Crisis behavior and privacy
What Paddle does when a request sounds urgent, and how your Paddle conversations are handled.
What this does
This page explains Paddle’s safety behavior — what happens when a message sounds like an emergency — and the privacy rules around conversations.
When to use it
Read it if you support people in crisis, or you want to know exactly what happens to what you type.
What you need
Nothing.
In this guide
When a request sounds like a crisis
If a message suggests immediate danger, a medical emergency, or a mental-health or suicide crisis, Paddle stops normal searching and puts crisis contacts first: 911 for immediate danger, 988 (call or text) for mental health and suicide crisis, and local crisis services like the ones on the crisis line page. Paddle will still show relevant resources, but it will not pretend a directory search is an adequate response to an emergency.
Privacy of conversations
- Paddle conversations are not published anywhere, and they are not tied to a public profile.
- Conversations may be reviewed in aggregate to fix bad answers — as patterns and counts, not as a story about you.
- Paddle does not need your identity to work, and works the same signed out.
- The same rule as everywhere on LaneHelp: do not type names, diagnoses, case details, or exact sleeping locations. See Privacy and safety.
Common questions
Will Paddle call for help if I mention being in danger?
No — Paddle cannot call anyone. It will show you the right numbers immediately and clearly, but a person has to make the call.
Can anyone see my Paddle chat?
It is not public and not attached to your name. Treat it like any online form: fine for public needs, wrong place for private details.
Related guides
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