Legal
Privacy policy
YouTube Shadow ("the extension", "we") is a browser extension that helps you minimize distractions on youtube.com by hiding page elements and optionally replacing video titles with your own custom titles.
The developer does not collect, store, or transmit any personal data. There is no server, no account system, no analytics, and no tracking of any kind.
What data the extension handles
All data the extension works with stays on your device and inside your own Chrome profile, managed by Chrome's built-in storage APIs:
| Data | Purpose | Where it lives |
|---|---|---|
| Hiding preferences (which elements to hide) | Remember your choices | Your Chrome profile / Chrome Sync (chrome.storage.sync) |
| Custom video titles you type | Rename videos for yourself | Your device only (chrome.storage.local — not synced) |
If you are signed in to Chrome and have sync enabled, Chrome itself may sync your hiding preferences across your devices. This is standard Chrome Sync behavior, and the data is governed by Google's privacy policy, not shared with us. Custom titles are stored locally on each device and are never synced. We never receive a copy of any of this data.
To display a custom title, the extension reads the current video title from the YouTube page locally in your browser and uses it as the original title when you turn the custom title off. That title text is never transmitted anywhere.
What the extension does not do
- It does not collect browsing history, page content, or personal information.
- It does not sell or share any data with third parties.
- It does not use analytics, advertising, or tracking libraries.
- It does not communicate with any external server.
This website
This website (youtube-shadow.tqtlabs.com) uses Cloudflare Web Analytics to count page views. It is cookieless and aggregate: it does not set cookies, does not build a profile of you, and is not used for advertising. It is a website measurement only — the extension itself contains no analytics and makes no external requests.
Permissions
| Permission | Why it is needed |
|---|---|
storage |
Save your hiding preferences (Chrome Sync, so they follow your Chrome profile) and your custom titles (local to this device, not synced). |
activeTab |
When you open the extension popup, read the URL of the currently active tab to detect the YouTube video so you can set a custom title for it. Nothing is read or sent until you open the popup. |
Host access to youtube.com |
The content script must run on YouTube pages to apply your hiding preferences (via CSS) and custom titles. This is the core function of the extension. |
Data retention and deletion
- Uninstalling the extension removes its local extension data from your browser. Preferences previously synced through Chrome Sync may remain in your Google account until you remove them in Chrome Sync settings.
- You can reset your hiding preferences at any time using the "Restore Original YouTube" button, delete an individual custom title by clearing it in the popup and saving, or remove the extension entirely.
Changes
If this policy changes, the updated version will be posted at this URL with a new "Last updated" date.
Contact
Questions about this policy: support@tqtlabs.com.
YouTube is a trademark of Google LLC. YouTube Shadow is an independent project and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Google.