01
About Folio
Folio ("we", "us", "our") is a digital marketplace platform operated under the domain joinfolio.app. Folio connects brands and businesses ("Brands") with independent content creators ("Creators") for the purpose of commissioning user-generated content ("UGC").
By accessing or using Folio, you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service ("Terms"). If you do not agree to these Terms, you must not use the platform.
These Terms apply to all users of the Folio platform, including Brands, Creators, and any visitors to joinfolio.app.
03
Eligibility & Accounts
To use Folio, you must be at least 18 years of age and have the legal capacity to enter into a binding contract under the laws of your jurisdiction.
By creating an account, you confirm that:
- All information you provide is accurate, current, and complete
- You will keep your account information up to date
- You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your login credentials
- You are responsible for all activity that occurs under your account
- You will not share your account or allow others to access it
Folio reserves the right to suspend or terminate any account at any time if we reasonably believe a user has violated these Terms, provided false information, or engaged in conduct harmful to the platform or its users.
04
Terms for Brands
As a Brand using Folio, you agree to the following:
- You will provide accurate and complete brief information when placing an order
- You will ship any required products to the Creator promptly following confirmation of an order
- You will review delivered content in good faith and within the review period specified in your order
- You will not request content that is illegal, misleading, defamatory, or in breach of any third-party rights
- You will not withhold approval of content that genuinely meets the agreed brief without legitimate reason
- You accept that Folio is not responsible for the quality, suitability, or commercial performance of any content produced
- You accept that any product shipped to a Creator is shipped at your own risk and Folio is not responsible for loss or damage in transit
Folio reserves the right to release escrowed funds to a Creator if, in Folio's reasonable opinion, a Brand is withholding approval without legitimate grounds. This determination will be made at Folio's sole discretion following a review of evidence submitted by both parties.
05
Terms for Creators
As a Creator using Folio, you agree to the following:
- You will accurately represent your skills, experience, and content style on your profile
- You will deliver content that genuinely matches the agreed package description and brief
- You will confirm receipt of any product from a Brand promptly upon its arrival
- You will deliver content within the turnaround time specified in your package
- You will not produce content that is illegal, misleading, defamatory, or in breach of any third-party rights
- You will not use content produced for a Brand for any other purpose without explicit written consent from that Brand
- You accept that payment is contingent on Brand approval of the delivered content, subject to Folio's dispute resolution process
- You are responsible for declaring any income earned through Folio to the relevant tax authorities
- You are an independent contractor. Folio does not employ you and is not responsible for your tax, national insurance, or any other obligations
If you use artificial intelligence tools to generate or partially generate content, you must clearly disclose this on your profile. Failure to disclose AI-generated content may result in immediate account termination and forfeiture of any pending payments.
06
Payments & Escrow
All payments on Folio are processed through Stripe, a third-party payment provider. By using Folio, you agree to Stripe's terms of service in addition to these Terms.
How escrow works:
- When a Brand places an order, the full package price is collected and held in escrow by Folio via Stripe
- Funds are held until the Brand approves the delivered content
- Upon approval, Folio releases the funds to the Creator's connected Stripe account, minus Folio's commission
- Folio's commission is deducted automatically at the point of release and is non-refundable once a transaction is completed
Folio's role in payments:
Folio acts as a payment facilitator only. Once funds have been released by Folio to Stripe for payout to a Creator, Folio has no further responsibility for those funds. Any delays, failures, or issues with the transfer of funds after release are governed by Stripe's terms and are outside Folio's control.
Payouts to Creators:
Creators must connect a valid Stripe account to receive payments. Folio is not responsible for delays in fund availability caused by Stripe, banking institutions, or incorrect banking details provided by the Creator.
Folio is not a bank or financial institution. We do not hold funds on a long-term basis. Escrowed funds are held solely for the duration of an active order.
07
Disputes & Resolution
Folio's dispute resolution process is a facilitation service only. Folio is not a court, arbitrator, or legal authority. Any decision made by Folio in a dispute is made in good faith based on the evidence available and does not constitute a legal ruling.
When a dispute may be raised:
- A Brand believes the delivered content does not match the agreed brief
- A Creator believes a Brand is withholding approval without legitimate reason
- A product is claimed to have been lost or damaged in transit
- Either party believes the other has acted in bad faith
How disputes are handled:
- Either party may raise a dispute through the Folio platform within the specified dispute window
- Both parties will be asked to submit evidence — including the original brief, delivered content, and any relevant communications
- Folio will review the evidence submitted and make a determination in its sole discretion
- Folio's determination may result in a full refund to the Brand, full payment to the Creator, or a partial resolution
- Folio's decision is final within the platform and is not subject to appeal through Folio
Folio's liability in disputes:
Folio's involvement in a dispute is limited to reviewing evidence and making a determination on the release of escrowed funds. Folio is not liable for any losses, damages, or costs incurred by either party as a result of a dispute or Folio's determination thereof.
By using Folio, both Brands and Creators acknowledge that disputes are an inherent risk of marketplace transactions and agree to engage with Folio's resolution process in good faith. Both parties agree not to hold Folio liable for the outcome of any dispute.
