Legal
Privacy Policy
Last updated: September 18, 2026
Deskies (“we”, “us”) is a macOS app for ambient presence and messaging with friends. This policy explains what we collect, why, and how you can reach us.
What we collect
- Account. When you sign in with Google we receive your Google account ID, name, email address, and profile picture URL so we can create and identify your Deskies account.
- Profile. Display name, username, avatar (photo, emoji, or initials), and optional status message you set in the app.
- Presence & social graph. Online / available / focus / break status, last-seen time, friendships, and group memberships needed to show the presence bar.
- Messages & attachments. Chat text and files, photos, screenshots, or a location you choose to send. Attachments are stored so recipients can open them.
- Access & billing. Whether your account has access, invite codes you create or redeem, and payment confirmation from our payment provider (we do not store full card numbers).
- Technical logs. Limited server logs (for example webhook delivery and errors) used to operate and secure the service.
Screen capture, camera & location
Deskies may request Screen Recording permission solely so you can share a region screenshot in chat. Capture runs only after you tap screenshot and select a region. We do not record your screen in the background.
Deskies may request Camera access only when you take a photo to send in chat, and Location only when you choose to share your current location. These permissions are optional and used only for that send.
How we use information
- To provide presence, messaging, invites, and account features
- To process one-time access purchases and invite seats
- To maintain security, prevent abuse, and debug outages
- To respond if you contact us
We do not sell your personal information. We do not use your messages to train third-party AI models.
Who we share with
We use processors that help us run Deskies:
- Google — sign-in (OAuth)
- Dodo Payments — checkout for access packs
- Hosting & storage providers — application hosting, database, and object storage for avatars and attachments
- Vercel — this website and optional anonymized analytics (page views)
Friends and group members you connect with can see your profile, presence, and the messages you send them. We may disclose information if required by law or to protect users and the service.
Retention
We keep account, presence, and message data while your account is active and as needed to operate the product. You can ask us to delete your account and associated data; some records (for example payment confirmations) may be retained where legally required.
Security
We use HTTPS, access controls, and industry-standard hosting practices. No method of transmission or storage is perfectly secure.
Children
Deskies is not directed at children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from them.
Your choices
- Update profile and status in the app
- Revoke Screen Recording in macOS System Settings
- Disconnect Google access from your Google account settings
- Email us to request account deletion or a copy of your data
International users
We may process data in the United States or other countries where our providers operate. If you use Deskies from elsewhere, you consent to that transfer as needed to provide the service.
Changes
We may update this policy. We will post the new version on this page and revise the “Last updated” date.
Contact
Questions about privacy: hello@deskies.app.