Privacy Policy

Last updated: August 2026

The short version

Your live camera/microphone call and files shared from your device go directly between room participants, end-to-end encrypted. We cannot see or record them. Remote MKV, opaque video links and IPTV are different: when server streaming is needed, the film temporarily passes through our server so browsers can play it. We store only what's needed to make your room work: relayed chat, selected subtitle text, your shared memories wall, and anonymous usage counts.

What we process

• Video & audio calls — peer-to-peer and end-to-end encrypted (WebRTC/DTLS-SRTP). When a direct connection isn't possible, our relay server (TURN) forwards the encrypted stream without being able to read it. Nothing is recorded by us.
• Chat messages — relayed through our server and kept temporarily so they can be moderated for safety. They are not used for advertising.
• Subtitle files — when someone selects an SRT/VTT file for a direct video URL, its text is relayed through the room server and held in the active room's memory so current and late-joining participants see the same subtitles. It is not shown in the admin dashboard or used for advertising.
• Remote MKV/direct-video remuxing — a remote MKV or opaque direct-video URL is tried directly first. If the browser cannot play it, our server may repackage its original video stream into a browser-compatible container without video re-encoding (audio may be converted to AAC). The source URL and film bytes then pass temporarily through the server and FFmpeg. We do not save the film. Each viewer receives a separate temporary stream.
• IPTV provider login and streaming — when you connect an IPTV provider, its server URL, username and password (or credential-bearing M3U URL) are sent over HTTPS to our server and held only in short-lived process memory. SameCouch does not put them in room messages, browser storage or generated playback links; your own browser may still offer to save them in its password manager. The login is discarded when the room empties, and in any case within 12 hours. Other room participants receive an opaque temporary token. Catalog requests, artwork, live/film bytes, HLS keys and provider subtitles pass through our server while you use IPTV. Incompatible audio may be converted to AAC and HEVC/H.265 video may be converted to H.264; simultaneous room viewers can share that conversion through a small, short-lived memory buffer. We do not save programmes to permanent storage. IPTV browsing choices and the selected title are relayed to the room.
• Memories wall — notes and photos you choose to post are stored so everyone in your room can see them later. Free walls are automatically deleted about 10 days after creation (extended walls stay as long as the extension runs).
• Room settings — room code, an irreversibly hashed password (if the host sets one) and the host identifier.
• Display name — whatever name you type; it's only shown to people in your room.
• Push notifications — only if you opt in; we store the browser subscription needed to deliver your reminders. You can revoke it in your browser at any time.
• Shared watchlist and saved moments — suggested links, votes, reactions and their video timestamps are held in the active room's memory so everyone sees the same list and recap. They disappear when the live room state expires and are not used for advertising.
• Connection check — only when you start it; the browser exchanges small, bounded test payloads with the room server and tests TURN reachability. Test bytes are discarded immediately and no camera or microphone recording is made.
• Usage statistics — aggregate counters only (e.g. number of rooms created). No tracking cookies, no ad trackers, no profiles.
• Payments — handled entirely by Stripe; we never see your card details.

What we never do

• No selling of data, no advertising profiles, no third-party trackers.
• No recording of your calls — technically impossible on our side, since media is end-to-end encrypted.
• No account, so no e-mail lists.

Reaction clips

The "capture a moment" feature records locally on your device only. A clip exists only on your device unless you choose to save or share it. Please ask the people in your room before sharing clips that include them.

Your rights

You can ask us to delete a room, its wall and its chat at any time. Contact us at privacy@samecouch.com and include the room link.

Children

The service is not directed at children under 13. Rooms are private-by-link and there is no public discovery or random matching.