Terms of Use for Muswada

Last updated: July 2026

Access to the site by the User signifies acceptance of these terms of use.

ARTICLE 1: Purpose

These "terms of use" (hereinafter "ToU") are intended to provide a legal framework for the terms of provision of the services of the Muswada site and their use by the "User".

The ToU must be accepted by any User wishing to access the site. They constitute the contract between the site and the User. Access to the site by the User signifies acceptance of these ToU.

In the event of non-acceptance of the ToU stipulated in this contract, the User must refrain from accessing the services offered by the site.

Muswada reserves the right to unilaterally modify the content of these ToU at any time. Users will be informed of any substantial modification by notification on the site or by email.

ARTICLE 2: Legal Notice

2.1 Site Publisher

The Muswada site is published by:

Company name: Maonoo, LLC
Legal form: Limited Liability Company (LLC)
Registered office: 131 Continental Dr, Suite 305, Newark, DE 19713, United States
Operating office: Dandji Lot 649, Cotonou, Benin
Contact email: [email protected]
Website: https://www.muswada.com

2.2 Hosting

The site is hosted by professional service providers ensuring the availability and security of services in accordance with international standards.

2.3 Publication Director

The publication director is the legal representative of Maonoo, LLC.

ARTICLE 3: Definitions

This clause is intended to define the various essential terms of the contract:

User: any natural or legal person who accesses the site or uses one of the services offered by the site, whether as a visitor, reader or registered member.

Member: User who has created an account on the site and has a personal space with login credentials.

Author: Member who publishes stories, chapters or other literary content on the platform.

Premium Author: Author with a paid subscription giving access to advanced features (detailed statistics, promotion, marketing tools, etc.).

Reader: User who views content published on the platform.

User Content: all data, texts, images, stories, chapters, comments, reviews, posts and other elements submitted by the User within the site.

Story: literary work published by an Author, composed of one or more chapters.

Chapter: subdivision of a Story, constituting a reading unit.

Review: detailed critique or opinion written by a Member about a Story, generally including a rating and structured commentary.

Post: social publication on the platform's news feed, allowing Members to share news, thoughts or interactions with the community.

Comment: short textual reaction published by a Member in response to content (story, chapter, post or review).

Subscription: paid plan allowing the User to access Premium services.

Username and password: all information necessary to identify a User on the site. These elements are strictly confidential.

Library: Member's personal space allowing them to save and organize the stories they wish to follow.

Cauris: virtual value unit internal to the Muswada platform, with no intrinsic monetary value, usable exclusively for services offered on the platform. Cauris do not constitute electronic money within the meaning of Directive 2009/110/EC, nor a financial instrument, nor a cryptocurrency.

Reader Wallet: User's personal virtual wallet, denominated in Cauris, allowing the purchase of internal services (gifts, subscriptions, AI services).

Author Wallet: Author's revenue wallet, denominated in Cauris for income from gifts and subscriptions, and in euros for Premium income. Cauris are converted to local currency only at the time of withdrawal, at the rates in effect.

Gift: transaction in Cauris from the Reader Wallet to an Author, available via the reading interface. Gifts come in different types (Coffee, Heart, Star, Diamond, Crown) with increasing Cauris values.

Author Subscription: paid monthly subscription in Cauris that a Reader takes out with a specific Author, granting access to exclusive content and benefits defined by the Author.

Premium Reader Plan: paid plan in Cauris granting access to reading chapters of stories according to the access type defined by the Author, within the limit of an included chapter budget.

Chapter budget: the number of chapters included in the chosen Premium Plan. Each plan explicitly states its validity period and its number of chapters; several plans may exist for the same period, differing by the number of chapters included and the price.

Chapter credit: unit corresponding to a validated chapter reading. Each validated reading consumes one credit from the chapter budget.

CPL (Cost Per Read): remuneration paid to the Author for each validated reading of one of their chapters, the amount of which varies according to objective quality criteria.

Access type: parameter defined by the Author on their story, determining who can read the chapters. The types are: free, Premium, Exclusive Space, Paid + Space, Paid Exclusive.

Watermark: unique identifier embedded in downloaded ePub files, enabling the tracing of illegally shared files.

ARTICLE 4: Access to Services

4.1 Free Services

The site allows the User free access to the following services:

Full reading of stories published by Authors
Creation of a Member account
Publication of stories and chapters (for Authors)
Writing comments, reviews and posts
Adding stories to their personal Library
Following other Members (follow system)
Sending and receiving private messages
Social interactions (likes, shares, votes)
Access to personalized news feed
Content recommendations based on your geographic location (country detected via your IP address) to discover authors and stories from your region

4.2 Premium Reader Plan (paid)

The Premium Reader Plan provides:

Access to reading chapters of stories whose access type is "Premium" or for which the Author has enabled the "Accessible to Premium" option, within the limit of the chapter budget included in the plan
A Premium badge visible on the profile and in comments
Access to advanced reading statistics

The chapter budget is the one of the chosen plan, displayed before subscription, and is fixed at the time of subscription. It is not affected by any later change to the plans offered.

When the chapter budget is exhausted before the plan expires, access to new Premium chapters is suspended until expiry or until a new plan is subscribed. Subscribing to a new plan while a plan is in progress immediately replaces the latter: the remaining period and the unused chapters of the replaced plan are neither carried over nor refunded. Chapters left unused when a plan expires are not carried over. Other Premium benefits (badge, statistics) remain active until the plan expires.

The number of chapters included is displayed for each plan option on the subscription page. The User is notified when they reach 80% and 90% of their budget.

Specific Subscription conditions are detailed in Article 12.

