Privacy Policy
What HandleMe stores, for how long, who can see it, and how to delete it. Plain words, no surprises.
Short answer: you only need a nickname — no email, no phone. Random chats and calls go directly between the two browsers and are not stored by us. Your nickname, profile and direct messages are stored on our server, and deleted automatically 3 days after you leave (or 7 days without a visit if you protected your name with a password). You can delete everything at any time.
What we store and for how long
| Data | Stored? | How long |
|---|---|---|
| Random 1-1 text chats, voice calls and video | No — peer-to-peer | Not stored by us. Your browser keeps the current chat in this tab only (so a refresh doesn't lose it). |
| Nickname and profile (gender, age, country, state, interests — all optional) | Yes | 3 days after your last visit. With a password: as long as you visit at least once every 7 days. |
| Password | Never in readable form | Your browser turns it into a key (PBKDF2, 600,000 rounds) and we store only a keyed hash of that. There is no email, so it cannot be recovered. |
| Direct messages | Yes | While both nicknames exist. At most the last 500 per conversation; conversations idle for 30 days are deleted. "Delete for both" removes a message immediately. |
| Photos, videos and voice notes in direct messages | Yes, privately | 3 days (deleted automatically, usually within a day after that). Only reachable through short-lived signed links. |
| Profile picture | Yes | Checked by a moderator before anyone sees it; deleted with your profile. Pictures nobody reviews within 7 days are dropped. |
| Friends, likes, blocks, call history | Yes | Deleted with your profile. Friendships expire after 7 days without chatting. Call history is kept 30 days. |
| Reports and moderator actions | Yes | 30 days. A report includes the reason you chose and the last (up to 20) messages the other person sent you. |
| IP address | Only as a keyed hash | We keep a one-way hash to stop abuse (rate limits, 24-hour bans). We do not store raw IP addresses. See "Who can see your IP" below. |
| Push notification subscription | Only if you turn it on | Until you turn notifications off or it stops working. |
Delete everything immediately: open Me → Delete my data now.
How HandleMe works
- You pick a nickname. Everything else on your profile is optional and anything you leave blank stays private.
- Our realtime server (on Cloudflare) matches you with someone, preferring people who share an interest.
- Your browser and theirs then connect directly (WebRTC). Text, voice notes, photos and video in random chats flow between you, not through our server.
- If you add each other as friends or send a direct message, those messages go through our server so they can reach people who are offline — that's why they are stored, and why they expire.
Who can see your IP address
Peer-to-peer connections mean the person you are talking to can technically see your IP address, like on most video-chat sites. If that worries you, turn on Settings → Hide my IP address: your random chats and calls are then routed through a relay (TURN server) so the other person only sees the relay. Our infrastructure provider (Cloudflare) processes IP addresses to deliver the service and protect it from attacks.
What moderators can see
Moderators see reports: the reason, your optional note, and the messages attached to it. For random chats, each message is signed by the sender's browser, so moderators can tell genuine messages from made-up ones. Moderators also review profile pictures before they become visible. Moderators do not read direct messages unless one is reported.
Cookies, browser storage and ads
HandleMe stores a few things in your browser (localStorage): your session key, settings, theme, cookie choices and a random device id that keeps HandleMe open in one tab at a time. The current random chat is kept in this tab's sessionStorage so a refresh can restore it. The app also caches its own files for offline use (service worker).
HandleMe is free and paid for by ads. Google Analytics and Google AdSense load only after you agree in the cookie banner (Google Consent Mode starts with everything denied). If you agree, Google may set cookies to measure usage and show ads; analytics never receives your nickname, interests or messages. You can change your choice in Settings → Cookies & ads choices. Ads are never shown next to chats or media people send you.
Third parties we use
- Vercel — hosts this website's files.
- Cloudflare — runs the realtime server, stores profiles and messages (Durable Objects), stores media (R2) and relays calls (TURN).
- Google Analytics and AdSense — only with your consent.
- GIPHY — when you search GIFs, your search goes to GIPHY; GIFs load from their servers.
- Your browser's push service (Google, Apple or Mozilla) — only if you enable notifications. Notifications contain who wrote, not what, unless you turn on message previews.
We do not sell personal data and we do not share it with data brokers.
Device fingerprinting
We do not fingerprint your device. The random device id mentioned above lives only in your browser and disappears when you clear site data.
Your rights
You can see your profile in the app, edit it, download it by copying it, and delete everything at once (Me → Delete my data now). If you are in the EU/UK or another region with privacy laws, you can also contact us to exercise your rights or complain to your data protection authority.
Adults only
HandleMe is for people aged 18 and over. We do not knowingly collect information from minors. If you believe a minor is using HandleMe, report their profile or contact us and we will remove it.
Changes to this policy
If what we store or how long we keep it changes, we update this page and the date at the top.
Contact
Questions or requests: privacy@online-anonymous-consulting.com.