Safety and privacy
Palo puts you in control of what you share, who you talk to, and when. Here is how that works — and, just as importantly, what Palo does not do.
Private by design
We ask for your street name — never your house number. Your exact pickup address is only ever shared by you, in chat, once you’ve agreed to meet.
That means browsing Palo shows you what’s available near home without putting anyone’s front door on a map.
Your address stays yours
Street name only, until you decide otherwise.
Local by design
Palo is built for what’s within walking or short driving distance — roughly 5 km.
Conversations stay in the app
Arrange pickups in chat. You decide when to share anything more.
You’re in control
Choose who you engage with, and use the reporting and blocking tools.
Who completes an identity check
Before anyone can make their first request, they complete a one-off identity check. It is carried out by Stripe, our identity provider. Palo does not store your identity document or selfie — we record the outcome of the check.
Givers are not checked. If you are collecting food, the person you are meeting has not been through any check.
What Palo does not do
This is the part worth reading twice. Palo is a way for neighbours to reach each other. It is not a service standing between you.
We do not vouch for anyone
A completed check is not a character reference. It records that a document was looked at once, by a third party. It says nothing about what someone is like, and Palo does not stand behind any user. Treat someone you meet through Palo the way you would treat anyone you have not met before.
We never see or handle the food
Everything passes directly from one neighbour to another. Nobody at Palo looks at it, and we cannot tell you whether something is right for you to eat. That judgement is yours.
Palo is for adults
You need to be 18 or over to use Palo.
Meeting a neighbour
You set the terms of any meeting. A few things worth keeping in mind:
- Agree the details in the app, so there is a record of what was arranged.
- Pick a spot you are comfortable with — your doorstep, or somewhere public and busy.
- Bring someone with you if you would rather not go on your own.
- If something feels off, don’t go. You do not owe anyone an explanation, and you can cancel at any point.
Offering food thoughtfully
You know your own kitchen better than we ever could. What helps most is telling the person on the other end what they are getting.
- Say what it is, what went into it, and when you made or opened it.
- Call out the things people commonly react to — nuts, dairy, gluten, eggs, shellfish.
- If you would not serve it to someone in your own home, don’t offer it.
- Use a clean container you are happy not to get back.
If something goes wrong
Use the reporting and blocking tools in the app. If you would rather talk to a person, email us at help@palo.life and tell us what happened.
If someone is in immediate danger, contact emergency services on 000. Palo is not an emergency service and cannot respond to urgent situations.