Terms of Service

These Terms of Service (the "Terms") govern the rights, obligations, and responsibilities between the Intelligent Human Computer Interaction Society (the "Society") and users in relation to the use of the IHCI Society website and related services (the "Services"). By accessing or using the Services, you agree to be bound by these Terms.

The terms used in these Terms are defined as follows:

1. 1"Services" means the website and all online services provided by the Society under the IHCI Society name, including membership, conference registration, and paper submission.
2. 2"User" means any member or non-member who uses the Services under these Terms.
3. 3"Member" means a person who has completed registration by providing personal information and may continuously use the Services.
4. 4"Membership Fee" means the fee paid by a member to maintain membership, by tier (Regular, Lifetime, Associate, Student).
5. 5"Content" means any information posted or submitted through the Services, including text, papers, images, and files.

The Society posts these Terms within the Services and may amend them to the extent permitted by applicable law. Where the Terms are amended, the Society will announce the effective date and reason at least 7 days in advance (at least 30 days in advance for changes unfavorable to users). If a user does not express refusal by the effective date after such notice, the user is deemed to have agreed to the amended Terms.

The Society provides the following Services:

1. 1Information such as society introduction, notices, and history
2. 2Member registration and membership management
3. 3Conference registration and paper submission
4. 4Payment of membership and registration fees, and receipt issuance
5. 5Newsletters and event announcements

The Society may temporarily suspend all or part of the Services in the event of maintenance, replacement, or failure of equipment, system upgrades, disruption of third-party services (payment gateways, external APIs, etc.), or force majeure. The Society will provide advance notice where possible, or notice after the fact where unavoidable.

A user applies for membership by completing the registration form and agreeing to these Terms; the agreement is formed upon the Society's acceptance. The Society may refuse or subsequently cancel registration in the following cases:

1. 1Use of another person's information or entry of false information
2. 2The applicant is under 14 years of age
3. 3The applicant previously lost membership (unless the Society approves re-registration)
4. 4Registration would otherwise materially interfere with the Society's operations

A member may request withdrawal at any time, and the Society will process it without delay. The Society may, after prior notice, restrict, suspend, or terminate membership where a member:

1. 1Violates these Terms or applicable law
2. 2Damages the reputation of, or interferes with the operations of, the Society
3. 3Infringes the rights, reputation, or intellectual property of others
4. 4Violates research ethics (plagiarism, fabrication/falsification, dual submission, etc.)

Members pay membership fees by tier and pay registration fees when attending conferences. Payment is made through the means provided by the Society, such as credit/debit card, bank transfer, or virtual account, and displayed amounts may include applicable taxes (VAT). Lifetime membership is paid as a one-time payment; other tiers remain valid for the period selected at payment. For refunds and cancellations, please refer to the separate Refund Policy.

Users shall comply with the following:

1. 1Provide accurate registration and payment information and keep it up to date
2. 2Keep account credentials secure and not transfer or lend them to others
3. 3Refrain from infringing the rights of others or violating law or these Terms
4. 4Refrain from using the Services for any unlawful or improper purpose or by improper means

Intellectual property rights, including copyright, in the content and design of the Services belong to the Society or the original authors. Copyright in papers submitted to or published at conferences is governed by the relevant publisher's policy (e.g. Springer) and the agreement with the authors. For content a user submits to the Services, the user grants the Society a license to use it for the operation and promotion of the Services.

The Society may delete or make private, without prior notice, any content posted or submitted by a user that violates law or these Terms or infringes the rights of others. Submissions found to involve plagiarism or research misconduct may be excluded from review and publication.

The Society protects users' personal information in accordance with applicable law; details are set out in a separate Privacy Policy.

The Society is not liable for damages caused by force majeure, the user's own fault, or failures of third-party services (payment gateways, external APIs, etc.). The Society is not liable in connection with the use of free services unless otherwise required by applicable law, and does not warrant the accuracy or reliability of external links or third-party content within the Services.

Except in cases of the Society's willful misconduct or gross negligence, the Society's liability for damages arising in connection with the use of the Services is limited to the extent permitted by applicable law.

These Terms are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Republic of Korea, and any dispute arising in connection with the Services shall be subject to the competent court under the Civil Procedure Act as the court of first instance. For inquiries regarding these Terms or the Services, please contact the Society secretariat at ihcisociety@gmail.com.