4.3 Access Conditions

The site is freely accessible anywhere to any User with Internet access. All costs incurred by the User to access the service (computer equipment, software, Internet connection, etc.) are at their expense.

Non-member Users do not have access to all services. To benefit from all free services, they must create an account and identify themselves.

4.4 Service Availability

The site implements all means at its disposal to ensure quality access to its services. The obligation being one of means, the site does not commit to achieving a particular result.

Access to the site's services may at any time be subject to interruption, suspension or modification without notice for:

Technical maintenance
Service updates
Force majeure
Any other legitimate reason

The User agrees not to claim any compensation following the interruption, suspension or modification of this contract, except in cases provided for by applicable law.

4.5 Contact

The User may contact the site by email at: [email protected]

ARTICLE 5: Intellectual Property

5.1 Site Ownership

Trademarks, logos, signs, graphic designs, and all other original content of the site are protected by intellectual property law.

The User must request prior authorization from the site for any reproduction, publication or copy of elements belonging to the site (excluding user content).

The User agrees to use the site's content within a strictly private framework. Any commercial use is strictly prohibited without prior written authorization.

5.2 User Content Ownership

The Member retains all intellectual property rights to their publications.

However, by publishing content on the site, the Member grants Maonoo, LLC a non-exclusive, free, worldwide license for the legal duration of copyright protection, allowing to:

Display and reproduce the content on the platform
Adapt the format for display on different devices (web, mobile, tablet)
Distribute and disseminate the content within the framework of the site's services
Use the content for promotional purposes of the site and services
Commercialize access to the content designated as paid by the Author, under the conditions of Article 12quater

This license includes the right to use the content on the Internet and mobile telephone networks.

Maonoo, LLC commits to displaying the Member's name or pseudonym near each use of their content.

5.3 Content Responsibility

All content posted by the User is their sole responsibility. The User agrees not to post content:

Infringing third-party intellectual property rights
Of a defamatory, insulting, obscene, violent or hateful nature
Contrary to applicable laws and regulations
Infringing the privacy of third parties

Any legal action brought by an aggrieved third party against the site due to user content may be subject to recourse action against the responsible User.

5.4 Content Moderation

User content may at any time be deleted or modified by the site in case of violation of these ToU or applicable laws. Moderation conditions are detailed in Article 14.

ARTICLE 6: Personal Data

6.1 Collection and Processing

Information requested during registration on the site is necessary for the creation and management of the User account.

The site ensures the collection and processing of personal information in compliance with privacy, in accordance with applicable regulations, including:

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) for users in the European Union
Applicable national data protection legislation

6.2 User Rights

The User has the following rights regarding their personal data:

Right of access
Right to rectification
Right to erasure ("right to be forgotten")
Right to restriction of processing
Right to data portability
Right to object

The User may exercise these rights:

Via their personal space on the site
By email to: [email protected]
By postal mail to the registered office address

6.3 Privacy Policy

For more information on the processing of personal data, the User is invited to consult our Privacy Policy available on the site at: https://www.muswada.com/privacy

ARTICLE 7: Liability and Force Majeure

7.1 Site Liability

Information published on the site is deemed reliable. However, the site reserves the right not to guarantee the accuracy, completeness or timeliness of the information made available.

The User assumes sole and entire responsibility for the use of the site's information and content.

The site declines all liability in case of:

Damages resulting from the use of the site
Temporary inability to access the site
Data loss
Computer viruses transmitted by third parties

7.2 User Liability

The User ensures to keep their password secret. Any disclosure of the password is prohibited.

The User assumes the risks associated with the use of their username and password.

Any use of the service directly or indirectly resulting in damage to the site or third parties must be subject to compensation in favor of the site.

7.3 Security

Optimal security and confidentiality of transmitted data is not guaranteed by the site. However, the site commits to implementing all necessary means to best guarantee the security and confidentiality of data, including:

Communication encryption (HTTPS/TLS)
Secure password hashing
Regular security audits

7.4 Force Majeure

The site's liability cannot be engaged in case of force majeure or unforeseeable and insurmountable act of a third party.

The following are considered force majeure: natural disasters, wars, strikes, telecommunications network failures, government decisions, and any other event beyond the reasonable control of the site.

ARTICLE 8: Hyperlinks

Many outgoing hyperlinks may be present on the site. The web pages to which these links lead do not in any way engage the responsibility of Muswada, which has no control over these links.

The User refrains from engaging the site's liability regarding the content and resources related to these outgoing hyperlinks.

Creating hyperlinks to the Muswada site is permitted without prior agreement, provided that these links:

Do not damage the site's image
Do not mislead the public
Do not present the site in an inappropriate frame or context

ARTICLE 9: Contract Evolution

The site reserves the right at any time to modify the clauses stipulated in this contract.

In case of substantial modification of the ToU:

Users will be informed by notification on the site or by email
A reasonable period will be granted before the new conditions take effect
Users who do not accept the modifications may terminate their account

Continued use of the site after the modifications take effect constitutes acceptance of the new ToU.

ARTICLE 10: Duration

The duration of this contract is indefinite. The contract takes effect for the User from the use of the service.

10.1 Termination by the User

The User may at any time terminate their use of the site and delete their account via their personal space or by contacting support.

If the User's account has a Cauris balance at the time of the deletion request, the fate of this balance is governed by Article 12bis.10. If the User is an Author who has sold works, the procedure of Article 12quater.3 applies prior to deletion.

10.2 Termination by the Site

The site may terminate the contract in case of:

Violation of these ToU
Fraudulent or abusive behavior
Prolonged account inactivity (after prior notification)
Any other legitimate reason

In case of termination for violation of the ToU, no refund of current Subscriptions will be made, unless otherwise required by law.

