Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

This Privacy Policy explains how Spider Foundation ("we," "us," or "our") collects, uses, and protects information when you use the VerifyNow browser extension ("Extension") and associated website ("Service"). By installing or using VerifyNow, you agree to the practices described in this policy.

This policy complies with the Chrome Web Store Developer Program Policies and applicable data protection regulations.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Webpage Content (Only On User Action)

VerifyNow analyzes webpage content only when you explicitly click the "Verify" button. The Extension does not passively monitor, scan, or read any webpage content in the background. When you initiate verification, the following data may be temporarily processed:

• Text content of the active webpage or selected passage
• The URL of the page being verified (for source attribution only)
• Claims extracted from the content for evidence matching

2.2 Information We Do NOT Collect

We want to be explicit about what we do not collect:

• Personal browsing history or navigation activity
• Cookies, login credentials, or form data
• Personally identifiable information (name, email, address)
• Keystrokes, mouse movements, or interaction patterns
• Data from pages you do not explicitly choose to verify
• Information from browser tabs other than the active verification tab

2.3 Technical Data

We may collect minimal, anonymized technical data for service reliability purposes:

• Extension version number
• Browser type and version (e.g., Chrome 126)
• Anonymous error logs if a verification request fails

This data is not linked to any individual user and is used solely to identify and resolve technical issues.

3. How We Use Your Data

Data submitted through the Verify action is used exclusively for the following purpose:

• Claim verification — extracting claims, searching for evidence from trusted sources, and generating a confidence score and verdict

We do not use your data for advertising, profiling, marketing, analytics beyond service operation, or any purpose unrelated to fact verification.

4. Third-Party AI Processing

To perform claim analysis and evidence retrieval, verification requests may be processed through third-party artificial intelligence providers. When this occurs:

• Only the text content necessary for verification is transmitted
• Data is transmitted over encrypted connections (TLS 1.2+)
• Third-party providers are contractually prohibited from retaining, training on, or repurposing your data
• No personally identifiable information is included in requests sent to third parties

We evaluate our AI providers for privacy compliance and select partners that maintain data processing standards consistent with this policy.

5. Data Retention

Webpage content submitted for verification is processed in real-time and is not permanently stored. Specifically:

• Verification content is held in memory only during active processing
• No database of verified articles or user submissions is maintained
• Anonymized, aggregate statistics (e.g., total verifications performed) may be retained for service improvement but cannot be traced to individual users

6. Data Sharing and Sale

We may disclose information only if required by law, legal process, or government request, and only to the minimum extent necessary.

7. Data Security

We implement industry-standard security measures to protect data during processing:

• All data transmissions use HTTPS/TLS encryption
• API keys and credentials are stored securely and never exposed client-side
• Regular security reviews of our codebase and infrastructure
• Principle of least privilege applied to all system access

8. Your Rights and Controls

You maintain full control over your use of VerifyNow:

• Opt-in only — The Extension never processes content without your explicit click
• Removal — You can remove the Extension at any time through your browser's extension settings (chrome://extensions). Removal immediately stops all data processing
• No account required — VerifyNow does not require registration, login, or any personal information to function
• Data requests — Since we do not store personal data, there is no personal data to retrieve, modify, or delete. If you have questions, contact us at the address below

9. Children's Privacy

VerifyNow is not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect information from children. If you believe a child has provided us with data, please contact us and we will take steps to address the situation.

10. Chrome Web Store Compliance

This Extension complies with the Chrome Web Store's Limited Use requirements:

• We request only the minimum permissions necessary for verification functionality
• User data is used solely for providing the single purpose described to the user (fact verification)
• Data is not transferred to third parties except as necessary to provide the stated service
• Human access to user data is limited to debugging and security purposes only

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated "Last updated" date. Continued use of the Extension after changes constitutes acceptance of the revised policy. For material changes, we will provide notice through the Extension or Chrome Web Store listing.

12. Contact Us

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:

• Organization: Spider Foundation
• Email: privacy@verifynow.app
• Website: https://verifynow.app

We aim to respond to all privacy inquiries within 7 business days.