This page explains what Ghost-ed stores in your browser and why. It is a short list, because we only keep what the app needs in order to work.
The short version
Ghost-ed sets one cookie, and its only job is to keep you logged in. We don't use analytics, advertising or tracking cookies, and we don't follow you around the web.
What cookies are
A cookie is a small piece of text that a website asks your browser to hold on to and send back on later visits. Browsers have a few similar places to keep things, such as local storage, and since they do much the same job we cover those here too.
Other things kept on your device
These aren't cookies. They stay in your browser, they are never sent to us automatically, and they are there to remember your settings and to keep your messages readable on this device.
| Name | What it is for | Kept for |
|---|---|---|
| theme | Whether you picked the light or dark theme. | Until you clear it |
| ghosted:accessibility | Your accessibility settings. | Until you clear it |
| ghosted:privacy | Whether the privacy screen is switched on for this device. | Until you clear it |
| ghosted:chatTab | Which tab of the chat list you had open last. | Until you clear it |
| ghosted:tour-done:… | That you have already seen the welcome tour, so it isn’t shown again. | Until you clear it |
| draft:… | A message you have typed but not sent yet, so it isn’t lost if you leave the chat. | Until you close the tab |
| ghosted (database) | The encryption keys that unlock your messages on this device. They never leave it unprotected. | Until you clear it |
If you turn on notifications, your browser also keeps a small background script from us so it can show them when Ghost-ed isn't open. It doesn't track anything.
What we don’t use
- No analytics or statistics cookies.
- No advertising cookies, and no ads.
- No social media or cross-site tracking pixels.
- We don't sell or share anything stored in your browser.
Other companies
When you open the GIF picker, the preview images are loaded from GIPHY's servers. GIPHY can see that request and may set cookies of its own, under its own policies. If you never open the GIF picker, nothing is loaded from GIPHY.
Calls may use public servers to help two devices find each other. Those servers see your network address for the length of the call, but they don't set cookies.
Your choices
You can remove or block cookies and site data in your browser's settings at any time. Two things are worth knowing before you do:
- Removing or blocking the login cookie logs you out, and you can't stay logged in without it.
- Clearing site data also removes the encryption keys from this device. Logging in again with your password brings them back, and your settings return to their defaults.
Logging out from your profile removes the login cookie straight away.
Changes to this policy
If we start storing something new, we will add it to this page and update the date at the top. If we ever wanted to use cookies that aren't strictly necessary, we would ask you first.
Getting in touch
Questions about this policy can be sent the same way as anything else: reply to any email we have sent you, such as your verification code. Our Terms of Service explain what we can and can't see of your messages.