Ethics & Privacy
Built around trust, not data.
Teen mental health tools have to be careful by default. Pause B4Text is designed to be the safest entry point we can build — and to know its own limits.
Not a replacement for therapy
Self-help only. Crisis resources surfaced when relevant.
No surveillance encouragement
Actively redirects users away from checking phones or locations.
Consent and autonomy first
Suggests communication, never confrontation. No scripts shame the user.
Privacy by design
Guest-only. No accounts. No server. Scripted chat — zero data ever transmitted.
What's next
Future potential
Prototype
Scripted chat, 4 emotion paths, local-only pattern tracker.
Schools
Pilots in middle and high school curriculum.
Partnerships
Work with loveisrespect, RAINN, and school counselors.
Broader mental health
Generalize the Pause B4Text framework beyond relationships.