Safety at Surf OCD
Surf is a self-help app for OCD. It isn't a crisis service or a replacement for professional care. Here's what it does when someone may be at risk, and the rules Surf AI follows.
If you're in danger right now
Call your local emergency number, or ask someone nearby to stay with you.
In the US and Canada, call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline:
Everywhere else, findahelpline.com lists free crisis lines by country.
An automatic safety check runs on every chat message before it reaches the AI.
Crisis help is never behind the paywall or the daily message limit.
Chats stay on your phone, and nobody at Surf reads them.
What happens when someone may be at risk?
Surf's crisis protocol is built on the warning signs in the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) screener, a validated screening tool.
- An automatic check comes first. A safety check built into the app runs on every message in every chat, before the AI sees it. It looks for clear first-person signs of the highest risk: an intent to act, a plan, steps already taken, or a wish to die.
- A match gets a fixed message, not an AI reply. It asks the person to call their local emergency number or reach someone nearby, and gives the 988 Lifeline for the US and Canada and findahelpline.com for everywhere else.
- Surf AI follows the same warning signs. If a conversation shows thoughts of suicide or of a method, self-harm, or intent to harm someone else, it stops the normal conversation and points the person to a crisis line and emergency help. It keeps steering them toward a real person until they say they've reached out or the danger has passed, and it never asks them to promise they'll stay safe.
- Intrusive thoughts aren't emergencies. Having an intrusive thought about harm isn't the same as wanting to act on it. Only the clearest signs trigger the automatic check, so people with harm-themed OCD can talk about their fears without being treated as a danger.
- Help is never paywalled. A message that matches the check always gets the crisis message, even with no free messages left. If someone who has used the day's free messages writes about suicide or self-harm, the app shows crisis lines and a link to its Crisis support page instead of the upgrade screen.
- The SOS button works offline. In Wave Rider, the SOS button opens a Crisis support page with emergency numbers and helplines, even without an internet connection.
- Surf can't call for help. Chats stay private on your phone, so Surf can't alert anyone or call emergency services for you. If you're in danger, please reach out yourself, or ask someone nearby to help.
What rules does Surf AI follow?
- Every chat opens with a short line saying Surf chat is AI and can make mistakes. If you ask, it tells you it's software, not a therapist.
- It doesn't diagnose, give medical advice, or comment on medication.
- It never describes methods or means of suicide or self-harm.
- It never writes sexually explicit content or takes part in sexual or romantic roleplay.
- It only talks about OCD, anxiety, and emotional wellbeing.
- After three hours of continuous chatting, the app suggests a break and reminds you that Surf AI isn't a person.
Is Surf right for teenagers?
Surf is for people aged 13 and over. Surf AI isn't right for every young person, so if you're under 18, or under the age of adulthood where you live, please use Surf with a parent's or guardian's consent and support. Ideally, a trusted adult or clinician knows you're using it too.
What we count, and what we don't
California law asks for a yearly count of how often crisis help is shown, so we keep an anonymous monthly tally. It holds no device ID, no message, and nothing else that could identify anyone.
Worried about something Surf said?
If something Surf AI said worried you, or you think these protections could be better, tell us. We read every message and review this protocol at least once a year.
Email hello@surfocd.com