Privacy policy

This policy explains how the operator of this TextStrangers website (“TextStrangers”, “we”) handles information when you use this website. It describes what the software actually does.

What we don't collect

• No account, name, email address or phone number is needed to chat. Accounts are optional.
• No camera, microphone or location access — TextStrangers is text only.
• No advertising, analytics or third-party tracking scripts. Fonts are served from our own server. The only third party is Firebase (Google), and only on the sign-in and account pages.
• Your date of birth is used once to check you're 18+ and is not stored.

Random conversations

Random one-on-one chats with strangers are not saved to our database. Messages pass through our server so they can be checked by the automated filter and delivered. While a conversation is active, and for up to 15 minutes after it ends, the last 30 messages are held in temporary memory so they can be attached if either person reports the chat. After that they expire automatically. If a message can't be delivered because the other person's connection dropped, it's held for up to about 36 seconds and then discarded.

If a conversation is reported, the messages held in temporary memory at that moment are stored with the report so moderators can review it.

Flagged messages: if the automated filter blocks a message (for example hate speech or links) or flags it (for example someone saying they're under 18, or sharing contact details), that one message is kept for 30 days so moderators can review it. Apart from reports and flagged messages, random chat messages are never stored.

AI moderation: if the operator turns it on, messages may also be checked automatically by an AI model (Anthropic's Claude) after they're delivered. Only the message text and where it was sent are sent for the check, and only messages it flags are kept, as above.

Messages are not end-to-end encrypted: our server needs to read them to apply the safety filter.

What we store, and why

Anonymous session

When you first visit the chat, we create a random identifier and store it in a cookie called parlo_sid (httpOnly, 90 days). In our database we keep, for that identifier: when it was created and last seen, the outcome of the age check (declared adult or under 18), a keyed hash of your IP address, and any suspension or ban. The IP hash cannot be reversed into your IP address without our secret key; we use it only to enforce bans and rate limits.

Age lock

If you enter a date of birth under 18, we set a cookie called parlo_age_lock (1 year) so this browser can't retry with a different date.

Blocks

When you block someone, we store the pair of anonymous identifiers so you're never matched again. Blocks are kept while either identifier is in use.

Reports

A report contains both anonymous identifiers, the reason you chose, any details you wrote, and the message excerpt described above. Moderators use it to decide on action. Resolved reports are deleted after 12 months.

Feedback

The optional thumbs up/down after a chat is stored with the chat's identifier and both anonymous identifiers. It is never shown to anyone, and is used only to flag patterns of spam or abuse for review. Feedback is deleted after 90 days.

Accounts (optional)

Sign-in is handled by Firebase Authentication, a Google service, using either your Google account or an email address and password. Firebase stores your sign-in details (including your password, which TextStrangers never sees) under Google's Firebase privacy terms. The sign-in, sign-up and account pages load Firebase's code and talk to Google's servers; other pages don't. Firebase's own session is kept only in the page's memory and discarded when you leave.

If you create an account, we store: the Firebase user id, your email address (shown only to you), which sign-in method you used, your display name, your profile picture if you upload one (cropped to 256×256 pixels in your browser before upload), your picture border, theme, interface language, whether your profile is shown, and when the account was created and last updated. We never use the name on your Google account: your display name is one you choose, or “TextStrangers user”.

Your account is linked to one anonymous identifier, so your blocks, age check and any suspension follow you to every device you sign in on.

Who sees your profile: while “Show my profile” is on, the people you're matched with and everyone in a public room you post in see your display name and picture — never your email. Profile details are included in reports about you, so moderators can act on inappropriate names or pictures, including resetting them. With the setting off, you appear as “Stranger” like anyone without an account.

Signing in sets a cookie called parlo_auth (httpOnly, 60 days, renewed while you use it) holding a random token. We store only a SHA-256 hash of that token, with when it was created, last used and expires. Signing out deletes it; “Sign out everywhere” deletes the others too.

Deleting your account (on the Account page, after signing in again to confirm it's you) immediately removes the account, picture, preferences and all sign-in sessions, and deletes your Firebase login. The anonymous identifier it was linked to then follows the normal anonymous-session rules below, so existing blocks and reports keep working.

