Skip to main content
Common questions, solutions, and troubleshooting guides to help you get the most out of Lantern.

Login Issues

Troubleshoot common login and authentication problems

Data Refresh Delays

Understanding data update cycles and troubleshooting delays

Security Questions

Common questions about encryption, data storage, and security

Billing & Contract FAQs

Common questions about pricing, billing, and contracts

​
Login Issues

Having trouble logging in? Here are solutions to common authentication issues.
Follow these steps to reset your password:
1

Request Reset

Click “Forgot Password” on the login page at asklantern.com/login
2

Check Email

Enter your registered email address and check your inbox for the reset link. Also check spam/junk folders.
3

Reset Password

Click the link in your email (expires in 1 hour). If expired, request a new one.
4

Create New Password

Create a new strong password with at least 8 characters, including uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and symbols.
Password reset links expire after 1 hour for security. Request a new link if needed.
After 5 failed login attempts, accounts are temporarily locked for security.Solutions:
  • Wait 15 minutes and try again
  • Reset your password using “Forgot Password”
  • Contact support if you believe your account was compromised
If you see repeated failed login attempts you didn’t make, reset your password immediately and enable MFA.
New accounts require email verification before first login.Steps to verify:
  1. Check your email for verification link
  2. Click “Resend verification email” on login page
  3. Check spam/junk folders
  4. Add noreply@asklantern.com to your contacts
  5. Contact support if not receiving emails after 10 minutes
Verification links expire after 24 hours. You can request a new one anytime.
If using Single Sign-On with your organization:Common fixes:
  • Verify your organization email domain is correct
  • Clear browser cache and cookies
  • Try signing in through your identity provider directly
  • Contact your IT admin to verify SSO configuration
  • Ensure your account is provisioned in your organization’s SSO system
Supported SSO Providers:
  • Okta
  • Azure AD / Microsoft Entra
  • Google Workspace
  • OneLogin
  • Custom SAML 2.0
Contact support@asklantern.com for SSO troubleshooting with your IT team.
Lantern works best on modern browsers. We recommend:
  • Chrome (latest version) - Recommended
  • Firefox (latest version)
  • Safari (latest version)
  • Edge (latest version)
If experiencing issues:
  • Clear your browser cache and cookies
  • Disable ad blockers or add asklantern.com to allowlist
  • Disable browser extensions that might interfere
  • Try incognito/private browsing mode
  • Update your browser to the latest version
Internet Explorer is not supported. Please use a modern browser.

​
Data Refresh Delays

Learn about Lantern’s data refresh cycles and what to do if data seems delayed.

​
Normal Refresh Cycles

Different data types update at different intervals:
Data TypeRefresh FrequencyNotes
AI MentionsEvery 24 hoursScans ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini
Visibility ScoresDaily at 2 AM UTCComprehensive brand analysis
Sentiment AnalysisEvery 12 hoursPositive/Neutral/Negative scoring
CitationsWeeklySource link verification
Competitor DataEvery 24 hoursComparative rankings
Enterprise plans include near real-time monitoring with updates every 1-2 hours for critical metrics.

​
Why Data Might Be Delayed

External AI platforms (ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini) may experience:
  • Scheduled maintenance windows
  • API rate limiting
  • Temporary outages
  • Geographic restrictions
Solution: Data will automatically refresh once platforms are available again.
Popular topics or trending keywords may take longer to process due to:
  • Increased competition for API access
  • Larger data sets to analyze
  • Multiple concurrent scans
Solution: Data typically catches up within 2-4 hours.
Initial account scans take 6-12 hours because:
  • Historical data collection
  • Competitor analysis baseline
  • Topic mapping and categorization
  • First sentiment analysis
Solution: Be patient with your first scan. Subsequent refreshes are much faster.
Scheduled maintenance occurs:
  • Weekly: Sundays 1-3 AM UTC
  • Monthly: First Sunday 1-5 AM UTC (extended)
  • Emergency: As needed with advance notice
Solution: Check status.asklantern.com for maintenance schedules.

​
Force a Manual Refresh

On Pro and Enterprise plans, you can manually trigger data refresh:
1

Navigate to Dashboard

Go to your main dashboard or Overview page
2

Click Refresh Icon

Click the refresh icon (↻) in the top right corner
3

Select Force Refresh

Choose “Force Refresh” from the dropdown menu
4

Wait for Data

Wait 5-10 minutes for new data to appear
Manual refreshes are limited to 3 per day to prevent system overload.

​
Check System Status

Visit status.asklantern.com to see:
  • Current system status (Operational, Degraded, Down)
  • Scheduled maintenance windows
  • Historical uptime data (99.9% SLA)
  • Known issues and resolutions
  • Subscribe to status updates via email or Slack

​
Security Questions

We take security seriously. Here are answers to common security questions.
All data is encrypted using industry-standard protocols:In Transit:
  • TLS 1.3 encryption for all connections
  • Perfect Forward Secrecy (PFS)
  • Certificate pinning for API requests
At Rest:
  • AES-256 encryption for stored data
  • Database encrypted with AWS RDS encryption
  • Backups encrypted and stored in multiple regions
  • Encryption keys managed with AWS KMS
We never store unencrypted sensitive data, and encryption keys are rotated quarterly.
What we DO store:
  • Brand names and keywords you configure
  • AI responses mentioning your brand (publicly available data)
  • Citation sources and URLs
  • Analytics and usage data
  • User account information (name, email, preferences)
  • Aggregated sentiment and visibility metrics
What we DON’T store:
  • Your proprietary business data
  • Customer personal information (PII)
  • Internal documents or communications
  • Payment card details (handled by Stripe)
  • Full AI conversation histories
  • User search queries outside of Lantern
All stored data is publicly available information from AI platforms. We never access your private data.
Lantern maintains compliance with major data protection regulations:

