Privacy Policy

Who operates VocTap

VocTap is a browser-based English-learning product.

If you have privacy or support questions about VocTap, contact voctaps@gmail.com.

What the Chrome extension does

The current Chrome Web Store build helps users look up English words in YouTube subtitles, hear pronunciations, save words and subtitle lines, and review them later.

The current build does not include user accounts, sign-in, cloud sync, or background account sessions.

YouTube information VocTap accesses

On YouTube, VocTap may read the selected subtitle word or phrase, visible subtitle or transcript text, the current video title and URL, and the playback position.

This information is used to show lookup results, save a subtitle line locally, return to a saved moment, or generate an AI explanation when AI-powered lookup is enabled.

The current Chrome Web Store build does not run a content script on arbitrary webpages and does not collect general browsing history outside its declared YouTube access.

What VocTap stores locally

VocTap may store the following information locally in the browser:

• Saved words and their lookup details
• Saved subtitle text
• Video titles and URLs associated with saved subtitle lines
• Playback positions associated with saved subtitle lines
• Review and vocabulary progress
• Onboarding choices
• Feature toggles
• Extension settings
• Dictionary, example, and pronunciation lookup caches
• A randomly generated installation identifier

Saved words, subtitle lines, review state, and other saved learning data remain on the device. They are not uploaded to a VocTap user account or cloud-sync service.

Users can delete saved words and subtitle lines, clear the extension's data through Chrome, or uninstall the extension.

Local dictionary, example, and pronunciation lookup caches expire automatically according to their configured cache lifetime. AI explanations are not stored on the device; successful YouTube-derived AI answers are cached only in the shared backend cache described under "AI caching, rate limiting, and operational records."

Dictionary, example, synonym, and pronunciation requests

When a user looks up or listens to a word, the selected word or phrase may be sent to the external service needed to provide the requested result.

These services may include:

• dictionaryapi.dev
• FreeDictionaryAPI
• Wiktionary
• Kaikki
• Datamuse
• Tatoeba
• StreamElements text-to-speech

These requests are used only to provide definitions, examples, synonyms, related words, pronunciation information, or pronunciation audio.

AI-powered lookup

AI-powered lookup is enabled by default in the current Chrome Web Store build and can be turned off in the extension settings.

When AI-powered lookup is enabled, tapping a YouTube subtitle word may automatically send the selected word and surrounding subtitle context to VocTap's Cloudflare-hosted backend. The request may then be processed by Cloudflare Workers AI, Groq, or Gemini.

Using the subtitle-line explanation button may send the subtitle line and optional video title.

An AI request may include:

• Selected word
• Surrounding sentence or subtitle context
• Definition and part of speech when available
• Subtitle-line text
• Optional video title
• Source type
• Randomly generated installation identifier
• Extension version

VocTap sends this information only when necessary to provide AI-powered explanations, operate the service, enforce rate limits, prevent abuse, maintain caches, and measure reliability.

Users can prevent future AI requests by turning off AI-powered lookup in the extension settings.

AI caching, rate limiting, and operational records

VocTap's backend processes AI request text to return an explanation. Raw AI request text is not placed in VocTap's operational telemetry.

Successful YouTube-derived AI results may be stored in a shared backend cache for up to 14 days.

The shared cache stores a one-way SHA-256 request hash and the validated AI answer. It does not store the raw selected word, sentence, subtitle line, definition, or video title used to create the hash.

Install-level AI tracking records may be retained for up to 30 days after the last activity. Short-lived request counters may be retained for up to 48 hours.

Operational AI analytics use a hashed installation identifier and may include:

• AI task type
• Success or failure status
• Cache status
• Provider or model information
• Error codes
• Token counts
• Extension version
• Request timing and reliability information

Cloudflare Analytics Engine may retain these operational analytics for up to three months.

These operational records are used for rate limiting, abuse prevention, troubleshooting, service reliability, capacity planning, and measurement of the disclosed AI-powered features.

Third-party processors

VocTap uses external services only when necessary to provide, secure, maintain, or measure its disclosed features.

These services may include:

• YouTube for subtitle, transcript, video-title, URL, and playback functionality
• Cloudflare for backend hosting, AI processing, storage, caching, rate limiting, security, and operational analytics
• Groq for AI processing
• Gemini for AI processing
• dictionaryapi.dev for dictionary results
• FreeDictionaryAPI for dictionary results
• Wiktionary for dictionary and pronunciation information
• Kaikki for dictionary and pronunciation information
• Datamuse for definitions, synonyms, and related words
• Tatoeba for example sentences
• StreamElements for text-to-speech pronunciation audio

These providers may process requests under their own privacy terms.

VocTap transfers information to third parties only when the transfer is necessary to provide, secure, maintain, or measure the extension's disclosed features, or when required by law.

Chrome Web Store Limited Use

VocTap's use and transfer of user data complies with the Chrome Web Store User Data Policy, including the Limited Use requirements.

VocTap limits the collection, use, and transfer of user data to what is necessary to provide or improve its disclosed English-learning features and related operational requirements.

VocTap does not:

• Sell user data
• Use user data for personalized, retargeted, or interest-based advertising
• Transfer user data to advertising platforms or data brokers
• Use user data to determine creditworthiness or for lending purposes
• Use browsing information for an unrelated purpose

VocTap does not allow humans to read user data except when:

• The user gives explicit consent for specific data to be read, such as when requesting support
• Access is necessary to investigate security issues or abuse
• Access is required by law
• Data has been aggregated and anonymized for permitted internal operations

User controls

Users can:

• Turn AI-powered lookup off
• Turn YouTube subtitle tools off
• Delete individual saved words
• Delete individual saved subtitle lines
• Clear VocTap's locally stored browser data
• Uninstall VocTap

Turning off AI-powered lookup prevents future AI requests initiated by the extension. Previously cached local information may remain until it expires, is deleted, the extension's data is cleared, or the extension is uninstalled.

For privacy questions or requests, contact voctaps@gmail.com.

Security

VocTap uses HTTPS for its network requests and uses reasonable safeguards for the information it processes.

No internet transmission, third-party service, browser-storage system, or backend-storage system can be guaranteed to be completely secure.

Children and intended use

VocTap is intended for general language-learning use and is not directed specifically at children under 13.

Parents or guardians should supervise children's use of online dictionary, pronunciation, and AI-powered features.

Changes to this Privacy Policy

VocTap may update this Privacy Policy when the product, its providers, its data practices, or applicable requirements change.

The "Last updated" date at the top of this policy will change when the policy is revised.

If a future extension version materially changes how user data is collected, used, or shared, VocTap will provide a prominent in-product notice before the new practice begins and obtain consent when required.

Contact

For privacy questions, support requests, or concerns about this policy, contact:

voctaps@gmail.com