SMS Compliance

SoKal messaging programs — Friend Invitations, Event Invitations (with updates and cancellations), and Verification Codes · SMS and WhatsApp · Last updated: September 26, 2026

Registered Brand / Sender: JAMES B FLORENCE (operator of the SoKal service). Every message described on this page, on both the SMS and WhatsApp channels, is sent by JAMES B FLORENCE under the SoKal product name. References to “SoKal,” “we,” “our,” or “us” on this page refer to JAMES B FLORENCE.

JAMES B FLORENCE, doing business as SoKal, sends transactional messages for three programs: Friend Invitations (a SoKal user invites a contact to connect on the app), Event Invitations (a SoKal user invites a contact by phone number to a specific event — this program also covers the update and cancellation messages for that same event), and Verification Codes (a single one-time code, sent only when the owner of a number asks to sign in with it). No program contains promotional or marketing messages.

Two channels, chosen by the recipient's country. Numbers in the United States and Canada (+1) receive SMS. Numbers in every other country receive WhatsApp, through a Twilio-approved WhatsApp Business template. This is a routing decision made in code from the recipient's dial code, not a preference either party sets — international SMS is both costly and a frequent vector for pumping fraud. Message content is equivalent on both channels, and a single opt-out covers both.

This page documents the opt-in flow, consent language, sample messages and opt-out process for all three programs across both channels.

Event Invitations — Opt-In Flow

The following screenshots show how a SoKal user creates an event and invites contacts, resulting in an SMS invitation with an RSVP page that includes explicit SMS consent.

Step 1: User selects contacts to invite to an event — 1. Select contacts to invite
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Step 2: User creates the event with invited contacts — 2. Create the event
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Step 3: Invitee receives an SMS with event details and RSVP link — 3. SMS received by invitee
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Step 4: RSVP page with SMS consent checkbox — 4. RSVP page with SMS consent
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Consent Collection

When an invitee opens the RSVP page, they see a checkbox to opt in to SMS notifications for the event. The user's phone number is clearly displayed so they know which number is being opted in.

Consent is collected before any additional SMS messages are sent. The initial invitation SMS is a one-time transactional message triggered by the event creator selecting the contact's phone number.

Opt-Out

Recipients can opt out at any time by replying STOP to any message from SoKal, on either channel. Upon opting out:

A single confirmation message is sent: "You have been unsubscribed from SoKal SMS. You will not receive any more messages. Reply HELP for help."
No further messages will be sent to that number on either channel. The opt-out is stored against the phone number itself, not against a message, a channel or an event, and it is checked before every single send — including verification codes, which means an opted-out number cannot sign in by phone until it opts back in.
The opt-out is recorded and respected across all future events

Users can also reply HELP at any time to receive assistance information, or contact us at team@sokal.app.

Message Frequency

Frequency varies and is driven by other people's actions, not by any schedule of ours. Most recipients receive fewer than five messages per month. These are the only messages we send, and there are no others:

Friend invitation — one message, when a SoKal user invites the recipient to connect on the app.
Event invitation — one message per event, when a SoKal user invites the recipient to it.
Event update — when the time, date or location of an event the recipient was invited to changes. One message per change, so a repeatedly rescheduled event generates more than one.
Event cancellation — when that event is called off. One message.
Verification code — a one-time code, sent only when the recipient asks to sign in with their phone number.

There are no recurring, scheduled, promotional or marketing messages. We do not send event reminders by text or WhatsApp; reminders reach people who have installed the app as in-app push notifications only. Message and data rates may apply.

Friend Invitations

SoKal is a social calendar mobile app. When an existing SoKal user invites a contact to connect on the app, SoKal sends a one-time transactional SMS to the invitee. Each message identifies the inviter by name, explains that they want to connect on SoKal, and provides a branded download link (sokal.app/download). Phone numbers are selected by the SoKal user from their own device's contact list at the moment of invitation, establishing invitation-style consent. Messages are triggered only by an explicit in-app action from the sender; there are no scheduled, recurring, or marketing messages. Recipients may reply STOP at any time to opt out, or HELP for support information.

Friend invite screen: SoKal user selects a contact and sends a one-time invitation — Friend invite screen
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Sample Message

Each recipient receives at most one friend-invitation SMS per inviter. There are no follow-ups, reminders, or marketing messages. Opt-out via STOP is honored immediately and recorded across all future SoKal SMS programs.

WhatsApp Channel

Recipients outside the United States and Canada receive the same messages over WhatsApp rather than SMS, sent through Twilio using a pre-approved WhatsApp Business message template. The sender is the same registered brand, the triggering actions are the same, and the content is equivalent.

Opt-out behaves identically. A recipient who replies STOP on WhatsApp is recorded as opted out against their phone number, which suppresses both WhatsApp and SMS for every program — the suppression list is keyed on the number in E.164 form, so the two channels cannot diverge. WhatsApp’s own block and report controls remain available to the recipient independently of ours.

Channel selection is automatic and not a user preference: it is derived in code from the recipient’s dial code at send time. A recipient cannot ask to be moved from one channel to the other, and we do not fall back from WhatsApp to SMS if a WhatsApp message is undelivered.

Privacy

Phone numbers are used solely to deliver the messages described on this page. We do not sell, rent or share phone numbers with third parties for marketing purposes. Delivery involves our messaging provider Twilio, and on the WhatsApp channel, WhatsApp/Meta as the network carrying the message. For full details see our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.

Contact

For questions about our SMS program, contact us at team@sokal.app.