Key points:
- Extensions can be an immense benefit to consumers, but they can be a huge privacy nightmare at the very same time.
- Developers will start using the collection tool for data disclosure right away.
- The protocol promises the user data is for the user’s primary advantage only for the duration of the extension.
- As part of Google’s Project Strobe last year, we released an essential series of extension policies to protect users as well as their info.
Extensions can be an immense benefit to consumers, but they can be a huge privacy nightmare at the very same time. For quite some time, Google is already making attempts to close the noose around the Chrome extensions.
Now the company also introduced a roadmap for Chrome extensions to implement transparent privacy policies.
Developers to start using the collection tool:
From January 2021, the comprehensive listing of each extension on the Google Chrome Web Store will also display developer-provided information about the data obtained by their extension.
Developers will start using the collection tool for data disclosure right away. Detailed data collection information is likely to help users make a more informed choice about what plugin they want to use on their browser.
An additional Policy:
In addition to a more comprehensive page, Google has now adopted an additional framework aimed at restricting how extension developers access data from users.
The protocol promises the user data is for the user’s primary advantage only for the duration of the extension.
The proposal further reiterates that consumer data should not be marketed by developers. The use of the data gathered for targeted ads is, therefore prohibited.
It also forbids developers from using consumer data for “creditworthiness and any form of qualification for lending and data brokers or other resellers for information.”
Chrome extension sites will now also feature a show to let users know whether or not the creator has met with the aforementioned policies.
Blog post by Alexandre Blondin and Mark M. Jaycox:
A fundamental aspect of the job we do on Chrome is protecting users and their info. As part of Google’s Project Strobe last year, we released an essential series of extension policies to protect users as well as their info.
These policies require extensions to seek only the approvals required for their functionality to be enforced. In addition, we wanted more plugins to post privacy policies and safely manage user info, Alexandre Blondin, as well as Mark M. Jaycox, wrote in a blog post, Chrome Product & Policy.
