Terms of Service

1. About hallostu

hallostu is an AI-powered bureaucracy assistant for international students in Germany. It is a non-commercial student project created as part of the MTM_02 | Agile Engineering Management course at Code University of Applied Sciences, Berlin.

2. Nature of the Service

hallostu provides an informational AI assistant that offers guidance, explanations, and structured information about German bureaucratic processes including Anmeldung (address registration), Kirchensteuer (church tax), and Kirchenaustritt (church exit).

All AI-generated outputs are produced using a Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) architecture that retrieves information from a curated knowledge base of official German government and institutional sources.

3. Explicit Functional Boundaries

hallostu does not:

• Provide legally binding advice or legal opinions
• Act as or substitute for a licensed legal representative or immigration lawyer
• Represent users before government authorities, courts, or administrative bodies
• Submit government applications, objections, or official filings on behalf of users
• Make automated legal determinations or decisions affecting legal rights
• Engage in activities constituting regulated legal services under the German Rechtsdienstleistungsgesetz (RDG)

4. AI Transparency

In accordance with the EU AI Act (Regulation (EU) 2024/1689), users are informed that:

• They are interacting with an AI system, not a human advisor
• Outputs are generated using retrieval-augmented generative AI technology
• All outputs are informational in nature and do not constitute legal, immigration, or professional advice
• The AI system's methodology and limitations are described in this document and in our AI Governance & Privacy Policy

5. Accuracy & Source Verification

All AI-generated outputs are:

• Grounded exclusively in official German government and institutional sources
• Accompanied by verifiable reference links to original source material where applicable
• Subject to automated consistency checks against the curated knowledge base

However, we do not guarantee the completeness, accuracy, or timeliness of the information presented. The system is prohibited from generating speculative, hallucinated, or ungrounded content, but no AI system is infallible.

6. User Rights

In accordance with GDPR Chapter III, users have the right to:

• Access — obtain confirmation of processing and a copy of their personal data (Art. 15)
• Rectification — correct inaccurate personal data (Art. 16)
• Erasure — request deletion of personal data ('right to be forgotten') (Art. 17)
• Data Portability — receive personal data in a structured, machine-readable format (Art. 20)
• Restriction — restrict processing in certain circumstances (Art. 18)
• Object — object to processing based on legitimate interests (Art. 21)
• Withdraw Consent — withdraw consent at any time without affecting prior lawfulness (Art. 7(3))
• Lodge Complaint — file a complaint with the competent data protection supervisory authority

Users may exercise their rights by contacting hallostu at info@hallostu.com. Requests are processed within 30 days in accordance with Art. 12(3) GDPR.

7. Data Protection

Your use of hallostu is subject to our Privacy Policy and AI Governance & Privacy Policy. Personal data is processed in compliance with the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the German Federal Data Protection Act (BDSG).

8. Cookies

Our website uses cookies as described in our Cookie Policy. Analytics cookies are only set with your consent in accordance with § 25 TTDSG.

9. Limitation of Liability

hallostu is provided "as is" without warranty of any kind. As a non-commercial student project, we make no representations or warranties regarding the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of the information provided. Users act on the information at their own risk.

We strongly recommend that users verify critical information with official authorities, particularly regarding visa expiration, residence permit status, financial penalties, or immigration enforcement.

10. Applicable Law

These Terms of Service are governed by the laws of the Federal Republic of Germany. The applicable regulatory framework includes the EU AI Act, GDPR, German BDSG, the Digital Services Act (DSA/DDG), the Legal Services Act (RDG), and the German Civil Code (BGB).

11. Changes to These Terms

We may update these Terms of Service from time to time. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated effective date.

12. Contact

hallostu
A student project at Code University of Applied Sciences
Berlin, Germany
Email: info@hallostu.com