How Prism Works

Interactive demonstrations of the privacy-preserving architecture that makes Prism different from traditional content filters.

Three Layers of Protection

No matter which layer handles your request, your privacy is always protected.

Fast Local Check

Handles most websites

Most websites are checked instantly on your device without any data leaving your phone.

Privacy100%
Speed100%

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Encrypted Check

For some websites

When needed, we check securely through encryption. No one can see what website you're visiting.

Privacy100%
Speed75%

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Smart Decision

For unclear cases

For tricky websites, smart technology on your device makes the decision. Everything stays private.

Privacy100%
Speed90%

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The Key Difference

Traditional filters promise not to look at your browsing data. Prism makes it cryptographically impossible to look. It's not trust—it's math.

Try the Bloom Filter

See how Prism checks URLs in under a millisecond—all on your device, with zero network requests.

Try these examples:

Bloom Filter Bit Array

Each URL is hashed to multiple positions in the bit array. If all positions are set, the URL might be blocked.

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How it works: The Bloom filter uses multiple hash functions to map each URL to positions in a bit array.

Privacy guarantee: This check happens entirely on your device. No data is sent to any server.

Performance: Bloom filters can check millions of URLs in under a millisecond with minimal memory usage.

False positives: Bloom filters may occasionally flag a safe URL as potentially blocked (triggers PIR check), but will never miss a blocked URL.

Private Information Retrieval

When the Bloom filter needs clarification, PIR ensures your query stays private through cryptographic guarantees.

Simulation Control

Your Device

Apple OHTTP Relay

Strips IP address

PIR Server

Processes encrypted query

Step 1

Encrypt Query

Your device encrypts the URL query with a key only you have

Step 2

Apple Relay

Query is routed through Apple's OHTTP relay, which strips your IP address

Step 3

PIR Server

Server processes the encrypted query without ever decrypting it

Step 4

Encrypted Response

Server returns encrypted result. Only your device can decrypt it

What Can't Be Seen

  • PIR Server cannot see your IP address
  • PIR Server cannot decrypt your query
  • Apple Relay cannot see the encrypted query contents
  • No one can link queries to specific users