Privacy Policy

1. Overview

Footnote (“we,” “our,” or “us”) operates the Footnote Chrome Extension and the companion website at myfootnote.app. This policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, and the choices you have.

The short version: Your private notes are AES-256-GCM encrypted on your device before they reach our servers, and the key never does: it stays in your browser and, if you turn on notes sync, in your own Google Drive. We cannot read your notes. Ever. That is a hard technical guarantee, not a policy promise.

2. Information We Collect

2a. Account information

When you sign in with Google, we receive your name, email address, and profile picture URL from Google. We store these in your profile record to display your username and avatar in the discussion panel and on this website.

2b. Notes (encrypted)

Notes you write in the extension are encrypted client-side using AES-256-GCM before transmission. The encryption key is generated in your browser and kept in the extension’s storage (chrome.storage). It is never sent to our servers. We store the encrypted note, which we cannot decrypt and do not attempt to, together with the address (URL) of the page it belongs to and when it was saved, which are not encrypted, so the note can be shown on the right page.

If you download a readable copy of your notes, the extension makes it on your device from the notes it can decrypt. It is not sent to us. It is not encrypted either, so anyone with the file can read it; keep it somewhere safe.

2c. Notes sync (your Google Drive)

So that signing in to Footnote in another browser unlocks your notes there, the extension can keep your notes keys in a small file in the hidden app-data folder of your own Google Drive. It asks your permission first: Google shows it as access to “its own configuration data in your Google Drive” (the drive.appdata permission). With it, Footnote can use only the files it creates in that hidden folder, not your other Drive files. Your browser works with Google directly: neither your keys nor the access Google grants for that folder ever reach our servers. So Footnote cannot access your notes: we hold only the encrypted notes, and the key stays with you. Questions & answers explains this step by step.

If you say no, your keys stay in your browser, and Chrome sync (if you use it) may copy them to your other Chrome browsers. You can remove Footnote’s access at any time in your Google Account’s third-party access settings, and delete the hidden file in Google Drive (Settings → Manage apps → Footnote → Delete hidden app data). Browsers that already have your keys keep working; if no copy of a key is left anywhere, notes encrypted with it can’t be recovered.

Footnote’s use and transfer of information received from Google APIs adheres to the Google API Services User Data Policy, including the Limited Use requirements. The file holds only your Footnote keys; we don’t read it on our servers, use it for advertising, or share it.

2d. Public comments (discussion)

Comments you post in the Discussion tab are public and unencrypted. They are associated with your account and visible to all Footnote users who visit the same URL. Votes are public too: others can see which account cast each up- or down-vote.

2e. Moderation records

Admins and domain managers (people we appoint to moderate discussions on a site they manage) can hide or delete comments. We record who hid, restored or deleted each comment and when. Domain managers can see hidden comments on their own domains. When a comment is deleted, its text is kept in an archive only admins can access, for moderation and legal purposes.

2f. Usage data

We do not use third-party analytics or tracking scripts. Standard server-side logs (IP address, request timestamps) are retained for up to 30 days for security and debugging purposes.

3. How We Use Your Information

• To authenticate you and associate notes and comments with your account
• To display your username and avatar in the extension panel
• To show your encrypted notes in every browser where you sign in
• To operate the discussion features (posting, replying, voting, deleting comments)
• To apply your access tier and its daily limits, and to support moderation
• To send transactional emails related to your subscription (if applicable)

We do not sell your data. We do not use your data for advertising profiling.

4. Data Storage & Security

All data is stored in a Supabase-managed PostgreSQL database hosted on AWS infrastructure. Database access is protected by Row-Level Security policies — your notes and account data are only readable by your authenticated session.

Connections use TLS in transit. Supabase encrypts data at rest.

5. Data Retention & Deletion

You can ask us to delete your account and all associated data at any time by emailing privacy@myfootnote.app from your account’s email address (your Account page has a link). Your profile, encrypted notes, and public comments will then be permanently removed within 30 days, except where we must keep information to comply with the law or resolve disputes.

6. Third-Party Services

• Supabase — database, authentication, and realtime infrastructure. See Supabase Privacy Policy.
• Google — sign-in (email and profile) and, if you turn on notes sync, the Google Drive app-data folder described in 2c, which only the extension in your browser uses. See Google Privacy Policy.
• Vercel — hosts this website. See Vercel Privacy Policy.
• Stripe (paid plans only, when offered) — payment processing. We do not store card details. See Stripe Privacy Policy.

7. Children

Footnote is intended for people 18 and older (see our Terms of Service) and is not directed at children. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13; if we learn that we have, we will delete it.

8. Changes to This Policy

We may update this policy from time to time. When we do, we will update the effective date at the top of this page. Continued use of Footnote after changes constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.

9. Contact

Questions about this policy? Email us at privacy@myfootnote.app.