The fate of the Reader Wallet's Cauris balance in case of termination by the site is governed by Article 12bis.10, which distinguishes Cauris-related violations from other violations.

ARTICLE 11: User Publications

11.1 Types of Authorized Publications

The site allows Members to publish:

Stories and Chapters
Comments
Reviews (story critiques)
Posts (news feed publications)
Private Messages

11.2 Publication Rules

In their publications, the Member agrees to respect:

Netiquette rules
Applicable laws and regulations
Third-party intellectual property rights
Respect for others' privacy
These ToU

11.3 Prohibited Content

The following content is strictly prohibited:

Pornographic or child pornographic content
Content inciting hatred, violence or discrimination
Defamatory, insulting or slanderous content
Content glorifying crimes or offenses
Content violating intellectual property rights
Content containing false or misleading information
Spam or unauthorized advertising
Content containing viruses or malicious code

11.4 Reviews and Critiques

Reviews must:

Be written in a constructive and respectful manner
Focus on the content of the work and not on the Author personally
Not contain insults or defamatory statements
Be original and not copied from other sources

11.5 Moderation

The site exercises a posteriori moderation on publications and reserves the right to:

Refuse to publish content
Delete or modify content
Suspend or delete a Member's account

These measures may be taken without prior justification, except in cases where the law requires it (see Article 14).

ARTICLE 12: Subscriptions and Payments

12.1 Subscription Plans

Muswada offers different Premium subscription plans whose features and prices are detailed on the site. Prices are indicated in CFA Francs (XOF), Euros (EUR) or Dollars (USD) depending on the User's location.

12.2 Subscription

Subscribing to a Subscription is done on the site via a secure process. The User must:

Be of legal age or have the authorization of their legal representative
Provide accurate and complete information
Have a valid payment method

12.3 Payment

Payments are processed securely by our payment provider Stripe.

Muswada does not store Users' bank card information. This information is directly processed and secured by Stripe in accordance with PCI-DSS standards.

Accepted payment methods include:

Bank cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express)
Other payment methods offered by Stripe depending on regions

12.4 Automatic Renewal

Unless otherwise stated, Subscriptions are automatically renewed. At the end of each subscription period, it is automatically renewed for an identical period at the current rate.

The User will be informed of any price change at least 30 days before renewal.

12.5 Subscription Cancellation

The User may cancel their Subscription at any time from their personal space or by contacting support.

Cancellation takes effect at the end of the current subscription period. The User retains access to Premium services until that date.

12.6 Right of Withdrawal (European Union)

In accordance with European Directive 2011/83/EU, Users residing in the European Union have a 14-day right of withdrawal from the subscription date.

To exercise this right, the User must:

Notify their withdrawal decision by email to [email protected] or via the contact form
The notification must be sent before the expiration of the 14-day period

In case of withdrawal:

The refund will be made within 14 days
The refund will be made using the same payment method as the one used for the initial transaction

Service already performed: If, at the User's request, the service has been fully performed before the end of the 14-day period, the right of withdrawal can no longer be exercised for the portion already supplied, in accordance with Article 16, point (a) of Directive 2011/83/EU. For an ongoing Subscription, any refund is calculated pro rata to the portion not yet supplied, except where mandatory provisions applicable in the User's country of residence provide otherwise.

12.7 Refunds (outside right of withdrawal)

Outside the right of withdrawal applicable in the EU, Subscriptions are generally non-refundable.

However, exceptional refunds may be granted on a case-by-case basis, at Muswada's discretion, particularly in case of:

Major technical malfunction attributable to the site
Double billing
Exceptional circumstances

Refund requests must be sent to [email protected] with all necessary supporting documents.

12.8 Price Modifications

Muswada reserves the right to modify its prices at any time. Any price modification will be communicated to Subscribers at least 30 days before it takes effect.

New prices will apply to the next Subscription renewal.

NB - Geographic availability of paid services: The Wallet (Cauris), Gifts, Author Subscriptions and Withdrawals services described in Articles 12bis and 12ter are available worldwide, including for residents of the European Union. Their actual availability and the payment methods offered may vary depending on the User's country of residence, according to locally available payment methods and applicable regulations. Consumers residing in the European Union benefit from the protections provided by Union consumer law, in particular as regards tax-inclusive pricing and the right of withdrawal, under the conditions set out in Articles 12.6 and 12bis.2.

ARTICLE 12bis: Wallet and Muswada Credits (Cauris)

12bis.1 Acquisition of Cauris

The purchase of Cauris is reserved for Users aged 16 years or older. Users aged 16 to 17 must have the authorization of their legal representative to make purchases. The User declares that they meet the age requirement and, where applicable, have the necessary parental authorization for any Cauris purchase. Muswada reserves the right to request age verification in case of doubt.

Cauris are acquired by purchasing top-up packs whose prices are displayed on the platform in the currency selected by the User. Prices displayed for consumers residing in the European Union include all applicable taxes (VAT included).

The User acknowledges that the purchase price of Cauris may vary by currency and region, according to the pricing schedule in effect.

Free Cauris may be granted as bonuses (referrals, promotional events, rewards). These free Cauris are subject to the same usage rules as purchased Cauris.

12bis.2 Immediate delivery of Cauris and right of withdrawal (EU)

Muswada Credits (Cauris) are delivered to the User's Wallet immediately after payment confirmation, so that they may be used without delay.

