Your data, plainly explained
We collect only what is needed to run a chat: an account, your messages, and a few technical details to keep it secure. No ads, no data selling, no tracking.
No ads, no selling
We never sell your data or use it for advertising. There are no analytics or tracking scripts.
Encrypted at rest
Message text is stored encrypted (AES-256-GCM); passwords are hashed with bcrypt.
Yours to take or delete
Download a copy of your data or delete your account at any time in Settings → My Account.
01Who we are
This Privacy Policy explains how BlobChat ("BlobChat", "we", "us") handles personal data when you use the website at https://blobchat.online, the web app, the Windows and Android apps, and the bot / webhook API (together, the "Service").
For the purposes of data-protection laws such as the EU / UK GDPR, the operator of BlobChat is the controller of your personal data.
| Developer & operator | Moulix, independent developer — BlobChat is an independent project, not a company product. The source code is open under the MIT License. |
| Contact | [email protected] — privacy requests, reports and questions |
| Where data is stored | Railway (railway.com) — PostgreSQL database. Large voice channels use a separate media server; no call audio or video is stored. |
| Project stage | Early, actively developed (version 0.63.0). Every release passes an automated test suite, but features may still change. |
02Data we collect
We collect data that you give us, data created when you use the Service, and a small amount of technical data.
| Category | What it includes |
|---|---|
| Account | Username (login), password (stored only as a bcrypt hash), display name, and the date you joined. No email or phone number is required to sign up. |
| Optional profile | Avatar, banner, "About me", custom status, accent colors, server tag, server profiles and — only if you add it — your birthday (day and month, no year). |
| Optional security | Email address (for two-factor codes and password recovery), authenticator-app (TOTP) secret, backup codes and passkeys (public keys only — your biometrics never leave your device). |
| Content | Messages, edits (up to 50 previous versions), attachments, voice and video messages, reactions, polls and votes, pins, threads, forum posts, scheduled messages, reminders, custom emoji, stickers and sounds you upload. |
| Social graph | Friends, friend requests and friend links, blocks, servers you join, roles, group DMs, server folders. |
| Servers you run | Server name, icon, banner, channels, roles and permissions, invites, AutoMod rules, webhooks, bots and the audit log. |
| Technical | IP address, device / browser name (user agent), session start and last-seen time, failed sign-in counters, and push-notification tokens if you enable notifications on Android. |
| Activity (opt-in) | If you turn on Rich Presence in the desktop app (Settings → Activity), the name and icon of the game or app you are running are shared to your profile. |
03How we use your data
- To run the Service — create your account, deliver messages and calls, sync settings, folders and read positions across your devices, send notifications and reminders.
- To keep it safe — rate limits, sign-in lockouts, two-factor authentication, session management, spam and abuse prevention, and enforcing our Terms and Community Guidelines.
- To show useful extras — link previews (our server fetches the page you link to), GIF search, invite cards and holiday decorations.
- To fix and improve — diagnosing errors and performance problems using technical logs.
- To communicate — security codes and important account notices. We do not send marketing email.
We do not sell personal data, show ads, build advertising profiles, or use your messages to train AI models.
04Legal bases
Where the GDPR or similar laws apply, we rely on:
- Contract — processing needed to provide the Service you signed up for (account, messages, calls, sync).
- Legitimate interests — security, abuse prevention, debugging and keeping the Service reliable. We balance these against your rights.
- Consent — optional features such as your email, birthday, Rich Presence and push notifications. You can withdraw consent at any time by removing the data or turning the feature off.
- Legal obligation — when we must keep or disclose data by law.
05Who can see what
- Your profile (display name, @username, avatar, banner, status, About me, server tag, birthday badge) is visible to people who share a server, a group DM or a friendship with you, and to anyone who opens a friend link you created.
- Server messages are visible to members who have permission to view that channel. Server owners and moderators can manage messages and see moderation history and the audit log.
- Direct and group messages are visible only to the participants.
- Bots and webhooks added to a server by its admins can read and post in channels they are allowed to access. Their developers are responsible for how they handle that data.
