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OKIAS

Privacy Policy

_Last updated: 13 August 2026_

This Privacy Policy explains what information OKIAS Messenger ("OKIAS", "we", "us", "our") collects, how we use it, how long we keep it, and the choices and rights you have. OKIAS Messenger is currently offered as an invite-gated closed beta.

We have written this policy to be precise rather than merely reassuring. We describe what actually happens on our servers and on your device — including the real limits of what encryption can and cannot protect. If any part of this policy is unclear, contact us at the address in the Contact section and we will explain it in plain language.

Our privacy principle

OKIAS is engineered so that the content of your private conversations is not readable by us — by design, not merely by policy. Private one-to-one chats and private group chats are end-to-end encrypted using the Signal Protocol (libsignal), with the X3DH key agreement and the Double Ratchet algorithm, and Sender Keys for groups. Media (photos, video, files and voice notes) is encrypted with per-file AES-256-GCM keys before it leaves your device.

Encryption and decryption happen only on your devices. The private keys that unlock your messages are generated on-device, protected by the Android Keystore, and never leave your device in a form we can read. As a result:

  • We do not operate a master key or any form of key escrow.
  • We do not perform plaintext logging of message content.
  • We do not run server-side content search, indexing, scanning, or profiling of your private messages.
  • We could not hand over the content of your private messages even if compelled, because we do not possess the keys to decrypt them.

Privacy is not a setting you switch on in OKIAS. It is the foundation the product is built on.

What is and isn't end-to-end encrypted

We want you to understand exactly where the protection applies:

  • End-to-end encrypted: the content of private one-to-one messages, private group messages, attachments, images, video, documents, and voice notes.
  • Not end-to-end encrypted: channel (broadcast) posts. Channels are designed for public, one-to-many distribution, so their content is processed on our servers and is not private in the same way a chat is. Do not treat channels as private.

If you are unsure whether a surface is private, treat it as if it is not until you have confirmed it is a one-to-one or private group chat.

Information we collect

We practise data minimisation: we collect the least information needed to run the service, and nothing more.

Information you provide

  • Account information: your phone number (globally unique, in E.164 format) and, during the beta, the email address used to receive your one-time sign-in code (OTP). These are needed to create, secure, and operate your account.
  • Profile information: a display name and, optionally, a profile photo and short bio that you choose to add.
  • Business verification (KYC): if you apply for a verified business badge, the identity and business documents and details you submit for know-your-customer checks. These are stored in a separate, access-restricted store and used only for verification, fraud prevention, and legal compliance.
  • Support information: if you contact support, the name, email, category and message you provide so we can help you.

Information generated as you use OKIAS

  • Ciphertext in transit: the encrypted payloads of your messages pass through our servers so they can be delivered. To us these are opaque — we route them, we do not read them.
  • Delivery metadata: limited routing information needed to deliver messages reliably, such as which devices a message must reach, delivery and read state where enabled, and timing. We minimise this and never use it to reconstruct the content of your messages, which we cannot access.
  • Device and linking information: the devices linked to your account, a per-device identifier, and each device's last-seen time, so you can review and manage your sessions.
  • Diagnostics and reliability data: limited, largely aggregated technical data (such as crash reports and performance signals) to keep the service stable. We do not use message content for analytics because we cannot read it.

Information we deliberately do not collect

  • We do not upload your address book to build a social graph. Contact discovery uses salted hashing of numbers so we can match contacts without holding your address book in readable form.
  • We do not collect your private encryption keys — they never leave your devices.
  • We do not use third-party advertising trackers, and we do not build advertising profiles of you.

How we use information

We use the information above to:

  • deliver your messages and calls, and operate your account and linked devices;
  • send one-time codes to sign you in and secure your account;
  • verify businesses and issue server-assigned verification badges;
  • detect, prevent, and respond to spam, abuse, fraud, and security threats;
  • respond to your support requests;
  • comply with applicable legal obligations, including the laws of Pakistan.

