ReadEasy Privacy Policy

Last updated: March 1, 2026

ReadEasy ("the extension") provides a distraction-free reader view by extracting article content from the current page. This privacy policy explains how data is handled.

Data We Collect

ReadEasy complies with applicable privacy laws including GDPR. As the extension does not collect personal data on external servers, GDPR data subject rights (access, deletion, portability) are managed entirely through your browser's built-in controls.

We do not collect, transmit, or sell any personal data to external servers. The extension processes the current page's website content (text, images, links) entirely on your device to render the reader view, manage your Reading List, and generate exports (HTML / EPUB). Text-to-speech playback uses your browser's built-in speech engine, which runs locally on your device.

When you use the Reading List or "Add to List" features, the full article content (including images converted to base64 PNG data URIs) is stored locally in your browser's IndexedDB. No data is sent to any server during this process — images are fetched directly from the originating website and stored in your browser only.

When you click "Beta View", the current article's HTML and styling are sent to the web app URL you choose to open. This is an explicit user action; no data is sent automatically.

Data We Store Locally

All data is stored only in your browser, never on external servers:

• chrome.storage.sync — Theme, font size, and content width preferences (synced across your Chrome profiles)
• chrome.storage.local — Reading List metadata: article titles, URLs, site names, and save dates
• IndexedDB (ReadEasyDB) — Full article HTML with embedded images for the Reading List and EPUB merge features. Each article may be 5–30 MB depending on image count. Limited to 10 articles.
• chrome.storage.session — Current article data held temporarily while the reader tab is open; cleared when the browser session ends

Image Fetching

When you save an article to your Reading List, the extension fetches images directly from the original website (e.g. cdn.example.com) in order to embed them locally as PNG data URIs. This fetch is performed by the extension itself (not by injecting code into the page), using the host_permissions: <all_urls> permission. No data from these fetches is sent anywhere other than your local IndexedDB.

Data Sharing

We do not share or sell data with third parties. The only outbound data transfer occurs when you explicitly use:

• "Beta View" — article HTML and CSS are sent via postMessage to the web app you open. You can disable this feature by not using the Beta View button.
• Download EPUB / HTML — files are saved to your device's downloads folder
• Email EPUB — opens your default email client via a mailto: link; the EPUB is attached client-side

Remote Code

The extension does not load or execute remote code. All JavaScript is bundled with the extension package.

Permissions Explained

• activeTab — Access the current page only after the user explicitly clicks the extension icon
• scripting — Inject the Readability content extraction script into the active tab when triggered by the user
• storage — Save preferences, Reading List metadata, and temporary article data to your browser
• sidePanel — Display the Reading List side panel where users can view, manage, and access saved articles
• declarativeNetRequest — Set Referer headers on image requests to certain CDNs (e.g. Substack, Medium) so article images load correctly. No content is inspected or modified.
• contextMenus — Add a right-click context menu option for quick access to the Reading List side panel
• host_permissions: <all_urls> — Required so the extension can fetch images from any CDN domain to embed them locally for the Reading List and Beta View features. Without this, cross-origin image fetches would be blocked.

Security

ReadEasy stores all article data locally in your browser using Chrome's built-in storage APIs. The extension does not transmit passwords, login tokens, or sensitive payment information. Images are fetched from publicly accessible URLs only.

User Rights & Data Deletion

You have full control over your data:

• Delete Reading List: Clear all saved articles from IndexedDB via the extension settings
• Reset Preferences: Clear theme, font size, and width settings anytime
• Clear All Data: Uninstall the extension or clear all site data in Chrome Settings → Privacy → Clear browsing data → Cookies and site data

Contact

If you have questions, contact: vashishta.pulkit@gmail.com