# mortalpings – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
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## 1. About mortalpings
**Q1. What is mortalpings?**
mortalpings is a **hyperlocal, time-limited messaging app.** Share short posts with people near you — messages vanish after a set time and are visible only within your chosen radius.
**Q2. How is mortalpings different from WhatsApp, Telegram, or Twitter?**
Unlike traditional apps, mortalpings doesn’t need your phone number, contacts, or followers.
Posts are **temporary and location-bound** — perfect for quick local communication.
**Q3. Who can use mortalpings?**
Anyone aged **13 or above.**
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## 2. Getting Started
**Q4. Do I need an account?**
No. The app silently creates a sign-in. This creates a stable UID for your device/app install — not linked to your name, phone number, or email.
**Q5. How do I post a ping?**
1. Type your message (max 500 characters).
2. Or use **voice input** (tap the mic button to speak-to-text).
\3. **(New!)** Tap the 📷 **Camera** icon to attach a photo.
4. Choose a category: ⚠️ Alert, ℹ️ Info, 💬 Social, 🆘 Help, or 🛍️ Market.
5. Set how long it stays (1–48 hours).
6. Select your visibility radius (500m → 50km).
7. Tap **Send.**
If you’re offline, you’ll see a **banner**:
> “🚫 No Network Available. You can still create a ping; it will be sent when network is restored.”
**Q6. What is the default message duration (TTL)?**
Default TTL = **1 hour.** You can choose up to 48 hours.
**Q7. Can I reply to a query?**
Yes! Tap any visible query → choose **Reply**.
Replies expire automatically when the parent ping expires.
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## 3. Categories & Filters
**Q8. What are the message categories?**
- ⚠️ Alert → Urgent local warnings
- ℹ️ Info → General local notices
- 🆘 Help → Urgent assistance needed
- 💬 Social → Casual or friendly updates
- 🛍️ Market → Vendors or service providers sharing local products/services (replies disabled)
**Q9. What are Query, Regular, and Replies sections?**
Your messages are now organized into:
- **Queries**: What you’ve posted as questions or info.
- **Regular Pings**: General updates you’ve shared.
- **Replies**: Messages you’ve sent in response to others.
**Q10. Can I filter messages?**
Yes. You can view all or filter by category for faster discovery.
**Q11. Can I use the Query option with Market posts?**
No. Market posts are informational listings and do not support the Query toggle or replies.
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## 4. Privacy & Safety
**Q12. Do you store messages permanently?**
No. All pings, replies, and **attachments (photos/audio)** expire automatically.
Unsent (offline) messages stay on your device until delivered.
**Q13. What personal data do you collect?**
mortalpings uses only:
- UID & displayId
- Approximate location (for radius)
- Message text (temporary)
- Basic device info
No names, phone numbers, emails, personal photos, or contact lists.
**Q14. What about Voice Input?**
- **Voice-to-Text:** Processing happens locally on your device — your audio is never uploaded.
**Q15. What if someone abuses mortalpings?**
Use the in-app Report option. Reports include:
- messageId/replyId
- the reported item’s sender or displayId
- the reporter’s UID (reportedByUid) — this is required so reports cannot be forged
Moderation actions: warning, mute, suspend, or permanent ban of the offending UID. Bans prevent future writes from that UID.
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## 5. Technical Details
**Q16. How does mortalpings calculate distance?**
Using the **Haversine formula** — a GPS-based distance calculation method.
**Q17. What happens if I go offline?**
- A red banner appears.
- Messages and **attachments** are queued locally.
- They auto-send once the network is restored.
**Q18. Why do pings vanish suddenly?**
They’re designed to.
When their TTL (time limit) ends, they fade away automatically.
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## 6. Advanced & Future
**Q19. Will mortalpings have ads or premium features?**
Possibly. Any sponsored content will be clearly labeled as **“Sponsored Ping.”**
**Q20. Can I send images?**
**Yes!** You can now attach Photos to any ping.
They are optimized for speed and, like text, they are temporary.
**Q21. Can I rely on it for emergencies?**
Use it for quick local alerts — but **always contact official emergency services** for serious cases.
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**mortalpings**
> Hyperlocal. Ephemeral. Human.
> **Ping. Connect. Vanish.**