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Add comprehensive privacy policy
- Explains no data collection, no servers, no tracking - Documents local-only storage including identity key for favorites - Details encryption methods and user rights - Emphasizes privacy-first philosophy - Written in plain language for accessibility
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# bitchat Privacy Policy
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*Last updated: January 2025*
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## Our Commitment
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bitchat is designed with privacy as its foundation. We believe private communication is a fundamental human right. This policy explains how bitchat protects your privacy.
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## Summary
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- **No personal data collection** - We don't collect names, emails, or phone numbers
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- **No servers** - Everything happens on your device and through peer-to-peer connections
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- **No tracking** - We have no analytics, telemetry, or user tracking
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- **Open source** - You can verify these claims by reading our code
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## What Information bitchat Stores
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### On Your Device Only
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1. **Identity Key**
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- A cryptographic key generated on first launch
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- Stored locally in your device's secure storage
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- Allows you to maintain "favorite" relationships across app restarts
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- Never leaves your device
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2. **Nickname**
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- The display name you choose (or auto-generated)
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- Stored only on your device
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- Shared with peers you communicate with
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3. **Message History** (if enabled)
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- When room owners enable retention, messages are saved locally
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- Stored encrypted on your device
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- You can delete this at any time
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4. **Favorite Peers**
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- Public keys of peers you mark as favorites
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- Stored only on your device
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- Allows you to recognize these peers in future sessions
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### Temporary Session Data
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During each session, bitchat temporarily maintains:
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- Active peer connections (forgotten when app closes)
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- Routing information for message delivery
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- Cached messages for offline peers (12 hours max)
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## What Information is Shared
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### With Other bitchat Users
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When you use bitchat, nearby peers can see:
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- Your chosen nickname
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- Your ephemeral public key (changes each session)
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- Messages you send to public rooms or directly to them
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- Your approximate Bluetooth signal strength (for connection quality)
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### With Room Members
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When you join a password-protected room:
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- Your messages are visible to others with the password
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- Your nickname appears in the member list
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- Room owners can see you've joined
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## What We DON'T Do
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bitchat **never**:
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- Collects personal information
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- Tracks your location
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- Stores data on servers
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- Shares data with third parties
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- Uses analytics or telemetry
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- Creates user profiles
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- Requires registration
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## Encryption
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All private messages use end-to-end encryption:
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- **X25519** for key exchange
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- **AES-256-GCM** for message encryption
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- **Ed25519** for digital signatures
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- **Argon2id** for password-protected rooms
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## Your Rights
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You have complete control:
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- **Delete Everything**: Triple-tap the logo to instantly wipe all data
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- **Leave Anytime**: Close the app and your presence disappears
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- **No Account**: Nothing to delete from servers because there are none
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- **Portability**: Your data never leaves your device unless you export it
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## Bluetooth & Permissions
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bitchat requires Bluetooth permission to function:
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- Used only for peer-to-peer communication
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- No location data is accessed or stored
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- Bluetooth is not used for tracking
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- You can revoke this permission at any time in system settings
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## Children's Privacy
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bitchat does not knowingly collect information from children. The app has no age verification because it collects no personal information from anyone.
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## Data Retention
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- **Messages**: Deleted from memory when app closes (unless room retention is enabled)
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- **Identity Key**: Persists until you delete the app
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- **Favorites**: Persist until you remove them or delete the app
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- **Everything Else**: Exists only during active sessions
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## Security Measures
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- All communication is encrypted
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- No data transmitted to servers (there are none)
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- Open source code for public audit
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- Regular security updates
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- Cryptographic signatures prevent tampering
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## Changes to This Policy
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If we update this policy:
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- The "Last updated" date will change
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- The updated policy will be included in the app
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- No retroactive changes can affect data (since we don't collect any)
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## Contact
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bitchat is an open source project. For privacy questions:
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- Review our code: https://github.com/yourusername/bitchat
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- Open an issue on GitHub
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- Join the discussion in public rooms
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## Philosophy
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Privacy isn't just a feature—it's the entire point. bitchat proves that modern communication doesn't require surrendering your privacy. No accounts, no servers, no surveillance. Just people talking freely.
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---
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*This policy is released into the public domain under The Unlicense, just like bitchat itself.*
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