Privacy
Dead Man's Switch Privacy Policy
This policy covers the Dead Man's Switch app for iPhone (Deadman Switch on the App Store), its server, and its text-message alerts. The app is made and run by Tomorrowish LLC, New York, called "we" below. Questions: hello@tomorrowish.dev.
The short version: we store only what's needed to alert the people you chose if you miss a check-in. Nothing is sold, shared for marketing, or used for ads.
What we collect, and why
There is no account or login. The app creates a random ID for you, and our server stores only what it needs to run your switch. It needs a server because if your phone never opens the app again, something still has to send the alert.
- Your switch: the name you enter, your check-in interval, your check-in times and history, your time zone, and the message you write for your contacts.
- Your own email (optional): if you add your own email address (Email me first), we use it only to tell you when you miss a check-in, before your contacts are told. Every email has a link to stop them.
- Your emergency contacts: the names and email addresses you enter, and a contact's mobile number if you enter it to invite them to text alerts. If a contact signs up for text alerts, we also store the mobile number they said yes for and a record of their consent (when and how they agreed, the IP address and browser they used, the page version, and the exact wording they agreed to), plus their replies.
- Notifications: a push-notification token so we can remind you before your deadline, and, while the Lock Screen countdown is on, a token that lets us show that countdown in the last hours before your deadline.
- Purchases: if you buy an in-app purchase, we store the App Store transaction ID. Apple handles all payment details; we never see them.
- Setup counts: on a new install, the app tells our server when you reach each step of setup (for example "added a person" or "turned the switch on"). The server only adds 1 to that day's total for that step. It stores no ID, device, address or anything else that could tell who it was.
- Server logs: basic request logs (such as IP addresses), kept for security and troubleshooting.
Contacts permission
You can pick an emergency contact from your address book. Only the name and email of the contact you pick are used, and only contacts you add are sent to our server. We never upload your address book.
How we use it
Only to run the service: to track your deadline, remind you, alert the contacts you chose (by email, and by text if they signed up) if you miss a check-in, and tell them when you check in again. We do not send marketing, and we do not sell or rent any information.
Text messages (SMS) and mobile numbers
Text alerts go only to people who said yes themselves: the app user sends them a personal sign-up link, and they tap Yes, text me on that page (or text JOIN and their code to our number, or enter their own number on the page and confirm by text). We never text a number just because an app user entered it. See the SMS Terms.
- We do not sell, rent, or share mobile numbers or SMS opt-in data and consent with third parties or affiliates for marketing or promotional purposes.
- Text-message opt-in data and consent is never shared with any third party, except the service provider that delivers the texts for us (Twilio).
- Reply STOP to any text to opt out. We keep a record of the opt-out so we never text that number again unless you reply START.
Who processes data for us
We use a few service providers, only to deliver the service and under their own privacy terms: Turso (database hosting), Resend (sending emails), Twilio (sending and receiving text messages), and Apple (push notifications and in-app purchases). They may not use the data for their own purposes. We may also disclose information if the law requires it.
What we don't do
- No analytics, tracking, or advertising SDKs
- No advertising
- No selling or sharing your data with anyone else
- No accounts or passwords
Keeping and deleting data
Your data stays while you use the app. Resetting the app's data (or emailing us) deletes your switch, contacts, check-in history, and your contacts' text-alert sign-ups from our server. A contact's STOP record is kept, so we don't text them again. Server logs are kept for a limited time.
Children
The app is not directed at children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect their information. If you believe a child has given us information, email us and we will delete it.
Security
Data is sent over encrypted connections (HTTPS) and stored with access limited to the developer. No system is perfectly secure, but we keep what we store to the minimum.
Changes
If this policy changes, we'll update this page and the date at the top.
Questions
Contact: hello@tomorrowish.dev
Dead Man's Switch is not an emergency service. If you are in danger, call 911 or your local emergency number.