Legal
Privacy Policy
Last updated: August 26, 2026. This policy describes how Beacon collects, uses, and protects your personal information when you use our safety timer and emergency alert service.
1. What we collect
We store the information you provide when creating an account: your name, email address, and a securely hashed password. To send emergency alerts, we also store your emergency contacts' names and phone numbers, and the safety sessions you create (activity type, duration, PIN hash, and last known location coordinates).
2. Daily check-in notifications
When you start a safety session, Beacon sets a countdown timer. If you do not check in before the timer expires, we attempt to notify your selected emergency contacts. We may also send you optional reminder notifications before the timer expires. You can control these preferences in-app and revoke them at any time.
3. How we use your data
Your data is used solely to operate Beacon's safety features: authenticating you, storing your emergency contacts, running safety timers, logging last known locations, and dispatching alerts when a session expires. We do not sell your data, use it for advertising, or train third-party models on it.
4. Location data
Location coordinates are only read when a safety session is active and are shared with your selected emergency contacts only if the timer expires without your PIN check-in. Historical coordinates are retained for a short period so you can review past sessions, then automatically deleted.
5. Data security
Beacon uses industry-standard encryption in transit (TLS 1.2+) and at rest. Access to production data is restricted, audited, and protected by Row-Level Security policies in our database so only you can access your account, contacts, and sessions. We also enforce least-privilege access for all third-party integrations.
6. Third-party services
We rely on a small number of trusted providers to run Beacon: our authentication, database, and hosting infrastructure; payment processing via Stripe for subscriptions; and Twilio for SMS emergency alerts. Each provider is contractually bound to handle data only as instructed and to maintain appropriate security measures.
7. Cookies and local storage
Beacon uses a minimal session cookie and browser local storage to keep you signed in and to queue emergency alerts when your device is offline. We do not use third-party advertising or analytics cookies.
8. Your rights
You can view, update, or delete your emergency contacts and active sessions at any time from within the app. To delete your entire account and associated data, contact us at the email below and we will process your request within 30 days.
9. Children's privacy
Beacon is not intended for users under 13. We do not knowingly collect data from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided us with personal data, please contact us so we can delete it.
10. Changes to this policy
We may update this Privacy Policy as Beacon evolves. We will notify you of material changes via email or in-app notice, and the latest version will always be available at this page.
11. Contact us
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, your data, or how to exercise your rights, please email us at:
privacy@thebeacon.companyRelated resources
Read our Solo Travel Safety Resources for practical safety tips and emergency numbers.