Terms and Conditions of Use of Message at Sea

Version: 14 August 2026

This is an unofficial English translation provided for convenience. The Italian version is the legally binding text and prevails in case of any discrepancy.

1. Owner and provider of the service

The Message at Sea service is provided by:

LAB421 SRL
Via Monte Magno, 1
84020 Palomonte (SA) – Italy
VAT No. 06050190658
REA SA-493447
Share capital € 10.000,00
Email: wow@lab421.com
Support: support@messageatsea.com
Reports and abuse: abuse@messageatsea.com
Privacy: privacy@messageatsea.com
PEC: lab@pec.lab421.com

Hereinafter referred to as "LAB421", "Message at Sea", "we" or the "Platform".

2. What is Message at Sea

Message at Sea is a social service intended to create random online meetings between people who do not know each other, starting from a message left in the real world.

A user can create an invite associated with a QR Code and leave it, in compliance with these Terms, on an object belonging to them or in a place where this is permitted.

Whoever finds the invite can scan its QR Code, read the message and, if they wish to accept it, register on the Platform.

The meeting takes place online through Message at Sea.

The Platform is not designed as a dating service or partner search service and does not match users on the basis of gender, age or other personal compatibility criteria.

3. Age requirements

Message at Sea is reserved exclusively to persons who have reached 18 years of age.

At the time of registration the user must:

• provide their date of birth;
• declare that they are of legal age;
• verify their email address;
• verify their phone number via OTP code;
• pass an automated anti-bot check.

It is prohibited to provide a false date of birth or to use the service if you have not reached 18 years of age.

LAB421 may suspend or close an account where it has reasonable grounds to believe that it belongs to a minor.

Simply viewing an invite via QR Code may occur before registration; for this reason, messages left by users must be appropriate even to possible viewing by a minor.

4. Registration and user information

To use the reserved features it is necessary to create an account.

The user is required to provide accurate and up-to-date information.

First name, last name and the other personal details declared by the user are not currently verified by means of an identity document. Verification of the email address and phone number therefore does not amount to a certification of the user's identity.

Each person may use only their own account.

The following are prohibited:

• accounts created for the purpose of impersonating other persons;
• accounts used to circumvent suspensions or blocks;
• unauthorised automated use;
• mass or fraudulent creation of accounts.

5. Anonymity towards other users

Message at Sea protects the identity of users towards the other people met on the Platform.

Only the alias chosen for the service is shown to other users.

Message at Sea does not automatically communicate to other users:

• first and last name;
• email address;
• phone number;
• date of birth;
• place of residence;
• declared sex/gender;
• social media profiles;
• other contact details.

Anonymity towards other users does not mean anonymity towards LAB421, which processes certain identifying and technical data in order to provide the service, protect its users, combat abuse and comply with legal obligations, as described in the Privacy Policy.

6. QR Codes and invites

Each Message at Sea invite is associated with a unique, single-use QR Code.

A QR Code can generate only one contact. When another person accepts the invite, the QR Code is consumed and cannot be used to create further meetings.

The user who created the invite may deactivate it at any time before it is accepted.

If the user believes they have left an invite in a place that is no longer appropriate or safe, they are requested to deactivate it immediately.

Multiple copies of the same QR Code must not be printed or distributed for the purpose of creating multiple meetings. A new QR Code must be generated for each new invite.

7. Where invites may be left

Invites may be left:

1. on objects belonging to the user;
2. in places that participate in or declare that they accept Message at Sea;
3. in other places exclusively after obtaining the authorisation of the manager, owner or a person authorised to grant it.

The following are prohibited:

• leaving invites where the owner of the place has prohibited it;
• inserting invites into products on sale without authorisation;
• applying stickers, glue or other materials to third-party goods without consent;
• covering labels, prices, mandatory information or packaging;
• damaging, altering or soiling products, books, furniture, walls or other goods;
• leaving material in violation of regulations, local provisions or the manager's instructions;
• using Message at Sea to distribute unauthorised advertising or promotional material.

The user is responsible for the choice of the place where they leave the invite and for compliance with the rules applicable to that place.

8. Content of invites

The user is responsible for the title, text and other content they include in their invites.

