Frequently asked questions
Straight answers about privacy, encryption and the end-of-November 2026 launch. If something is not covered here, report it from the badge on the home page.
Does Panthera collect any personal data?
No phone number or personal email is required. Access uses an alias and password; discovery is blinded and profiles are encrypted for approved contacts only. The service still processes encrypted rows and limited operational delivery metadata.
What encryption does Panthera use?
X3DH for the initial handshake and the Double Ratchet for every message afterwards, built on XChaCha20-Poly1305, Ed25519/X25519 and BLAKE2b from libsodium. No home-made cryptography.
Can Panthera or anyone else read my messages?
The service cannot read message content or private keys. It handles ciphertext and limited delivery metadata. Encryption does not protect against someone reading an unlocked device or a recipient saving what they receive.
What happens if I lose my password?
Your account and its data are permanently unrecoverable. There is no reset, no key escrow and no support override — no recovery is a design decision, not an oversight.
How long are messages stored?
Encrypted messages are deleted automatically after 24 hours by default, with a visible countdown. Self-destructing messages are removed the moment the recipient decrypts them.
Do I need a phone number, email or app store account?
None of them. Panthera runs today as an installable PWA on iOS, Android and desktop, with no app store gatekeeper and no identity verification.
When do the downloadable apps launch?
Panthera is live now as a PWA. Downloadable apps for Windows and Mac launch at the end of November 2026, built on the same protocol core as the PWA.
Does this website track me?
The website uses cookies only if you accept them, and you can decline or manage them at any time. The Panthera S.E.M.S messenger itself collects no cookies and never tracks your conversations.