We do not sell your personal information. We do not use the content of your messages for advertising, and we could not, because we cannot read it.

Reporting and abuse handling

Because private messages are end-to-end encrypted, we cannot proactively scan them. If you report a message, the report includes a copy of the specific content you choose to submit from your own device — you decide what to send us. We act on reports and on lawful signals such as account behaviour; we do not gain the ability to read your other messages by receiving a report.

Data retention

We keep information only as long as needed for the purposes above, then delete it:

  • Encrypted messages are removed from delivery queues once delivered. Undelivered messages expire after a limited window and are then discarded.
  • Delivery metadata is retained for a limited period needed to operate and secure the service, then deleted.
  • KYC records are retained for the period required by applicable know-your-customer and anti-fraud obligations, then deleted.
  • Support records are retained for a reasonable period to handle follow-ups and improve support quality.
  • Diagnostics are retained in aggregated form for limited periods.

Retention windows are configurable and may be tuned as the product matures; we will not extend retention beyond what is necessary for the stated purposes or required by law.

Account deletion and the 7-day grace period

You are in control of your account and can delete it at any time from within the app (Settings → Account → Delete account), or by contacting us if you have lost access to your device.

When you request deletion, your account enters a 7-day grace period. During this window the account is deactivated and you can cancel the deletion if you change your mind or if the request was not made by you. After the grace period ends:

  • Your account, profile, and server-side keys are removed.
  • Your messages are already unreadable to us (end-to-end encrypted) and are cleared from delivery queues.
  • You are removed from your groups, and if you were the sole owner of a group, ownership transfer or closure is handled per the in-app flow.
  • Your phone number enters a quarantine period (currently 90 days) before it can be re-registered, to protect against number takeover and confusion.

Deletion is permanent. Some records may be retained briefly after deletion where strictly required for security, fraud prevention, or legal obligations, then deleted.

Backups

OKIAS supports client-side encrypted backups. If you enable a backup, it is encrypted on your device with a passphrase or a 64-digit recovery key that only you hold (derived using Argon2id). We cannot read your backups and cannot recover them for you if you lose your passphrase or key. Keep your recovery material safe.

How we protect information

  • Message content is protected by end-to-end encryption, so it is not exposed on our servers.
  • Local data on your device is stored in an encrypted database (SQLCipher) and keys are held in the Android Keystore.
  • KYC documents and media are stored in access-restricted object storage, served only through short-lived signed URLs.
  • Access to systems that hold personal data is limited, logged, and controlled.

No system is perfectly secure, but we design OKIAS so that the most sensitive data — your message content — is never in our hands to begin with.

International data transfers

OKIAS operates infrastructure that may process and store data outside your country of residence. Where we transfer data, we do so consistent with applicable law and apply the protections described in this policy regardless of where data is processed.

Your choices and rights

  • Account deletion: delete your account from within the app, or by contacting us if you have lost access. See the account deletion page for step-by-step instructions.
  • Linked devices: review and unlink devices at any time; an unlinked device immediately loses access.
  • Two-step verification: set a registration PIN to protect against number takeover. This PIN is never used to decrypt your messages — it only guards re-registration of your number.
  • Privacy settings: control who can find you and, where offered, receipt and last-seen visibility.
  • Access, correction, and deletion: depending on your location, you may have rights to access, correct, export, or delete personal information we hold about you. Contact us to exercise these rights, and we will respond as required by applicable law.

Children

OKIAS Messenger is not directed to children under the age required by local law to consent to online services, and in any case not to anyone under 16. If we learn that we have collected personal information from a child below the applicable age, we will delete it.

Changes to this policy

We may update this policy as the product evolves out of beta. When we make material changes, we will update the "last updated" date above and, where appropriate, provide additional notice. Your continued use of OKIAS after an update means you accept the revised policy.

Contact

For privacy questions, data requests, or to exercise your rights, contact our privacy team at privacy@okias.com.pk. For general help, contact support@okias.com.pk.