Privacy of Helperbird

Overview

At Helperbird, your privacy isn't just a priority—it's a commitment. We value and protect your personal data. Here's a rundown of our practices when you use our applications or visit our website:

No Peeking!

We don’t track, use, or store any personal data on our servers or any third-party ones. Everything is stored locally on your device for settings and educational reasons.

Just Checking!

We request to know your email solely to verify if you've purchased our services through Stripe. Rest assured, it doesn’t get stored anywhere outside of Stripe.

All About You

Our applications are designed with user privacy in mind. They don’t gather, utilize, or save any of your personal data. Your individual settings remain on your device, and we consider that your private space.

Fort Knox Standard

We've taken rigorous measures to safeguard your data from mishaps. Our payment gateways are secure, and trusted entities like Google, Firefox, and Microsoft regularly scrutinize our code for malware. Plus, all our employees are equipped with two-step verification for enhanced security.

Kids are Special

In line with the Children’s Online Security Protection Act (COPPA & FERPA), we don't collect data from anyone, especially children under the age of 13.

Permission, Always

Occasionally, we might ask for your email and permission to modify the current webpage. This is strictly to verify your paid status in Stripe and to apply the modifications you desire on the webpage.

Analytics? Nope

Your trust is paramount. We don't engage with Google Analytics or any third-party apps. All your data stays local to your device.

Ensuring Your Data Security

Local Only Data Storage: We prioritize your privacy by ensuring that all your settings and preferences are stored locally within your browser. This approach guarantees that your data remains in your control, with no risk of it being accessed or used by Helperbird without your consent.

No Data Collection: Reflecting our dedication to privacy, we collect no personal information or usage data from our users. Your interactions with Helperbird, from customization settings to daily use, are kept private and are not monitored, stored, or analyzed by us.

Secure Browsing Environment: Every aspect of Helperbird is designed to respect your privacy. Our service uses HTTPS to secure data in transit, ensuring that your choices stay between you and your browser. We are committed to maintaining a secure, encrypted environment for all user interactions.

Zero Third-Party Data Sharing: Your personal information is yours alone. We guarantee that no data is shared, sold, or disclosed to third parties. Helperbird’s service model is built on trust and a commitment to user privacy, without exceptions.

Regular Security Practices: Our team enforces strict security protocols, including two-step verification for all employees and regular security audits. By routinely updating our security measures and inviting open-source contributions for added transparency, we strive to create the safest possible environment for our users.

Information Collection and Use

At Helperbird, we are committed to maintaining the trust and confidence of all users of our extension – both free and Pro. Here’s how we handle your data with care and respect.

Zero Tracking Commitment

Whether you're using the free version of Helperbird or have upgraded to Helperbird Pro, we guarantee zero tracking of your activities. Our application is free of any third-party scripts that could compromise your privacy.

No Personal Data Collection

For free users of Helperbird, rest assured we collect no personal information whatsoever. You can use our services anonymously, with the peace of mind that your privacy is intact.

Pro User Registration

For Helperbird Pro users, the only time we require information is during the registration and payment process, which is securely facilitated through Stripe. Even then, we do not store your email or any personal data or usesage on our servers. Your email, if provided, is only used to verify your account status with Stripe and to ensure you have a valid subscription.

In-App (Extension) Verification

After registration, within the Helperbird extension itself, you have the option to let us verify the email associated with your browser profile (Google Chrome or Edge). This step is crucial for accessing Helperbird Pro features and is conducted with the utmost respect for your privacy. We do not engage in tracking or storing personal information; our goal is simply to confirm your subscription status.

Alternative: Subscription Key Method

For those who prefer not to share their browser email, the subscription key method offers a privacy-conscious alternative. This option allows you to access Helperbird Pro features without disclosing your email, aligning with our strong commitment to user privacy and choice.

Schools and Businesses

For institutions such as schools and businesses using Helperbird Pro Unlimited or Helperbird Pro Unlimited +, we only require the domain of the email addresses to set up the service. This approach ensures that we do not collect or store full email addresses of individual users, maintaining a high level of privacy.

