Your privacy is not a feature we added — it is the foundation Cirql was built on.
Effective April 6, 2025
This is a placeholder privacy policy intended to provide meaningful disclosure to early users while a formal legal document is being prepared. It accurately describes Cirql's current data practices to the best of our ability and will be replaced with an attorney-reviewed policy before public launch.
Cirql LLC ("Cirql," "we," "our," or "us") operates cirql.social, a private, invite-only social platform designed for families and close-knit groups. Privacy is not a feature we added — it is the foundation the product was built on. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, and the technical measures we take to protect it.
By using Cirql, you agree to the practices described in this policy.
2 Our Core Privacy Commitment
Cirql is built on a zero-knowledge architecture. This means:
Your messages and shared content are encrypted end-to-end using your device's cryptographic keys derived through WebAuthn PRF.
We cannot read your messages. The server stores only encrypted ciphertext. We do not hold the keys required to decrypt your content.
We do not sell your data to advertisers, data brokers, or any third party — ever.
We do not run advertising. Cirql has no advertising business model.
Access is invite-only. We do not allow open registration.
3 Information We Collect
3.1 Account Information
When you create an account, we collect:
Your display name
Your email address (used for authentication and critical account notices)
Authentication identifiers from sign-in providers you choose (Microsoft personal account, Google, or passkey/WebAuthn)
Your invite code and the identifier of the user who invited you
We do not collect your phone number, date of birth, government ID, or physical address.
3.2 Content You Create
All messages, media, and content you send within a Cirql group are encrypted on your device before transmission. We store only the encrypted ciphertext. We cannot access, read, or analyze the contents of your communications.
Metadata associated with messages (such as timestamps and encrypted recipient identifiers) is stored in encrypted form and used solely to deliver your messages.
3.3 Device and Technical Data
When you use Cirql, we may automatically collect:
IP address (used for security, rate limiting, and fraud prevention; not used for targeting or profiling)
Browser type and version
Operating system
Device type (mobile, desktop)
Session timestamps and general usage patterns (e.g., when you logged in, not what you did)
We do not build behavioral profiles or track activity across third-party sites.
3.4 Authentication Data
Cirql supports multiple sign-in methods. Depending on which you use:
WebAuthn / Passkey: Your private keys never leave your device. We store only your public credential identifier.
Google Sign-In: We receive a standard OIDC identity token. We do not receive your Google password.
Microsoft Account: Same as Google — we receive a limited identity assertion only.
Magic Link: We send a one-time login link to your email. We do not store your password.
3.5 Invite Relationships
We record invite relationships (who invited whom) for platform integrity, abuse prevention, and the ability to trace and remove bad actors from the invite graph if necessary.
4 How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect to:
Create and maintain your account
Authenticate your identity and protect your account
Deliver encrypted messages and content to the intended recipients
Detect and prevent abuse, spam, and unauthorized access
Improve the reliability and performance of the platform
Comply with applicable law
We do not use your information for advertising, behavioral targeting, or sale to third parties.
5 Data Storage & Infrastructure
Cirql's backend infrastructure is hosted on Microsoft Azure, located in the United States (West US region). Your data is stored in:
Azure Cosmos DB — for structured account and relationship data
Azure Blob Storage — for encrypted media and attachments
Azure Key Vault — for encryption key material management (not your private keys — those stay on your device)
All data in transit is encrypted using TLS 1.2 or higher. All data at rest is encrypted at the storage layer in addition to the application-layer end-to-end encryption described above.
6 Data Sharing & Disclosure
We do not sell, rent, or share your personal information with third parties for their own purposes.
We may share limited information in the following circumstances:
Service providers: We use a small number of infrastructure vendors (Microsoft Azure) to operate the platform. These vendors process data on our behalf and are bound by data processing agreements.
Legal compliance: We may disclose information if required to do so by law, court order, or valid legal process. Because of our zero-knowledge design, we cannot produce the contents of your encrypted messages even if compelled.
Safety: We may disclose information we have access to if we believe in good faith that doing so is necessary to prevent imminent harm.
Business transfers: If Cirql is acquired or merges with another entity, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will provide notice before your information is transferred and becomes subject to a different privacy policy.
7 Data Retention
We retain account information for as long as your account is active. If you delete your account:
Your account identifiers and email address will be deleted within 30 days
Encrypted message content is deleted or rendered permanently unreadable
Invite graph entries referencing your account will be anonymized
Some metadata may be retained for a limited period for legal compliance and abuse prevention purposes.
8 Your Rights & Choices
Regardless of where you live, you have the following rights with respect to your data:
Access: You may request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
Correction: You may update your account information at any time through the app.
Deletion: You may request deletion of your account and associated personal data.
Portability: You may request an export of your account data in a machine-readable format.
Objection: You may object to certain processing activities.
We will respond to requests within 30 days. We may need to verify your identity before fulfilling a request.
9 Children's Privacy
Cirql is not directed to children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. Because Cirql is invite-only, access requires a trusted referral from an existing member. If we learn that we have collected information from a child under 13 without parental consent, we will delete that information promptly.
If your jurisdiction requires a higher minimum age (such as 16 under GDPR), you must meet that requirement to use Cirql.
10 Security
We take the security of your data seriously. Our security measures include:
End-to-end zero-knowledge encryption for all messages and shared content
WebAuthn / FIDO2 passkey support for phishing-resistant authentication
Private networking and access controls on all backend infrastructure
TLS encryption for all data in transit
Encrypted storage for all data at rest
Invite-only access model to limit exposure to untrusted parties
No system is perfectly secure. If you discover a security vulnerability, please contact us responsibly at security@cirql.social.
11 Third-Party Links
Cirql may allow users to share links to third-party content. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of third-party sites or services. This policy applies only to information collected by Cirql.
12 Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this document and notify users through the app or by email if the changes are material. Your continued use of Cirql after changes take effect constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.
13 Contact Us
If you have questions, concerns, or requests related to this Privacy Policy, please contact us at:
Cirql