Privacy Policy

Last updated: September 1, 2026

SOS ("we," "our," "the app") is a personal safety check-in app. This policy explains what information we collect, why we collect it, and who it's shared with. The short version: we collect the minimum needed to run check-ins and send alerts, we share it only with the contacts you choose, and we never sell your data or use it for advertising.

Information we collect

Account information. When you create an account, we collect your email address and a password (stored as a one-way hash — we never see or store your actual password).

Trusted contacts. The name, email, and/or phone number of anyone you choose to add as a trusted contact. We only access the specific contact you pick through your device's contact picker — SOS never reads, imports, or stores your full address book.

Check-in details. Information you enter for a check-in: its title, type (e.g. hike, date, custom), deadline, and any optional details you write in (such as a trailhead, who you're meeting, or a vehicle description).

Location. Only if you turn location sharing on for a specific check-in. You choose the level: off, one-time, periodic snapshots, or continuous while the app is open. Location is never collected in the background unless you've explicitly enabled it for an active check-in.

Photos. Only if you choose to add them — either a real-time camera photo or images from your library. Photos are only ever taken with your explicit action; SOS never accesses your photo library without you initiating an upload.

Payment information. If you subscribe to a paid plan, billing is handled entirely by Stripe. We do not receive or store your card number or other payment details — only confirmation of your subscription status.

How we use your information

To operate check-ins: tracking deadlines, letting you check in, extend, or cancel.
To send alerts: if a check-in is missed, or you tap "Send SOS Now," we send an SMS and/or email to the trusted contacts you selected for that check-in, including any location, photos, or details you chose to share.
To manage your account and subscription.
To provide customer support when you contact us.

We never use your data for advertising, and we never sell or rent your information to anyone.

Who we share information with

Your trusted contacts. The people you choose to notify for a given check-in — and only them. Nobody else, including SOS staff, can see your location or check-in details as a matter of routine.

We also use a small number of service providers to operate the app, each of whom only receives the minimum needed to do their job:

Twilio — sends SMS alerts on our behalf.
Resend — sends email alerts on our behalf.
Stripe — processes subscription payments.

Law enforcement. Unlike a single alert message, our records can include your full check-in history: every location point recorded, every photo attached, and the details you entered. For a routine request, we require valid legal process (a subpoena or court order). If someone is in danger of death or serious physical injury, we may voluntarily share relevant information with law enforcement without a subpoena, as U.S. law allows for exactly this kind of emergency. You can also choose, in the app's Account tab, to pre-authorize this kind of sharing for your own account — this is off by default.

Your choices and control

Location sharing is off by default and set individually for every check-in.
You can delete a saved contact or a check-in at any time from within the app.
To delete your account and all associated data, use the "Delete account" option in the app's Account tab, or visit sosapp.io/delete-account from any browser. Both permanently and immediately delete your account, contacts, check-ins, and photos, and cancel any active subscription.
In the Account tab, you can opt in to letting SOS share your check-in data with law enforcement without a subpoena if you miss a check-in or trigger an emergency alert. This is off unless you turn it on, and you can turn it back off any time.

Data retention

We retain account, contact, and check-in information for as long as your account is active, so the app can function (e.g. showing your check-in history). If you request account deletion, we remove your personal data except where we're required to keep records (for example, payment records Stripe retains for legal/accounting purposes).

Children's privacy

SOS is not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect information from children under 13.

Security

We take reasonable measures to protect your information, including hashing passwords and encrypting data in transit. No method of transmission or storage is 100% secure, and we can't guarantee absolute security.

Not a substitute for emergency services

SOS is a personal safety tool that notifies contacts you choose. It does not contact 911 or any emergency dispatcher, and makes no guarantee about alert delivery time or contact response. In an emergency, always contact local emergency services directly.

Changes to this policy

If we make material changes to this policy, we'll update the date at the top of this page. Continued use of SOS after changes means you accept the updated policy.

Contact us

Questions about this policy or your data? Email sosappsupport@proton.me.