Identical 404s.
Three different pasts, one indistinguishable answer. The server refuses to be an archive even of yes-or-no facts.
Identical 404s is BurnPony's rule that a burned note, an expired note, and a link that was never valid all produce exactly the same response. No status text, timing signal, or error detail distinguishes them.
What it is
Existence is metadata. "This link once held a note" tells an investigator, a snoop, or an ex that a secret passed between two people at some point — even with the content long gone. Uniform responses delete that fact along with the ciphertext.
Why it matters
It also disarms fishing: probing random or guessed links yields nothing, because a wrong guess and a burned real note are the same sight. The report function preserves the property too — reporting a note never reveals whether it exists.
Related terms
Common questions.
Why not tell the recipient the note expired?
A more helpful error is a more revealing one — "expired" confirms the link was real and recently live. The viewer says the note is unavailable and deliberately stops there.
How do I find out what actually happened to my note?
The Sent tab on your phone, authenticated by the note's management token, shows the truth: views used, receipt times, burned or expired. That knowledge is reserved for the sender.
Get BurnPony
Free self-destructing encrypted notes for iPhone. Recipients need only a browser. No accounts, no tracking.