From b1f67a105cf5e005e4b029a841731cbcadbcb437 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: jack <no@no.no>
Date: Sun, 6 Jul 2025 19:31:55 +0200
Subject: [PATCH] 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
---
 PRIVACY_POLICY.md | 139 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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 create mode 100644 PRIVACY_POLICY.md

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