SOC 2 Type II

Aligned (certification in progress)

GDPR Compliant

EU data protection standards

CCPA Compliant

California Consumer Privacy Act

ISO 27001

Information security standard (in progress)
Additional Compliance:
  • PIPEDA (Canada)
  • Privacy Shield Framework principles
  • Data Processing Addendum (DPA) available
  • Regular third-party security audits
Lantern provides enterprise-grade access controls:Authentication Options:
  • Multi-factor authentication (MFA) - Recommended for all users
  • Single Sign-On (SSO) - Enterprise plans
  • SAML 2.0 integration
  • OAuth 2.0 for API access
Access Management:
  • Role-based access control (RBAC)
  • Granular permission levels (Admin, Editor, Viewer)
  • API key management with scoped permissions
  • Session timeout after 30 minutes of inactivity
  • Audit logs for all user actions (Enterprise)
We strongly recommend enabling MFA for all accounts, especially Admin users.
You own your data and can delete it anytime:
1

Export Your Data

Download all your data from Settings > Data Export before deletion
2

Request Deletion

Contact support or go to Settings > Account > Delete Account
3

Confirmation Period

7-day grace period to cancel deletion request
4

Permanent Deletion

Data permanently deleted within 30 days. Backups purged within 90 days per GDPR requirements.
Deleted data cannot be recovered after the 7-day grace period. Export critical data first.
For more security information, see our Security & Trust page.

​
Billing & Contract FAQs

Everything you need to know about Lantern billing and subscriptions.
Billing Frequency:
  • Monthly plans - Billed on the same day each month
  • Annual plans - Billed annually with 2 months free (16% discount)
  • Enterprise - Custom billing terms available (monthly, quarterly, or annual)
Payment Timing:
  • Charges process on your billing date
  • Appear as “Lantern AI” on statements
  • Email receipt sent within 1 hour
  • Invoice available in Settings > Billing
Annual plans save you 2 months of costs compared to monthly billing. Switch anytime!
Standard Plans:
  • Credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover)
  • Debit cards with credit card processing
Enterprise Plans:
  • Credit/debit cards
  • ACH bank transfer (US only)
  • Wire transfer for annual contracts
  • Invoice billing (Net 30 terms)
  • Purchase orders accepted
Coming Soon:
  • PayPal
  • International bank transfers
Payment processing is handled securely by Stripe. We never store your full card details.
Change your plan anytime with no penalties:Upgrades:
  • Take effect immediately
  • Prorated billing for remaining period
  • Full feature access right away
  • Previous usage counts carry over
Downgrades:
  • Take effect at next billing cycle
  • Continue with current plan until renewal
  • Data retained when switching plans
  • Export data before downgrading if concerned about limits
How to Change:
  1. Go to Settings > Billing > Change Plan
  2. Select your new plan
  3. Confirm change and billing details
  4. Receive confirmation email
Downgrading may limit access to some features. Review plan limits before changing.
Standard Plans:
  • 14-day money-back guarantee for first-time customers
  • No questions asked within first 14 days
  • Refunds processed to original payment method
  • Typically received in 5-7 business days
Annual Plans:
  • Prorated refunds available within first 30 days
  • After 30 days, no refunds but can cancel anytime
  • Remaining months credit available for future use
Enterprise Contracts:
  • Refund terms per individual agreement
  • Contact your account manager
To request a refund, contact billing@asklantern.com with your account email.
Cancel anytime with no penalties or fees:
1

Navigate to Settings

Go to Settings > Billing > Cancel Subscription
2

Confirm Cancellation

Review cancellation details and confirm
3

Access Retained

Access retained until end of current billing period
4

Export Data

Export your data before cancellation date
5

Reactivation Window

Can reactivate within 60 days with all data intact
After Cancellation:
  • No further charges
  • Data deleted after 60 days (export first!)
  • Can create new account anytime
  • Previous plan history available if you return
Need to pause instead of cancel? Contact support about our account freeze option (Enterprise only).
Automatic Documentation:
  • Email receipts sent after each payment
  • PDF invoices available in dashboard
  • Custom invoice details supported
  • Historical billing records available
How to Access:
  1. Go to Settings > Billing > Invoice History
  2. Download any invoice as PDF
  3. Update billing email for future receipts
  4. Request custom invoices for accounting
Custom Invoice Requests:
  • Add purchase order numbers
  • Include specific company details
  • Request consolidated monthly invoices
  • Add accounting codes or cost centers
Need invoices sent to your accounting department? Update the billing email in Settings.
If a payment fails, here’s what happens:Retry Schedule:
  • Day 0: Initial failed attempt, email notification sent immediately
  • Day 2: Second retry attempt
  • Day 5: Third retry attempt
  • Day 7: Account suspended if all attempts fail
During Suspension:
  • Dashboard access is read-only
  • Data is preserved and not deleted
  • Update payment method anytime to reactivate
  • No data loss for 30 days
Reactivation:
  • Update payment method in Settings > Billing
  • Account reactivates within 1 hour
  • Can reactivate within 30 days without data loss
  • After 30 days, data may be deleted
Common Reasons for Failed Payments:
  • Expired credit card
  • Insufficient funds
  • Card blocked by bank (retry after confirming charge)
  • Billing address mismatch
Update your payment method before your billing date to avoid service interruption.

​
Still Need Help?

Can’t find what you’re looking for? We’re here to help!

Email Support

support@asklantern.comResponse within 24 hours

Schedule a Call

Book a support sessionFor complex issues

Documentation

Browse full docsGuides and tutorials
Enterprise customers have access to priority support with dedicated account managers and SLA guarantees.
⌘I