Users residing in the European Union benefit from a 14-day right of withdrawal in accordance with Article 9 of Directive 2011/83/EU. Muswada applies this right as follows:

(a) A top-up of Muswada Credits (Cauris) that has been entirely unused may be withdrawn and fully refunded within 14 days of purchase. The refund is made by re-crediting (reversal) the payment method used for the purchase;

(b) Once Cauris from a top-up have been used (in particular spent on Gifts, Author Subscriptions, artificial intelligence services or any other service payable in Cauris, or given away), the corresponding digital content is deemed supplied with the User's agreement, within the meaning of Article 16, point (m) of Directive 2011/83/EU. The portion of Cauris thus consumed is not refundable, except where mandatory provisions applicable in the User's country of residence provide otherwise.

The User exercises the right of withdrawal by email to [email protected] or via the contact form, before the expiry of the 14-day period. The refund of the eligible portion is made within 14 days.

12bis.3 Non-refundability and non-transferability

Purchased Cauris are not refundable for money, except where mandatory legal provisions applicable in the User's country of residence provide otherwise, and without prejudice to the right of withdrawal provided for in Article 12bis.2 for an entirely unused top-up.

Cauris are not transferable between Users other than through the mechanisms provided by the platform (gifts, author subscriptions).

Cauris may not be sold, exchanged or transferred to third parties outside the platform. Any attempt to resell or externally exchange Cauris will result in account suspension.

12bis.4 Use of Cauris

Cauris may be used for:

(a) Offering Gifts to Authors via the reading interface (types and values displayed in the application);

(b) Subscribing to a paid subscription with a specific Author (tiers defined by the Author). Author Subscriptions are debited in Cauris from the Reader Wallet. This spending of Cauris constitutes a use of Muswada Credits within the meaning of Article 12bis.2: as the corresponding digital content and benefits are supplied upon subscription, the portion of Cauris thus consumed is not refundable, except where mandatory provisions applicable in the User's country of residence provide otherwise;

(d) Any other service offered by the platform and payable in Cauris.

12bis.5 Platform commission

Muswada charges a commission of 30% (thirty percent) on each Cauris transaction for the benefit of an Author (gifts and subscriptions). The balance (70%) is credited to the recipient's Author Wallet in Cauris. These Cauris remain in the Author Wallet until withdrawal, at which point they are converted to local currency at the rates in effect.

The commission rate may be modified with 60 days' notice, communicated to Users by notification on the platform and by email.

12bis.6 Value of Cauris and transparency

Cauris are an abstract unit with no intrinsic monetary value. There is no fixed conversion rate between Cauris and any currency. The withdrawal value of Cauris for Authors depends on the monetary zone of origin and the withdrawal rates in effect at the time of the withdrawal request.

Cauris pack prices in each currency are set by a pricing schedule available on the platform. These prices vary by region and are periodically revised based on local economic conditions.

Value estimates displayed in the "My Revenue" section are indicative and may differ from the actual value at the time of withdrawal depending on exchange rate fluctuations and prevailing rates.

12bis.7 Cauris expiration

Cauris do not expire as long as the User's account is active.

In case of account inactivity (no login) for a continuous period of 24 months, Muswada reserves the right to expire the Cauris, subject to:

(a) Sending an email notification to the address associated with the account, at least 60 days before expiration;

(b) Allowing the User to log back in to retain their Cauris during this notice period.

12bis.8 Limits and security

To prevent abuse, the following limits apply:

(a) Top-ups: daily top-up ceiling defined by the platform;

(b) Gifts: maximum 50 gifts per day per User;

(d) Anti-fraud: Muswada reserves the right to suspend an account upon detection of suspicious patterns.

12bis.9 Service discontinuation

In the event of definitive discontinuation of the Cauris service by Muswada, Users will be informed with a minimum of 90 days' notice. During this period, Users may use their remaining Cauris. After the notice period, unused remaining Cauris will be forfeited, unless mandatory legislation applicable in the User's country of residence provides for a right to reimbursement of prepaid values upon service discontinuation by the provider.

The fate of stories and chapters acquired for consideration in the event of service discontinuation is governed by Article 12quater.8.

12bis.10 Fate of the Cauris balance upon account closure

(a) Voluntary account closure. When the User requests the deletion of their account while their Reader Wallet has a Cauris balance, this balance is explicitly displayed to them before confirmation of the deletion request. The User is invited to use their balance before confirming their request.

During the 30-day grace period following the deletion request, the User may cancel it at any time (according to the procedure described on the "Delete my account" page) and recover their entire balance. Upon expiry of the grace period, the deletion becomes final and the remaining Cauris balance, whether purchased or free, is permanently forfeited, without refund or compensation, except where mandatory legal provisions applicable in the User's country of residence provide otherwise.

(b) Termination by Muswada for violation of the ToU. In case of account termination at Muswada's initiative, the fate of the Cauris balance depends on the nature of the violation, in compliance with the principle of proportionality:

Cauris-related fraud (in particular: acquisition of Cauris by means of a fraudulent or disputed payment, circumvention of platform mechanisms, resale or external exchange prohibited by Article 12bis.3, manipulation of Gifts or Subscriptions): the Cauris balance is immediately and fully confiscated, as a protective measure and by way of compensation, without prejudice to any recovery action or legal proceedings.
Violation unrelated to Cauris (in particular editorial or behavioral violations: prohibited content, breach of the publication rules of Article 11): the User has a period of 30 days from the notification of the termination to use the Cauris balance they have purchased, via restricted access to their account limited to this sole purpose or, failing that, upon request to support at [email protected]. Cauris granted free of charge (bonuses, referrals, promotions) are forfeited as of the date of termination. Upon expiry of the 30-day period, the remaining balance is permanently forfeited.

