Privacy Policy — WordByWord Chrome Extension

Effective Date: February 2, 2026

Thank you for using WordByWord Chrome Extension. We are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring the security of your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and safeguard your data when you use our browser extension.

1. Information We Collect

WordByWord is designed with privacy in mind. We collect minimal data necessary to provide our translation and language learning services:

• Text for Translation: When you trigger a translation, the selected text or paragraph is sent to our translation service providers (Microsoft Azure Translator or Google Translate) to process your request.
• Text for AI Features: When using AI-powered features (word definitions, structure analysis), the relevant text context is sent to AI service providers (OpenAI ChatGPT or Google Gemini).
• User Preferences: Your settings (language preferences, theme, hotkeys) are stored locally in your browser using Chrome's storage API.

2. Information We Do NOT Collect

We want to be clear about what we do not collect:

• We do not collect your browsing history
• We do not track which websites you visit
• We do not store any translated text on our servers
• We do not collect personal identifiable information (name, email, etc.)
• We do not use cookies or tracking technologies

3. Third-Party Services

To provide translation and AI features, we integrate with the following third-party services, each governed by their own privacy policies:

• Microsoft Azure Translator – for translation services
• Google Cloud Translation API – for translation services
• OpenAI API (ChatGPT) – for AI-powered word definitions and analysis
• Google Gemini API – for AI-powered word definitions and analysis

Text data sent to these services is processed according to their respective privacy policies and is not retained beyond the immediate processing of your request.

4. Data Storage & Security

All user preferences and settings are stored locally on your device using Chrome's built-in storage API (chrome.storage.local). This data never leaves your device unless you explicitly sync it via your Chrome account.

We do not operate any servers that store user data. All processing happens either locally in your browser or through secure API calls to third-party translation services.

5. Permissions Explained

Our extension requests the following browser permissions:

• activeTab: To access the content of the current page for translation when you trigger the feature
• storage: To save your preferences locally
• contextMenus: To provide right-click translation options

We only request permissions that are essential for the extension's functionality.

6. Children's Privacy

This extension is not intended for children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect any personal information from children. If you believe that a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately.

7. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Any changes will be reflected on this page with an updated effective date. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.