Alternative: Subscription Key Method

For those who prefer not to share their browser email, the subscription key method offers a privacy-conscious alternative. This option allows you to access Helperbird Pro features without disclosing your email, aligning with our strong commitment to user privacy and choice.

Data Storage and Management

Local Storage

Helperbird is designed with your privacy as a priority. We do not collect or store any sensitive personal information. The settings and options you customize, such as your preferred font or color settings, are saved locally on your device in the browser's local storage. This means they are kept private to you and are not accessible by us or any third parties.

Browser Sync Options

For your convenience, if you choose to enable synchronization in Chrome or Edge, your settings such as custom fonts or color options can be synced across devices using the browser’s sync.local storage feature. This sync is managed by your browser and allows you to maintain a consistent Helperbird experience on any device you use. Importantly, even this sync does not involve storing any of your personal data on our servers.

Data Sovereignty and Third-Party Sharing

In the digital world, your data belongs to you. At Helperbird, we stand by the principle that nothing leaves your browser unless you want it to. We do not collect, store, or sell any personal information or usage data. The only exception is the optional email address for Helperbird Pro users, which is used solely for account verification and subscription management. Our users also have the option to use a subscription key, offering an additional layer of privacy. Our commitment ensures that your experience with Helperbird remains private, secure, and completely under your control.

GDPR, Brexit, and Data Rights

At Helperbird, we prioritize your privacy above all. Our commitment is to ensure your data is handled with care and respect, adhering strictly to GDPR regulations, COPPA, and post-Brexit data protection standards. We ensure all data processing is lawful, transparent, and minimal.

Committed to Compliance: In alignment with GDPR regulations and post-Brexit data protection standards, Helperbird remains vigilant in upholding the highest data protection measures. It's essential to note that Helperbird does not store or collect any data, with the sole exception of payment information in Stripe, which is used exclusively for transactional purposes. Your rights, including the right to data deletion, access, and rectification, are paramount to us, and are fully respected even with this limited data interaction.

Data We Hold

For Helperbird Pro users, we store only payment information through Stripe for managing subscriptions. Using Helperbird free requires no personal information, emphasizing our commitment to your privacy.

Cancelling Your Subscription

To cancel your Helperbird Pro subscription, simply email us for prompt handling.

Deleting Your Data

Upon cancellation, we protect your privacy by deleting all payment information from Stripe within 48 hours.

Exercise Your Rights

You have full rights to access, rectify, or delete any data we might hold, in full respect of GDPR, post-Brexit, and COPPA standards. Contact us anytime to exercise these rights.

This structure ensures comprehensive coverage of privacy practices, user rights, and compliance with key data protection laws.

Permissions

Helperbird for Chrome, Edge, Firefox & Safari

When you use the Helperbird extension on Google Chrome or Edge, it asks for certain permissions to function properly. Here's a breakdown of what each permission means:

activeTab

Allows the extension to interact with the webpage you're currently viewing, enabling it to assist you directly on that page.

storage

Enables the extension to save its settings and other necessary data locally in your browser. It's like giving the extension its own storage space.

contextMenus

Allows the extension to add its own options to the right-click context menu, providing quick access to its features.

alarms

Permits the extension to set alarms or reminders, useful for scheduling tasks or notifications without manual input.

sidePanel

This permission lets the extension utilize a side panel on your browser for additional information or tools, enhancing your browsing experience without leaving the webpage.

scripting

Allows the extension to execute scripts on the webpages you visit, which is essential for modifying page content to improve accessibility or functionality.

And for the optional permissions: These are not used in Firefox & Safrai.

identity.email

This optional permission would allow the extension to access your email address linked with your Google account, useful for subscription management or personalization, with your consent.

identity

Gives the extension the ability to use your Google account's identity securely, potentially for features like seamless login or synchronization across devices, again, with your agreement.

These permissions are necessary for Helperbird to offer its full range of features, enhancing your web browsing experience while respecting your privacy and choice.

