Terms of Service

Effective Date: August 7, 2025

Last Updated: September 1, 2025

Welcome to Maelstrom Web Services (“we,” “our,” or “us”). By accessing or using our website and services, you (“you” or “user”) agree to comply with these Terms of Service (“Terms”). Please read them carefully, as they form a binding agreement between you and Maelstrom Web Services.

1. Acceptance of Terms

By engaging with our website or services, you agree to be bound by these Terms, our Privacy Policy, and any additional terms referenced in individual contracts. If you do not agree, you may not use our services.

2. Age Requirement

The content and services on this website are intended for users who are at least 18 years of age. By accessing or using our website, you confirm that you are 18 years of age or older. If you are not 18, you are not authorized to use our services.

3. Services

We provide custom web design, development, and SEO services tailored to your business goals. Specific deliverables, timelines, revisions, and pricing are outlined in individual contracts or statements of work. Services outside the agreed scope, or revisions beyond the included rounds, require a new agreement or change order. SEO services aim to improve visibility but do not guarantee specific search engine rankings, as these depend on third-party algorithms.

4. Educational Content and Disclaimers

In addition to our core web development services, our website, including but not limited to our blog and guides, provides educational content on topics such as ethical hacking and cybersecurity. This content is for informational and educational purposes only and is intended to be used exclusively within legal, controlled, and authorized environments (e.g., personal virtual labs, bug bounty platforms, or with explicit written permission from the system owner).

5. Prohibited Conduct

You agree not to engage in the following prohibited activities while using our website or any of its content:

6. Client Responsibilities

You agree to:

7. Payment and Fees

Payments are due as outlined in your contract. Unless otherwise stated, a 50% deposit is required to begin work, with the balance due according to project milestones. Late payments may incur a fee of 1.5% per month and may result in suspension of services. Payment disputes should first be addressed through good-faith negotiation. No refunds are provided for custom work unless explicitly stated in your contract.

8. Intellectual Property

All content, designs, code, and materials created by Maelstrom Web Services remain our intellectual property until full payment is received. Upon full payment, ownership of the deliverables is transferred to you as specified in your contract. Our pre-existing tools, frameworks, or know-how remain ours. You grant us a non-exclusive license to display project deliverables in our portfolio and marketing unless otherwise agreed in writing. Additionally, unless otherwise agreed in writing, we reserve the right to include a small, unobtrusive attribution on your website (e.g., “Website by Maelstrom Web Services” with a link to our portfolio at maelstromwebservices.com) for marketing and promotional purposes. This attribution does not affect your ownership of the deliverables.

9. Confidentiality

We will protect any confidential information you provide (e.g., business plans, client data) and only disclose it as required by law or with your consent. You agree to protect our confidential information shared during the provision of services. These obligations survive termination of the agreement.

10. Accessibility and Compliance

We follow accessibility and SEO best practices during design and development. However, we do not guarantee full compliance with WCAG, ADA, or other regulatory standards unless explicitly stated in your contract. You are responsible for securing independent audits and ensuring ongoing compliance, particularly after making post-delivery changes to deliverables.

11. Warranties and Disclaimers

12. Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, Maelstrom Web Services is not liable for any indirect, incidental, or consequential damages (e.g., lost profits, data loss) arising from the use of our services. Our total liability for any claim is limited to the amount you paid us for the services in question within the six months preceding the claim.

13. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Maelstrom Web Services, its affiliates, and employees from any claims, damages, or liabilities arising from: (a) content or assets you provide, (b) your misuse of our services, or (c) your violation of these Terms or applicable law.

14. Termination

Either party may terminate services for material breach with 30 days’ written notice. We may also suspend or terminate services for non-payment after 10 business days. Upon termination, you remain liable for payment for all completed work, and we will deliver completed deliverables per your contract.

15. Third-Party Services

We may use third-party tools and services (e.g., hosting providers, analytics platforms, payment processors) to deliver services. These tools are subject to their own terms, and we are not responsible for their availability, security, pricing, or policy changes.

16. Force Majeure

We are not liable for delays or failures in performance due to events beyond our reasonable control, such as natural disasters, internet outages, labor disputes, or governmental actions.

17. Dispute Resolution

Disputes will first be addressed through good-faith negotiation. If unresolved, disputes will be subject to binding arbitration in Sacramento, California, in accordance with the rules of the American Arbitration Association. Either party may seek injunctive relief in court for intellectual property or confidentiality breaches.

18. Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of California, USA, without regard to conflict of law principles.

19. International Users

If you access our services from outside the United States, you are responsible for compliance with local laws. Your use of our services constitutes consent to data transfers to the United States as outlined in our Privacy Policy.

20. Changes to Terms

We may update these Terms periodically. Changes will be posted on our website, and significant changes will be communicated via email or a prominent notice. Continued use of our services constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms.

21. Contact Information

For questions or concerns about these Terms, please contact us: