Who we are
Mode-X Mesh is operated by Mode-X Digital Development, based in the United Kingdom. Contact us about anything on this page at privacy@mode-x.co.uk or through the community links in the footer.
The short version
We collect the minimum needed to run a mesh network with an optional internet backbone. There are no advertising trackers, no analytics SDKs, and no sale or sharing of personal data with third parties. Location sharing is off by default and the public map is a separate, deliberate opt-in. You can remove your node and its data at any time.
The Android app
The Mode-X Mesh Android app is the companion for your own mesh node. It processes the following data on your phone:
Bluetooth. The app scans for and connects to Mode-X Mesh nodes over Bluetooth Low Energy. Scan results are used only to show nearby nodes and to connect to yours; they are not uploaded.
Location. On some Android versions a location permission is required by the operating system for Bluetooth scanning. The app can also, if you choose, use your phone's location to help position your node on the map. Your location is never sent anywhere unless you have turned on location sharing for your node, and even then the precision (off, approximate or precise) is your choice.
Messages. Messages you send and receive are stored on your phone so your history survives app restarts. Messages sent to public channels travel across the mesh and, where a node has internet access, may be relayed through the Mode-X Mesh server to reach the rest of the network. Direct messages are end-to-end encrypted between nodes.
Internet tethering. If you enable tethering, the app relays your node's traffic to the server over your phone's internet connection. Only mesh protocol data is relayed; the app does not read or transmit anything else from your phone.
Pairing tokens. The owner token that proves you have paired with your node is stored in Android's encrypted storage on your phone. It is excluded from Android backups because it is only valid on the phone that created it.
The app contains no advertising, no analytics and no crash-reporting SDKs. Nothing in the app collects data for any purpose other than operating your node.
The server and website
When a node (or the app on its behalf) talks to the Mode-X Mesh server, the server stores:
Node telemetry. Node identity (a random hardware identifier), node name, firmware version, battery, radio statistics and, only if you enabled location sharing, the position at the precision you chose. This powers the dashboards, the network statistics and, where you have separately opted in, the public map.
Public channel messages. Messages on public channels relayed through the server are stored so they can be delivered to the rest of the network and shown on the public activity pages. Do not post anything on a public channel that you would not want to be public.
Web server logs. Standard, short-lived technical logs (IP address, requested page, time) kept for security and fault-finding and rotated automatically.
The website itself uses only a session cookie for the operator console login. There are no third-party trackers.
What we never collect
No contacts, no phone identifiers, no advertising identifiers, no audio, no photos, no browsing history. Direct messages between nodes are end-to-end encrypted and cannot be read by the server.
Your choices and rights
Location sharing and public map visibility are controlled per node in the app and can be changed or turned off at any time. You can unpair and factory-reset a node from the app, which clears its ownership state. To have a node's server-side history removed, contact us with the node identifier and we will delete it.
If you are in the UK or EU you have the usual rights under data protection law, including access, correction and erasure. Contact us and we will act on your request within one month. You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).
Data retention
Telemetry and public messages are retained while your node remains part of the network and are pruned as the database is compacted. Web logs are rotated within days. Backups of the server are kept for operational recovery and expire on a rolling basis.
Children
The service is not directed at children under 13 and we do not knowingly collect data from them.
Changes
If this policy changes we will update this page and the date at the top. Significant changes will be announced on the site.