How do notifications impact privacy?

New messages and invitations in Diode create system-level notifications. Please read below to understand the privacy implications of notifications.

There are two types of notifications Diode creates:

1. App notifications
2. Push notifications

#App notifications

App notifications are created when you are running the application and a new message arrives, but you are not viewing the chat it arrived for. In this case, your app will raise a notification on your phone or computer to get your attention - clicking the notification will take you to the message.

• You must use your operating system’s notification controls to turn this feature off.
• App notifications are created by your device and remain local to your device. They are “self custody” notifications - you are in full control of data exposure, if any.
• App notifications contain the Zone name, the sender name, and the message.

#Push notifications

Push notifications are created by the sender’s device when none of your devices are online. In this case, Google or Apple will send out a notification that appears on your phone even when you are not running the app - clicking the notification will open the app and view the message.

• You are prompted to choose whether you want to enable Push notifications for your profile when you first signup. You can disable this feature at a profile level (all Zones) in your profile settings.
• These notifications are sent from the sender’s app to the Diode push notification server, where they are then relayed to the Google or Apple push servers for distribution to your phone. These notifications are not considered fully self custody.
• Push notifications contain an encrypted blob consisting of the sender name and the message. Push notification contents cannot be read by either the Diode push notification server or the Google/Apple push servers. They are encrypted by the sender, and decrypted real-time on your device (end to end encrypted).
• The Diode push notification server contains a table linking your Diode device ID to your phone’s push token. This table effectively “de-anonymizes” your profile. It has a liability similar to that of associating a phone number with your Diode profile.

#Why should you enable Push notifications?

You should enable Push notifications if you are comfortable with the privacy implications and want to receive message alerts even if your app is closed or has exited.

#Why should you not enable Push notifications?

You should not enable Push notifications if you want your account to remain pseudo-anonymous (not linked to your real person).

#What steps does Diode take to protect my account?

Diode end-to-end encrypts all Push notification content, and encrypts “push token” information on Team Member devices.

#If I enable Push notifications, can I still collaborate securely?

Yes, your collaborations are all still end-to-end encrypted. However, push notifications leave a breadcrumb that could theoretically be used to link your Diode profile to your phone.