Privacy policy for Simplify — Clean Reading Mode

 

PRIVACY POLICY Simplify — Clean Reading Mode Effective Date: February 21, 2026  |  Version 2.1.0

 

Simplify is a free Chrome browser extension that converts cluttered webpages into clean, distraction-free reading views. This Privacy Policy describes exactly what data the extension accesses, what it stores, and — critically — what it does not do.

The short answer: Simplify does not collect, transmit, or share any personal data. Everything happens entirely inside your own browser, on your own device.

 

1.  At a Glance

The table below summarises our data practices. Each item is explained fully in the sections that follow.

 

Category	Our Practice
Data Collected	None — the extension collects no personal information
Data Transmitted	Never — no data is sent to any server
Tracking / Analytics	None — no analytics, telemetry, or usage logging
External Servers	Not used — everything runs locally in your browser
Permissions Required	3 — activeTab, scripting, storage (all minimal)
Local Storage Used	Theme preference and font size only, stored on your device

 

2.  Information We Do Not Collect

Simplify does not collect, record, transmit, or store any of the following:

 

•        Your browsing history or the URLs of any pages you visit

•        The content of any webpage you read or simplify

•        Your IP address or any network identifiers

•        Your name, email address, or any personal details

•        Device information, operating system, or browser fingerprint

•        Usage statistics, click events, or behavioural data

•        Cookies, session tokens, or authentication credentials

•        Any information that could identify you or your location

 

There are no servers associated with this extension. There is no backend infrastructure. No mechanism exists for data to be sent anywhere, because no such connection is built into the extension.

 

3.  Information Stored Locally on Your Device

Simplify saves two small preference values on your device using the browser's built-in chrome.storage.local API:

 

•        Your selected reading theme: Paper, Dark, or White. Remembered so you do not need to reselect it each time.

•        Your preferred font size: A value between 14px and 24px. Remembered between sessions.

 

This data is stored exclusively on your local device. It is never transmitted to any server or third party. It is not accessible to the extension developer or anyone else. You can delete it at any time by uninstalling the extension, or by clearing extension storage in your browser settings.

 

4.  Browser Permissions Explained

Simplify requests three browser permissions — the minimum necessary to function. No additional permissions are requested, and none will be added without updating this policy and notifying users.

 

Permission	What It Allows	Why It Is Needed
activeTab	Access the current browser tab	Needed to read page content and inject the reader overlay. Only activates on your current tab, only when you trigger it.
scripting	Inject scripts and CSS into pages	Needed to run the content extraction engine and apply reader styles. Scripts only run when you activate reading mode.
storage	Save data locally on your device	Used only to remember your theme and font size between sessions. Data never leaves your device.

 

Permissions not requested include: browsing history, bookmarks, downloads, geolocation, camera, microphone, clipboard access, or any communication or identity APIs.

 

5.  Third-Party Services

Simplify does not integrate with, connect to, or share data with any third-party services, including analytics platforms, advertising networks, social media providers, cloud databases, or error monitoring tools.

 

One note on fonts: the reader view loads the Lora and DM Sans typefaces from Google Fonts (fonts.googleapis.com). This is a standard browser network request. Google may log your IP address as part of normal server logging, as with any web request. No other information is included. If you prefer to avoid this, the reader will fall back to system serif and sans-serif fonts when offline.

 

6.  Children's Privacy

Simplify does not knowingly collect information from any user, including children under the age of 13. Because the extension collects no personal data whatsoever, it presents no specific privacy risk for children. It is a general-purpose reading tool appropriate for all ages.

 

7.  Your Rights and Choices

Because Simplify does not hold personal data on any server, there is no data held by us to access, correct, or delete. You have full control over the local preference data stored on your device:

 

•        Delete all extension data: Uninstall Simplify from Chrome. All locally stored preferences are automatically removed.

•        Clear preferences without uninstalling: Go to chrome://extensions, find Simplify, and clear its storage via browser settings.

•        Use without saving preferences: The extension works fully without saved preferences. Default settings (Paper theme, 18px font) are used each session if no saved data is found.

 

8.  Open Source and Transparency

Simplify is open source. Every file that runs in your browser is available for public inspection. You do not need to take our word for any claim in this policy — you can verify it directly in the source code:

 

•        extractor.js — content extraction and cleaning engine

•        content.js — page controller, keyboard shortcut handler, reader overlay

•        popup.js — toolbar popup and preference management

•        background.js — system-level keyboard shortcut handler

•        reader.css — reader view stylesheet and theme definitions

 

No code is minified, obfuscated, or compiled. What appears in the source repository is exactly what runs in your browser.

 

9.  Changes to This Policy

If this Privacy Policy is updated, the new version will be published with a revised effective date. If any future change involves collecting data that is not currently collected, users will be notified through the Chrome Web Store listing and, where possible, through the extension interface directly.

We are committed to keeping Simplify free of data collection, advertising, and tracking. The purpose of this extension is to give readers a calmer, cleaner experience — not to monetise their data or attention.

 

10.  Contact

If you have questions, concerns, or suggestions about this Privacy Policy or the extension's data practices, please reach out through the Chrome Web Store listing page or by opening an issue in the public source code repository. All genuine enquiries will be responded to promptly.

 

Last updated: February 21, 2026  |  Simplify v2.1.0  |  Built for readers. Designed with care.