of Liability

DISCLAIMER: Living English is provided “as is” and “as available.” We make no guarantees regarding:

• Accuracy or reliability of content

• Learning outcomes

• Uptime or service availability

We are not liable for:

• Technical failures or inaccuracies

• Content from third-party tools

• User performance or educational results

12. Copyright Infringement Claims

To report copyright violations, contact:
 

Email: [email protected]

Include:

• Your name and contact details

• A description of the work

• The URL of the infringing material

• A good-faith statement that use is unauthorized

• Your signature (physical or electronic)

Living English complies with applicable intellectual property laws and respects the rights of creators.

13. Amendments to Terms

We may update these Terms at any time. Material changes will be posted publicly and may be announced by email or in-platform notification. Continued use after updates implies acceptance.

We may suspend, alter, or discontinue services without notice. No refunds apply in such cases.

14. Termination

We reserve the right to suspend or terminate accounts without notice if users:

• Violate these Terms

• Engage in abuse or disruption

• Infringe on intellectual property or legal rights

15. Language

These Terms were originally written in English. In case of conflict with a translation, the English version shall prevail.

16. Contact

Questions? Reach us at:
Email: [email protected]

Note: “Mr. Derek” is a nickname used in branding. The legal operator is Derek Show.

17. Account Security

You are responsible for safeguarding your credentials. We are not liable for unauthorized access caused by weak passwords or user negligence.

18. Force Majeure

We are not liable for service disruptions due to events beyond our control, including natural disasters, cyberattacks, or regulatory restrictions.