Google Docs and Slides

Helperbird's integration with Google Docs and Slides is designed to enhance your experience by enabling features such as text reading, font customization, and language translation. We request the necessary /auth/documents.currentonly and /auth/presentations.currentonly authorizations for these functionalities. Rest assured, we do not track or store any user data in the process.

Google Drive

To seamlessly send requested PDFs to the Helperbird browser extension for an improved reading experience, we ask for /auth/drive.readonly authorization. It's important to note that Helperbird respects your privacy and does not store or track any information obtained through this authorization.

Data Security and Compliance

Helperbird is committed to the security and privacy of your data. Our use and transfer of information received from Google APIs are strictly limited to our browser extension. We adhere to Google API Services User Data Policy, ensuring responsible data handling and compliance with industry standards. You can also read our security page here

No Tracking or Storage

Your privacy matters. Helperbird does not track, store, or retain any data from your interactions with Google Docs, Google Slides, or Google Drive. The information accessed is solely used to enhance your Helperbird experience.

Data Breach Plan

Data breaches are the last thing we want, but we’re prepared for the worst. If such an event were to occur, we've got an action plan ready to deploy. Keen on learning more? It'll be public soon. If patience isn’t your virtue, drop a line at [email protected].

For the tech aficionados, we regularly update and inspect our packages and servers every two weeks.

Cookies and Tracking Technologies

No Cookies or Tracking in App: Helperbird prioritizes user privacy by not employing cookies or tracking technologies within the application. This ensures a secure, privacy-focused user experience.

Third-Party Integrations

Website Live Chat (Crisp): For live chat functionality on our website, we use Crisp, which adheres to its own strict privacy policy to protect your data.

YouTube Videos in Privacy-Enhanced Mode: To further safeguard privacy, all YouTube videos embedded on our site are in privacy-enhanced mode. This prevents the tracking of viewing behavior.

Contacting Us for Privacy Concerns

Reach Out with Questions: Users with privacy-related inquiries are encouraged to contact us directly at [email protected]. We're here to address your concerns and provide clarity on our practices.

Updates to Our Privacy Policy

Staying Informed: Changes to our Privacy Policy will be communicated through various channels to ensure our users are always informed.

Look out for updates via:

• Social Media Announcements
• Notices on Our Website (Banners)
• Future Consideration: In-app Notifications

Clean Slate Policy

When a user departs from your Workspace or uninstalls the app, we ensure their settings are cleared from the browser. For more insight on this, delve here.

Links to Other Websites

Our digital trails might guide you to other exciting corners of the web. However, once you venture out of our domain, remember we can't steer those ships. Their protective measures and policies might not echo ours. Always take a minute to appraise their security protocols. Safe browsing!

Therefore, we cannot be responsible for the protection and security of any information which you provide whilst visiting such sites and such sites are not governed by this security statement.

You should exercise caution and look at the security statement applicable to the website in question.

Verifiable Parental Consent

To comply with online safety regulations for children under 13, we require schools or teachers to obtain parental consent before allowing a student under 13 to allow Helperbird to know their email. This step is necessary for us to verify whether the student has access to Helperbird Pro or is included in a Helperbird Pro Unlimited subscription. It's important to clarify that we're asking for the student's email, not for personal information, solely to check their subscription status.

We prioritize privacy, which is why our free version doesn't require users to log in or provide an email. For those who opt for Helperbird Pro, we offer a subscription key as an alternative. This method allows access to Pro features while maintaining email privacy, ensuring users can enjoy our services without sharing more information than they're comfortable with.

Contact Us

Got a question, feedback, or just want to say hi? We're all ears! Feel free to shoot us an email anytime at [email protected]. We love hearing from you and promise to get back to you as soon as we can.

And hey, we're only human—so if you think we might have overlooked something in our privacy statement, or if there's anything that's not crystal clear, please don't hesitate to point it out. We regularly review our policies to ensure they're up to snuff, but your input is invaluable in keeping everything in tip-top shape.