# What Spout Keeps Private, and Why

> Spout publishes how the system works and what it did. It does not publish the exact rules for choosing strikes and expiries.

Canonical: https://spout.finance/docs/what-stays-private/

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Spout publishes how the system works and what it did. It does not publish the exact rules for choosing strikes and expiries.

## What stays private

- The rules for choosing strikes and expiries for each asset.
- The per asset settings and how they change with market conditions.

- When during a cycle calls are written, and the conditions for pausing an asset.

## Why

**Front running**: If the rules were public, traders could predict which calls Spout will sell and when, and trade against the pool ahead of time. Lenders would earn less.

**Gaming**: Borrowers could time deposits and withdrawals around predictable cycles at the expense of others in the pool.

## What you can always check

- Every contract's premium and expiry are recorded onchain.
- Every settlement and its amount is recorded onchain.

- Pool balances, including the receipt tokens that match the shares held, tranche values and the Insurance Fund are onchain.
- Your own position, at any moment.

See What You Can Verify Onchain.