Steeping for YouTube (Chrome extension) — Privacy Policy
Last updated: October 23, 2026
Steeping for YouTube ("the extension") plays each sentence of a captioned YouTube video in the original audio, then as a spoken translation in the user's language, as a study aid for language learners. This policy explains what the extension does with data.
What the Extension Accesses
On YouTube watch pages (youtube.com/watch):
- It reads the video's caption / subtitle track (the transcript) to build the bilingual playback. Captions come from YouTube's own caption data.
- It adds the playback controls and the bilingual subtitle overlay to the page.
On language.steepingworld.com:
- It reads your existing sign-in session so you do not have to log in twice. You sign in on the website with your normal account.
The extension is not active on any other website.
What Is Sent Off Your Device
To produce the spoken translation, the extension sends the caption text of the video you are playing to our backend at language.steepingworld.com, which then translates the text and generates speech for the translation (Google Gemini API), and records usage against your account for billing.
Usage statistics. The extension also sends short usage events, such as that it was installed, that playback started, or that a batch of translations was prepared or failed. Each carries the extension version, your browser's language and an anonymous install number. They never contain captions, translations, video titles or the addresses of pages you visit. If you are signed in, they are linked to your account.
Feedback you choose to give. After your first full listening session, the extension may ask once whether you will use it again; if you answer, your answer and anything you type are sent with the extension version and the anonymous install number. When you remove the extension, Chrome opens a short page on language.steepingworld.com that asks why, with the extension version, your browser's language and the anonymous install number in its address. Answering is optional. Answers are read only by us, to improve Steeping.
The extension does not send your browsing history or your activity on other websites.
What Is Stored
- On your device (chrome.storage): your chosen translation language and your sign-in session token.
- On our backend: the generated translation audio clips and usage records tied to your account, handled under our main Privacy Policy.
Third-Party Services
- Google: Gemini API (translation and speech).
- Supabase: Authentication and database hosting.
- Stripe: Payment processing.
We do not sell your data and do not use it for advertising or tracking.
Permissions
- storage — save your language preference and keep you signed in.
- Access to youtube.com — add the playback UI and read video captions.
- Access to language.steepingworld.com — sign you in and request translations and speech from the backend.
The extension does not load or execute remote code; all of its code ships in the published package.
Your Account and Data
Your account, billing, and account deletion are managed through language.steepingworld.com. Deleting your account removes the associated data as described in the main Privacy Policy.
Contact
Questions? Reach out via the feedback form on our Roadmap page.