Privacy Policy

Gist ("the Extension") is a Chrome extension that provides AI-powered article summaries. This privacy policy describes how the Extension collects, uses, and protects your information.

Data Collection

Data We Collect

• Article text: When you request a summary, the text content of the current page is sent to our server (gist.website) for AI processing. This text is used solely to generate your summary and is not stored after processing.
• Page URL: The URL of the article being summarized is sent to our server to generate the summary and create shareable links.
• Anonymous user ID: A randomly generated identifier stored locally on your device, used solely for rate limiting purposes. This ID is not linked to any personal information.

Data Stored Locally

• Summary history (titles, URLs, timestamps) — stored in Chrome's local storage on your device
• Usage statistics (count of summaries, estimated time saved) — stored locally on your device
• Anonymous user ID — stored locally on your device

Data We Do NOT Collect

• Personal information (name, email, etc.)
• Browsing history beyond articles you explicitly summarize
• Cookies or tracking data
• Analytics or telemetry data

How We Use Data

• Article text and URLs are sent to our server exclusively to generate AI summaries
• Article text is processed in real-time and is not stored on our servers after the summary is generated
• Shared summaries (title, summary text, key takeaways) are stored on our server to enable shareable links
• The anonymous user ID is used only for rate limiting (preventing abuse)

Data Sharing

We do not sell, trade, or transfer your data to third parties. Article text is processed using the Anthropic Claude API for AI summarization. Anthropic's data handling is governed by their own privacy policy.

Data Security

All communication between the Extension and our server uses HTTPS encryption. We do not store article text on our servers beyond the time needed to generate a summary.

Your Rights

• All locally stored data can be cleared by removing the Extension
• Shared summary links can be requested for deletion by contacting us
• No account is required to use the Extension

Data Retention

We retain different types of data for different periods:

• Article text: Not retained. Discarded immediately after summary generation is complete.
• Shared summaries: Retained indefinitely to keep shareable links functional. You may request deletion of specific shared summaries by contacting us.
• Anonymous user IDs: Retained locally on your device only. Removed when you uninstall the Extension.
• Server logs: Basic server logs (IP addresses, request timestamps) may be retained for up to 30 days for security and debugging purposes, then automatically deleted.

Third-Party Services

The Service uses the following third-party services to function:

• Anthropic Claude API: Article text is sent to Anthropic's API for AI summarization. Anthropic processes this data according to their own privacy policy. We use their API in a manner that does not allow training on user data.
• Google Fonts: The Service loads fonts from Google Fonts, which may collect basic usage data as described in Google's privacy policy.

We do not use any analytics services, advertising networks, or tracking pixels.

Children's Privacy

The Service is not directed to individuals under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we become aware that a child under 13 has provided us with personal information, we will take steps to delete such information. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us.

International Users

The Service is operated from the United States. If you access the Service from outside the United States, please be aware that your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in the United States where our servers are located. By using the Service, you consent to the transfer of your information to the United States.

If you are located in the European Economic Area (EEA) or United Kingdom, you may have additional rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), including the right to access, correct, or delete your personal data. Since we collect minimal personal data (no accounts, no email, no names), most GDPR rights are satisfied by design. For any GDPR-related requests, please contact us.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time. Changes will be reflected in the "Last updated" date above. We encourage you to review this page periodically for the latest information on our privacy practices.

Contact

If you have questions about this privacy policy, please contact us at: privacy@gist.website