#Privacy Policy

Last Updated: March 10, 2026

This Privacy Policy describes how Better Sidebar for Gemini & AI Studio ("we", "our", or "the Extension") handles your information. We are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring you have full control over your data.

#1. Local-First Architecture

The Extension is designed with a "Local-First" architecture:

• All organizational data (folders, tags, favorites, notes) is stored locally on your device using an embedded SQLite WASM database within your browser.
• We do not operate a cloud server to store your data. Your data stays on your machine.
• The Extension interacts with the Gemini and AI Studio pages to identify your conversations for organizing them. We do not transmit this content to any third-party servers.

#2. What We Do NOT Collect

• We do not collect, store, or transmit your chat history, prompts, or generated responses to our servers.
• We do not collect personal identification information (PII) such as your name, email address, or phone number.
• We do not track your browsing history outside of the supported platform domains.

#3. Google Drive Sync

The Extension offers an optional Google Drive sync feature:

• What is synced: Settings, prompts, and configuration data only.
• What is NOT synced: Chat history, conversation content, and personal messages are never uploaded to Google Drive.
• OAuth scope: The Extension uses the drive.appdata scope, which limits access to a hidden, app-specific folder in your Google Drive. The Extension cannot read or modify any other files in your Drive.
• Sync is initiated manually by you. No automatic background uploads occur.

#4. Permissions

The Extension requires specific permissions to function:

• storage: To save your settings and preferences locally.
• activeTab / host_permissions: To modify the interface on gemini.google.com and aistudio.google.com (injecting the sidebar overlay) and read conversation titles/IDs to enable folder organization.
• offscreen: To run the SQLite database securely in a separate context.
• identity: To authenticate with Google for the optional Drive sync feature.

#5. Third-Party Services

• Google Gemini & AI Studio: The Extension operates on top of these platforms. Your use of them is subject to Google's own Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.
• Google Drive: Used only for the optional sync feature described in Section 3. Data is stored in a hidden app-specific folder and is not accessible to other applications.
• Feedback Form: If you use the Feedback form, the message (including your email if provided) is sent via a third-party email service (EmailJS) directly to our support team. This is the only instance where data leaves your browser, and it is initiated solely by you.

#6. Data Backup and Export

Since your data is stored locally, you are responsible for backing it up. The Extension provides an Export feature that generates a DB file of your organizational data. We strongly recommend regular backups, especially before clearing your browser data.

#7. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page.

#8. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact us via the GitHub Issues page.