- Invite previews show a server's name, icon, description and member / online counts to anyone with the invite link.
06Service providers
We use a small number of providers to run the Service. They process data only on our instructions or as needed to deliver their part of the Service:
| Provider type | Why | Data involved |
|---|---|---|
| Railway (railway.com) — hosting & database | Runs the app server and stores data | All data described above |
| Voice relay (TURN) / media server | Connects calls when a direct connection fails; large voice channels | IP address, encrypted audio / video streams (not stored) |
| Email delivery | Two-factor and recovery codes | Email address, code |
| Push notifications (self-hosted) | Android notifications | Push token; message preview if enabled |
| GIF search (Klipy / Giphy) | GIF picker | Search terms; your device loads GIFs from their servers |
| Google Fonts | Fonts on the website and optional app fonts | IP address and browser details when fonts load |
We may disclose data if required by law, to protect people from serious harm, or as part of a merger or transfer of the Service (you would be notified).
07How we protect it
- HTTPS/TLS for all traffic; strict security headers (HSTS, CSP, frame protection).
- Message text encrypted at rest with AES-256-GCM; search uses keyed (HMAC) word tokens, so the database never needs readable text to search.
- Passwords hashed with bcrypt; common passwords rejected; sign-in lockout after repeated wrong passwords.
- Two-factor authentication (authenticator app, email, backup codes) and passkeys (Windows Hello, Touch ID / Face ID, Android, security keys).
- Settings → Devices shows every active session; you can sign out any device instantly.
- Uploaded files are served behind signed links with sandboxing; link previews are protected against server-side request forgery.
No system is perfectly secure. If you believe your account or data is at risk, contact us immediately.
08How long we keep data
| Data | Retention |
|---|---|
| Account & profile | Until you delete your account |
| Messages & files | Until you, a server moderator, or account deletion removes them |
| Edit history | Up to 50 earlier versions per message, deleted with the message |
| Server audit log | 180 days |
| Sessions | Sign-in tokens expire after 30 days; you can revoke them at any time |
| Security counters | Short-lived (hours) for lockouts and rate limits |
| Backups | Deleted data may remain in encrypted backups for a limited time before being overwritten |
When you delete your account we remove your profile, your messages (and replies in threads you started), direct-message conversations, reactions, votes, friendships, sessions and push tokens in a single transaction. Servers you own must be transferred or deleted first.
09Your rights and choices
- Access & portability — Settings → My Account → Download My Data gives you a JSON file with your profile, messages, friends, servers, reactions, reminders and sessions.
- Correction — edit your profile, messages and settings at any time.
- Deletion — Settings → My Account → Delete Account. You can also delete individual messages and files.
- Objection & restriction — turn off optional features (email, Rich Presence, notifications, message previews) or contact us.
- Complaint — you can lodge a complaint with your local data-protection authority.
To use a right we cannot offer in the app, write to [email protected] from an address we can link to your account or tell us your username; we may ask you to confirm ownership.
10Cookies and local storage
BlobChat does not use advertising or analytics cookies. To work, the app stores a few things on your device:
- your sign-in token and app settings (theme, wallpaper, language, voice settings) in local storage;
- an offline cache and a queue of unsent messages (IndexedDB and a service worker), cleared when you log out;
- desktop and Android apps keep similar data in their app folder.
These are strictly necessary for the Service, so no consent banner is required. Clearing your browser data signs you out and resets local settings.
11Children
BlobChat is not intended for children under 13, or under the minimum age required in your country to use online services without parental consent (for example 16 in some EU countries). If you believe a child has created an account, contact us and we will delete it.
12International transfers
Our servers and providers may be located outside your country. Where required, we rely on appropriate safeguards (such as the European Commission's Standard Contractual Clauses) for transfers of personal data.
13Changes to this policy
We may update this policy as the Service evolves. The "Last updated" date at the top always shows the current version. For significant changes we will give notice in the app before they take effect.
Questions?
Write to us — a real person reads every message. We usually answer within a few days.