Terms of Service | Skillties

1. Scope and Acceptance

These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern the use of the Skillties platform ("Platform") operated by Skillties GmbH ("Skillties", "we", "us").

They apply to all users of the Platform, including:

private individual users,
users participating in a domain-based workspace,
users acting as workspace administrators.

By registering for or using the Platform, users agree to these Terms.

Skillties does not operate the Platform as a social network, recruitment service, or employment decision system.

2. Description of the Platform

Skillties provides a digital platform that enables users to create, explore, and structure skills and skill profiles, and to map skills for personal or collaborative purposes.

The Platform includes:

publicly accessible areas,
non-public areas restricted to registered users or workspace members.

Skillties may modify, expand, limit, or discontinue parts of the Platform at any time. Users have no claim to specific features, functionalities, or uninterrupted availability unless expressly agreed otherwise.

3. Eligibility and Registration

3.1 Eligibility

The Platform is intended exclusively for adults.

Users must be at least 18 years old to register and use the Platform.

3.2 User Accounts

Registration requires the creation of a personal user account.

Users must:

provide accurate and complete information,
keep their account credentials confidential,
not share their account with third parties.

Users are responsible for all activities conducted through their account.

4. Domain-Based Workspaces

4.1 Automatic Assignment

When a user registers with an email address associated with a specific domain (for example @siemens.com), the user is automatically assigned to a shared, domain-based workspace associated with that domain.

This assignment:

is based solely on the email domain,
does not involve verification of organizational affiliation beyond the domain,
is communicated during registration.

There is no opt-out from this assignment. If a user does not agree, registration with that email address is not possible.

4.2 Unclaimed (Free) Domain-Based Workspaces

Domain-based workspaces may initially exist without a workspace administrator ("unclaimed workspaces").

In unclaimed workspaces:

certain skill-related data of members is visible to other members of the same workspace,
this may include skill mappings, enrolled skill profiles, and calculated match levels,
visibility is strictly limited to the workspace and is not public.

Users acknowledge that:

no administrator moderates or governs an unclaimed workspace,
Skillties does not control or validate who joins a workspace beyond the email domain.

4.3 Claimed (Paid) Workspaces and Administrator Role

A user may claim a domain-based workspace. Upon claiming a workspace, the claiming user becomes a workspace administrator.

Claimed workspaces may include additional features, settings, or paid plans.

Workspace administrators may:

manage workspace members,
configure workspace settings,
control visibility of certain data within the workspace.

Workspace administrators cannot:

make user data publicly accessible,
change which content is public on the Platform,
override the Platform's public visibility rules.

Public visibility of content is determined exclusively by the Platform's functionality and by individual user actions when creating public content.

5. User Identity and Visibility

Skillties does not provide a publicly searchable or browsable user directory.

Creating an account does not make a user publicly visible.

A user's real name and profile image are displayed only in context, in particular when the user:

creates or edits a skill,
creates or edits a skill profile,
posts a public comment.

This contextual display serves solely for attribution of content.

Use of a real name is mandatory. Display names or pseudonyms are not supported.

6. User Content and Responsibility

6.1 User Content

Users may create, upload, or publish content on the Platform ("User Content"), including skills, skill profiles, comments, and related information.

Users are solely responsible for their User Content.

User Content must not:

violate applicable laws,
infringe third-party rights,
contain illegal, offensive, extremist, defamatory, or harmful material.

6.2 Public and Non-Public Content

Some User Content may be publicly accessible, including skills, skill profiles, and public comments.

Other content remains private or workspace-restricted.

Users acknowledge that public content may be visible to third parties and indexed by search engines.

7. Rights to User Content

Users retain ownership of their User Content.

By submitting User Content to the Platform, users grant Skillties a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to use, store, reproduce, display, and distribute such content solely for the purpose of operating, maintaining, and improving the Platform.

This license:

applies to public content for public display,
applies to non-public content only to the extent technically necessary.

8. Skill-Based Calculations

The Platform performs automated calculations based on user-provided skill data, including averages, required skills, and match levels.

These calculations are provided for orientation, comparison, and self-assessment only.

Skillties does not make automated decisions with legal or similarly significant effects based on such calculations.

9. Acceptable Use

Users must not:

interfere with the technical operation of the Platform,
attempt unauthorized access,
upload malicious code or harmful software,
misuse the Platform in a way that harms Skillties or other users.

Skillties may take appropriate measures, including suspension or termination of accounts, in case of violations.

10. Suspension and Termination

Skillties may temporarily or permanently suspend access to the Platform if:

these Terms are violated,
legal obligations require it,
the security or integrity of the Platform is at risk.

Users may terminate their account at any time.

11. Liability

Skillties provides the Platform with reasonable care but does not guarantee uninterrupted or error-free operation.

To the extent permitted by law, Skillties is not liable for:

loss of data,
loss of profits,
indirect or consequential damages.

Mandatory liability under German law remains unaffected.

12. Data Protection

The processing of personal data is governed by the Privacy Policy, which forms an integral part of these Terms.

Depending on the context, Skillties may act as controller or processor. Further details are set out in the Privacy Policy and, where applicable, in a separate data processing agreement.

13. Changes to the Terms

Skillties may update these Terms from time to time.

The current version is always available on the Platform. Continued use of the Platform after changes become effective constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms.

14. Governing Law and Jurisdiction

These Terms are governed by the laws of the Federal Republic of Germany.

The place of jurisdiction for all disputes is Berlin, to the extent legally permissible.