Privacy Policy

Mobile information is never shared for marketing

No mobile information will be shared with third parties or affiliates for marketing or promotional purposes. Text messaging originator opt-in data and consent will not be shared with any third parties.

We do not sell, rent, or trade your mobile number. Your number is used only to run the InCerkle service you signed up for: verifying that the number is yours, delivering the messages of the Cerkles you have joined, and honoring your opt-out requests.

Information we collect

• Mobile number. Your number is your account. We store it in international format and use it to deliver texts and to verify you when you sign in.
• Profile. The username you choose and the names of Cerkles you create or join.
• Content you post. Messages, emoji, reactions, photos, videos, and voice notes you send to a Cerkle. Media files are stored in private object storage; only their references are kept in our database.
• Consent records. A permanent, append-only record of every opt-in and opt-out, including when and how it happened (for example, "texted JOIN" or "ticked the box on the invite page"). We never edit or delete these records.
• Message metadata. Delivery status for each text we send and the carrier message identifiers needed to prevent duplicates. We do not read your other text messages.
• Payments (creator Cerkles only). Payments are processed by Stripe. We never see or store card numbers or bank details; we keep only Stripe's subscription identifiers and status.
• Technical data. Standard web server logs and, if you enable them, web push notification subscriptions for your browser.

How we use it

• To create and secure your account by one-time verification codes.
• To deliver your Cerkle: when a member posts, we relay it as a text to the other members who have opted in, or as one daily summary if they chose DIGEST.
• To show your Cerkle in the web app to its members and no one else.
• To honor STOP, LEAVE, and HELP immediately and keep a record that we did.
• To process creator subscriptions through Stripe and pay creators.
• To keep the service safe: rate limits, abuse prevention, and legal compliance.

Sponsored content, if a creator enables it in their Cerkle, is sold and served by InCerkle directly and is always labeled "Sponsored." We do not use third-party ad networks and we do not give advertisers your number or your content.

The InCerkle text-messaging program

By texting (678) 519-6017, texting JOIN with an invite code, or ticking the consent box on an invite page after verifying your number, you agree to receive text messages from InCerkle for the Cerkles you join. Nobody can add you: every membership starts with your own action.

• Message frequency varies with how active your Cerkles are. In instant mode you receive one text for each post another member makes. Signup takes about three messages. Reply DIGEST to receive at most one summary text per Cerkle per day instead, and INSTANT to switch back.
• Message and data rates may apply. Your carrier's standard messaging and data charges apply to texts you send and receive.
• Opt out at any time. Reply STOP (or STOPALL, UNSUBSCRIBE, CANCEL, END, or QUIT) to stop all InCerkle texts immediately. Reply LEAVE to leave just your active Cerkle. Reply START to resume.
• Help. Reply HELP for a list of commands, or email support@incerkle.com.
• Carriers are not liable for delayed or undelivered messages.

Who can see your content

Your posts are visible only to members of the Cerkle you posted them in, in that Cerkle's texts and its page in the web app. We do not share one Cerkle's content with another, and we do not make any content public.

Service providers

We use a small number of providers to run InCerkle, each bound to use your data only to provide their service to us: Twilio (sending and receiving texts and verification codes), Stripe (payments for creator Cerkles), Neon and Vercel (database and hosting), an object-storage provider for media, and Inngest for background message delivery. These providers are processors, not marketers, and the non-sharing commitment above applies in full.

Retention

We keep your account and content while your account is active. Consent records are retained as long as required to demonstrate compliance, even after you opt out. If you ask us to delete your account, we delete your profile and content and retain only the consent history and records we are legally required to keep.

Security

Texts are delivered through carrier networks and are not end-to-end encrypted. Our systems use encryption in transit, signed and expiring links for media, and verified signatures on every message we receive from our providers.

Children

InCerkle is not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect their information. Paid creator Cerkles require you to be at least 18.

Your choices and rights

• Stop all texts: reply STOP.
• Leave one Cerkle: reply LEAVE, or use the web app.
• See your consent history: open your account page in the web app.
• Access, correct, or delete your information: email support@incerkle.com from a message that includes your InCerkle username.

Depending on where you live you may have additional rights under laws such as the CCPA or GDPR, including the right to know, delete, and object. We honor these requests for all users.

Changes and contact

If we change this policy in a way that matters, we will update the date above and, where required, tell you by text or in the web app. Questions: support@incerkle.com. See also our Terms of Service.