Privacy Policy — Winnow

Last updated: 7 June 2026

Winnow ("the extension") is a browser extension that filters distracting content (news headlines, topics, and YouTube elements) from the pages you visit. This policy explains exactly what data Winnow handles and what it does not.

Short version: Winnow does not collect, sell, or transmit your browsing activity. Everything runs on your device. The only data that ever leaves your machine is your filter settings — and only if you choose to turn on the optional sync feature.

What Winnow stores on your device

Winnow saves the following in your browser's local extension storage (chrome.storage):

• The keywords and topics you choose to block
• YouTube channel names you choose to block
• Your YouTube element preferences (hide comments, Shorts, etc.)
• Your Focus Mode schedule (days and hours)
• Usage statistics shown in the popup (blocked counts, streak, a 7-day chart)

This data stays in your browser. It is used only to make the extension work.

What Winnow does NOT do

• It does not collect your browsing history.
• It does not track the pages you visit or send them anywhere.
• It does not read, store, or transmit form data, passwords, or page content beyond matching it against your own keyword list in memory.
• It does not contain analytics, advertising, fingerprinting, or third-party tracking code.
• It does not sell or share any data with anyone.

Permissions, and why they're needed

• storage — to save your filter settings and stats on your device.
• activeTab — to apply filtering to the page you're viewing.
• Host access (<all_urls>) — Winnow filters content on whatever sites you visit, so it needs permission to run on pages. It uses this only to scan page text against your keyword list and hide matching elements in your browser. No page content is recorded or sent anywhere.

Optional sync (not active in this version)

Winnow's optional cross-browser sync is not enabled in the current release. This version runs 100% on your device and transmits nothing. The description below explains how sync will work if it is enabled in a future version — at which point it would be off unless you turn it on by creating or entering a sync code.

If/when you enable sync:

• Only your filter settings (keywords, blocked channels, YouTube toggles, and Focus schedule) are uploaded. Your statistics are never uploaded — they stay on each device.
• Your browsing activity is never part of sync.
• Data is stored on a Cloudflare Worker backend that you (or whoever distributes your copy) deploy and control — there is no central Winnow server operated by the developer.
• Your sync code is never stored in plain text on the server; settings are stored under a SHA-256 hash of the code. Treat your code like a password.
• You can stop syncing at any time by unlinking the code in the Sync tab.

Data retention & deletion

• On-device data: removed when you uninstall the extension, or via your browser's "Clear data" for the extension.
• Synced settings: stored on the backend until overwritten. To stop using sync, unlink your code in the Sync tab.

Children's privacy

Winnow is a general-purpose productivity tool and is not directed at children under 13. It collects no personal information.

Changes to this policy

If this policy changes, the "Last updated" date above will change and the revised policy will be published at the same URL.

Contact

Manas Uniyal — uniyalmanas@gmail.com