(c) The measures provided for in this article are applied in a manner proportionate to the seriousness of the facts. The User retains the right of appeal provided for in Article 14.5 as well as the dispute resolution avenues provided for in Article 15.

ARTICLE 12ter: Author Revenue and Withdrawals

12ter.1 Revenue sources

Authors may earn revenue on the platform from the following sources:

(a) Gifts received from readers (after deduction of the 30% commission);

(b) Subscriptions from readers subscribed to the Author (after deduction of the 30% commission);

(c) Premium reading remuneration (CPL), the amount per chapter of which varies between the minimum CPL and the maximum CPL in effect. The CPL amount is calculated automatically for each validated reading, based on objective criteria related to the chapter and reading behavior:

Chapter length (word count)
Content quality (completion rate, average ratings)
Reader's reading progress (proportion actually read)
Reader engagement (interactions: like, comment, gift)

The calculation details are available for each reading in the Author's "My Revenue" section. The parameters (minimum CPL, maximum CPL, weighting criteria) may be modified by Muswada with 60 days' notice communicated by notification and by email.

The platform retains the difference between the per-chapter unit cost and the CPL paid to the Author. An additional 15% commission applies upon withdrawal of earnings (Article 12ter.3).

12ter.2 Author Wallet

Revenue from Gifts and Subscriptions is credited to the Author Wallet in Cauris. Revenue from the Premium pool is credited separately in euros (EUR). The Author can view the details of their revenue (Cauris balance, estimated local currency equivalent, Premium revenue in EUR) and their transaction history in the "My Revenue" section.

The local currency estimate is indicative and calculated from the withdrawal rates in effect. It does not constitute a contractual commitment on the amount actually received upon withdrawal.

12ter.3 Withdrawal conditions

Revenue withdrawal is subject to the following conditions:

(a) Minimum amount: 5,000 Cauris (i.e., for indicative purposes only and depending on the withdrawal rates in effect, approximately EUR 7.60 / XOF 5,000 / USD 8). The minimum withdrawal amount is expressed in Cauris; currency equivalents are provided for information only and may vary in accordance with Article 12bis.6;

(b) Identity verification (KYC): prior to any first withdrawal, the Author must complete an identity verification procedure (see Article 12ter.4);

(c) Withdrawal fees: fixed processing fees apply depending on the currency and withdrawal method, plus any payment gateway fees. Fee details are available in the "My Revenue" section;

(d) Processing time: 3 to 5 business days after the withdrawal request;

(e) Withdrawal methods: bank transfer (EUR, USD, GBP) or Mobile Money (XOF, XAF, KES, NGN, GHS and other supported currencies);

(f) Conversion at withdrawal: Cauris from the Author Wallet are converted to local currency at the time of withdrawal, according to withdrawal rates by monetary zone in effect. Premium revenue, denominated in EUR, is converted at the applicable exchange rate. Withdrawal rates are set by Muswada and revised periodically (monthly for volatile currencies, quarterly or semi-annually for stable currencies). The applied rate is shown to the Author before withdrawal confirmation. The Author acknowledges that the value of their Cauris at withdrawal may differ from displayed estimates, depending on exchange rate fluctuations and rate revisions.

12ter.4 Author identity verification (KYC)

Before any first withdrawal, the Author must provide:

(a) A valid official identity document (national ID card, passport or driver's license);

(b) Proof of bank details or Mobile Money phone number;

(d) For authors residing in the European Union: a tax identification number (TIN/NIF), as well as date of birth and address of residence, in accordance with the DAC7 Directive (2021/514) and Article 8ac of the amended Directive 2011/16/EU;

(e) For authors receiving income from US sources: a W-8BEN or W-9 form depending on their tax status;

(f) For authors residing in Nigeria: a Bank Verification Number (BVN) and a National Identification Number (NIN), in accordance with Central Bank of Nigeria requirements.

These documents are processed in accordance with the Privacy Policy and retained for the periods required by applicable legal obligations.

12ter.5 Tax nature of revenue

Revenue earned by Authors constitutes taxable income in accordance with the tax legislation applicable in their country of residence. Muswada does not withhold any income tax at source, except where specifically required by law.

The Author is solely responsible for declaring and paying taxes due on their platform income.

Muswada will provide, upon the Author's request or legal obligation, an annual summary of revenue earned through the platform, available in the "My Revenue" section each January.

ARTICLE 12quater: Paid Content and Purchase Protection

12quater.1 Story access types

The Author may define the access type for their story from the following options:

Free: accessible to all readers without conditions
Premium: reserved for Muswada Premium Plan subscribers
Exclusive Space(s): reserved for subscribers of the Author's Spaces
Paid + Space: paid for all, free for subscribers of the Author's Spaces
Paid Exclusive: purchase required for access

For "Premium", "Paid" and "Paid + Space" types, the story must be marked as completed (last chapter published) before it can be published with this access type.

12quater.2 Locking of sold content

As soon as a chapter is the subject of an individual purchase, that chapter together with all published chapters preceding it in reading order (reading order being determined by the chapter number within the story) are locked: their text may no longer be modified by the Author (including by means of writing-assistance tools), and they may not be deleted, unpublished, or moved out of the protected zone thus locked, in order to preserve the reading continuity acquired by buyers. In the event of a purchase of the entire story, all published chapters are locked.

Chapters that have never been published (drafts) and published chapters coming after the last sold chapter remain freely modifiable, deletable, and able to be unpublished. Adding new chapters remains permitted. Metadata (title, description, cover, tags) and the price remain modifiable.