The following content is prohibited:

• pornographic or sexually explicit;
• sexually directed at minors or likely to facilitate grooming behaviour;
• threatening, intimidating or harassing;
• discriminatory or inciting hatred or violence;
• defamatory;
• promoting or facilitating illegal activities;
• relating to the sale or unlawful offering of drugs, weapons or other prohibited goods;
• relating to prostitution or sexual exploitation;
• fraudulent or aimed at obtaining money by deception;
• containing third parties' personal data published without authorisation;
• containing malware, dangerous links or phishing systems;
• spam or unauthorised commercial advertising;
• in any case contrary to the law, third-party rights or the social purpose of Message at Sea.

LAB421 may remove or disable content contrary to these Terms or to the law.

9. Acceptance of the invite

Viewing an invite entails no obligation.

The person who finds it is free to:

• ignore it;
• read the information about Message at Sea;
• register;
• accept it.

Acceptance creates a contact between the two accounts on the Platform.

Neither user automatically receives the other's personal data.

10. Appointments and video calls

Users who have created a contact may propose appointments to meet online.

The video call is available to the two participants after an appointment has been scheduled through the Platform and is activated when both enter the virtual room.

If one of the two does not attend, the other may propose a new appointment through the Platform.

No alternative means of contacting the absent person is automatically provided.

Video calls are end-to-end encrypted: audio and video travel directly between the participants' browsers or, when a direct connection is not technically possible, through a LAB421 relay server that receives only encrypted traffic and cannot decrypt it. In no case does Message at Sea record, listen to or view the content of conversations.

11. Voluntary exchange of contacts

During a video call, users are free to voluntarily exchange phone numbers, email addresses, social media profiles or other information.

Message at Sea does not require or encourage such exchange.

Any information provided directly to another person during a conversation is shared by the user's choice.

LAB421 cannot prevent the other participant from remembering, noting down or using information that the user has voluntarily disclosed during the meeting.

12. Real-world meetings

Message at Sea organises online meetings.

The Platform does not organise, propose or guarantee physical meetings between users.

Should two people, after getting to know each other through Message at Sea, independently choose to exchange their contact details or meet in the real world, such decision takes place outside the functionalities organised by Message at Sea and is left to the personal responsibility of those concerned.

13. End contact

A user can use the End contact feature when they no longer wish to continue the relationship with the other person.

Ending the contact permanently closes that contact on the Platform and prevents further appointment proposals between the two accounts through that contact.

Ending a contact does not constitute a report of abuse and does not imply that the other person has committed a violation.

14. Block contact and report

When a user believes that the other person has behaved inappropriately or contrary to these Terms, they can use Block contact.

The block immediately stops the possibility of further interactions through that contact and allows the user to indicate a reason and provide any notes.

Reports may be reviewed exclusively by LAB421 administrators and specifically authorised personnel.

Depending on the severity, LAB421 may:

• archive the report without further action;
• warn the user;
• temporarily limit certain features;
• suspend the account;
• permanently close the account;
• prevent, within the limits technically and legally permitted, the creation of new accounts by suspended users;
• retain the information necessary for the management and documentation of the abuse;
• inform the competent authorities when this is required by law or necessary in the presence of potentially serious facts.

15. Reporting an invite without an account

A public invite can also be reported by a person who does not have a Message at Sea account.

Reports can be made by writing to:

abuse@messageatsea.com

The address is also indicated on the public page of each invite.

The report must, as far as possible, identify the content concerned and indicate the reasons why it is considered unlawful, dangerous or contrary to these Terms.

LAB421 reviews reports and may disable the QR Code or remove the content.

16. Moderation

LAB421 may take reasonable measures to protect users, prevent abuse and ensure compliance with these Terms.

Moderation decisions may take into account:

• reports received;
• the content of invites;
• previous violations;
• audits and technical security data;
• information received from authorities;
• elements reasonably necessary to reconstruct an incident.

Where appropriate and permitted by law, the user concerned is informed of the measure taken and the main reasons.

Limitations and moderation procedures are applied proportionately to the nature and severity of the violation.

