"Anonymous" is easy to say and harder to deliver. This guide explains, in plain language, what actually happens when you start a chat on StrangerFun, so you can decide for yourself how private it is.
No account, no profile
You do not sign up. There is no email, phone number, username or password. The app keeps a random device ID in your browser or app storage. It is not linked to your name or phone, and it is used to make blocks work and to keep the matching fair. You can delete it any time on the Delete my data page.
Step 1: matching
When you pick a mode, your device opens a connection to our matching server, which runs on Cloudflare. It tells the server which mode you chose, any interests and language preference you set, and your device ID. The server looks for someone waiting in the same mode — preferring people who share an interest — and introduces the two of you.
The server needs your IP address to talk to you at all, but it does not store it. For blocks it keeps only a salted hash of it, for one hour.
Step 2: a direct connection
Once you are matched, your two devices connect to each other directly using WebRTC, the same technology video-calling apps use. Text messages and camera or microphone streams then travel between the two devices, encrypted, without passing through our server.
Sometimes networks do not allow a direct link. In that case the encrypted data is forwarded by a relay server (called TURN). The relay forwards the data but cannot read it.
What we never see
- The text of your peer-to-peer chats.
- Your video or audio.
- Your name, contacts or photos.
What we do see
- That a session exists, while it exists, so we can match people and count how many are online.
- Reports you send. A report includes a short excerpt of the recent chat so a moderator can understand what happened — see how to report and block.
- If you accept analytics, counts of events such as "chat started" — never message text.
When nobody is around
If no person is available after a few seconds, you may be connected to an AI companion. It always says it is an AI. Messages to the AI do go through our server to an AI provider to generate replies. Read more in the AI companion explained.
Anonymous is not invisible
The person you talk to can still screenshot or record what you show them. Anonymity protects you from us and from strangers learning who you are — only if you do not tell them. Our safety guide has practical tips.
For the full legal detail, see the Privacy Policy.