The locking provided for in this article constitutes a manner of exercising, and not a waiver of, the Author's moral rights; it does not prevent the exercise of the right of reconsideration or withdrawal provided for in Article 12quater.3.

12quater.3 Withdrawal of a paid work

An Author intending to exercise their right of reconsideration or withdrawal shall do so by means of the procedure of this article, which constitutes indemnification of buyers and of the platform within the meaning of applicable laws (in particular Article L121-4 of the French Intellectual Property Code and Benin Law No. 2005-30 of 5 April 2006).

The Author may at any time request the withdrawal of their story from the platform, in accordance with their moral rights (Berne Convention, Article 6bis). The withdrawal is carried out according to one of the two following options, at the Author's choice:

(a) Refund Option: The Author refunds 85% of the price paid by each buyer. The platform refunds its 15% commission. The refund is made in Cauris to each buyer's Wallet. The story remains accessible to buyers during a 30-day grace period, then is permanently archived.

(b) ePub Download Option: Buyers are notified and have 30 days to download a copy of the story in ePub format. Each copy contains a watermark identifying the buyer (see Article 12quater.5). After 30 days, the story is deleted from the servers. Buyers who did not download within the allotted time may request an individual refund for an additional 60 days.

The withdrawal request is cancellable during the first 7 days. After that period, it becomes irreversible.

12quater.3bis Withdrawal of a paid work at the platform's initiative

By way of exception to Article 12quater.3, Muswada may withdraw a paid work on its own initiative in the following cases:

(a) Deletion or banning of the Author's account pursuant to Articles 10.2 or 14.4;

(b) Withdrawal of the work following a substantiated report for infringement of intellectual property rights, handled in accordance with Article 14;

(c) Deletion of the Author's account at the latter's request without prior initiation of the procedure of Article 12quater.3.

In all of these cases, each buyer of the work concerned is refunded in full (100%) of the price paid, in Cauris, to their Reader Wallet. The ePub download option provided for in Article 12quater.3 (b) is excluded where the withdrawal is motivated by an infringement of intellectual property rights, as Muswada cannot distribute a copy of infringing content.

The cost of these refunds is charged to the Author Wallet of the Author concerned, up to the share they received. The platform's commission is refunded by Muswada. If the Author Wallet is insufficient, the debt mechanism provided for in Article 12quater.4 applies, including in case of closure of the Author's account, the debt remaining enforceable under the conditions of said article.

The Author whose work is withdrawn pursuant to this article is notified by email and has the right of appeal provided for in Article 14.5.

12quater.4 Insufficient balance and debt

If the Author's Wallet is insufficient to cover the refund (Option A), the platform advances the necessary funds. The Author then incurs a debt to the platform, repayable by:

(a) Automatic compensation: 80% of future revenue generated by the Author on the platform is allocated to repayment. The remaining 20% remains available to the Author.

(b) Voluntary payment: the Author may settle their debt by direct payment (Mobile Money, bank card). A 10% discount is granted for full payment within 30 days.

The debt is enforceable for three (3) years from its creation. After this period, the platform waives all recovery.

12quater.5 Watermark and sharing prohibition

Any ePub file downloaded as part of a withdrawal (Option B) contains a digital watermark identifying the User (name, unique identifier). This watermark is embedded both visibly and invisibly in the file.

The reading license granted to the User constitutes a personal, non-transferable right of access. It does not include any right of reproduction, sharing or distribution.

Any distribution of a watermarked file constitutes a violation of these ToU and may result in the immediate suspension of the identified User's account, as well as legal proceedings.

12quater.6 Pre-purchase information

The User is informed, prior to any purchase, that stories published on Muswada may be withdrawn at the Author's initiative. In the event of withdrawal of a work acquired for consideration, the User will either receive a full refund or be invited to download an ePub copy, depending on the Author's choice.

A purchase grants a personal, non-exclusive and non-transferable access license, the scope of which differs depending on the type of purchase:

(a) Individual chapter purchase: the license covers exclusively the version of the purchased chapter as published at the time of purchase. It grants no right over subsequent versions, corrections or additions made to that chapter, nor over other chapters of the story not separately acquired, nor any ownership right over the work or the file.

(b) Purchase of the entire story ("living story"): where the purchase covers the story in its entirety, the license covers all chapters published at the time of purchase as well as any new chapter subsequently published by the Author within that same story, at no additional cost, for as long as the story has not been withdrawn within the meaning of Articles 12quater.2 and 12quater.3. This automatic extension ceases if the Author withdraws paid access to the story or permanently closes their account, in which case only the chapters already published at the time of purchase remain covered by the license, under the withdrawal conditions provided for in those articles.

In both cases, the purchase grants no right of reproduction, modification, distribution or commercial exploitation of the work, nor any intellectual property right over it or over the transmitted file.

Readings made under a Premium Plan (CPL) are not eligible for refund in the event of withdrawal, as the subscription provides access to an evolving catalog and not to specific titles.

12quater.7 Author consent

Before the first publication with a paid access type (Premium, Paid, Paid + Space), the Author is informed of the locking and withdrawal conditions described in Articles 12quater.2 to 12quater.6 and must give their explicit consent via a dedicated screen. This consent is recorded and serves as evidence in case of dispute. If the Author does not already have a date of birth recorded on their account, this same screen also asks them to provide it, under the conditions set out in Article 12quater.7bis.

12quater.7bis Legal age required to activate paid access

Activating a paid access type (Premium, Paid, Paid + Space) on a story is reserved for Authors who have reached the legal age of majority, in accordance with applicable contractual capacity rules.

The date of birth provided during the consent screen referred to in Article 12quater.7 is self-declared by the Author and becomes immutable once recorded, with no possibility of later modification by the Author.

