Instance Terms of Service
Sample Bot Terms of Service that can be used by instances at their discretion
These Terms of Service only apply to Modmail Instances hosted by administrators who choose to use them. If a bot administrator has provided you these terms, they have agreed to use them for their specific instance. If you have any questions regarding the validity of these terms for any specific Modmail instance, please contact the relevant staff team.
Last Updated: June 17th, 2026
These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your use of Modmail (referred to as "the Bot", "we", or "us"). The Bot is an instance of the open-source modmail-dev/modmail project and is hosted independently by the administrators of the Discord server.
By interacting with the Bot, you agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree, please refrain from using the Bot. These Terms are designed to comply with the Discord Developer Terms of Service and Developer Policy.
1. Description of Service
Modmail is a Discord bot that functions as a shared inbox between server members and staff. It allows users to send direct messages to the Bot, which are then relayed to the server's staff as private threads. Staff can respond through these threads, and the replies are sent back to the user via direct message.
2. Eligibility
You must comply with Discord's Terms of Service to use the Bot. By using the Bot, you confirm that you meet the minimum age requirements set by Discord and that your Discord account is in good standing. You must also be a member of the Discord server where the Bot operates to use its services. The Bot will be unavailable to you if you are not a member of the server, or if you have been blocked from using the Bot by the server's staff.
3. Acceptable Use
When interacting with the Bot, you agree to:
Use the Bot for its intended purpose: Communicating with the server's staff through the Modmail system.
Follow the server's rules: Abide by the community guidelines and rules of the Discord server the Bot operates in.
Not abuse the Bot: Refrain from spamming, sending unsolicited messages, or otherwise attempting to disrupt the Bot's functionality or the staff's ability to respond.
Not attempt to exploit the Bot: Do not attempt to reverse-engineer, manipulate, or exploit the Bot's functionality, including its commands, APIs, or data storage.
4. Message Content and Conduct
All messages sent to the Bot are relayed to server staff and may be logged for record-keeping purposes. You are solely responsible for the content of your messages. Messages that violate Discord's Terms of Service, contain illegal content, or are deemed abusive may result in action being taken by the server's staff, up to and including being banned from the server.
5. Data Collection and Privacy
Your use of the Bot is also governed by our Privacy Policy, which explains what data we collect, how we store it, and your rights regarding that data. By using the Bot, you consent to the data practices described in the Privacy Policy.
6. Availability and Modifications
No guarantee of uptime: The Bot is provided on an "as-is" basis. We do not guarantee that the Bot will be available at all times. The Bot may experience downtime due to maintenance, hosting issues, or other technical factors.
Right to modify: We reserve the right to modify, update, or discontinue the Bot or any part of its functionality at any time without prior notice.
Right to restrict access: Server administrators reserve the right to restrict or revoke your access to the Bot at their discretion.
7. Limitation of Liability
To the fullest extent permitted by law:
The Bot is provided "as-is" and "as available" without warranties of any kind, either express or implied.
We are not liable for any damages arising from your use of, or inability to use, the Bot. This includes, but is not limited to, loss of data, service interruptions, or unauthorised access to your messages.
The Bot's administrators and the modmail-dev/modmail project contributors bear no responsibility for the actions of individual server staff or the decisions made based on Modmail thread content.
8. Third-Party Services
The Bot relies on the following third-party services to function:
Discord: The Bot operates on the Discord platform and is subject to Discord's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
MongoDB: Message logs and user data are stored in a MongoDB database, subject to MongoDB's privacy policy.
We are not responsible for the practices, policies, or availability of these third-party services.
9. Termination
Server administrators may revoke your access to the Bot at any time for any reason. If you wish to stop using the Bot, simply refrain from sending it direct messages. Data already collected will be retained in accordance with our Privacy Policy unless you submit a deletion request.
10. Changes to These Terms
We reserve the right to update these Terms at any time. Continued use of the Bot after changes are made constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms. We encourage you to review these Terms periodically.
11. Contact Information
If you have any questions or concerns regarding these Terms, please contact:
The Bot directly; or
Any member of the server's staff team; or
The owner of the Discord server.
Server Owners — If you do not want this one size fits all option, you can use the template below as a starting point.
Basic Template
These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your use of [Insert Bot Name] (referred to as "the Bot", "we", or "us"). The Bot is an instance of the open-source modmail-dev/modmail project and is hosted independently by the administrators of [Insert Discord Server Name].
By interacting with the Bot, you agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree, please refrain from using the Bot. These Terms are designed to comply with the Discord Developer Terms of Service and Developer Policy.
Description of Service
Modmail is a Discord bot that functions as a shared inbox between server members and staff. It allows users to send direct messages to the Bot, which are then relayed to the server's staff as private threads. Staff can respond through these threads, and the replies are sent back to the user via direct message.
