Crisis Text Line stops sharing data with its for-profit spinoff

Crisis Text Line, a nonprofit that uses texting to help users with mental health issues and suicidal thoughts, has stopped sharing data collected through those texts with Loris.ai, a for-profit spinoff that used the data to make customer service software, the organization announced Monday.

The news follows an investigation by POLITICO which revealed their data sharing relationship. Crisis Text Line told POLITICO that the data it shared with Loris.ai is anonymous, and that its data sharing practices are "clearly stated" for users in its terms of service. But the nonprofit has faced widespread backlash from privacy experts, as it is sometimes possible to reverse-engineer anonymous data, and terms of service usually go unread.

"Your trust is critical to fulfilling our mission of building a more empathetic world," Crisis Text Line said in a statement. "During these past days, we have listened closely to our community’s concerns."

If you or a loved one needs help:

Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255 to reach a counselor at a locally-operated crisis center 24 hours a day for free. Here is their privacy policy.