Local Read Privacy Policy

Effective date: November 4, 2026 · Applies to extension version 1.3.0

Local Read is provided by Peng. Its purpose is to read text you select or paste aloud using voices Chrome identifies as local. This policy describes the extension, not the websites you visit or Chrome's own services.

Information processed by the extension

Selected and pasted text. On sites you allow, Local Read detects your current text selection and its position so it can display the speaker bubble. This happens locally even before you choose to listen. Clicking Read aloud, using the selection context menu or reading shortcut, or submitting pasted text sends the chosen passage to the extension's player and Chrome's speech engine. Selected content may include an email or chat passage if that is what you choose. The extension does not access a mailbox API or continuously copy all page content. Password inputs are excluded from its selection-detection paths, but the extension cannot identify all sensitive material in ordinary text or text you paste.

Page interaction and tab information. Local Read responds to selection, pointer, key, and scroll events to show, position, or dismiss the bubble. Temporary state includes selection geometry and pointer timing. It does not create a persistent keystroke, mouse-activity, or analytics log. It queries Chrome for permitted open tabs and frames to deliver reading actions, find its player, and restore the bubble after an update. It does not use the browser History API, create a saved list of sites you visited, or upload tab information to the developer.

Preferences and available voices. Local Read reads the names, languages, and capabilities of voices Chrome makes available. It stores your selected voice, language, reading speed, and bubble preference locally in your Chrome profile. It does not use Chrome Sync for these preferences.

Where text goes

The extension has no developer-operated server, advertising SDK, analytics SDK, or cloud speech fallback. Its code does not upload selected text, pasted text, tab information, or usage events to the developer.

For speech, text is passed to Chrome's TTS API and the selected speech engine. System voices are preferred. Only voices Chrome reports as local are offered. If you choose a voice supplied by another installed speech-engine extension, that engine receives the reading text and is responsible for its own processing. Local Read does not control the behavior of independently installed engines. Offline use depends on a compatible local voice being installed and ready on your device.

Storage and retention

Preferences are kept in chrome.storage.local until changed or the extension's stored data is removed. Local Read does not keep a persistent reading-history database.

Reading requests briefly pass through chrome.storage.session. The player removes each request when it receives it. If delivery cannot complete, a request may remain until the player consumes it, the tracked player is closed and its pending requests are cleared, or Chrome clears extension session storage.

The player keeps the current passage in memory for playback and replay. Stopping speech does not erase that passage. Loading a new passage replaces it, and closing the player ends that player context. Text in an unsubmitted paste form stays in the player until edited, successfully submitted, or the player closes. Selection-related state may remain in the page's content-script context until it is replaced or that context ends. The extension does not promise secure erasure of browser or operating-system memory.

Your controls

You can turn off the speaker bubble in Settings, restrict site access through Chrome's extension settings, and close the player to stop reading. Incognito operation and access to local file URLs require separate opt-in settings in Chrome. Disabling the bubble does not disable the right-click action or reading shortcuts.

You can remove Local Read in Chrome to remove its locally stored extension preferences under Chrome's extension-data handling. There is no developer account or remote reading-history store to delete. The extension does not read the clipboard automatically; you choose what to paste.

Limited use

Local Read uses the information described above only to provide its read-aloud functionality and directly related operation. It does not sell user data or use it for advertising, profiling, creditworthiness, or lending decisions. Local Read's use of information received through Chrome APIs adheres to the Chrome Web Store User Data Policy, including its Limited Use requirements.

Privacy policy website

This privacy policy is hosted on GitHub Pages. GitHub logs visitors' IP addresses for security purposes when this website is visited. This page contains no analytics scripts, advertising, forms, or embedded third-party assets added by Peng. See the GitHub Privacy Statement for GitHub's handling of website visitor information. Visiting this page does not send your selected reading text to GitHub.

Changes and contact

This policy will be updated if the extension's data handling changes. For questions about Local Read or this policy, contact Peng at 975022570yp@gmail.com. If you voluntarily send a support message, only include the information needed to explain your issue; selected passages are not automatically attached by the extension.