Privacy Policy

1. Information we handle

Accounts and payments. If you sign in with Apple or Google, we receive account identifiers and the profile information they provide, such as your name, email address, and optional profile image. We store authentication information, sessions, and security metadata, including IP addresses and browser or device information. We also keep account numbers, subscription status, billing identifiers, and records of service access. Stripe processes payments and receives the payment and billing details you submit; we do not store your full payment-card number or security code.

Messages and bouncer settings. Your bouncer stores messages, senders, timestamps, channels, direct conversations, read positions, IRC identities, network settings, and any saved IRC credentials or channel keys. It also stores paired-device names and credentials, notification preferences, and settings synchronized across devices. Synced upload settings can include credentials for your chosen upload service. File transfers received through the bouncer include files and sender/file metadata.

When we host your bouncer, we operate the systems that hold this information. If you self-host or use another operator, that operator controls the bouncer’s storage and backups. We do not receive its message history merely because you use the IRC.XYZ app. Using our account, relay, notification, or other services can still send us the service information described here.

Device and service information. Apps store connection information, credentials, preferences, and local data needed to display conversations. Our services process connection addresses, installation and relay identifiers, certificate fingerprints, paired-device information, and operational diagnostics. Diagnostics can include server, network, nickname, and device labels. Optional managed DNS records include your chosen hostname, public IP address, and assignment state. Support requests include what you choose to send us.

Cookies. The account website uses cookies needed for sign-in, security, and invitation flows. Blocking them can prevent sign-in. The main irc.xyz website does not use analytics scripts or advertising cookies.

We use this information to provide and synchronize the service, authenticate you, deliver messages and notifications, process payments, prevent abuse, troubleshoot problems, respond to requests, and meet legal obligations. Where applicable law requires a legal basis, these uses rely on providing the service you request, our legitimate interests in operating and protecting it, legal obligations, or consent for optional features where required.

2. Sharing and optional features

We do not sell personal information or use your chat content for targeted advertising. We share information as needed to operate the features you use, with service providers, when legally required, or to protect people and the service from abuse. Relevant recipients include:

• IRC networks and other people. Messages, nicknames, and other IRC information go to the networks and recipients you choose. Networks can see your bouncer’s connection address. Channel members, recipients, bots, and network operators may log or redistribute messages under their own practices. Public channels are not private spaces.
• Sign-in, billing, and infrastructure providers. Apple and Google handle sign-in; Stripe handles billing. Hosting and network providers process information needed to run the service. Managed DNS uses Yeil to publish the address you configure. These providers may process information in countries other than yours.
• Apple notifications. If enabled, Apple Push Notification service receives device tokens, delivery metadata, and notification payloads. Supported message previews are encrypted for your device before reaching our notification gateway or Apple. Your device decrypts them for display according to your notification settings.
• QR scanning on Android. Camera images used to scan pairing codes are processed on your device. Android scanning uses Google ML Kit, which can contact Google for components and send SDK diagnostics, including device/app information, identifiers, performance, configuration, and error or usage events. See ML Kit privacy information and Google’s Android data disclosure. This diagnostic traffic is separate from the camera images and decoded results.
• Uploads. When you upload a file, photo, or video, its contents, filename, type, and any embedded metadata go to Sharey, Imgur, or the custom service you select, along with any authorization configured for that service. The returned link is shared when you send it in a conversation. People with that link may be able to access the file. The upload provider controls its retention and deletion.
• Avatars and linked media. Gravatar avatars and inline media are off by default. Enabling them allows requests to Gravatar or linked-media hosts to inspect links and load previews, including checks of some video and file links before playback. Video playback starts when you choose to play it. Those hosts can receive your IP address and request details. Gravatar requests include a hash derived from an email address advertised in an IRC identity.
• Igloo and updates. The app requests network presets from Igloo, another Eskimo Software service. On iOS it also sends a hardware model identifier to look up a readable device-model name; this is not a serial number. App-update requests disclose ordinary connection details and may include app version and platform information to the update service or app store.

Camera access is used for scanning and any capture you choose. Photo, file, microphone, notification, and local-network permissions are used for their related features where supported. Scanning alone does not upload your camera images to us. You can manage permissions in your device settings. Files you deliberately upload are handled as described above.

If ownership of the service changes, relevant information may transfer with it, subject to this policy and applicable law. We may disclose information when required by lawful process or necessary to investigate abuse, enforce our terms, or protect rights and safety.

3. Security and encryption

Native clients use certificate-pinned TLS to connect to paired remote bouncers. Manually configured HTTPS connections use standard certificate validation. A client connecting to its local bouncer on the same computer uses a loopback connection. Our relay forwards the encrypted remote connection without decrypting its chat contents. The bouncer decrypts that connection, stores history, and connects separately to IRC networks. IRC connections can use TLS or plaintext depending on your configuration.

IRC conversations are not end-to-end encrypted by IRC.XYZ. Bouncer storage is not an end-to-end encrypted vault: its operator can access stored messages and connection credentials. Encrypted notification previews do not change that. We use access controls and platform credential protection where supported, but no system can guarantee absolute security.

Keep pairing links, account credentials, and recovery material private. Only pair devices you trust, and remove unfamiliar devices promptly.

4. How long information is kept

Chat history is kept indefinitely by default. The bouncer’s administrator can choose 30-, 90-, or 365-day retention from the computer running it. Paired remote clients cannot change that policy, but can clear conversations or export history. Retention cleanup runs periodically while the bouncer is running. Inactive bouncer file-transfer downloads are normally removed after seven days, or you can remove them sooner.

Clearing active history does not erase copies held by IRC networks, other participants, upload providers, or separate backups. Migration and operator backups can outlast active data. Self-hosted backup retention is controlled by the operator.

We keep account and service records while needed to provide the service and handle security, billing, legal, and support obligations. Subscription cancellation suspends paid access; it does not automatically delete your account or hosted history. Some limited records may remain after deletion, including the internal account-number mapping, records needed to prevent abuse, and billing records required by law. Backups and operational logs are managed separately; there is no single fixed deletion period for all of them.

5. Your choices and deletion requests

You can change synchronized preferences, disable optional media or notifications, revoke device permissions, export or clear bouncer history, and remove paired devices. Hosted paired devices can also be managed on your account page. Signing out, uninstalling the app, removing a paired device, and cancelling a subscription do not delete the account or all stored history.

To request deletion of your IRC.XYZ account and associated hosted data, email support@irc.xyz with the subject “IRC.XYZ account deletion.” Identify your account using its sign-in email or account number and tell us whether you want the whole account or specific data deleted. We may need to verify that you control the account. Never send passwords, sign-in codes, or pairing links. There is currently no self-service account-deletion button.

You can also contact us to request access, correction, a copy, or restriction of your personal information, or to object to processing or withdraw consent where applicable. Available rights depend on your location; you may have the right to complain to a data-protection authority. We explain any information that must be retained when handling a request. For data held only on a self-hosted or third-party bouncer, contact its operator; for copies held by an IRC network or upload provider, contact that provider.

6. Children

IRC.XYZ is for people aged 13 or older, or the higher minimum age required where they live. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children below that age. If you believe a child has provided information, contact us so we can investigate and address it.

7. Changes to this policy

We will update this page when our practices change and revise the date above. We will provide additional notice or request consent when required by applicable law.

8. Contact

For privacy questions, requests, or concerns, contact Eskimo Software, the operator of IRC.XYZ, at support@irc.xyz.