Nightlight safety protocol
Nightlight is a gentle, AI-powered wind-down guide. It exists to help you settle and drift toward sleep. It is not a companion, a counsellor, or a substitute for a person, and it is not a mental-health service. This page explains, plainly, what happens if the conversation touches on self-harm or crisis.
What Nightlight will not do
- It will never counsel, advise on, or discuss methods of self-harm or suicide.
- It will never pretend to be human, and it never claims feelings for you.
- It will never encourage you to keep talking, return, or depend on it.
- It will never produce romantic or sexual content.
What happens if you express distress
Every message you send is checked before the guide replies. If it detects language about self-harm, suicide, or acute crisis, the guide stops entirely — the conversational AI does not respond at all. Instead, you receive a caring message pointing you to real, human support. This check runs on a fixed keyword screen plus an independent content-safety classifier, so it does not rely on the guide "choosing" to respond well.
If you need someone tonight
- Anywhere in the world — find a free helpline for your country at findahelpline.com
- United Kingdom — Samaritans: call 116 123, or text SHOUT to 85258
- United States — 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: call or text 988
- Canada — call or text 988
- Australia — Lifeline: call 13 11 14
- Immediate danger — call your local emergency number (911, 999, 112, 000)
Who it's for
Nightlight is intended for adults (18+). You confirm your age before first use, and you're reminded that you're talking to an AI, not a person.
Questions about this protocol? Contact us.