17. Personal safety

Message at Sea is designed to reduce the need to immediately share personal information with a stranger.

This does not eliminate all risks arising from interactions between people.

Users are invited to:

• not communicate information they do not wish to make known;
• not make payments or transfers of money to strangers;
• end a conversation that causes discomfort;
• use Block contact when necessary;
• report dangerous or unlawful behaviour.

18. Availability and changes to the service

LAB421 endeavours to keep Message at Sea available and secure, but does not guarantee the absolute absence of interruptions, errors or technical incompatibilities.

The service may be temporarily suspended for maintenance, security, updates or technical reasons.

LAB421 may modify or evolve the functionalities of the Platform provided that the mandatory rights of users are not prejudiced.

19. Free service and future paid features

Registration to Message at Sea is free of charge.

LAB421 may set quantitative limits on the free use of certain features, for example on the number of invites that can be generated or printed in a given period.

In the future LAB421 may introduce:

• optional plans;
• different limits;
• additional features;
• premium services;
• other paid functionalities.

Any price and economic conditions will be communicated before purchase.

No paid service will be activated without an express choice by the user.

When paid features are introduced, specific economic conditions and pre-contractual information will be provided, where necessary, in compliance with applicable consumer protection law.

20. Partners and participating places

The designation of an establishment as a Message at Sea Friendly Place or other equivalent formula presupposes the existence of an authorisation or relationship with the relevant manager.

Agreements with supermarkets, bookshops, bars, hotels, restaurants or other partners are governed separately and do not modify these Terms applicable to private users.

LAB421 does not communicate users' personal data to commercial partners for their own marketing purposes, except on a specific legal basis and with specific information provided to the data subject.

21. Rights to content

The user retains the rights to the original content they insert into the Platform.

By publishing an invite, the user grants LAB421 a non-exclusive licence limited to what is necessary to:

• store the content;
• make it visible through the relevant QR Code;
• manage the service;
• carry out security and moderation activities;
• retain it within the limits provided by the Privacy Policy.

This licence ends when the content is deleted, except for the need to retain a copy for legal obligations, reports, security or the protection of rights.

22. Suspension and closure of the account

The user may request the deletion of their account by writing to privacy@messageatsea.com.

Deletion takes place through irreversible anonymisation and entails:

• deactivation of QR Codes still active;
• deletion of personal details and contact data (email, phone number);
• termination of access to the account;
• content already exchanged remains visible to the counterparties exclusively under the alias;
• the phone number becomes usable again for a new registration, except for anti-abuse measures.

Some data may be retained after deletion when necessary for legal obligations, security, abuse prevention or the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims.

Statistics that have been rendered effectively anonymous and are no longer traceable to the user may be retained.

LAB421 may suspend or close an account in the event of violations of these Terms or when necessary to protect users and the service.

23. Liability

Each user is responsible:

• for the content they publish;
• for the place where they leave invites;
• for the information they decide to communicate during a video call;
• for their own behaviour towards other users;
• for any interactions carried out independently outside the Platform.

LAB421 does not guarantee that the personal declarations provided by a user are truthful, except for data subject to specific technical verification such as email and phone number.

No provision of these Terms excludes or limits liability that cannot be excluded or limited under applicable law, including applicable consumer protection law.

24. Privacy and cookies

The processing of personal data is governed by the Message at Sea Privacy Policy.

The use of cookies and other identifiers is described in the relevant section of the Privacy Policy and in the privacy preferences available on the Platform.

25. Changes to the Terms

LAB421 may update these Terms for regulatory or security requirements or for significant evolutions of the service.

In the event of material changes, registered users will be provided with adequate information before their application, where required by applicable law.

The updated version is always available on the website.

26. Applicable law and disputes

These Terms are governed by Italian law, without prejudice to the application of any mandatory provisions provided for the protection of the consumer by the State in which they habitually reside.

For consumers, the mandatory territorial jurisdiction provided by applicable law remains unaffected.

27. Contacts

For general information:

support@messageatsea.com

For reports of content, abusive behaviour or security issues:

abuse@messageatsea.com

For matters relating to the processing of personal data:

privacy@messageatsea.com

PEC:

lab@pec.lab421.com