Privacy Policy
1. Scope
This policy applies to the Evidence Lens Chrome extension. Evidence Lens is a user-initiated reading tool that analyzes observable evidence structure, sourcing, reasoning signals, and reporting transparency on a page selected by the user.
2. Information the extension handles
Evidence Lens handles user data only to provide its disclosed analysis feature:
- Current-page content and browsing activity: the active page URL, title, visible article text, metadata, author and publisher information, headings, and links.
- Cited-source content: for eligible news articles and reports, up to three public HTTPS URLs identified as likely research, data, or report sources, plus the readable HTML returned by those pages.
- Preferences: language and appearance choices stored with
chrome.storage.sync. - Consent state: the version of the in-product page-access disclosure accepted by the user, stored with
chrome.storage.local. - Local output: the analysis shown in the side panel and any HTML summary the user chooses to download.
The extension does not request or intentionally collect account credentials, authentication cookies, payment or financial information, health information, precise location, personal communications, contact lists, advertising identifiers, or form entries.
3. When and why information is handled
The extension reads a page only after the user reviews the prominent in-product disclosure, affirmatively checks the consent box, and clicks “Analyze this page.” Information is used only to classify the selected page, calculate transparent heuristic evidence signals, assess up to three cited public sources, display the requested analysis, and generate a local summary.
4. Local processing, disclosure, and transfers
Analysis is performed in the extension on the user’s device. Dongfang Wang does not operate an analysis server, analytics service, advertising service, data broker, or user-account database for the extension and does not receive page content, URLs, analysis results, or downloaded summaries.
When cited-source assessment is requested, the extension sends a direct HTTPS request to each selected public source website. That website necessarily receives the request and may observe ordinary network information such as the requesting IP address. Requests omit credentials, authentication cookies, and referrer information. Language and appearance preferences may be synchronized by Chrome when the user has enabled Chrome Sync; that synchronization is controlled by Chrome and the user’s browser account settings.
Evidence Lens does not sell user data and does not use or transfer it for advertising, profiling, credit decisions, lending, generalized market research, or any purpose unrelated to its disclosed single purpose. No human is given access to page content or results through the developer because the developer does not receive them.
5. Storage and retention
Analysis results remain in temporary extension runtime memory and are replaced by a new analysis or cleared when the relevant extension context closes. A downloaded summary is saved only where the user chooses and remains under the user’s control. Preferences remain in Chrome storage until changed, cleared, or the extension is removed, subject to Chrome Sync behavior. The developer has no server-side copy to retain or delete.
6. Security
External cited-source requests are limited to public HTTPS destinations, omit credentials and referrer information, use timeouts and response-size limits, and reject direct local or private-network targets. All executable code is packaged with the extension; cited page responses are processed only as data and are not executed as remote code. Chrome storage is restricted to trusted extension contexts.
7. Cookies and tracking
The extension does not request Chrome’s cookies permission and does not set, read, or store browser cookies. Cited-source requests use credentials: "omit". The supplied static privacy page contains no analytics scripts or application cookies; its eventual hosting provider may process ordinary server logs under that provider’s own policy. Any future Evidence Lens website features involving accounts, analytics, payments, or non-essential cookies will require an updated policy and, where required, a consent mechanism before launch.
8. User choices, access, and deletion
Users can decline the in-product disclosure, deny or revoke site access in Chrome, change language or appearance, clear extension storage, delete downloaded summaries, or uninstall the extension. Because the developer does not receive or store page content or analysis results, there is no corresponding developer database record to access or erase. Questions and privacy requests can be sent to oranipost@outlook.com.
9. Children
Evidence Lens is a general reading tool and is not directed to children under 13. The developer does not knowingly collect children’s personal information through the extension.
10. Chrome Web Store Limited Use
The use of information received from Google APIs will adhere to the Chrome Web Store User Data Policy, including the Limited Use requirements.
11. Score and academic-use limitation
All Evidence Lens scores are heuristic references only and have no academic standing. They do not establish truth, neutrality, credibility, peer-review status, scientific validity, research quality, or academic merit, and must not be used as academic evaluation, peer review, research validation, a publication or editorial decision, a grade, credential, or substitute for expert assessment.
12. Changes
If data practices materially change, this policy will be updated and the extension will present a new prominent in-product disclosure and affirmative-consent step before the changed practice begins.