Privacy Policy

Last updated: March 9, 2026

1. Introduction

Distraction Blocker ("we", "our", or "the extension") is a Chrome browser extension that helps you hide distracting elements on social media and content platforms. This Privacy Policy explains how we handle information when you use the extension.

We are committed to protecting your privacy. Our extension is designed from the ground up to operate entirely on your device, with zero data leaving your browser.

2. Data We Collect

We collect no personal data. The extension does not collect, store on external servers, or transmit any of the following:

• Personal identifiers (name, email address, IP address)
• Browsing history or web activity logs
• Website content you view
• Cookies or tracking data
• Usage analytics or telemetry
• Device information

3. Data Stored Locally

The only data the extension stores are your toggle preferences (e.g., "hide YouTube sidebar: on"). These preferences are saved using Chrome's built-in chrome.storage.sync API, which:

• Stores data locally on your device
• Optionally syncs across your signed-in Chrome browsers via Google's infrastructure
• Is entirely managed by Chrome and Google — we have no access to it
• Contains only simple key-value pairs like { "hideYoutubeSidebar": true }

This data never leaves the Chrome/Google ecosystem and is never sent to any servers we operate.

4. Permissions We Request

The extension requests the following Chrome permissions, and only these:

• storage — To save and retrieve your element-hiding preferences locally.
• activeTab — To detect which website you are currently viewing, so the popup can display the relevant options for that site. The URL is read in-memory only and is never stored or transmitted.

We request the minimum permissions necessary. We do not request access to all tabs, browsing history, or any other sensitive data.

5. Third-Party Services

The extension itself communicates with no third-party servers. However, two external services are used by this website (not the extension):

• GitHub Pages — This website is hosted on GitHub Pages. GitHub may collect standard web server logs. See GitHub's Privacy Statement.
• Google Fonts — This website loads fonts from Google Fonts. See Google's Privacy Policy.

6. Chrome Web Store Limited Use Compliance

Distraction Blocker complies with the Chrome Web Store Limited Use Policy. Specifically:

• We do not use any user data for advertising purposes.
• We do not transfer or sell user data to third parties.
• We do not use user data to determine creditworthiness or for lending.
• Data use is strictly limited to providing and improving the extension's core features as described to users.

7. Children's Privacy

Distraction Blocker does not knowingly collect any personal information from children under the age of 13 (or the applicable age of digital consent in your jurisdiction). Because we collect no personal data from anyone, there is no additional risk to minors.

8. Changes to This Policy

If we make material changes to this Privacy Policy, we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. Continued use of the extension after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

9. Contact

If you have questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy, please open an issue on our GitHub repository.