Your safety first

Using this platform safely.

If someone monitors your devices or accounts, take a few minutes to read this before you begin. These steps take less than 10 minutes and make a real difference.

Need to leave this page quickly?

Every page on Evidence Companion has a Quick Exit button in the top right corner. One tap navigates you away immediately. You can also close the browser tab at any time — nothing is stored on your device.

1

Create a private email address first.

Evidence Companion uses magic links — it sends a sign-in link to your email each time you log in. If someone has access to your email, they can access your account. Create a new private email before you register.

We recommend Proton Mail

Free, end-to-end encrypted, no phone number required, and based in Switzerland. You can create an account in under two minutes at proton.me.

Use a username that does not include your real name. Skip the phone number — it is optional.

Once you have a private email, use that address — and only that address — to sign into Evidence Companion.

2

Always use private browsing.

Private or incognito mode prevents your browser from saving your history, search queries, or autofill data for this session. When you close the window, the session disappears entirely from your device.

Chrome

Ctrl + Shift + N
(Mac: ⌘ + Shift + N)

Firefox

Ctrl + Shift + P
(Mac: ⌘ + Shift + P)

Safari

File → New Private Window
(⌘ + Shift + N)

On mobile: tap the tab icon in your browser, then look for "Private" or the incognito icon.

3

Choose the safest device available to you.

Even with private browsing, the device itself matters. Use the safest option you have access to.

Public library computer

No installed monitoring software, automatically clears sessions. Use private mode. Log out of everything before you leave.

A trusted friend's device

Use a phone or laptop from someone the other person cannot access. Use private mode and log out when done.

A work device

A work computer or phone the other person cannot access is often a good option. Be aware that employer IT policies may log activity — use your judgment.

4

If you believe your device has spyware — use a different device.

Spyware or stalkerware can monitor everything you do on a device — keystrokes, screenshots, messages, and browsing. Signs your device may be compromised:

  • The other person knows things you only typed or browsed privately
  • Your battery drains unusually fast or your phone runs hot when idle
  • Apps you do not recognize appear in your settings
  • The other person had physical access to your device and opportunity to install something

If any of this applies: Do not try to remove the software from your device — this may alert the person monitoring you. Instead, switch to a different device entirely for anything related to this situation.

5

What Evidence Companion stores — and what it does not.

Your records are stored securely on our servers — not on your device. Closing the browser tab or navigating away leaves no trace on the device you are using, as long as you use private/incognito mode.

What is stored on our servers

  • · Your email address (hashed)
  • · Incidents and observations you log
  • · Files you upload as evidence
  • · Companion conversations you save

What is NOT stored on your device

  • · No browser history (incognito mode)
  • · No cookies after the session ends
  • · No downloaded files unless you chose to export
  • · No app installed on your device

Your records are private — only you can access them unless you choose to share a link. See below for how link sharing works.

6

If you share a link with an attorney or DA.

You can share read-only access to your case with an attorney, prosecutor, or advocate. Here is exactly what that means:

Read-only. The person you share with can view your case — they cannot edit, delete, or add anything.

Revocable at any time. You can revoke a link instantly from your case page. Once revoked, the link stops working immediately.

Expires on a date you set. You choose how many days the link is valid. It expires automatically after that.

You can see who accessed it. Your case page shows how many times a link was opened and when it was last accessed.

Ready to start your record?

If you have followed the steps above — private email, private browser, safe device — you are ready.

Begin your record →

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