Eligibility
You must comply with Discord's Terms of Service to use the Bot. By using the Bot, you confirm that you meet the minimum age requirements set by Discord and that your Discord account is in good standing. You must also be a member of [Insert Discord Server Name] to use its services. The Bot will be unavailable to you if you are not a member of the server, or if you have been blocked from using the Bot by the server's staff.
Acceptable Use
When interacting with the Bot, you agree to:
Use the Bot for its intended purpose: Communicating with the server's staff through the Modmail system.
Follow the server's rules: Abide by the community guidelines and rules of
[Insert Discord Server Name].Not abuse the Bot: Refrain from spamming, sending unsolicited messages, or otherwise attempting to disrupt the Bot's functionality.
Not attempt to exploit the Bot: Do not attempt to reverse-engineer, manipulate, or exploit the Bot's functionality, including its commands, APIs, or data storage.
Message Content and Conduct
All messages sent to the Bot are relayed to server staff and may be logged for record-keeping purposes. You are solely responsible for the content of your messages. Messages that violate Discord's Terms of Service, contain illegal content, or are deemed abusive may result in action being taken by the server's staff, up to and including being banned from the server.
Data Collection and Privacy
Your use of the Bot is also governed by our Privacy Policy, which explains what data we collect, how we store it, and your rights regarding that data. By using the Bot, you consent to the data practices described in the Privacy Policy.
Availability and Modifications
No guarantee of uptime: The Bot is provided on an "as-is" basis. We do not guarantee that the Bot will be available at all times.
Right to modify: We reserve the right to modify, update, or discontinue the Bot or any part of its functionality at any time without prior notice.
Right to restrict access: Server administrators reserve the right to restrict or revoke your access to the Bot at their discretion.
Limitation of Liability
To the fullest extent permitted by law:
The Bot is provided "as-is" and "as available" without warranties of any kind, either express or implied.
We are not liable for any damages arising from your use of, or inability to use, the Bot.
The Bot's administrators and the modmail-dev/modmail project contributors bear no responsibility for the actions of individual server staff or the decisions made based on Modmail thread content.
Third-Party Services
The Bot relies on the following third-party services to function:
Discord: The Bot operates on the Discord platform and is subject to Discord's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
MongoDB: Message logs and user data are stored in a MongoDB database, subject to MongoDB's privacy policy.
[Insert Name of Hosting Company]: The Bot is hosted by[Insert Name of Hosting Company], subject to their [terms of service]([Insert URL to Hosting Company ToS Here]).
We are not responsible for the practices, policies, or availability of these third-party services.
Termination
Server administrators may revoke your access to the Bot at any time for any reason. If you wish to stop using the Bot, simply refrain from sending it direct messages. Data already collected will be retained in accordance with our Privacy Policy unless you submit a deletion request.
Changes to These Terms
We reserve the right to update these Terms at any time. Continued use of the Bot after changes are made constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.
Contact Information
If you have any questions or concerns regarding these Terms, please contact:
Discord User(s):
[Insert Discord Username(s) of the Bot Owner/Administrator(s)]Email:
[Insert Contact Email, if applicable]Server:
[Insert Invite Link or instructions on how to reach staff]
Server Owners
Please note that by using the Terms of Service on our Docs site without modification, you are making legally binding promises to your users and to Discord. These promises include, but are not limited to:
1. Liability Limitations
You are claiming that the Bot is provided "as-is" and that you bear no liability for damages. While this is standard, the enforceability of liability limitations varies by jurisdiction. In some regions (particularly within the EU), blanket liability disclaimers may not be enforceable against consumers. You should be aware of the laws applicable to your users.
2. Availability Commitments
By stating that you do not guarantee uptime, you are setting the expectation that the Bot may be unavailable at times. However, if you consistently fail to maintain the Bot or abandon it without notice while still collecting user data, you may be in violation of your obligations under the Discord Developer Terms of Service.
3. Third-Party Service Accountability
The Terms reference Discord and MongoDB as third-party services. If you use additional services (such as a specific hosting provider), you must either use the template to disclose them or accept that you have not fully informed your users about where their data may be processed.
4. Enforcing Acceptable Use
Your Terms prohibit abusive behaviour and Bot exploitation. If you fail to consistently enforce these rules, or if you yourself violate the acceptable use standards (e.g., using the Bot to harass users), you undermine the legitimacy of your own Terms and may face consequences from Discord.
5. Consistency with Privacy Policy
These Terms reference the Privacy Policy. If the two documents contradict each other (e.g., your Terms claim data is deleted immediately but your Privacy Policy states a 14-day window), the inconsistency could create legal exposure. Ensure both documents are aligned.
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