VIRTUAL SFX LAB · VSL INFO MODE · BROWSER EXTENSION
Privacy Policy
What the extension does
VSL Info Mode has one purpose: when you turn it on for a tab, you can point at a word, heading, link, image or control on that page and read quick facts about it, details about the element, and a link to the source. It does nothing until you click its toolbar icon or press its keyboard shortcut, and it works only on the tab where you turned it on.
What leaves your browser, and when
| Data | Sent to | When |
|---|---|---|
| The word or phrase you point at or select, up to 120 characters | Wikipedia (the Wikimedia Foundation), in the language you chose | After a short pause while hovering, or, if you turn "Look up while hovering" off, only when you click to pin, select text or move keyboard focus to an element |
| The subject or selected passage (up to 1,500 characters) and up to 1,200 characters of surrounding text, plus the page title | Perplexity, using an API key that you supply | Only when you press Ask AI. The button does nothing until you add a key in Options |
| The text being read aloud | Your browser's online voice provider (for example Google or Microsoft) | Only if you turn "Allow online voices" on. By default the extension uses only voices installed on your computer, and nothing is sent |
| Your chosen search text | perplexity.ai, opened in a new tab | Only when you press Search with Perplexity |
Those providers receive your IP address with each request, as any website does, and handle it under their own policies: Wikimedia privacy policy and Perplexity privacy policy. The surrounding text of a hovered word is used only inside your browser to pick the right meaning; it is not sent to Wikipedia.
What we never collect
- Nothing is sent to Virtual SFX Lab. The extension has no server of ours, no analytics, no telemetry, no crash reporting and no advertising.
- No browsing history. The extension does not read pages you have not turned it on for, does not record which pages you visit, and resets to off when a tab navigates.
- No accounts or identifiers. There is no sign-in, and the extension creates no user ID.
- No passwords or form contents. What you have typed into a field, including password fields, is never used as the panel subject, and fields are read-only while Info Mode is on.
- No sale or sharing of data with anyone, for any purpose.
What stays on your device
Your settings (theme, fact language, read-aloud options, hover lookups) and, if you add one, your Perplexity API key are stored in the browser's extension storage on your computer. The key is sent only to api.perplexity.ai when you press Ask AI, is never shown back on screen, and can be removed at any time from Options. The extension's page content is never saved; closing or leaving a page clears it. Removing the extension deletes all of its stored settings.
Permissions, and why
- activeTab and scripting: to add the Info Mode panel to the current tab, only after you click the icon or press the shortcut.
- storage: to keep your settings and optional API key on your device.
- *.wikipedia.org: to fetch article summaries for quick facts.
- api.perplexity.ai: to send Ask AI questions with your own key.
The extension contains all of its code; it downloads data from the services above but never downloads or runs code.
Children
The extension is a general-audience reference tool and does not knowingly collect information from anyone, including children.
Changes
If what the extension sends or stores ever changes, this page will be updated and the change will be described in the extension's release notes and on the store listing.
Contact
Virtual SFX Lab, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Questions about this policy or the extension: the Virtual SFX Lab Discord (DM strangebrewgames) or the support contact listed on the Chrome Web Store listing.