Privacy & safety
Most of LaneHelp works without signing in. Here’s what LaneHelp keeps, what it never publishes, how location works, and how to stay safe on a shared device.
3 min readChecked against LaneHelp October 6, 2026Report a problem with this page
- What it does
- A plain-language guide to privacy on LaneHelp, with links to the formal policy.
- Good for
- Before you type anything sensitive, on a borrowed device, or when you’re helping someone who has reasons to be careful.
- You’ll need
- Nothing. No account.
On this page
Use LaneHelp without signing in#
Search listings, check shelter, plan a trip, read alerts, ask Paddle, text LaneHelp, print a handout, and send a message through Contact, all with no account. You can even save listings. Signed out, they stay on that device.
You need an account to report a problem with a listing, add or fix a listing, save Quick Sheets for later, post or send messages in Community, or join an organization.
How location works#
LaneHelp asks for your precise location only when you use a nearby, map, or trip feature, and you can say no. If you allow it, your position goes along with that search or trip so results can be sorted by distance. Like most websites, LaneHelp can also estimate a rough area from your internet connection. It doesn’t publish your location.
Rather not share? Type an address, cross street, or neighborhood instead.
What LaneHelp keeps#
Like any website, LaneHelp logs things like pages viewed, searches, and technical details to keep the site working and spot abuse. It doesn’t sell personal data, and it doesn’t use it for targeted advertising. When LaneHelp shares numbers, it shares totals and patterns, not identities.
What other people can see#
If you make an account, your username is public by default, and that’s it until you choose more. Profile sections stay private unless you show them. You can set your profile to Private, Unlisted (only people with the link), or Public, and leave yourself out of the Community list. Anything you post publicly can be copied, so treat it like a bulletin board. More in Your public profile.
On a shared or borrowed device#
A browser remembers some things for convenience: listings saved while signed out, your Paddle chat, recent searches, and your Pick a Lane deck. On a library computer or someone else’s phone, clear Paddle with New chat when you’re done, sign out if you signed in, or start in a private window.