Legal
Privacy Policy
Last updated: June 1, 2025

LinguaHover ("we", "our", "us") is committed to protecting your privacy. This policy explains, in plain language, what data the LinguaHover browser extension and website collect, why we collect it, how it is stored and secured, who we share it with, and what rights and choices you have. LinguaHover does not require you to create an account to use the Free plan. By installing or using the extension, you agree to the practices described in this policy.

1. Who This Policy Applies To

This policy applies to anyone who installs the LinguaHover browser extension, visits our website (linguahover.github.io), or subscribes to LinguaHover Pro. It applies regardless of which browser (Chrome, Edge, Brave, or any other Chromium-based browser) or device you use.

2. Data We Collect

Free Plan users: All of your data — saved words, quiz results, XP, streaks, daily-limit counters, and settings (target language, hover delay, theme, etc.) — is stored only in your browser's local storage, using the standard chrome.storage API. This data never leaves your device and is never transmitted to our servers. We have no access to it, no copy of it, and no way to see it.

Pro Plan users: To enable cross-device cloud sync, we store your saved words, folders, and settings on encrypted servers. This data is linked only to a payment/subscription identifier issued by our payment processor (LemonSqueezy) — not to your name, browsing activity, or any government-issued ID. We do not require your real name, physical address, or date of birth to use LinguaHover Pro.

What we do NOT collect, ever: your general browsing history, the list of websites you visit, your search history, your IP-linked identity, keystrokes outside of the extension's own input fields, or the content of pages you browse beyond the specific word or phrase you actively choose to look up.

Words you look up: When you hover, select, or type a word/phrase to translate, that specific text is sent to a translation or dictionary API to retrieve a result (see Section 4). We do not log, store, or associate these lookups with your identity on our own servers.

Contact form / email: If you email us or use the contact form on this website, we receive whatever information you choose to include (name, email address, and message) so we can respond to you. We use this only to handle your inquiry and do not add you to any marketing list.

3. Browser Permissions We Request, and Why

Chrome requires extensions to declare the permissions they use. Here is what each permission LinguaHover requests is actually used for:

  • storage — to save your settings, saved words, and learning progress locally in your browser.
  • activeTab / host permissions (all websites) — to detect the word you hover over or select on the page you're currently viewing, and to display the translation tooltip there. LinguaHover only acts on text you actively interact with; it does not read or transmit the rest of the page.
  • scripting — to inject the hover-translation tooltip and, for Pro users, platform-specific features (like subtitle translation) into the page.
  • alarms — to schedule the Word of the Day refresh and spaced-repetition review reminders at the correct local time.
  • tabs — to open the upgrade/payment page in a new tab when you click "Upgrade to Pro," and to determine whether a supported site (e.g. YouTube, Gmail) is open so platform features only run where relevant.
  • notifications — to show local reminders (Word of the Day, review due) if you have notifications enabled.
  • contextMenus — to add a right-click "Translate with LinguaHover" option.
  • idle — to detect general inactivity so background checks can pause; this does not track which sites you're idle on.

We follow the principle of least privilege: LinguaHover only requests permissions it actively uses to deliver the features described on this website.

4. Third-Party Services We Use

To provide translations and word-learning content, LinguaHover sends the specific word or phrase you look up to the following third-party services. Each receives only the text you're looking up — never your name, email, or browsing history:

  • Google Translate API (translate.googleapis.com) — returns the translated text.
  • DictionaryAPI.dev — returns definitions, part of speech, and phonetic spelling.
  • Datamuse API — returns related words, synonyms, antonyms, and collocations.
  • Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org) — returns a short contextual summary when a looked-up word has a related topic.
  • Google News (news.google.com) — used only to support the optional Smart News Reader Mode (Pro).
  • LemonSqueezy (api.lemonsqueezy.com) — processes Pro subscription payments and verifies subscription status.

Each of these providers has its own privacy policy governing how they handle requests sent to them; we encourage you to review those if you have concerns about a specific provider.

5. Payment Data

Pro plan payments are processed entirely by LemonSqueezy, our third-party payment provider. LinguaHover never sees, stores, or has access to your full credit card number, CVV, or billing address. We only receive a subscription status flag (active/inactive) and a payment identifier used to unlock Pro features. Please review LemonSqueezy's Privacy Policy for details of their own data practices, including their role as the Merchant of Record for this purchase.

6. Analytics

We may collect anonymous, aggregated usage statistics — for example, the total number of active installs, the most commonly used target languages, or the overall Free-to-Pro conversion rate — to help us decide which features to improve. These statistics are aggregated across all users and cannot be traced back to, or used to identify, any individual person.

7. Cookies & Local Storage

LinguaHover the extension does not use tracking cookies. It uses the browser's built-in storage APIs solely to remember your preferences and saved-word data on your own device. Our website (linguahover.github.io) may use minimal, non-tracking local storage for site functionality (such as remembering your billing toggle preference) and loads fonts from Google Fonts, which may involve a standard connection to Google's font-serving infrastructure.

8. How We Protect Your Data

Free plan data never leaves your browser, so its security is governed by your own browser and device security. For Pro plan cloud-synced data, we rely on industry-standard encryption in transit (HTTPS/TLS) and at rest, and we limit access to the minimum necessary to operate the service. No method of transmission or storage is 100% secure, and while we work to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

9. Your Rights & Choices

Depending on where you live, you may have rights under data protection laws such as the GDPR (EU/UK) or the CCPA (California), including the right to:

  • Access the personal data we hold about you (Pro users only, since Free users' data never reaches us)
  • Request correction or deletion of that data
  • Object to or restrict certain processing
  • Request a copy of your data in a portable format
  • Withdraw consent at any time by uninstalling the extension or cancelling your Pro subscription

To exercise any of these rights, contact us using the details in Section 13. We will respond within a reasonable time and in accordance with applicable law.

10. International Users & Data Transfers

LinguaHover is used by people around the world. If you are located outside the country where our servers or service providers (such as LemonSqueezy) operate, your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in a different country than your own, which may have different data protection laws. By using LinguaHover Pro, you consent to this transfer.

11. Data Retention & Deletion

Free plan data is stored entirely in your browser and can be deleted at any time by removing the extension or clearing its storage in your browser's extension settings. Pro plan cloud data is retained for as long as your subscription is active, plus a limited grace period afterward in case you resubscribe. You can request full deletion of your Pro cloud data at any time by contacting us at dennisscott6989@gmail.com. We will process deletion requests within 7 business days and confirm once complete.

12. Children's Privacy

LinguaHover is not directed at, and is not intended for use by, children under the age of 13 (or the minimum age required in your jurisdiction). We do not knowingly collect personal data from children. If we become aware that we have inadvertently collected personal data from a child, we will delete it promptly. Parents or guardians who believe their child has provided us with personal data should contact us so we can address it.

13. Changes to This Policy

We may update this policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, features, or legal requirements. Material changes will be posted on this page with an updated "Last updated" date. We encourage you to review this page periodically. Continued use of the extension after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.

14. Contact Us

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or how your data is handled, please reach out — we read every message: