Last Updated: March 1, 2026
Flash Protest is committed to data minimization and transparency. This policy explains what we collect, what we refuse to collect, and how we protect the limited data we hold.
Flash Protest is built to collect as little information as possible. Our systems are designed so we cannot access your private communications even if compelled to do so.
Flash Protest is operated by a nonprofit organization. We do not sell personal information and do not share personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising.
Account information
Location data
Location data is stored to power notifications and discovery, and can be cleared at any time.
Stream metadata
Stream URLs, protest categories, and aggregated viewer counts per stream.
Voluntary support and safety contact information
If you contact us for support, appeals, or safety reports, we may process the contact information you provide (for example, email address or phone number) to respond and resolve the request.
Phone verification
We do not store raw phone numbers on our servers. We store a one-way cryptographic hash used only to check whether a phone number is already registered and to help prevent unauthorized account access. Raw phone numbers are not directly recoverable from that hash.
| Data Type | Collected? | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Chat message content | No | End-to-end encrypted; we cannot read it. |
| Real names / emails / raw phone numbers for account creation | No | Not required to create or use the app; support/safety contact may be provided voluntarily. Verification uses one-way hashes instead of storing raw phone numbers. |
| Location history | No | Only the latest location is stored if the user grants location permission or provides a ZIP code for approximate notification location. |
| IP addresses | Limited | By default, IP addresses are not collected. Only if we suspect attacks against our servers will related IP addresses be collected. |
| Chat participation history / social graphs | No | Ephemeral identities prevent tracking. |
Every chat room assigns a deterministic pseudonym (e.g., "ThunderingStallion42") scoped to that room. You get consistency without exposing identity; reputation follows the device UUID.
When a chat room is reported for child sexual abuse material (CSAM) or child sexual abuse and exploitation (CSAE), we retain the associated stream URL and relevant metadata to comply with legal obligations and facilitate cooperation with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) and law enforcement authorities. This data is stored securely and accessed only for safety and legal compliance purposes. For more details, see our Child Safety Standards.
Access these controls inside the app under “Privacy and User Data.”
Flash Protest is not intended for users under 18, and we do not knowingly collect data from minors.
Flash Protest is designed primarily for users in the United States. To support privacy goals, our infrastructure is hosted in Europe. For EU/EEA users (including those using F-Droid or source builds), data is stored in Europe and may be accessed from the U.S. only when needed for support or legal compliance. Where applicable, we rely on legitimate interests and strict data minimization.
Core website pages (home, policy, and informational pages) do not use first-party tracking cookies. Pages with embedded third-party video players may load provider cookies and related tracking governed by those providers' policies.
We notify users of material changes in-app and update this page with the new “Last Updated” date.
Email contact@flashprotest.live or visit Codeberg to review the source code.
Flash Protest is Apache 2.0 licensed. Audit the repository at Codeberg to verify how data is handled.