API & Developer Terms

Plain-language summary

Any access to a Clap Ideas API is a privilege, not a right. We can change, limit, or remove access, and the API itself may change.
Use the API fairly. Respect rate limits. Do not scrape or bulk-harvest the platform.
Do not try to copy, extract, or distil our AI models, reverse-engineer how the AI works, or get around safety and moderation.
Respect user content: keep attribution, honour content licences, and do not re-identify or resell people’s personal data.
Keep your credentials safe, and credit Clap Ideas as the source.
AI features are powered by Google Gemini and outputs can be wrong. See our AI Transparency Policy.
This is a draft and is not legal advice; counsel is reviewing it. Formal API keys, quotas, and registration are defined on formal launch.

1. Scope and acceptance

These API & Developer Terms apply to any programmatic access to Clap Ideas, including any public, partner, or developer API we may offer. By accessing or using a Clap Ideas API, or by building an application that does, you agree to these terms. They add to, and do not replace, our Terms of Service and our Acceptable Use Policy.

Formal API access — including keys, registration, scopes, and quotas — is defined on formal launch. Until then, treat these terms as a working draft and treat any internal or preview endpoints as not generally available.

2. Access is conditional and may change

API access is granted at our discretion and may be subject to registration, approval, and agreement to these terms.
The API, its features, its data shapes, and its limits may change or be withdrawn. We aim to give reasonable notice of breaking changes where we can, but we cannot always do so.
We may require you to use a specific API version and to upgrade within a reasonable time.

3. Rate limits and fair use

Stay within the rate limits and quotas we set. Do not try to dodge them, for example by rotating accounts, keys, or IP addresses.
Use the API in a way that is reasonable and does not place an undue load on the platform or harm other users’ experience.
Cache responses sensibly and avoid repeated, unnecessary calls.

4. Prohibited uses

When using any Clap Ideas API, you must not:

Scrape or bulk-harvest content or data, whether through the API or by other automated means, beyond what the API expressly allows.
Extract or distil our AI models— do not use outputs to train, fine-tune, or build a competing model, and do not attempt to copy, replicate, or reverse-engineer our AI systems or their prompts.
Bypass safety or moderation— do not try to evade, disable, or trick our safety classifiers, moderation, filters, or rate limits.
Make unauthorised use of data— do not use data from the API for a purpose the user or these terms do not allow.
Re-identify or resell personal data— do not try to identify individuals from data that is not meant to identify them, and do not sell or rent personal data.
Break the law or our policies— do not use the API for anything our Acceptable Use Policy or applicable law prohibits.

5. Respect user content, licences, and privacy

Much of what the API exposes is content created by our users. When you use it, you must:

Honour the licences that apply to user content and our Terms of Service. Do not use content in ways those licences do not permit.
Keep attribution intact. Where content credits an original creator or contributors, preserve that credit and the link back to the source.
Protect privacy. Handle any personal data lawfully, only for the purpose allowed, and do not re-identify or resell it.
Honour user choices, such as deletions and visibility settings, when they reach you through the API.

6. Security requirements

Keep your API credentials secret. Do not embed them in client-side code, public repositories, or shared locations.
Use credentials only for your own registered application, and rotate them if they may have been exposed.
Use secure connections (TLS/HTTPS) for all API traffic, and protect any data you receive.
Tell us promptly if you discover a security issue. See our Security & Responsible Disclosure Policy.

7. Attribution to Clap Ideas

Where you display data from the API, credit Clap Ideas as the source in a clear and reasonable way. Do not imply that Clap Ideas endorses, sponsors, or has reviewed your application unless we have agreed in writing. Follow any brand or usage guidelines we publish.

8. AI features and accuracy

Some API responses include AI-generated or AI-classified output. Our AI features are powered by Google Gemini (the gemini-2.5-flash and gemini-2.5-flash-lite models) for generation and classification. AI output may be inaccurate, incomplete, biased, outdated, or made up, and it is not professional advice. You are responsible for how you use it, and you should not present it as fact without your own checks. For full detail, including the labels we apply, see our AI Transparency Policy.

Note that text used for duplicate detection and search is turned into embeddings on our own systems, so that step does not send text to a third party.

9. Suspension and termination

We may suspend or end your API access at any time if you breach these terms, abuse the platform, put users’ data or safety at risk, or where we must to protect the service or comply with the law. Where it is reasonable and safe, we will tell you why. On termination, stop using the API, delete cached data as required, and respect any user rights that continue to apply.

10. Formal program details

Formal API keys, registration, scopes, quotas, and any developer agreement are defined on formal launch and are subject to counsel review. Until then, please direct API questions to legal@clapideas.com.

Read these terms with our Acceptable Use Policy, our AI Transparency Policy, and our Security & Responsible Disclosure Policy. For API questions, email legal@clapideas.com; for security reports, email security@clapideas.com.

Change history is tracked by document version; see the Legal Centre.