Privacy Policy for PicPicker Extension

Last Updated: August 2025

Overview

PicPicker Extension ("the Extension") is designed to extract images from webpages for user convenience. This privacy policy explains our privacy-first approach to data handling.

🔒 Privacy-First Design

Minimal Permissions Model

PicPicker uses Chrome's "activeTab" permission model, which means:
- ✅ Only runs when you click the extension - Never operates in the background
- ✅ Cannot read websites automatically - Requires explicit user activation
- ✅ No persistent website access - Permissions granted only during extraction
- ✅ Cannot monitor browsing - No access to tabs you're not actively using

Zero External Communication

• 🚫 No servers - We don't operate any backend infrastructure
• 🚫 No analytics - Zero tracking, usage data, or telemetry
• 🚫 No external APIs - All processing happens locally in your browser
• 🚫 No network requests - Extension never communicates with external services

Data Collection and Storage

What We Collect

• Extension Settings: Your preferences for image filtering and display options
• Temporary Image Data: URLs and metadata of images found during extraction (cleared immediately)

What We DON'T Collect

• ❌ Personal identifying information
• ❌ Browsing history or website content
• ❌ Downloaded images (they go directly to your device)
• ❌ User behavior or analytics data
• ❌ Login credentials or account information
• ❌ Image content or pixel data

How Image Extraction Works

Local Processing Only

1. User activates extension by clicking icon or pressing Ctrl+Shift+I
2. Permission granted temporarily for the current tab only
3. Content script injected into the active webpage
4. Images scanned and metadata collected (URLs, dimensions, alt text)
5. Results displayed in a new tab with grid interface
6. Data cleared when results tab is closed

No Persistent Storage

• Image URLs and metadata are stored temporarily in memory
• All extraction data is deleted when you close the results tab
• Only your extension settings are saved persistently

Data Storage

Local Storage Only

• Chrome Storage Sync: Only saves your extension preferences (filter settings, display options)
• Session Storage: Temporarily holds image data during extraction (auto-deleted)
• No External Storage: Zero cloud storage, databases, or external services

Data Control

• Settings Reset: Clear all saved preferences through extension popup
• Session Clearing: Close results tab to immediately clear all image data
• Complete Removal: Uninstalling the extension removes all stored data

Required Permissions

Minimal Permission Set

• activeTab: To scan the current webpage only when you activate the extension
• scripting: To inject image extraction code into the current tab
• storage: To save your extension preferences locally
• downloads: To enable ZIP file downloads of selected images

What We DON'T Request

• ❌ No "all websites" permissions - Cannot access websites automatically
• ❌ No background permissions - Cannot run when you're not using it
• ❌ No network permissions - Cannot make external requests
• ❌ No history permissions - Cannot access your browsing data

Data Security

Local-First Architecture

• All image processing happens on your device
• Image URLs never leave your browser except when you download them
• No transmission of data to external servers
• Chrome's built-in security protects extension data

Open Source Transparency

• Complete source code available for inspection
• No obfuscated or hidden functionality
• Community-auditable codebase

Data Sharing

We share ZERO data. There are no third parties, analytics services, or external integrations. Your image extraction activity is completely private to your device.

Browser Compatibility

This privacy policy applies to:
- Chrome Extension (Manifest V3)
- Firefox Add-on (WebExtensions API)

Both versions use the same privacy-first approach with minimal permissions.

Updates to This Policy

We may update this privacy policy to reflect extension improvements. Any changes will:
- Be announced in extension release notes
- Maintain the same privacy-first principles
- Never introduce tracking or data collection

Contact & Transparency

For privacy questions or concerns:
- GitHub Issues: https://github.com/flesler/picpicker/issues
- Source Code: https://github.com/flesler/picpicker
- Email: aflesler@gmail.com

Privacy Commitment

PicPicker is built on the principle that image extraction should be private by default. We will never compromise this privacy-first approach for monetization, analytics, or convenience.