Browser Permissions
Why LingeAI needs specific browser permissions and how we protect your privacy.
Required Permissions
🌐 Access All Websites (https://*/*)
What it does: Enables translation on any secure website you visit
Why needed:
- Detect when you select text for translation
- Show translation overlay near selected text
- Extract context around selected words for better translations
What we DON'T do:
- ❌ Read passwords or personal information
- ❌ Track which websites you visit
- ❌ Collect data unless you actively select text
- ❌ Access forms, cookies, or session data
Privacy safeguards:
- Only activates when you select text
- No automatic page scanning
- All processing isolated from host websites
📱 Current Tab (activeTab)
What it does: Reads the text you select for translation
Why needed: Core functionality - translating your selected words and phrases
Privacy: Only works when YOU actively select text
💾 Local Storage (storage)
What it does: Saves your translation history and preferences locally
Why needed:
- Remember your bookmarked words
- Store learning progress
- Save extension settings
Privacy: All data stays on YOUR device
🎛️ Side Panel (sidePanel)
What it does: Shows translation results in a dedicated panel
Why needed: Display definitions and examples without blocking the website
Privacy: Only shows LingeAI's translation interface
📋 Right-Click Menu (contextMenus)
What it does: Adds "Translate with LingeAI" to right-click menu
Why needed: Quick access to translation features
Privacy: Just adds one menu option, no data access
🔔 Notifications (notifications)
What it does: Shows vocabulary review reminders
Why needed: Help you remember to review learned words
Privacy: Only educational reminders, no tracking or ads
Optional Permissions
These permissions are only requested when you use specific features:
📑 Tab Management (tabs) - Optional
When requested: Only when you click "Clear Page Vocabulary" in right-click menu
What it does: Removes LingeAI's translation highlights from all tabs
Why needed: Clean up our UI elements across multiple tabs
Privacy: Only removes our own visual elements, no data access
🤖 AI Processing (offscreen) - Optional
When requested: When you enable local AI processing for contextual meanings
What it does: Creates isolated environment for running AI models locally
Why needed: Generate contextual meanings without sending data to servers
Privacy:
- AI runs entirely on your device
- No data sent to external servers
- Complete privacy for your content
How We Protect Your Privacy
🔒 Local-First Processing
Your Selection → Local AI (when possible) → Translation Display
↓ (fallback only)
Server API (minimal data) → Translation Display
🛡️ Security Measures
| Protection | Implementation |
|---|---|
| Content Security Policy | Prevents code injection attacks |
| Sandboxed Execution | All processing isolated from websites |
| HTTPS Only | All server communication encrypted |
| No Tracking | Zero behavioral or analytics tracking |
📊 Data Minimization
| Data Type | Collection | Storage |
|---|---|---|
| Selected Text | Only when you select | Processed immediately |
| Page Context | Max 500 characters around selection | Not stored |
| Translation Results | Only if you bookmark | Local device only |
| Browsing History | Never collected | N/A |
| Personal Info | Never accessed | N/A |
Transparency & Control
🔍 What You Can Audit
- Open Source: Core components available for review
- Network Activity: Monitor all requests in browser dev tools
- Local Storage: Inspect all stored data in extension settings
🎛️ Your Controls
| Control | How To |
|---|---|
| View Stored Data | Extension → Settings → Data Management |
| Export Data | Settings → Export Translation History |
| Clear All Data | Settings → Clear All Local Data |
| Revoke Permissions | Browser → Extensions → LingeAI → Permissions |
| Disable Features | Settings → Privacy → Disable Server Features |
📋 Permission Requests
When LingeAI requests optional permissions, you'll see:
- Clear explanation of why the permission is needed
- Specific feature that requires it
- Option to decline with graceful feature degradation
- Ability to revoke the permission later
Compliance & Standards
🌍 Privacy Regulations
✅ GDPR Compliant - European data protection standards
✅ CCPA Compliant - California privacy rights
✅ COPPA Safe - No collection of children's data
🏪 Browser Store Policies
✅ Chrome Web Store - Full policy compliance
✅ Firefox Add-ons - Mozilla privacy guidelines
✅ Edge Add-ons - Microsoft Store policies
🔐 Security Certifications
- SOC 2 Type II - Security and availability controls
- Regular Security Audits - External penetration testing
- Vulnerability Disclosure - Responsible security reporting
Questions?
📧 Contact Privacy Team
- General Privacy: privacy@lingeai.com
- Data Requests: data-requests@lingeai.com
- Security Issues: security@lingeai.com
📚 Additional Resources
- Full Privacy Policy - Complete privacy documentation
- Security Practices - Technical security details
- Data Export Guide - How to export your data
Last updated: December 3, 2024