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Ghost Message

Terms of Use

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1. Service Description

Ghost Message is a zero-knowledge secure messaging platform that enables users to share encrypted messages through self-destructing links. All encryption happens exclusively in the user's browser. We have no ability to access, view, or recover the original content of any message shared through our service.

2. Zero-Knowledge Architecture

  • Client-Side Encryption: All messages are encrypted in your browser before being transmitted to our servers
  • No Access to Content: We have no technical ability to access, read, or decrypt messages
  • No Access to Encryption Keys: Encryption keys are never transmitted to or stored on our servers
  • No Content Moderation Capability: Due to our zero-knowledge design, we cannot monitor, screen, or moderate message content

3. User Eligibility

  • Users must comply with all applicable local laws regarding minimum age requirements
  • No account creation is required to use Ghost Message
  • Authentication is required only for accessing administrative features

4. Limited Data Collection

We collect and store only the following information:

  • Encrypted message content (temporarily, until viewed or expired)
  • Message expiration time
  • View count limitations
  • IP addresses (temporarily, only for rate limiting purposes)

No personal information is required to use the service. We do not know who sends or receives messages, nor can we access the content of messages.

5. Acceptable Use

Users agree not to use Ghost Message for any purpose that:

  • Violates applicable laws or regulations
  • Infringes on the rights of others
  • Distributes malicious software
  • Attempts to circumvent the security or functionality of the service
  • Exceeds rate limits (currently 30 secrets per 15 minutes per IP address)

6. User Responsibility for Content

  • Users are solely responsible for the content they share through Ghost Message
  • Due to our zero-knowledge architecture, we cannot monitor or control the content shared
  • Users must comply with all applicable laws regarding the content they share
  • Users assume all liability for messages they create and share

7. Privacy and Data Protection

  • No Knowledge of Personal Data: We have no knowledge of whether personal data is contained in encrypted messages
  • No Processing of Message Content: We technically cannot process, access, or analyze encrypted message content
  • Minimal Processing: The only processing we perform is storing encrypted data until deletion and collecting anonymous usage statistics
  • No Data Sharing: We do not share any data with third parties except as required by law
  • Automatic Deletion: Messages are automatically deleted once viewed (up to the maximum view count) or expired

8. Data Subject Rights

For the limited data we do collect:

  • We comply with data access, correction, and deletion rights where technically possible
  • Due to our encryption model, we cannot search for, access, or modify the content of encrypted messages
  • Once a message is deleted (after viewing or expiration), we retain no record of it

9. Service Limitations

  • Messages are automatically deleted after being viewed the maximum number of times or when they expire
  • If the encryption key is lost, the message cannot be recovered by anyone, including us
  • The "burn" feature allows creators to manually destroy a secret before it's viewed or expires, but this feature is session-specific and password-protected; if you refresh or leave the page after creating a secret, you'll lose the ability to burn it
  • We provide no guarantee of service availability or uptime
  • We provide no warranty regarding the security of messages beyond our described security model

10. Technical Limitations on Legal Compliance

Due to our technical architecture, we cannot:

  • Monitor message content for illegal activity
  • Filter or screen content
  • Report on message content to authorities
  • Provide message content in response to legal requests

We may be required to provide the limited non-content information we do have in response to valid legal requests

11. Rate Limiting and Abuse Prevention

  • We employ rate limiting to prevent abuse (currently 30 secrets per 15 minutes per IP address)
  • We limit failed decryption attempts to prevent brute force attacks (20 attempts per 15 minutes per IP address)
  • We reserve the right to modify these limits at any time

12. Service Modifications

  • We reserve the right to modify, suspend, or discontinue the service at any time
  • We may change these Terms of Use at any time
  • Continued use of Ghost Message constitutes acceptance of the current Terms

13. User Recommendations for Secure Usage

We recommend that users:

  • Share the URL and passkey through different channels for maximum security
  • Ensure recipients access messages before expiration
  • Do not use the service for critical or long-term information storage
  • Consider the sensitivity of content before sharing

14. Intellectual Property

  • Ghost Message and its associated code, design, and trademarks are the property of the service owner
  • Users retain all rights to their content

15. Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, we shall not be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages.

We specifically disclaim all liability for:

  • Content of messages sent using our service
  • Illegal or unauthorized use of our service
  • Deletion of messages after viewing or expiration
  • Inability to access or decrypt messages when encryption keys are lost

16. Indemnification

Users agree to indemnify and hold harmless Ghost Message, its operators, and affiliates from any claims arising from:

  • User's use of the service
  • User's violation of these Terms
  • Content shared through the service

17. Governing Law and Jurisdiction

  • These Terms shall be governed by the applicable laws
  • If any provision of these Terms is found to be unenforceable, the remaining provisions will remain in full effect

18. No Automated Monitoring

  • Due to our technical architecture, we cannot and do not monitor, filter, or screen the content of messages
  • Users are solely responsible for complying with all applicable laws regarding the content they share

19. Statistical Information

  • We collect anonymous statistical information about service usage (number of messages created and viewed)
  • This information contains no user identifiers or message content

20. Notice Regarding Zero-Knowledge Limitations

Users explicitly acknowledge and agree that:

  • Due to the zero-knowledge design of Ghost Message, we cannot know or control what content is being shared
  • We cannot assist in message recovery if encryption keys are lost
  • We cannot verify the identity of message senders or recipients
  • We provide the technical infrastructure only and take no responsibility for how it is used

21. Contact Information

For questions about these Terms or the service, please contact us via email.

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