How it works
Plain-English answers.
For hosts
What is a room?
A persistent, named space you own. It has a unique URL slug — like theprytaneum.com/meet?room=thursday-group — and a password that you share with guests. The room exists as long as your subscription is active. Nothing is recorded inside it.
How do I create a room?
From your dashboard. Pick a display name and a URL slug. The password is generated automatically — a random string, URL-safe, included in the shareable link. You do not set the password yourself.
How do I share my room with guests?
Click "Copy Link" on the room card in your dashboard. The link includes everything a guest needs — the room slug and the password. Anyone who has it can join. Treat it like a key: share it with the people you want in the room, and regenerate it if you need to revoke access.
How do I start a session?
Click "Start" on the room card. You go straight into the call — no lobby, no fields to fill. Your in-call name is taken from the field at the top of your dashboard, which you can set once and leave. Guests waiting in the room see you arrive automatically.
Can I change my room name?
Yes. Click "Edit" on the room card and update the display name. The URL slug cannot be changed after creation — it is permanent.
How do I revoke access to my room?
Click "New Link" on the room card. This generates a new password and invalidates the old one. Anyone currently in the room is disconnected immediately. Share the new link only with the people you still want to have access.
How many rooms can I have?
The Personal plan includes 1 room. Additional plans with more rooms are coming.
What happens if I disconnect during a call?
A 30-minute grace timer starts. Guests remain in the room during this period. If you reconnect before the timer expires, the session continues as normal. If you do not return within 30 minutes, all guests are automatically disconnected and the session ends.
What if I am late to my own session?
Guests can join before you arrive, but they wait. If no host has joined within 5 minutes of the first guest entering the room, everyone is automatically disconnected. If you arrive before that window closes, the timer cancels and the session proceeds normally.
How long can a session run?
When you are present as host, sessions can run for up to 4 hours before the room closes automatically. If the room is running in a scheduled window or open session without a host present, the limit is 2 hours from the point the host last left — or from when guests first joined if no host ever arrived.
Scheduled windows and open sessions
Can a room run without me being present?
Yes. You can either set a recurring scheduled window, or open the room for a fixed period on demand. In both cases, guests join freely during the active window without needing the host to be there.
What is a scheduled window?
A recurring time slot you configure on a room — for example, every Thursday 18:00–20:00 in your timezone. During that window the room is open to anyone with the link, whether you are present or not. Outside the window, normal host-presence rules apply. You can still join during the window as host, and guests can join before you arrive.
How do I set a schedule?
Click "Schedule" on the room card in your dashboard. Select which days of the week the window applies, set the start and end times, and choose your timezone. Save it. The schedule takes effect immediately and repeats weekly until you clear it.
What is an open session?
A one-time opening you create on demand from the dashboard. Click "Open for..." on the room card and choose a duration — 30 minutes, 1 hour, 1.5 hours, or 2 hours. The room opens immediately and closes at the end of that period, or when you click "Close" to end it early. Good for occasions when you cannot attend but want your group to be able to meet.
What do guests see if they arrive outside a scheduled window?
The lobby shows the next scheduled session time and a message that the room is not currently open. They cannot enter until the window opens or a host arrives.
Can I still join my own room during a scheduled window?
Yes. Your host privileges work as normal regardless of the window. If you join, the 4-hour hosted session limit applies from the moment you enter. If you leave while guests are still there, the 2-hour hostless cap continues from your departure time.
If I join my room outside a scheduled window, can guests join too?
Yes. Your presence automatically opens the room for 4 hours regardless of the schedule. Anyone with the link can join for as long as the open window lasts. When you leave, the usual 30-minute grace period applies while guests remain.
Who can remove a disruptive participant if the host is not there?
Nobody, currently. In a hostless window all participants have equal standing. If moderation is important for a session, the host should be present.
When a room is running without a host — during a scheduled window or open session — guests can remain for up to 2 hours from the point the host last left, or from when the first guest joined. After 2 hours, everyone is disconnected automatically. This prevents rooms running indefinitely without any host accountability. If you need a longer session, join as host.
For guests
Do I need an account?
No. You need only the link your host shared with you. Open it, enter a display name, and you are in.
What do I enter in the lobby?
Just your name. The password is embedded in the link your host sent — it is filled in automatically and hidden. You will not see a password field.
What if the host is not there when I arrive?
It depends on whether the room has a scheduled window active. If it does, you join straight away — no host needed. If there is no active window, a 5-minute arrival timer starts when the first guest joins. If the host does not arrive within that window, everyone is disconnected. If the host arrives in time, the session starts normally.
What if the room is outside its scheduled hours?
If your host is already in the call, you can join straight away. Their presence opens the room regardless of the schedule. Otherwise the lobby will show when the next scheduled session is and prevent you from entering until then.
What if the host leaves during the call?
If there is no active scheduled window, a 30-minute grace period begins. You remain in the room. If the host returns within 30 minutes, nothing changes. If they do not, the session ends and you are disconnected. If there is an active window, the 2-hour hostless cap takes over from the moment the host leaves.
Privacy and encryption
What does end-to-end encrypted mean?
Your video and audio are encrypted on your device before they leave it. The room password is the encryption key, shared only among participants in that room. The server relays the encrypted streams but cannot read them. We cannot see or hear your calls. No one between you and your participants can.
Is anything recorded or stored?
No. There is no server-side recording, no transcription, and no storage of any call content. The only data we hold is your account information and room configuration.
What browsers are supported?
Chrome, Firefox, and Safari 15.4 or later. Your browser must support insertable streams — the technology that makes end-to-end encryption possible. If your browser does not support it, you will see an error message rather than being admitted to a call with degraded security.
The password appears in the shareable link as a URL parameter. This is intentional — it means guests click once and join, with no password to remember or mistype. The tradeoff is that anyone who receives the link can join. If you want to revoke access, generate a new link from your dashboard. The old one stops working immediately.
Your account
How do I sign up?
Go to theprytaneum.com/signup. Enter a display name, email, and password. You will receive a verification email — click the link in it to activate your account, then log in.
I did not receive a verification email. What now?
Check your spam folder. If it is not there, wait a few minutes and try again. Email delivery can be delayed. If the problem persists, contact support.
How do I reset my password?
Go to theprytaneum.com/forgot-password, enter your email, and a reset link will be sent. The link expires after 1 hour. Resetting your password logs you out of all other sessions.
What happens to my rooms if I cancel?
Your rooms remain in the database during the subscription grace period. If you do not renew, access is suspended. Slug release policy for lapsed accounts is not yet finalised.
General
Who runs this?
The Prytaneum is an independent, self-funded service based in the EU. No venture capital, no advertising model, no data harvesting. Subscriptions are the only revenue.
Is there a mobile app?
Not yet. The meet page works in a mobile browser on Chrome or Firefox, but the experience is optimised for desktop. A mobile-native experience is on the roadmap.