Privacy Policy

Last updated: January 11, 2026

Overview

ChatShield ("we", "our", or "the extension") is committed to protecting your privacy. This policy explains how our Chrome extension and related services handle your data.

Core Privacy Principle

Your prompts and sensitive data never leave your browser.

ChatShield is designed with privacy as a core principle:

• All PII detection and scanning happens locally in your browser
• The text you type is never transmitted to our servers
• We cannot see what sensitive information you're protecting
• No cookies are set by the extension

Data Processing

The extension processes text you type into supported AI chat tools (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini) to detect potentially sensitive information such as:

• Email addresses
• Phone numbers
• Social Security Numbers
• Credit card numbers
• API keys and credentials

This processing occurs entirely within your browser. Your prompts and detected sensitive data are never sent anywhere.

Local Storage

The extension stores minimal data locally using Chrome's storage API:

• Your preference settings (enabled/disabled, sensitivity level, detection types)
• Allowlist patterns you've configured
• Aggregate statistics (count of items detected - no actual content)
• License information (if you purchase Pro)
• A unique installation ID (used only for license validation)

This data stays on your device except as described in "Pro License Validation" below.

Pro License & Payments

If you purchase ChatShield Pro, we use Stripe to process payments. When you make a purchase:

• Stripe collects: Payment card details, billing address, and email address. This data is handled by Stripe according to their Privacy Policy.
• We receive from Stripe: A customer ID, subscription status, and confirmation of payment. We do not receive or store your full card number.
• We generate: A license key tied to your installation ID to activate Pro features.

Pro License Validation

To validate Pro licenses, the extension makes requests to our server (chatshield.app):

• Data sent: Your license key and installation ID
• Data NOT sent: Your prompts, detected PII, browsing history, or any content you type
• Purpose: To verify your license is valid and unlock Pro features

Free users never make any network requests to our servers.

Analytics

Currently, ChatShield does not include analytics or tracking. If we add analytics in the future:

• It will be opt-out by default
• It will never include your prompts or detected sensitive data
• This policy will be updated before any analytics are enabled

Permissions

The extension requires the following permissions:

• activeTab: To scan text on the current page
• storage: To save your preferences locally
• Host permissions: Limited to ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini domains only

Third Parties

We use the following third-party services:

• Stripe: Payment processing for Pro purchases. Stripe's privacy policy applies to payment data.
• Vercel: Hosts our website and license validation API.

We do not sell, rent, or share your data with advertisers or data brokers.

Data Retention

• Local data: Stored until you uninstall the extension or clear browser data
• License data: Retained while your license is active
• Payment data: Retained by Stripe per their policies

Your Rights

You can:

• Clear all local extension data via Chrome settings
• Request deletion of your license data by contacting us
• Manage payment information through Stripe's customer portal

Changes to This Policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated revision date.

Contact

If you have questions about this privacy policy, please email us at privacy@chatshield.app.