If the age calculated from this date is under eighteen (18) years, consent is refused and the Author may not activate any paid access type on their stories. The date of birth provided is nevertheless retained by Muswada, solely to prevent any further attempt to activate paid access with a different date.

If the Author later completes an identity verification (KYC) as part of an earnings withdrawal request, the date of birth appearing on the verified ID document replaces the self-declared date and becomes the reference data.

Muswada reserves the right to suspend an Author's paid access and to process the refunds provided for in Article 12quater.3 if it appears, in particular during a subsequent KYC verification, that the Author was a minor at the time paid access was initially activated, notwithstanding the declaration made.

The processing of the date of birth in this context is described in Article 2.8 of the Privacy Policy.

12quater.8 Service discontinuation and content purchases

In the event of definitive discontinuation of the service by Muswada (Article 12bis.9), Users who have acquired stories or chapters for consideration (full purchase or individual chapter purchase) may, throughout the 90-day notice period, download a copy of each of their acquisitions in ePub format.

Each downloaded copy contains the watermark provided for in Article 12quater.5 and remains subject to the personal, non-transferable reading license defined in said article. The prohibition on sharing and distribution survives the discontinuation of the service.

Users are informed of this download option in the discontinuation notification provided for in Article 12bis.9. At the end of the notice period, the content is deleted from the servers and no further download is possible.

Readings made under a Premium Plan (CPL) do not give rise to any download or refund under this article, in accordance with Article 12quater.6.

ARTICLE 13: Notifications

13.1 Types of Notifications

Muswada may send notifications to Users via different channels:

Email notifications
Push notifications (via Firebase Cloud Messaging)
In-app notifications

13.2 Consent

Sending push notifications requires the User's prior consent. This consent is requested when using the application or website.

The User may at any time:

Accept or refuse push notifications
Customize the types of notifications received

13.3 Notification Categories

Notifications may concern:

Transactional notifications: payment confirmations, password changes, security alerts (mandatory)
Social notifications: new followers, likes, comments, mentions (can be disabled)
Content notifications: new chapters from followed stories, recommendations (can be disabled)
Promotional notifications: special offers, news (can be disabled, with consent)

13.4 Deactivation

The User may disable non-essential notifications:

From their account settings on the site
From their mobile device settings
By clicking the unsubscribe link in emails

Transactional notifications related to account security or legal obligations cannot be disabled.

13.5 Frequency

Muswada commits to limiting the frequency of notifications so as not to overwhelm the User. Promotional notifications are limited and respect the User's preferences.

ARTICLE 14: Moderation and Reporting

14.1 Moderation Principles

In accordance with legal obligations, including the European Union's Digital Services Act (DSA), Muswada implements a transparent and fair moderation system.

14.2 Content Reporting

Any User may report content they believe violates these ToU or applicable laws.

Reporting can be done:

Via the report button on each content
By email to: [email protected]
Via the contact form

The report must contain:

Identification of the content concerned (URL or description)
Reasons for the report
Where applicable, supporting evidence

14.3 Report Processing

Muswada commits to:

Acknowledging receipt of the report within 24 hours
Examining the report within a reasonable time (generally within 7 business days)
Informing the reporter of the decision made and its reasons

14.4 Moderation Measures

In case of violation of the ToU or applicable laws, Muswada may take the following measures:

Warning to the User
Deletion or modification of the offending content
Temporary restriction of publication features
Temporary account suspension
Permanent account deletion

The severity of the measure depends on:

The nature and severity of the violation
Whether the violations are repeated
The User's intent

14.5 Right of Appeal

The User whose content has been moderated or whose account has been sanctioned has a right of appeal.

The appeal must be filed within 30 days of the notification of the decision, by email to: [email protected]

The appeal must contain:

Identification of the contested decision
Arguments and evidence justifying the contestation

Muswada commits to re-examining the decision and responding within 30 days.

14.6 Manifestly Illegal Content

Manifestly illegal content (child pornography, terrorism, etc.) is subject to immediate removal and reporting to competent authorities, in accordance with legal obligations.

14.7 Transparency

In accordance with the DSA, Muswada publishes periodic reports on its moderation activities, including:

Number of reports received
Types of moderated content
Average processing times
Number of appeals and their outcomes

ARTICLE 15: Applicable Law and Disputes

15.1 Applicable Law

These ToU are entered into with Maonoo, LLC, a company incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware (United States), whose operations are conducted from Cotonou, Benin.

These ToU are governed by the law of the Republic of Benin.

This choice of law does not deprive the consumer User of the protection afforded to them by the mandatory provisions of the law of the country in which they have their habitual residence. In particular:

For Users residing in the European Union, the mandatory consumer protection provisions of their country of residence apply in addition, in accordance with Article 6 of Regulation (EC) No 593/2008 ("Rome I");
For Users residing in the United States, the mandatory protections of federal laws and of the laws of their State of residence (in particular regarding consumer protection and personal data) remain applicable.

15.2 Amicable Dispute Resolution

In case of dispute, the User is invited to first contact Muswada's customer service at [email protected] to try to find an amicable solution.

15.3 Mediation (European Union)

In accordance with Directive 2013/11/EU, Users residing in the European Union may resort to a mediation procedure in case of failure of amicable resolution.

European Users may also access the European Commission's Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) platform: https://ec.europa.eu/consumers/odr/

15.4 Competent Jurisdiction

In the absence of amicable resolution or mediation, any dispute relating to the interpretation or execution of these ToU will be submitted to the competent courts:

For professional Users (in particular Authors acting in the course of their professional activity): the courts of Cotonou, Benin, are exclusively competent.
For consumer Users: the courts of the consumer's domicile or the courts of Cotonou, at the consumer's choice, in accordance with applicable private international law rules. No provision of these ToU deprives the consumer of the right to bring proceedings before the courts having jurisdiction under the mandatory provisions of their country of residence.