Folio strongly recommes that both parties retain all communications, briefs, and evidence related to any order. Evidence submitted outside of the dispute window may not be considered.
Nothing in this section limits either party's right to pursue legal remedies against the other party through the appropriate legal channels. Folio is not a party to any legal proceedings between a Brand and a Creator.
08
Content & Ownership
Folio is a UGC content marketplace. All content produced through the platform is created by independent Creators for the specific purpose of brand use.
Ownership upon completion:
Upon a Brand's approval and download of delivered content, ownership of that content transfers to the Brand. The Creator warrants that the content is original, does not infringe any third-party intellectual property rights, and that the Creator has the right to transfer ownership.
Creator warranties:
- The Creator owns all rights to the content they produce
- The content does not contain any third-party copyrighted material including music, imagery, or footage without appropriate licence
- The Creator has not and will not use the same content for any competing brand without the Brand's consent
- The content does not defame, misrepresent, or infringe the rights of any third party
Folio's position on content:
Folio does not review, endorse, or take responsibility for any content produced through the platform. Folio is not liable for any intellectual property claims, defamation claims, or any other legal claims arising from content produced by Creators on the platform. Such liability rests solely with the Creator and/or Brand as applicable.
Folio reserves the right to remove any content from the platform that it reasonably believes violates these Terms or applicable law, without prior notice.
09
AI-Generated Content
Folio permits Creators who use artificial intelligence tools to generate or assist in generating content to list their services on the platform, subject to the following conditions:
- Creators must clearly disclose on their profile that their content is AI-generated or AI-assisted
- AI Creator profiles will be clearly badged on the Folio marketplace so Brands can make an informed decision before booking
- Creators must not misrepresent AI-generated content as being filmed or produced by a real person
- All other terms applicable to Creators apply equally to AI Creators
Folio is not responsible for any issues arising from the use of AI-generated content, including but not limited to misrepresentation, quality concerns, or legal claims relating to the AI tools used. These responsibilities rest solely with the Creator.
Folio reserves the right to update its policy on AI-generated content at any time as the landscape evolves.
10
Prohibited Conduct
The following conduct is strictly prohibited on Folio and may result in immediate account termination:
- Requesting or producing content that is illegal, adult, harmful, defamatory, or discriminatory
- Attempting to conduct transactions outside of the Folio platform to avoid commission or escrow
- Providing false or misleading information on your profile or in any communication
- Harassing, threatening, or abusing any other user of the platform
- Attempting to manipulate reviews, ratings, or the dispute process
- Using another person's identity or impersonating any person or entity
- Uploading content that contains malware, viruses, or any harmful code
- Scraping, copying, or reproducing any part of the Folio platform without permission
- Engaging in any activity that disrupts or interferes with the platform's operation
Folio reserves the right to determine, at its sole discretion, what constitutes prohibited conduct. Any funds held in escrow at the time of account termination for prohibited conduct may be forfeited.
11
Limitation of Liability
To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, Folio shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages arising out of or in connection with your use of the platform.
Folio's total liability to any user for any claim arising out of or relating to these Terms or the use of the platform shall not exceed the total amount of commission earned by Folio from that user's transactions in the three months preceding the claim.
Specifically, Folio is not liable for:
- The quality, legality, or fitness for purpose of any content produced through the platform
- Any loss or damage to products shipped between Brands and Creators
- Delays in payment processing caused by Stripe or any banking institution
- Any loss of income, revenue, or business opportunity arising from use of the platform
- The conduct, actions, or omissions of any Brand or Creator
- Any technical failures, downtime, or data loss affecting the platform
- The outcome of any dispute resolution determination made by Folio
- Any third-party intellectual property claims arising from content produced on the platform
- Any tax obligations arising from transactions conducted through the platform
The platform is provided on an "as is" and "as available" basis. Folio makes no warranties, express or implied, regarding the platform's availability, reliability, or suitability for any particular purpose.
Nothing in these Terms limits Folio's liability for death or personal injury caused by Folio's negligence, fraud, or fraudulent misrepresentation, or any other liability that cannot be excluded by law.
12
Termination
Folio reserves the right to suspend or terminate any account at any time, with or without notice, for any of the following reasons:
- Violation of these Terms
- Conduct that Folio reasonably believes is harmful to the platform or other users
- Fraudulent or illegal activity
- Extended inactivity
- At Folio's sole discretion for any other reason
Users may also terminate their account at any time by contacting Folio through the platform. Termination does not affect any rights or obligations arising from orders that were active at the time of termination.
Upon termination, any escrowed funds will be released in accordance with the status of active orders at the time of termination, as determined by Folio at its sole discretion.
13
Changes to These Terms
Folio reserves the right to update or modify these Terms at any time. We will notify users of any material changes by email or by displaying a prominent notice on the platform.
Your continued use of the platform following notification of changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated Terms. If you do not agree to the updated Terms, you must stop using the platform.
It is your responsibility to review these Terms periodically. The date of the most recent update will always be displayed at the top of this page.
14
Governing Law
These Terms are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales. Any disputes arising out of or in connection with these Terms shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.
If any provision of these Terms is found to be invalid or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect.