Backstage Sidekick — Privacy Policy

Last updated: 2026-10-29 · Operator: Slow Arcs, LLC

Backstage Sidekick is a free helper app for people who moderate or run live shows on Whatnot. It gives you a deck of one-tap quick phrases for chat, and a "who to thank" list (raids, tips, giveaway winners) built from the show you're watching. This policy explains what data the app handles. It works alongside the Sidekick Terms of Use, and the suite-wide Backstage Live Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.

The short version: Sidekick has no account and no sign-up. The details of your shows — who bought what, who won, who tipped, and how much — stay on your device. What we do receive is your email address if you give one, your Whatnot username, which shows you work with Sidekick open (the host's Whatnot username), whether you were the seller or a moderator, and counts of what came up, which Sidekick features you used and how often Sidekick asked Whatnot for data. We use that to understand how sellers and moderators actually use Sidekick. On its own, Sidekick never sends us any buyer's name, any item, any amount of money, or anything you type in Whatnot chat. The only exceptions are features you choose to use with other people: a team list you share with other mods (1f) and a seller's show code (1g), where what you share goes through our servers so your team or the seller can see it. We never sell your data, never run ads, and never use it to train AI models.

1. What the app handles

1a. On your device only (never sent to us)

Your phrase deck — the quick phrases, size chips, and emoji you customize (unless you choose to share a set, see 1e)
Show activity — while a show is open, Sidekick notes events like raids, tips, and giveaway winners (usernames and amounts) so it can build your "who to thank" list. This stays in local storage on your device.
Your sponsor list — who bought the host's "bless the chat" or sponsor listing, in the order they bought, and whether you've shouted them out yet. Kept so the right person gets their turn.
Call-out lists — when a host asks the room to type a word (for example COHOST), Sidekick keeps the handles of the people who answered, in the order they answered. This is so the person who was first is still first when you get to them.
Who you've thanked — which shout-outs you or your team tagged, and which cards you closed
Your private notes — the Notes box on the List tab, when you haven't shared it with a team (see 1f)
App preferences — e.g. whether taps send or copy

1b. Your email and install ID

The first time you open it, a welcome card asks you to accept the Terms of Use. Later, once and only when no show is open, Sidekick may ask whether you'd like setup tips and news about the wider Backstage tools by email. Your email is optional in both the iOS app and the Chrome extension, and Sidekick works fully without it. If you do enter an email it is sent to our servers and stored in our hosted database (Supabase). We also send a randomly generated install ID and the version number, so we can count how many people use Sidekick and on which version. Once you open Whatnot in Sidekick while signed in, that ID is linked to your Whatnot username and Whatnot user number, read from the Whatnot page you are signed in to, even if you never work a show. Everything else in 1c is only recorded when you work a show.

1c. The shows you work

When you work a show with Sidekick open, we record:

that a show happened: when it started, roughly how long it ran, and whether it ended normally
whose show it was: the host's Whatnot username, as it appears publicly on Whatnot
who you are on Whatnot: your username and Whatnot user number, read from the Whatnot page you are signed in to
whether you were the seller (your own show), a moderator, or watching
how many sponsors, giveaway winners, raids, tips and boosts came up, and how many were still waiting to be thanked at the end
how many times you used each Sidekick feature: which tabs you opened, Send, Copy and Build, phrases, sizes, emojis and the show views. A count only, never the words.
how many times Sidekick itself asked Whatnot for data during the show, of which kind, and how many of those Whatnot asked it to slow down. Numbers only, never what was asked or answered.

This is joined to your install ID and, if you gave one, your email.

We do this so we can see how sellers and moderators really use Sidekick: who uses it every week, on which shows, and which parts help. That is the difference between building the right things and guessing.

What is never included: any buyer's, winner's or tipper's name, any item title, any price, tip or dollar amount, and anything you type in chat. Only usernames of the people working the show, and numbers.

You can ask us to delete everything tied to your install or your Whatnot username at any time. We never contact a seller because their show appears in these records, unless they have given us permission.

1d. Whatnot, inside the app

The iOS app shows the Whatnot website in a built-in browser view so your show and the helper panel share a screen. The Chrome extension instead opens as a side panel next to the Whatnot tab you already have open. To see who sponsored the chat, it asks Whatnot for that show's list of sold items — the same list you can see yourself, using the Whatnot login you are already signed in with. That request goes to Whatnot, not to us, and the answer stays in your browser. In the same way, Sidekick asks Whatnot once which Whatnot account you are signed in to (so you never have to type your username), and, only when you tap the sponsor tracker, asks Whatnot for that sponsor's next two shows and their bookmark counts — the same numbers anyone sees on the sponsor's profile.

In both cases, You sign in to Whatnot directly with Whatnot — we never see or store your Whatnot password, and your session lives in that browser view on your device. When you tap a quick phrase, the app places that text into Whatnot's chat box for you, exactly as if you typed it; what happens to chat messages on Whatnot is governed by Whatnot's own privacy policy. Backstage Sidekick is an independent tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Whatnot.

1e. Phrase sets you share

If you share a phrase set, we store that set (your phrases only, never buyers or amounts) so others can load it with the code. That means the set's name, its categories and phrases, any favorites and reminders on it, and the install ID and version of the device that shared it. Anyone with the code can load the set, and when you change it, people who loaded it get your changes. Nothing is stored unless you tap Share.

1f. Team lists and shared notes

On the List tab you can share your list with other mods on the same show using a 6-letter team code. Nothing is shared unless you start or join a team. When you do, these go through our servers so everyone on the team sees the same thing: the usernames on the list (for example the people who answered a call-out), done ticks, the Notes box text, and who added or changed each. Anyone with the team code can see and change them. A team list is deleted 24 hours after it was last used, or right away when the person who started it ends it.

1g. Show codes (Beta)

A seller using Backstage can give their mods a 6-letter show code. If you enter one, Sidekick shares the following with that seller through our servers, so they can run the show with you and thank you for your help:

your Whatnot username and a random ID for your device (the seller never sees the device ID)
that you checked in, when, how long you were on the seller's show, and whether Sidekick saw you on it
how many people you thanked, by kind (tips, boosts, sponsors, giveaways, raids) — numbers only
the notes you post on the Show tab: to the whole team, or to the seller only
if you use the sponsor tracker, the result: the sponsor's Whatnot username and display name, what they sponsored, the titles and times of their next two shows, and how many bookmarks were gained

You see the seller's notes for the show and the notes other mods on the code post to the team. Nothing is shared unless you enter a code. Everything tied to a show code is deleted 30 days after that show.

2. How we use the data

Email: to send setup tips and occasional news about Backstage tools. Every email we send gives you a way to stop them, and you can ask us to delete your address at any time.
Messages you send us: the Help screen has a box for telling us when something breaks. We receive what you type, an address to reply to, and which version you're on — nothing else is attached. Used to answer you and fix the problem.
Shows you work: used to understand how Sidekick is used — how often, on whose shows, by sellers or moderators, and which features help — and to spot where people get stuck. Never sold, never shared, and never used to contact a seller unless they have given us permission.
Everything else: used only inside the app, on your device, to show you your phrase deck and thank-you list.

We do not sell your data, share it with advertisers or data brokers, serve ads, or use your data to train AI/ML models. The app contains no third-party advertising or analytics trackers.

3. Who we share data with

Supabase — hosted database where your email, your install ID, the show records in 1c, any phrase sets you share (1e), team lists (1f) and show-code data (1g) are stored
The seller and your team — only for what you choose to share with them through a team list (1f) or a show code (1g)
Apple App Store / TestFlight — app distribution and crash/diagnostic data, governed by Apple's privacy policy
Email provider (Resend) — delivers our emails if you opted in

4. Device permissions

Clipboard — only when you use "Copy" mode, to copy the phrase you tapped
Local storage — to keep your phrase deck and settings
No location, contacts, camera, microphone, photos, health data, or advertising identifier is collected

5. Data retention

On your device: your deck, settings, and show activity remain until you clear them or uninstall the app
Email: kept until you unsubscribe or ask us to delete it
Show records (1c): kept for 12 months, then deleted, or sooner if you ask us to delete them
Shared phrase sets (1e): deleted once nobody has loaded or changed them for 90 days, or sooner if you ask us to delete them
Team lists (1f): deleted 24 hours after the list was last used
Show codes (1g): deleted 30 days after the show

6. Security

All network traffic uses TLS encryption. What we hold is your email, your install ID, the show records in 1c (usernames and counts, never buyers or money), and only for as long as stated above, what you chose to share in a team list or show code. If we discover a breach affecting your data, we'll notify you as required by law.

7. Your rights and choices

Skip the email — Sidekick is fully functional without it, on iOS and in Chrome
Don't share — team lists and show codes are opt-in; without them nothing about other people leaves your device
Delete your email from our list — use any unsubscribe link or email us
Clear everything local — uninstalling the app removes your deck, settings, and show activity
Delete your show records — email us and we'll delete everything tied to your install and your Whatnot username

If you live in California, the EU/UK, or another jurisdiction with data-rights laws (CCPA, GDPR, etc.), you may also request a copy of the data we hold (your email, install ID, show records, and anything you shared in a team list or show code) and lodge a complaint with your local data-protection authority.

8. Children

Backstage Sidekick is not intended for anyone under 18, and we don't knowingly collect data from children. If you believe a child has used it, contact us and we'll delete the data.

9. Changes to this policy

If we materially change what we collect or how we use it, we'll update this page and the "Last updated" date.

10. Contact

Questions, deletion requests, or anything else: backstageliveapp@gmail.com
Operator: Slow Arcs LLC