YOUR SPACE, WITH CLARITY
SOS Terms & Important Limitations
Reach the people you trust. Understand the feature before you need it.
Last updated: 20 October 2026
Agreement and scope
SOS is an additional communication tool for requesting help from three nominated contacts. It is not an emergency response, rescue, security, medical or continuously monitored service. Read these terms with the General Terms and Privacy Policy. Accept them during setup before enabling automatic SOS. The account records the accepted version (2026-10-20-v1) and a server-recorded latest save time. Material changes require a fresh acknowledgement. Contact hello@hersovereign.com with questions.
Important risk acknowledgement
Messages may fail or be delayed, contacts may not receive or read them, and nobody may respond or be able to assist. Location can be missing, inaccurate or out of date. Depending only on this feature could delay help and contribute to serious injury or death. Do not use it as your sole emergency arrangement. Contact emergency services directly when possible and arrange an alternative with your contacts. Sovereign does not promise that you will be helped or that any particular outcome will occur.
Your setup responsibilities
Use accurate full-name, callback-number and contact details. Obtain each contact’s agreement, explain what an alert means and agree how they should respond. Save setup, verify the location pin on each device and warn all recipients before a test. Keep details current. Staying signed in on your private passcode-protected phone and adding a Home Screen shortcut can reduce access time, but sessions and permissions may expire. Neither action keeps GPS active while the device or browser suspends the app.
Dependencies and failures
Automatic alerts depend on your membership access, a signed-in session, power, connectivity, browser permissions, an available server and SMS provider, provider credit and working recipient numbers. Network filtering, outages or device settings can prevent or delay delivery. Submitted or accepted means the provider accepted a request; it does not mean delivered, read or help on the way. Check the displayed result and use another available way to reach help when needed.
Information shared and privacy
An alert shares your saved full name, callback mobile number and any available recent location snapshot with your three contacts through Twilio. Contacts can forward a message or map link. Google Maps processes requests under its own terms when a link is opened. Do not add people without their agreement. Read the Privacy Policy for processing, service providers, security, retention and your rights. Browser permission is separate from account setup. SOS does not continuously share your location with your contacts.
Liability and rights preserved
Sovereign does not guarantee uninterrupted availability, successful SMS delivery, accurate location, a response or assistance. These limitations explain the service; they do not remove duties or rights under applicable law. Nothing in these terms excludes or limits liability for fraud, gross negligence, or any liability that South African law does not permit to be excluded or limited, nor any non-waivable consumer right or remedy. Any legally permitted limitation must be interpreted subject to those protections. Contact hello@hersovereign.com to raise a complaint.
Current setup
The SOS screen displays whether automatic SMS is connected. Each member can start two automatic alerts per South African calendar month, with five minutes between alerts. An attempt counts toward the allowance even if delivery fails or is unconfirmed. Each alert requests one SMS to each of three nominated contacts. Tapping SOS opens the help screen without sending. While signed in with saved contacts and a configured connection, hold the SOS button or the send button for three seconds to request an alert; release early to cancel. Sending requires internet access. Choose Keep me signed in only on your private device for quicker access. The login screen offers emergency calling, but automatic alerts to private contacts require a signed-in session. Call and manual message options remain available. Provider acceptance does not prove delivery or a response. A coordinated live delivery test is still required before launch.
Your three nominated contacts
Save three different mobile numbers with country codes and choose people who have agreed to help. When automatic SMS is active, an alert submits a help message to the three contacts. A submitted message is not confirmation of delivery, that a contact has read it or that help is on the way. Tell your contacts what you expect them to do when they receive an alert.
Location permission
Enable location on each device during SOS contact setup. One permission covers all three contacts. While the app is open, a recent location is kept in device memory. After a three-second hold, SOS requests a fresh location on a device where location has been enabled during setup. It waits up to five seconds for that reading, then uses a pin captured within the previous two minutes if available. If no recent pin is available, the alert sends without it. The location check adds up to five seconds before the sending request; network and SMS delivery can add further delay. Permissions may expire or be revoked by your browser. A pin is a snapshot, not live tracking. Google Maps links open an external service.
Manual options and emergency services
Call links open your phone dialler. Open message links open your SMS app; press Send there for each recipient. Device support and mobile-network charges may apply. Sovereign does not dispatch police, an ambulance or security, monitor alerts, or guarantee availability or a response. In immediate danger, contact local emergency services directly and use another available way to reach help if an alert is unconfirmed.
Responsible use
Use real alerts only when you need help. Agree any live test with recipients beforehand. A no-send preview is planned but is not yet available; do not assume a test button will avoid charges or messaging. Automatic alerts depend on service configuration, provider availability, account balance, connectivity and valid recipient numbers.