Friends, direct messages and groups (accounts only)

Two people with accounts become friends only when both agree: both tap “Add friend” during a random chat, or one accepts the other's personal invite link. We store the friendship and when it started, and your invite code (you can replace it at any time, which stops the old link working). Friends see each other's display name, picture and whether they're online, even if “Show my profile” is off for strangers.

Unlike random chats, direct messages and group messages are saved in our database so you can read them on any device. For each message we store who sent it, to which conversation, the text, and when. For groups we also store the name, the creator and the members. Messages pass the same automated filter as random chats and are not end-to-end encrypted.

• Messages are deleted automatically after 90 days.
• “Clear history” hides a conversation's messages from you; the other person keeps their copy.
• Removing a friend, or blocking them, deletes your direct messages with them for both of you.
• Leaving a group removes you from it; your earlier messages stay for the other members until they expire. If the creator leaves, the longest-standing member takes over, and a group with no members left is deleted.
• Deleting your account deletes your friendships, your direct messages, and every message you sent in groups.
• If you report a message, the report includes it and up to 30 earlier messages you can see in that conversation, so moderators can understand what happened.

Moderation records

We keep a log of moderation actions (warnings, mutes, suspensions, bans, ended chats, removed room messages, profile resets and deleted accounts), with the reason and when it happened, for accountability. A mute stops someone sending messages until it ends; it's stored on their anonymous identifier with the reason. Moderators can also add private notes to a report.

Moderators can see who is in a random chat and how many messages were sent, but not what was said: a private chat's messages are only visible to them when it has been reported or flagged, as described above.

Site administrators can open saved direct and group messages and search them when there's a reason to, such as a report or a safety concern. Every time they do, it's recorded in the moderation log.

Profile pictures may be reviewed by a moderator before anyone else sees them. A picture waiting for review is stored like your current one and deleted if it's rejected.

Support requests you send from the Support page are stored with your anonymous identifier (and your email if you give one) so we can reply and you can read the reply on this device.

Statistics

To run the service we count things, without recording what anyone wrote: how many messages each anonymous identifier sent in the last 30 days (a single number, kept in temporary storage), messages per public room per day, and anonymous hourly totals (people online, active chats, people searching, messages sent). The hourly totals contain no identities.

Temporary operational data

To run the service we briefly hold: your place in the matching queue (with the interests and language you chose), which chat you're in, whether you're online, and rate-limit counters. This data expires on its own, mostly within minutes and at most within 24 hours.

Public rooms

Messages you post in a public room are visible to everyone in it, under a random handle that changes daily. The latest 100 messages per room are kept for up to 24 hours so people joining can catch up.

Stored on your device only

• Your preferences (interests, language, sounds, motion) are saved in your browser's local storage.
• Your interface language and theme are also kept in two cookies, parlo_locale and parlo_theme (1 year), so pages load in the right language and colours. They contain only those settings.
• Chat history is off by default. If you turn it on in Settings, finished conversations are saved in your browser only — never on our servers. Anyone with access to this device and browser could read them. You can delete them at any time.

Retention

Anonymous sessions that haven't been seen for 180 days (and aren't under an active ban) are deleted along with their blocks and feedback. Identifiers linked to an account aren't deleted for inactivity; accounts are kept until you delete them, and expired sign-in sessions are deleted automatically. Server logs contain technical events but never message contents or raw IP addresses; our hosting provider may keep its own access logs for a limited time.

Your choices

• Reset your anonymous identity in Settings to start fresh with a new identifier (not available while signed in).
• Edit or hide your profile, remove your picture, or delete your account on the Account page.
• Clear all TextStrangers data stored in this browser from Settings.
• Depending on where you live, you may have rights to access, correct or delete personal data, or to object to its processing. Contact us through the support page. Because we don't know who you are, we may need your help to identify which anonymous data is yours.

Legal bases

Where laws such as the GDPR apply, we process this data to provide the service you ask for, and for our legitimate interest in keeping TextStrangers safe and preventing abuse. We may disclose information where the law requires it, for example to report child sexual abuse material.

Children

TextStrangers is not for anyone under 18. If we learn a user is under 18, we restrict their access.

Changes

If we change how TextStrangers handles data, we'll update this page and the date at the top.