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Privacy Features

Routstr is designed with privacy as a core principle. This guide explains the privacy features built into the platform and how to use them effectively.

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Privacy-First Architecture

Routstr’s architecture is designed to minimize data collection and maximize user control:

  1. No User Accounts: No email, phone number, or personal information required
  2. No Request Logging: Your prompts and completions are not stored by Routstr
  3. Decentralized Network: No central authority controls the entire system
  4. Private Payments: Use Lightning Network or Cashu tokens for anonymous payments

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Privacy-Enhancing Technologies

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Tor Integration

Routstr includes built-in support for routing requests through the Tor network:

# Add Tor routing to your API requests
curl --socks5-hostname 127.0.0.1:9050 -X POST https://api.routstr.com/v1/chat/completions \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer cashuA1DkpMbgQ9VkL6U..." \
  -d '{
    "model": "gpt-4",
    "messages": [
      {
        "role": "user", 
        "content": "Hello"
      }
    ]
  }'

This prevents providers from seeing your real IP address and adds an additional layer of network privacy.

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SOCKS5 Proxy Support

For more flexibility, you can use any SOCKS5 proxy:

# Using a custom SOCKS5 proxy
curl --socks5-hostname your-proxy-server:1080 -X POST https://api.routstr.com/v1/chat/completions \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer cashuA1DkpMbgQ9VkL6U..." \
  -d '{
    "model": "gpt-4",
    "messages": [
      {
        "role": "user", 
        "content": "Hello"
      }
    ]
  }'

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Anonymous Payments

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Cashu Token Payments

Cashu is an anonymous ecash system that provides complete payment privacy:

  1. Mint Cashu tokens using your wallet over the Lightning Network
  2. No personal information is required to mint tokens
  3. Tokens are bearer instruments - whoever has the token can use it
  4. Spend tokens directly for API access without revealing identity

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Lightning Network Privacy

When using Lightning Network payments, you can enhance privacy by:

  1. Using a privacy-focused Lightning wallet
  2. Generating new payment codes for each transaction
  3. Using a Lightning Address from a privacy-focused provider

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Best Practices for Privacy

  1. Use Tor or a trusted VPN/proxy for all Routstr connections
  2. Pay with Cashu tokens for maximum payment privacy
  3. Avoid including personal information in prompts
  4. Use privacy-focused providers when available
  5. Regularly rotate payment information for improved privacy

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Self-Hosting for Maximum Privacy

For maximum privacy, you can:

  1. Self-host a Routstr proxy: Run your own proxy to avoid third-party access
  2. Connect to trusted providers: Choose providers with strong privacy policies
  3. Use your own Lightning node: Process payments through your own node
# Run your own Routstr proxy
docker run -p 8000:8000 \
  --env-file .env \
  ghcr.io/routstr/proxy

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Technical Privacy Protections

Routstr implements several technical privacy protections:

  1. End-to-end TLS: All API connections use TLS encryption
  2. Token-based authentication: No persistent user identifiers
  3. Minimal metadata: Limited metadata collection in requests
  4. Circuit-breaking: Prevent provider identity correlation

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Next Steps