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PRIVACY POLICY FOR DISABLE HTML5 AUTOPLAY
Last Updated: October 2026
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1. INTRODUCTION & OUR CORE PRIVACY COMMITMENT
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Disable HTML5 Autoplay ("the Extension", "we", "us", or "our") is designed to give users complete control over media playback on the web. We believe that your browser is your private space.
Our fundamental privacy commitment is absolute:
We do NOT collect, monitor, store, sell, or transmit any of your personal data, browsing activity, visited URLs, or media consumption habits.
The extension functions 100% locally on your computer and never connects to external servers or telemetry services.
2. ZERO DATA COLLECTION & ZERO TRACKING
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We strictly enforce a Zero-Data-Collection architecture:
• Personal Information: We do NOT collect your name, email address, IP address, device IDs, or location.
• Browsing History: We do NOT log, inspect, record, or track the websites you visit or the pages you open.
• Media & Page Content: We do NOT read, capture, or record video/audio streams, text, form inputs, passwords, or personal credentials.
• Analytics & Tracking: We do NOT use Google Analytics, telemetry libraries, marketing pixels, or tracking beacons.
• Remote Servers: The extension does NOT communicate with any external backend server or cloud API.
3. PERMISSIONS EXPLAINED: WHY THEY ARE USED
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To block unsolicited media autoplay while respecting your browsing preferences, Disable HTML5 Autoplay requires specific permissions in Chrome. Here is exactly what they do:
1. Permission: "storage"
Why it is needed:
Used exclusively to save your extension configuration locally within your Google Chrome browser profile via the `chrome.storage.local` API.
Data stored:
- "enabled" (boolean): Remembers whether autoplay blocking is turned on or off.
- "mode" (string): Remembers your chosen protection mode ("block" or "mute").
- "blockVideo" / "blockAudio" (booleans): Remembers your media filter toggles.
- "whitelist" (array of domain strings): Remembers websites where you have chosen to allow autoplay (e.g., ["youtube.com"]).
- "totalBlocked" (integer): A simple counter tracking the total number of autoplay attempts stopped for display in the popup.
All stored data remains on your physical device and is never uploaded or shared.
2. Content Scripts with Match Pattern: "<all_urls>"
Why it is needed:
Unsolicited autoplay happens on arbitrary websites across the internet (such as news outlets, entertainment blogs, shopping portals, and social media platforms).
To prevent media from playing automatically, the extension must inject a lightweight controller script into pages at `document_start`. This allows the extension to hook into the browser's native `HTMLMediaElement.prototype.play` API and intercept playback calls before sudden audio or video can disturb the user.
4. ARE ALL OF THESE PERMISSIONS STRICTLY NECESSARY? (LEAST PRIVILEGE AUDIT)
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Users and browser auditors often ask: "Are all requested permissions strictly necessary, or can some be omitted?"
YES. Every single permission requested by Disable HTML5 Autoplay is strictly necessary to perform its single stated function, and nothing more.
Here is why each cannot be omitted:
- Without "storage": The extension would not be able to remember your domain whitelist or preferred mode (e.g., Mute vs. Strict Block). Every time you opened a new tab or restarted Chrome, your settings would be lost.
- Without "<all_urls>" content script access: The extension would be unable to stop autoplay on any website other than pre-hardcoded domains. Because automated video ads and background media appear on thousands of different domains, universal content script matching is mandatory to protect users wherever they browse.
Why we deliberately OMIT sensitive permissions:
- We DO NOT request the broad "tabs" permission: The extension only queries the hostname of the currently active tab inside the popup UI. It does not access your tab history, other open tabs, or full URLs.
- We DO NOT request the "scripting" permission: Scripts are registered declaratively in the manifest.
- We DO NOT request "webRequest" or "declarativeNetRequest": We do not monitor, intercept, or modify your network requests.
- We DO NOT request "cookies", "identity", or external network host permissions.
Disable HTML5 Autoplay strictly abides by the Google Chrome Web Store Principle of Least Privilege.
5. DATA RETENTION & REMOVAL
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All preferences stored by the extension remain solely in your local Chrome profile storage. You can reset all stored preferences at any time by toggling settings in the popup or by removing the extension from Chrome (`chrome://extensions`), which automatically deletes all associated local data permanently.
6. THIRD-PARTY SERVICES & EXTERNAL CODE
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Disable HTML5 Autoplay does not include any third-party advertising SDKs, remote trackers, or externally hosted scripts. All JavaScript and CSS code is bundled directly inside the extension package for complete security and transparency.
7. COMPLIANCE WITH GOOGLE CHROME STORE POLICIES
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This extension fully complies with the Google Chrome Web Store Developer Program Policies, including the Single Purpose Policy, User Data Policy, and Limited Use requirements.
8. CONTACT & INQUIRIES
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If you have any questions, feedback, or suggestions regarding this Privacy Policy or the security of Disable HTML5 Autoplay, please reach out via our support channel or open an issue on our official repository.