Terms of Service & Privacy Policy

Switchboard connects you with other people by phone. When you first call in, an automated AI operator talks with you to set up your profile. Afterwards, you can join live group conversations (“lobbies”) or be introduced to individual people. Calls are routed through our systems so participants’ phone numbers stay hidden from each other.

You must be at least 18 years old to use Switchboard. By using the service you represent that you are 18 or older.

Conversations with the AI operator are processed and transcribed by artificial-intelligence systems (including third-party AI providers) to build your profile and match you with others. We extract details you share — such as your first name, age, city, languages, and interests — and store them. Summaries of your operator conversations may be kept to improve future interactions.

Conversations between people in lobbies or one-to-one calls are not transcribed or recorded by us.

Voice messages are different, and always deliberate: you can choose to leave a short recorded message (for example, a question for other callers, or an answer to someone else’s), and the operator tells you before recording ever starts — you will always know which one you are doing. Voice messages are transcribed and screened by AI (with human review where needed) before they can be delivered to anyone, and they are deleted — audio included — after 30 days at the latest. Blocking someone also stops their messages from reaching you.

So that someone can actually answer it, a question you leave may be listed publicly on this site: what the question is about, your first name, and a two-digit code anyone can dial to hear it and record you an answer. Your recording itself is never published — audio is only ever played to people on the line — and neither is your city or your number. If you would rather your question was not listed, say so on any call and we will take it down.

We store:

• Your phone number, stored in hashed and encrypted form — never shown to other users
• Profile details you share with the operator (first name, age, city, languages, interests)
• A general location (city-level) derived from what you tell us — we do not collect GPS data
• Summaries of your conversations with the AI operator
• Voice messages you choose to leave (the audio and its transcript), for at most 30 days
• Call metadata (when you called, how long, which lobby you joined)
• Records of consent, blocks, and reports

Aggregated, non-identifying statistics (such as member counts per city) are displayed publicly on switchboard.onl. Your name and number are never published.

By using Switchboard you consent to receive service-related text messages: this consent link, invitations to join lobbies when compatible people are on the line, and verification messages. Reply STOP to any message to opt out of SMS. Message and data rates may apply.

You agree not to use Switchboard to:

• Harass, threaten, or abuse other people, or engage in hate speech
• Share or solicit sexually explicit content
• Impersonate others or misrepresent who you are
• Solicit, advertise, spam, or promote any commercial offering
• Request or arrange the exchange of money, goods, or services with other users
• Send or solicit content in any category forbidden by carrier messaging rules, including Twilio’s Forbidden Message Categories — such as gambling, cannabis or other controlled substances, loan and debt services, and “get rich quick” schemes
• Pressure or deceive other users into sharing personal or contact information
• Break any applicable law

You can block or report anyone you speak with. We may suspend or ban numbers that violate these rules, and we apply rate limits to prevent abuse.

We keep your profile and interaction data while your account is active. Voice messages expire on their own: the recording and its transcript are deleted after 30 days at the latest. To delete your data, contact us at the address below from any channel, and we will remove your profile, conversation summaries, voice messages, and associated records within 30 days, except where retention is required by law.

Switchboard connects strangers by voice. We do not vet, endorse, or guarantee any person you speak with, and we are not responsible for what people say or do on or off the service. Use judgment: do not share sensitive personal or financial information with people you meet here. The service is provided “as is” without warranties of any kind, and may be interrupted, changed, or discontinued at any time.

To the maximum extent permitted by law, Switchboard and its operators are not liable for indirect, incidental, special, or consequential damages arising from your use of the service, and our total liability for any claim is limited to $100.

We may update these terms from time to time. The current version always lives at this page; material changes will be announced by SMS or on the website. Continued use after changes means you accept them.

Questions, deletion requests, or complaints: team@switchboard.onl

Hold music: “Backbay Lounge” by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), licensed under CC BY 4.0.

Earth texture by Solar System Scope, licensed under CC BY 4.0.