Email allowlist — invite-only access control

Arc now enforces an email allowlist at the database level. Only pre-approved emails can create accounts.

Arc now uses an invite-only access model enforced at the database level.

What Changed

Email Allowlist A new email_allowlist table controls who can sign up. The check is built into the user creation trigger — it cannot be bypassed at the application layer.

Admin Allowlist UI Super admins can manage the allowlist from /admin/allowlist. Add emails individually with optional notes, or remove access for any email. Existing users were automatically seeded into the allowlist on deployment.

Cleaner Error Messages Attempts to sign up with an unapproved email now receive a clear message: "This email is not authorised to access this platform."

Why

During the pilot phase, Arc is available to a controlled set of invited users only. The allowlist ensures no unauthorised access is possible even if the sign-up URL becomes known.