Legal

Cookie Policy

Last updated: November 30, 2025

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We Don't Use Cookies

That's it. That's the policy. Harmony does not use cookies for tracking, advertising, analytics, or any other purpose. You won't see an annoying cookie consent banner on our site because there's nothing to consent to.

Why No Cookies?

We believe the web should respect users by default. The proliferation of cookie consent banners has become a form of "consent fatigue" where users click through popups without reading them, defeating their original purpose.

Instead of asking you to accept tracking cookies and then pretending that makes it okay, we simply don't track you. It's easier for everyone.

What We Use Instead

The Harmony web application uses browser local storage to function properly. Unlike cookies, local storage:

  • Is not sent to servers with every request
  • Cannot be used to track you across websites
  • Stays entirely on your device
  • Is under your complete control

Data Stored Locally

The Harmony app stores the following in your browser's local storage:

  • Session tokens - To keep you logged in between visits
  • User preferences - Your chosen theme, notification settings, and other customizations
  • Encryption keys - If you use E2EE, your keys are stored locally and never leave your device
  • Application cache - To improve load times and enable offline functionality
  • Draft messages - So you don't lose unsent messages if you accidentally close the tab

Clearing Local Data

You can clear all locally stored data at any time through your browser settings. The exact steps vary by browser:

  • Chrome: Settings → Privacy and security → Clear browsing data → Select "Cookies and other site data"
  • Firefox: Settings → Privacy & Security → Cookies and Site Data → Clear Data
  • Safari: Preferences → Privacy → Manage Website Data

Note: Clearing local data will log you out and reset your preferences. If you have E2EE enabled, make sure you have your recovery key backed up before clearing data, or you may lose access to encrypted messages.

Third-Party Services

The official Harmony website and application do not embed third-party services that set cookies. We don't use:

  • Google Analytics or any analytics services
  • Facebook Pixel or social media trackers
  • Advertising networks
  • Third-party comment systems
  • Embedded social media widgets that track users

If you're using a self-hosted or third-party Harmony instance, their configuration may differ. Check with your instance operator.

Federated Content

When viewing federated content from other ActivityPub servers, embedded media (images, videos) may be loaded from those servers. We cannot control what data those servers collect when serving content.

To maximize privacy, you can configure your browser to block third-party requests or use browser extensions that limit cross-site tracking.

Our Philosophy

Cookie consent banners were meant to protect user privacy, but in practice they've become a usability nightmare. Most websites use "dark patterns" to make accepting all cookies easier than rejecting them.

We think the solution is simple: don't collect data you don't need. If you're not tracking users, you don't need their consent. If you're not selling ads, you don't need to profile visitors.

Harmony is built on the principle that privacy should be the default, not an option buried in a popup. We hope more of the web will follow this approach.

Questions?

If you have questions about our data practices, please contact us through the official Harmony platform or via our GitHub repository.