15.5 Users Residing in the United States and Canada — Mandatory Individual Arbitration

PLEASE READ THIS CLAUSE CAREFULLY: IT AFFECTS YOUR RIGHTS. IT PROVIDES THAT CERTAIN DISPUTES WILL BE RESOLVED THROUGH INDIVIDUAL ARBITRATION AND INCLUDES A CLASS ACTION WAIVER, SUBJECT TO YOUR OPT-OUT RIGHT DESCRIBED BELOW.

15.5.1 Scope

This clause applies exclusively to Users residing in the United States or Canada. For these Users, it prevails over the provisions of Article 15.4 to the extent that it deviates from them. It does not apply to Users residing in any other geographic area.

15.5.2 Mandatory individual arbitration

To the extent permitted by applicable law, the User and Maonoo, LLC agree that any dispute, claim or controversy arising out of these ToU, the Privacy Policy or the use of the Services, which has not been resolved amicably in accordance with Article 15.2, will be resolved through individual, final and binding arbitration, and not in court, subject to the exceptions provided for in Articles 15.5.4 and 15.5.8.

The arbitration will be administered by the American Arbitration Association (AAA) in accordance with its Consumer Arbitration Rules in effect at the time the claim is filed, available at https://www.adr.org. This arbitration agreement is governed by the Federal Arbitration Act (9 U.S.C. § 1 et seq.).

The arbitration will take place, at the User's choice:

by videoconference or on a documents-only basis (written procedure), or
in person, in the county (or equivalent district) of the User's residence.

For disputes falling under this Article 15.5, the merits of the dispute will be governed by the law of the State of Delaware (United States), without prejudice to the mandatory consumer protection provisions of the User's State or province of residence. The arbitral award may be entered as a judgment by any court of competent jurisdiction.

15.5.3 Arbitration costs

For any claim in an amount less than or equal to USD 10,000, Maonoo, LLC will bear all filing fees, administrative fees and arbitrator's fees exceeding the amount the User would have paid to bring an action before the small claims court of their county. Each party bears its own attorneys' fees, unless applicable law or the AAA rules provide otherwise. Maonoo, LLC will not seek reimbursement of its fees and costs, unless the arbitrator finds that the User's claim was frivolous or brought in bad faith.

15.5.4 Exception: small claims court

Notwithstanding the foregoing, each party retains the right to bring an individual action before the small claims court (or equivalent court) of the User's county or district of residence, provided that the dispute falls within the jurisdiction of that court and remains on an individual basis.

15.5.5 Opt-out right

The User may opt out of this arbitration agreement by sending written notice to [email protected] within thirty (30) days of their first acceptance of these ToU. The notice must state the name, the email address associated with the account and the clear intention to opt out of arbitration. Exercising this opt-out right entails no adverse consequence on the User's access to the Services. In the event of opt-out, disputes will be resolved in accordance with Articles 15.1 to 15.4.

15.5.6 Class action waiver

To the extent permitted by law, the User and Maonoo, LLC agree that any dispute will be brought exclusively on an individual basis, and not as a plaintiff or member of a class in any class action, representative action or collective or consolidated arbitration. The arbitrator may not join or consolidate the claims of multiple Users, nor preside over any collective proceeding.

Severability: if this class action waiver is found to be unlawful or unenforceable with respect to a given dispute, that dispute — and that dispute only — will be brought before the competent courts in accordance with Article 15.4, and not before an arbitrator; the remainder of this Article 15.5 will remain fully applicable to all other disputes.

15.5.7 Coordinated claims (mass arbitration)

If twenty-five (25) or more arbitration claims, raising similar issues and represented or coordinated by the same counsel or organizations, are filed against Maonoo, LLC, the parties agree that these claims will be processed in batches (batching) in accordance with the applicable AAA rules on mass arbitrations. Before the batches are formed, the parties undertake to participate in good faith in a global preliminary mediation on the common issues, for a maximum period of one hundred and twenty (120) days. Applicable limitation periods are tolled during this procedure.

15.5.8 Reservation of mandatory laws

This Article 15.5 does not apply to the extent that the mandatory laws of the User's State, province or territory of residence prohibit mandatory arbitration or class action waivers for consumer disputes (in particular in Quebec and certain Canadian provinces). In particular, Users residing in California retain all of the rights conferred on them by the CCPA/CPRA (California Consumer Privacy Act, as amended), including the right to exercise their remedies regarding personal data, as well as the rights provided for by California Civil Code § 1542 where applicable. Nothing in this clause deprives the User of the right to file a complaint with a competent administrative or regulatory authority.

ARTICLE 16: Miscellaneous Provisions

16.1 Partial Nullity

If any of the clauses of these ToU were declared null or unenforceable, the other clauses would remain in force and produce their full effects.

16.2 Non-Waiver

The failure of Muswada to exercise a right or to require the performance of an obligation under these ToU does not constitute a waiver of such right or obligation.

16.3 Entirety

These ToU, together with the Privacy Policy and any other policy published on the site, constitute the entire agreement between the User and Muswada.

16.4 Language

These ToU are written in French. In case of translation, only the French version shall prevail.

Contact

For any questions regarding these ToU, you may contact us:

Email: [email protected]
Address: Maonoo, LLC, Dandji Lot 649, Cotonou, Benin
Website: https://www.muswada.com

Last updated: July 2026