Privacy Policy
Effective November 11, 2026
Orbytal is a chat app for people in the same place. You don't need an email, phone number, or password to use it. This page explains what we store, how we keep it safe, and what you can change.
What we store
- The username and photo you pick.
- A random account ID created by the app. On Android we also store a device ID so you can get your account back after reinstalling.
- The spot where you create a room. It becomes the room's location, and it's the only location kept with your account.
- Messages, photos, shouts, room details, and any reports you send, including attached screenshots.
- Your friends, friend requests, and blocked users.
- Your notification address, stored encrypted and only under an area while background alerts are on. It is never stored with your account.
- Standard server logs, kept for a short time for security and troubleshooting.
Your location
We never store where you are with your account. When you use the map, create or join a room, or send a shout, your location is used in the moment to find rooms near you, check that you're inside a room's area, or reach friends nearby. It isn't kept. The one exception is the spot where you create a room, which becomes the room's location.
Background alerts work from an anonymous push address. Your phone files the address Google uses to reach it under the area it's standing in, encrypted, with nothing linking it to your account, and moves it as you move. Nobody, including us, can tell whose address it is or follow it from one area to the next. No other user can see it, and the feature is off by default.
What we don't collect
We don't ask for your real name, email, phone number, or contacts. We can't see your browsing, your other apps, or anything on your phone beyond the permissions you allow. We don't use advertising IDs or third-party trackers.
How we keep it safe
- There's no password to steal. Your account is unlocked by your phone.
- Room messages are encrypted with a key unique to each room. All data is encrypted in transit and at rest.
- Only the people who need data can read it. Messages are readable by people in the room, and private room locations by your friends.
- We check that requests come from the real Orbytal app on a real device.
- Background alerts never tie a location to your account, and shouts only reach friends who added you back.
How we use it
To run the app, keep it safe, review reports, and stop abuse like ban evasion. We don't sell your data or track you across other apps and websites.
Nearby offers
Businesses can show offers in an area. They never receive anything about you, and we don't tell them who saw their offer. You only get offers as notifications if you turn them on.
What other people can see
- Your username and photo.
- Your messages and photos, if they're in the same room.
- The location of your public rooms, if they're nearby. Private room locations are visible to your friends only.
Sharing
We only share data with the providers that host and run the app for us, or when the law requires it.
How long we keep it
- Rooms only keep recent messages, and everything in a room is deleted when the room closes.
- When you delete your account, it's disabled right away and erased after 30 days. Open the app before then to cancel.
- Reports may be kept as long as needed for safety.
Your choices
- Change location, notification, and photo access anytime in your phone's settings.
- Turn background alerts and nearby offers on or off in the app.
- Delete your account from Profile, then the info button.
Children
Orbytal is not intended for anyone under 13, and we do not knowingly collect data from them.
Changes
If this policy changes, we will update the date above. Significant changes will be announced in the app.