Panic button + panic contacts
Anonomi includes a panic workflow designed for situations where you are under coercion, detention, or immediate risk.
Panic features are deliberately simple and designed to be triggered quickly — even when you cannot safely interact with the app.
What the panic button is (and isn’t)
Section titled “What the panic button is (and isn’t)”The panic button is a last-resort safety mechanism.
It is designed to:
- Reduce harm if you are forced to unlock or hand over your device
- Remove sensitive local data as fast as possible
- Optionally notify trusted contacts that something is wrong
It is not a magic escape button and cannot guarantee safety.
Panic button behavior
Section titled “Panic button behavior”When a panic trigger is activated:
- Local Anonomi account state may be deleted or locked
(exact behavior depends on configuration and platform) - Ongoing conversations become inaccessible on that device
- The app may appear wiped, locked, or reset
Panic actions happen locally and immediately.
Network delivery is best effort, not guaranteed.
Panic contacts
Section titled “Panic contacts”Anonomi allows you to mark specific contacts as panic contacts.
When panic mode is triggered:
- An alert message may be sent to those contacts
- Delivery depends on current connectivity (online or offline)
- Messages are sent only when technically possible
Panic contacts are opt-in and must be explicitly configured.
How to configure panic contacts
Section titled “How to configure panic contacts”Panic contacts are configured per contact, not globally.
To mark a contact as a panic contact:
- Open a conversation with the contact
- Tap the three dots in the top-right corner
- Open Contact Settings
- Enable Panic Contact
Only contacts with this setting enabled will receive panic alerts.
See: Contact Settings
Panic triggers
Section titled “Panic triggers”Panic mode can be triggered by:
- A dedicated panic sidecar app (such as Ripple)
- Other configured emergency triggers (implementation-specific)
The goal is to allow triggering without navigating Anonomi itself.
What is (and isn’t) guaranteed
Section titled “What is (and isn’t) guaranteed”Possible
- Local data removal or lock
- Panic message attempts to trusted contacts
- Fast execution without complex UI steps
Not guaranteed
- Network delivery of panic messages
- Protection against advanced forensic recovery
- Safety after device seizure
Panic workflows reduce risk — they do not eliminate it.
When to use panic features
Section titled “When to use panic features”Consider configuring panic features if:
- You operate in environments with risk of detention
- You may be forced to unlock your device
- You need trusted contacts alerted quickly
- You want a fast, low-interaction escape mechanism
For day-to-day privacy, rely on:
- Screen locks
- Stealth mode
- Conservative connection settings