Why End Users Don’t Always See Their Chat History

In SparrowDesk, chat history is shown only under secure conditions. This ensures that private conversations are never exposed just by entering an email address on a different device or browser.

Why Chat History Isn’t Always Available

If chat history were tied only to an email address, anyone who knows that email could view private conversations from any device. To prevent this, SparrowDesk ties chat history to:

• The device being used
• The browser on that device
• The local storage (cookies/site data) of that browser

If any of these change, SparrowDesk treats the person as a new visitor and does not load past chats.

When End Users Can See Their Chat History

• Same Device and Browser
  If the end user returns using the same browser on the same device, SparrowDesk remembers their session. Their past chats will appear automatically.
• When Logged In to Your Platform
  If you require customers to log in to your website or app, SparrowDesk uses that authentication. In this case, chat history can be shown even if they switch browsers or devices.

When End Users Cannot See Their Chat History

End users will not see old conversations if:

• When End Users Cannot See Their Chat History

There are a few cases where SparrowDesk will not show old conversations. This is to ensure privacy and prevent unauthorized access.

1. Returning After 90 Days of Inactivity

• If an end user doesn’t use the chat for 90 days, their session expires.
• Example: A customer chats in January and then comes back in May on the same laptop and browser. Since more than 90 days have passed, SparrowDesk asks them to enter their email again and starts a new conversation.

2. Using Incognito or Private Browsing Mode

• Incognito/private windows do not save local storage or cookies.
• Example: A customer opens your website in Chrome’s incognito mode, starts a chat, and then closes the window. When they visit again (even the next day), the chat history is gone because nothing was saved.

3. Clearing Cookies or Local Storage

• If the customer clears their browser data, SparrowDesk no longer has the saved session.
• Example: A customer chats with you, then later clears their browser cookies to free up space. When they open the chat again, it looks like a brand-new conversation.

4. Using a Different Browser on the Same Device

• Chat history is tied to the browser, not just the device.
• Example: A customer chats with you on Chrome on their laptop. Later, they open your website in Firefox on the same laptop. Since Firefox doesn’t have Chrome’s local storage, no history appears.

5. Opening the Chat from a Different Device

• Chat history does not transfer between devices unless the user is logged in to your platform.
• Example: A customer chats with you on their work laptop. Later, they open your website on their phone and enter the same email. A fresh conversation starts because SparrowDesk cannot show the old chat across devices.

In these situations, SparrowDesk starts a fresh chat session to keep previous conversations secure.

Key Takeaway

SparrowDesk’s approach ensures that end users can see past chats when returning on the same device and browser, or when logged in.

• Security: Private conversations are never exposed across devices by email alone.

This balance keeps customer data safe while allowing continuity in secure scenarios.